thegenerousallianceshehasenteredintowithus。Tho’muchofmytimeisemployedinthecouncilsofAmericaIhaveyetalittleleisuretoindulgemyfondnessforphilosophicalstudies。Icouldwishtocorrespondwithyouonsubjectsofthatkind。Itmightnotbeunacceptabletoyoutobeinformedforinstanceofthetruepowerofourclimateasdiscoverablefromthethermometer，fromtheforce&
　　directionofthewinds，thequantityofrain，theplantswhichgrowwithoutshelterinwinter&c。Ontheotherhandweshouldbemuchpleasedwithcontemporaryobservationsonthesameparticularsinyourcountry，whichwillgiveusacomparativeviewofthetwoclimates。Farenheit’sthermometeristheonlyoneinusewithus，I
　　makemydailyobservationsasearlyaspossibleinthemorning&
　　againabout4o’clockintheafternoon，thesegenerallyshowingthemaximaofcold&heatinthecourseof24hours。IwishIcouldgratifyyourBotanicaltaste；butIamacquaintedwithnothingmorethanthefirstprinciplesofthatscience；yetmyself&myfriendsmayfurnishyouwithanyBotanicalsubjectswhichthiscountryaffords，andarenottobehadwithyou；andIshalltakepleasureinprocuringthemwhenpointedoutbyyou。Thegreatestdifficultywillbethemeansofconveyanceduringthecontinuanceofthewar。
　　IfthereisagratificationwhichIenvyanypeopleinthisworld，itistoyourcountryitsmusic。Thisisthefavoritepassionofmysoul，&fortunehascastmylotinacountrywhereitisinastateofdeplorablebarbarism。Fromthelineoflifeinwhichweconjectureyoutobe，Ihaveforsometimelostthehopeofseeingyouhere。Shouldtheeventproveso，Ishallaskyourassistanceinprocuringasubstitute，whomaybeaproficientinsinging，&ontheHarpsichord。Ishouldbecontentedtoreceivesuchanonetwoorthreeyearshence，whenitishopedhemaycomemoresafelyandfindhereagreaterplentyofthoseusefulthingswhichcommercealonecanfurnish。TheboundsofanAmericanfortunewillnotadmittheindulgenceofadomesticbandofmusicians，yetIhavethoughtthatapassionformusicmightbereconciledwiththateconomywhichweareobligedtoobserve。IretainforinstanceamongmydomesticservantsagardenerOrtolans，aweaverTessitoredilinoelin，acabinetmakerStipeltaioandastonecutterScalpellinolaboranteinpianotowhichIwouldaddavigneron。InacountrywherelikeyoursmusiciscultivatedandpractisedbyeveryclassofmenI
　　supposetheremightbefoundpersonsofthosetradeswhocouldperformontheFrenchhorn，clarinetorhautboy&bassoon，sothatonemighthaveabandoftwoFrenchhorns，twoclarinets，&hautboys&abassoon，withoutenlargingtheirdomesticexpenses。Acertaintyofemploymentforahalfdozenyears，andattheendofthattimetofindthemiftheychooseaconveyancetotheirowncountrymightinducethemtocomehereonreasonablewages。Withoutmeaningtogiveyoutrouble，perhapsitmightbepracticableforyouin[your]
　　ordinaryintercoursewithyourpeople，tofindoutsuchmendisposedtocometoAmerica。Sobrietyandgoodnaturewouldbedesirablepartsoftheircharacters。Ifyouthinksuchaplanpracticable，andwillbesokindastoinformmewhatwillbenecessarytobedoneonmypartIwilltakecarethatitshallbedone。Thenecessaryexpenses，wheninformedofthem，Icanremitbeforetheyarewanting，toanyportinFrance，withwhichcountryalonewehavesafecorrespondence。IamSirwithmuchesteemyourhumbleservant。”ATRUEWHIGINSCIENCE”
　　_ToDavidRittenhouse_
　　_MonticelloinAlbemarle，Virginia，July19，1778_
