that your Legislature are now sitting, I write
you this private letter on that subject.

My former public letters will fully have stated my ideas as to the
present demands on the existing requisitions of Congress. I hope and
expect, that those requisitions will be immediately complied with. It
is my decided opinion, founded on the best observations I have been
able to make, and the most accurate and extensive information I could
possibly obtain, that paper emissions will no longer answer the
purpose of carrying on this war, and experience must by this time have
convinced every dispassionate observer, that specific supplies are at
once burdensome to the people, and almost useless to the government.

It is unnecessary to draw the conclusion, which I am sure will strike
your mind, that a revenue in hard money must be obtained; but I will
observe to you, that the present moment is very favorable to that
object in your State. While the war is in your country, the expenses
of it will be so diffused as to possess its inhabitants of specie, and
should it be happily removed to a distance, your commerce will bring
in resources equal to your necessities.

I take the liberty to request that you will communicate these
sentiments to my worthy friend Colonel Harrison, and I pray you to
believe me very sincerely your friend, &c.

ROBERT MORRIS.

* * * * *

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Office of Finance, October 18th, 1781.

Sir,

The honorable committee, on the letter of the Board of War of the 11th
instant, have favored me with a perusal of it. I think it my duty, on
this occasion, to express my approbation of that attention the Board
of War have paid the public service. That letter has opened a subject,
which had pressed itself strongly on my mind, and which I had
determined to mention to Congress, but was restrained by the hope,
that a review of their own proceedings, and a sense of our
difficulties would soon have rendered it unnecessary.

This matter being now before them, it would be unpardonable in me not
to enforce those sentiments, which I myself am most deeply affected
with. I am convinced, that a slight view of the situation, in which
their finances now are, will give a strong impression of the necessity
there is to guard against pecuniary solicitations from every quarter.