　　DEARSIR，——IsincerelycongratulateyouontherecoveryofPhiladelphia，andwishitmaybefounduninjuredbytheenemy——howfartheinterestsofliteraturemayhavesufferedbytheinjuryorremovaloftheOrreryasitismiscalledthepublicklibraries，yourpapers&implements，aredoubtswhichstillexciteanxiety。WeweremuchdisappointedinVirginiagenerallyonthedayofthegreateclipse，whichprovedtobecloudy。InWilliamsburgh，whereitwastotal，Iunderstandonlythebeginningwasseen。AtthisplacewhichisinLat。38degrees-8’andLongitudeWestfromWilliamsburghabout1degrees-45’asisconjectured，elevendigitsonlyweresupposedtobecovered，asitwasnotseenatalltillthemoonhadadvancednearlyonethirdoverthesun’sdisc。Afterwardsitwasseenatintervalsthroughthewhole。Theegressparticularlywasvisible。
　　Itprovedhoweveroflittleusetomeforwantofatimepiecethatcouldbedependedon；whichcircumstance，togetherwiththesubsequentrestorationofPhiladelphiatoyou，hasinducedmetotroubleyouwiththislettertoremindyouofyourkindpromiseofmakingmeanaccurateclock；whichbeingintendedforastronomicalpurposesonly，Iwouldhavedivestedofallapparatusforstrikingorforanyotherpurpose，whichbyincreasingit’scomplicationmightdisturbit’saccuracy。Acompaniontoit，forkeepingseconds，andwhichmightbemovedeasily，wouldgreatlyaddtoit’svalue。Thetheodolite，forwhichIspoketoyoualso，Icannowdispensewith，havingsincepurchasedamostexcellentone。
　　Writingtoaphilosopher，Imayhopetobepardonedforintrudingsomethoughtsofmyowntho’theyrelatetohimpersonally。
　　Yourtimefortwoyearspasthas，Ibelieve，beenprincipallyemployedinthecivilgovernmentofyourcountry。Tho’Ihavebeenawareoftheauthorityourcausewouldacquirewiththeworldfromit’sbeingknownthatyourself&Doc’t。Franklinwerezealousfriendstoitandammyselfdulyimpressedwithasenseofthearduousnessofgovernment，andtheobligationthoseareunderwhoareabletoconductit，yetIamalsosatisfiedthereisanorderofgeniussesabovethatobligation，&thereforeexemptedfromit，nobodycanconceivethatnatureeverintendedtothrowawayaNewtonupontheoccupationsofacrown。Itwouldhavebeenaprodigalityforwhicheventheconductofprovidencemighthavebeenarraigned，hadhebeenbybirthannexedtowhatwassofarbelowhim。Cooperatingwithnatureinherordinaryeconomyweshoulddisposeofandemploythegeniussesofmenaccordingtotheirseveralordersanddegrees。I
　　doubtnotthereareinyourcountrymanypersonsequaltothetaskofconductinggovernment：butyoushouldconsiderthattheworldhasbutoneRyttenhouse，&thatitneverhadonebefore。Theamazingmechanicalrepresentationofthesolarsystemwhichyouconceived&
　　executed，hasneverbeensurpassedbyanybuttheworkofwhichitisacopy。Arethosepowersthen，whichbeingintendedfortheeruditionoftheworldare，likeairandlight，theworld’scommonproperty，tobetakenfromtheirproperpursuittodothecommonplacedrudgeryofgoverningasinglestate，aworkwhichmybeexecutedbymenofanordinarystature，suchasarealways&everywheretobefound?WithouthavingascendedmountSinaiforinspiration，Icanpronouncethattheprecept，inthedecalogueofthevulgar，thattheyshallnotmaketothemselves”thelikenessofanythingthatisintheheavensabove”isreversedforyou，andthatyouwillfulfilthehighestpurposesofyourcreationbyemployingyourselfintheperpetualbreachofthatinhibition。Formyowncountryinparticularyoumustremembersomethinglikeapromisethatitshouldbeadornedwithoneofthem。Thetakingofyourcitybytheenemyhashithertopreventedthepropositionfrombeingmade&approvedbyourlegislature。Thezealofatruewhiginsciencemustexcusethehazardingthesefreethoughts，whichflowfromadesireofpromotingthediffusionofknowledge&ofyourfame，andfromonewhocanassureyoutrulythatheiswithmuchsincerity&esteemYourmostobed’t。&mosthumbleserv’t。
　　P。S。Ifyoucanspareasmuchtimeastogivemenoticeofthereceiptofthis，&whathopeImayformofmyclocks，itwillobligeme。IfsenttoFredericksburghitwillcomesafetohand。
　　WARANDHUMANITY
　　_ToPatrickHenry_
　　_Albemarle，March27，1779_
　　Sir，——Areportprevailinghere，thatinconsequenceofsomepowersfromCongress，theGovernorandCouncilhaveitincontemplationtoremovetheConventiontroops，eitherwhollyorinpart，fromtheirpresentsituation，Itakethelibertyoftroublingyouwithsomeobservationsonthatsubject。Thereputationandinterestofourcountry，ingeneral，maybeaffectedbysuchameasure：itwould，therefore，hardlybedeemedanindecentlibertyinthemostprivatecitizen，toofferhisthoughtstotheconsiderationoftheExecutive。Thelocalityofmysituation，particularlyintheneighborhoodofthepresentbarracks，andthepublicrelationinwhichIstandtothepeopleamongwhomtheyaresituated，togetherwithaconfidencewhichapersonalknowledgeofthemembersoftheExecutivegivesme，thattheywillbegladofinformationfromanyquarter，onasubjectinterestingtothepublic，inducemetohopethattheywillacquitmeofimproprietyinthepresentrepresentation。
　　ByanarticleintheConventionofSaratoga，itisstipulated，onthepartoftheUnitedStates，thattheofficersshallnotbeseparatedfromtheirmen。Isupposethetermofficers，includes_general_aswellas_regimental_officers。Astherearegeneralofficerswhocommandallthetroops，nopartofthemcanbeseparatedfromtheseofficerswithoutaviolationofthearticle：theycannot，ofcourse，beseparatedfromoneanother，unlessthesamegeneralofficercouldbeindifferentplacesatthesametime。Itistrue，thearticleaddsthewords，”asfarascircumstanceswilladmit。”
　　Thiswasanecessaryqualification；because，innoplaceinAmerica，Isuppose，couldtherehavebeenfoundquartersforbothofficersandmentogether；thosefortheofficerstobeaccordingtotheirrank。
　　Sofar，then，asthecircumstancesoftheplacewheretheyshouldbequartered，shouldrenderaseparationnecessary，inordertoprocurequartersfortheofficers，accordingtotheirrank，thearticleadmitsthatseparation。Andthesearethecircumstanceswhichmusthavebeenunderthecontemplationoftheparties；bothofwhom，andalltheworldbesidewhoareultimatejudgesinthecase，wouldstillunderstandthattheyweretobeasnearintheenvironsofthecamp，asconvenientquarterscouldbeprocured；andnotthatthequalificationofthearticledestroyedthearticleitself，andlaiditwhollyatourdiscretion。Congress，indeed，haveadmittedofthisseparation；butaretheysofarlordsofrightandwrongasthatourconsciencesmaybequietwiththeirdispensation?OristhecaseamendedbysayingtheyleaveitoptionalintheGovernorandCounciltoseparatethetroopsornot?Atthesametimethatitexculpatesnotthem，itisdrawingtheGovernorandCouncilintoaparticipationinthebreachoffaith。Ifindeeditisonlyproposed，thataseparationofthetroopsshallbereferredtotheconsentoftheirofficers；thatisaverydifferentmatter。Havingcarefullyavoidedconversationwiththemonpublicsubjects，Icannotsay，ofmyownknowledge，howtheywouldrelishsuchaproposition。Ihaveheardfromothers，thattheywillchoosetoundergoanythingtogether，ratherthantobeseparated，andthattheywillremonstrateagainstitinthestrongestterms。TheExecutive，therefore，ifvoluntaryagentsinthismeasure，mustbedrawnintoapaperwarwiththem，themoredisagreeable，asitseemsthatfaithandreasonwillbeontheotherside。AsanAmerican，Icannothelpfeelingathoroughmortification，thatourCongressshouldhavepermittedaninfractionofourpublichonor；asacitizenofVirginia，Icannothelphopingandconfiding，thatourSupremeExecutive，whoseactswillbeconsideredastheactsoftheCommonwealth，estimatethathonortoohighlytomakeitsinfractiontheirownact。Imaybepermittedtohope，then，thatifanyremovaltakesplace，itwillbeageneralone；and，asitissaidtobelefttotheGovernorandCounciltodetermineonthis，Iamsatisfiedthat，suppressingeveryotherconsideration，andweighingthematterdispassionately，theywilldetermineuponthissolequestion，Isitforthebenefitofthoseforwhomtheyact，thattheConventiontroopsshouldberemovedfromamongthem?Undertheheadofinterest，thesecircumstances，viz。，theexpenseofbuildingbarracks，saidtohavebeenpound25，000，andofremovingthetroopsback-wardsandforwards，amountingto，Iknownothowmuch，arenottobepermitted，merelybecausetheyareContinentalexpenses；forweareapartoftheContinent；wemustpayashillingofeverydollarwasted。Butthesumsofmoneywhich，bythesetroops，orontheiraccount，arebroughtinto，andexpendedinthisState，areagreatandlocaladvantage。Thiscanrequirenoproof。If，attheconclusionofthewar，forinstance，ourshareoftheContinentaldebtshouldbetwentymillionsofdollars，orsaythatwearecalledontofurnishanannualquotaoftwomillionsfourhundredthousanddollars，toCongress，toberaisedbytax，itisobviousthatweshouldraisethesegivensumswithgreaterorlessease，inproportiontothegreaterorlessquantityofmoneyfoundincirculationamongus。Iexpectthatourcirculatingmoneyis[increased?]，bythepresenceofthesetroops，attherateof$30，000
　　aweek，attheleast。Ihaveheard，indeed，thatanobjectionarisestotheirbeingkeptwithinthisState，fromtheinformationofthecommissarythattheycannotbesubsistedhere。Inattendingtotheinformationofthatofficer，itshouldbeborneinmindthatthecountyofKingWilliamanditsvicinitiesareonething，theterritoryofVirginiaanother。Ifthetroopscouldbefeduponlongletters，Ibelievethegentlemanattheheadofthatdepartmentinthiscountry，wouldbethebestcommissaryuponearth。ButtillI
　　seehimdeterminedtoact，nottowrite；tosacrificehisdomesticeasetothedutiesofhisappointment，andapplytotheresourcesofthiscountry，wheresoevertheyaretobehad，Imustentertainadifferentopinionofhim。Iammistakenif，fortheanimalsubsistenceofthetroopshitherto，wearenotprincipallyindebtedtothegeniusandexertionsofHawkins，duringtheveryshorttimehelivedafterhisappointmenttothatdepartment，byyourboard。HiseyeimmediatelypervadedthewholeState，itwasreducedatoncetoaregularmachine，toasystem，andthewholeputintomovementandanimationbythefiatofacomprehensivemind。IftheCommonwealthofVirginiacannotfurnishthesetroopswithbread，Iwouldaskofthecommissariat，whichofthethirteenisnowbecomethegraincolony?Ifweareindangeroffaminefromtheadditionoffourthousandmouths，whatisbecomeofthatsurplusofbread，theexportationofwhichusedtofeedtheWestIndiesandEasternStates，andfillthecolonywithhardmoney?WhenIurgethesufficiencyofthisState，however，tosubsistthesetroops，Ibegtobeunderstood，ashavingincontemplationthequantityofprovisionsnecessaryfortheirrealuse，andnotascalculatingwhatistobelostbythewantonwaste，mismanagement，andcarelessnessofthoseemployedaboutit。Ifmagazinesofbeefandporkaresufferedtorotbyslovenlybutchering，orforwantoftimelyprovisionandsale；ifquantitiesofflourareexposed，bythecommissariesentrustedwiththekeepingit，topillageanddestruction；andif，whenlaidupintheContinentalstores，itisstilltobeembezzledandsold，thelandofEgyptitselfwouldbeinsufficientfortheirsupply，andtheirremovalwouldbenecessary，nottoamoreplentifulcountry，buttomoreableandhonestcommissaries。Perhapsthemagnitudeofthisquestion，anditsrelationtothewholeState，mayrenderitworthwhiletoawaittheopinionoftheNationalCouncil，whichisnowtomeetwithinafewweeks。Thereisnodangerofdistressinthemeantime，asthecommissariesaffirmtheyhaveagreatsufficiencyofprovisionsforsometimetocome。ShouldthemeasureofremovingthemintoanotherStatebeadopted，andcarriedintoexecution，beforethemeetingofAssembly，nodisapprobationoftheirswillbringthemback，becausetheywillthenbeinthepowerofothers，whowillhardlygivethemup。
　　WantofinformationastowhatmaybetheprecisemeasureproposedbytheGovernorandCouncil，obligesmetoshiftmyground，andtakeupthesubjectineverypossibleform。Perhaps，theyhavenotthoughttoremovethetroopsoutofthisStatealtogether，buttosomeotherpartofit。Here，theobjectionsarisingfromtheexpensesofremoval，andofbuildingnewbarracks，recur。Astoanimalfood，itmaybedriventoonepartofthecountryaseasilyastoanother：thatcircumstance，therefore，maybethrownoutofthequestion。Astobread，Isupposetheywillrequireaboutfortyorforty-fivethousandbushelsofgrainayear。Theplacetowhichitistobebroughttothem，isaboutthecentreoftheState。Besides，thatthecountryroundaboutisfertile，allthegrainmadeinthecountiesadjacenttoanykindofnavigation，maybebroughtbywatertowithintwelvemilesofthespot。Forthesetwelvemiles，wagonsmustbeemployed；Isupposehalfadozenwillbeaplenty。Perhaps，thispartoftheexpensemighthavebeensaved，hadthebarracksbeenbuiltonthewater；butitisnotsufficienttojustifytheirbeingabandonednowtheyarebuilt。Wagonage，indeed，seemstothecommissariatanarticlenotwortheconomising。Themostwantonandstudiedcircuityoftransportationhasbeenpractised：tomentiononlyoneact，theyhaveboughtquantitiesofflourforthesetroopsinCumberland，haveorderedittobewagoneddowntoManchester，andwagonedthenceuptothebarracks。Thisfacthappenedtofallwithinmyownknowledge。Idoubtnottherearemanymoresuch，inordereithertoproducetheirtotalremoval，ortorunuptheexpensesofthepresentsituation，andsatisfyCongressthatthenearertheyarebroughttothecommissary’sownbed，thecheapertheywillbesubsisted。Thegrainmadeinthewesterncountiesmaybebroughtpartlyinwagons，asconvenientlytothisastoanyotherplace；
　　perhapsmoreso，onaccountofitsvicinitytooneofthebestpassesthroughtheBlueRidge；andpartlybywater，asitisneartoJamesriver，tothenavigationofwhich，tencountiesareadjacentabovethefalls。WhenIsaidthatthegrainmightbebroughthitherfromallthecountiesoftheStateadjacenttonavigation，Ididnotmeantosayitwouldbepropertobringitfromall。Onthecontrary，I