254 
course, which would add to the revenue 
of the government that oppressed*them. 
The extensive mercantile concerns. with 
England of Mr. Morris’s house, and the 
Jarge importations of her manufactures 
and colonial produce: by it, must have 
made this sacrifice considerable. ‘His 
uniform conduct on the subject of the 
relative connexion hetween England 
and the colonies, his bigh standing in 
socicty, and general intelligence, natu- 
rally pointed him out as a fit representa- 
tive of Pennsylvania in the national 
councils, assembled on the approach of 
the political storm; and he was aecord- 
ingly appointed by the legislature of 
Pennsylvania, in November 1775, one of 
the delegates to the second congress that 
met at Philadelphia. A few weeks after 
he had taken his seat, he was added to 
the seeret committee of that body, 
which had been formed by a resolve of 
the preceding congress, and whose duty 
was “to contract for the importation of 
arms, ammunition, sulphur, and saltpe- 
tre, and to export produce on the public 
account to puy for the same.” He was 
also appointed « member of the com- 
mittee for fitting out a naval armament, 
‘and speciaily commissioned to negociate 
bills of exchange for congress; to bor- 
fow money for the marine committee, 
and to manage the fiseal concerms of 
congress upon other occasions. Tnde- 
pendently of his enthusiastic zeal in the 
cause of his country, of his capacity for 
business, and knowledge of the subjects 
committed to him, or his talents fer 
managing pecuniary concerns, he was 
particularly fitted for such services; as 
the commercial credit he had esta- 
blished among his fellow citizens proba- 
bly stood higher than that of any otber 
man in the cemmunity, and of this he 
did not hesitate to avail himself whenever 
the public necessities required such an 
evidence of his patriotism. ‘These oc- 
casions were neither few nor trifling. 
One of the few remaining prominent 
men of the revolution, and who filled an 
important and most confidential station 
in the department of war, bears testimony 
that Mr. Morris frequently obtained pe- 
cuniary and other supplies, which were 
most pressiug!y required for the service, 
on his own responsibility, and appa- 
rently upon his own account, when, 
from the known state of the public trea- 
sury, they could not have been procured 
for the government. 
Among several facts in point, the fol- 
lowing may be mentioned : 
During the rapid march of Cornwallis 
Memoirs of the Life of Robert Morris. 
[Oct. 1, 
through New-Jerscy, in pursuit of the 
American army, Congress, as a mea- 
sure of security, removed to Baltimore, 
and requested Mr. Morris to remain as 
long as possible in Philadelphia, to for- 
ward expresses to them from General 
Washington. ‘The daily expectation of 
the arrival of the enemy in the city, in- 
duced Mr. Morris to remove his family 
to the country; while he took up his 
abode with an intimate friend, who had 
made up bis mind to stay in the city at 
every hazard. At this time, December 
1776, he received a letter from General 
Washington, who then lay with his army 
at the place now called New-Hope, 
above Trenton, expressing the utmost 
anxiety for the supply of specie, to 
enable him to obtain such intelligence 
of the movements and precise position 
and situation of the enemy on the oppo= 
site shore, as would authorise him to act 
offensively. The importance of the oc- 
casion induced the general to send the 
letter by a confidential messenger.* The 
case Was almost hopeless from the gene- 
ral flight of the citizens: but a trial must 
be made, and Mr. M. luckily procured 
ilie cash as a personal loan, from a mem- 
ber of the Society of Friends, whom he 
met, when, in the greatest possible anx- 
icty of mind, he was walking about the 
city, reflecting on the most likely means 
or person, by which, or from whom it was 
to be obtained. This prompt and timely 
compliance with the demand, enabled 
General Washington to gain the sienal 
victory at Trenton over the savage Hes- 
sians ; a victory which, exclusively of the 
benefits derived from its diminishing the 
numerical force of the enemy by nearly » 
one thousand, was siznally important in 
its influence, by encouraging the patri- 
ots, and checking the hopes of the ene- 
mies of our cause ; and by destroying the 
impression which the reputed prowess of 
the conquered fue, and the experience of 
their ferocity over the unprotected and 
defenceless, had made upon the people. 
Upon another occasion, he became 
respousible fora quantity of lead, which 
had been most urgently required for the 
army, and’ which most providentially 
arrived at the time when greatly 
wanted. Ata more advanced stace of 
the war, when pressing distress in the 
PRS eae OYE MGT SEN sid aae Pe rh) PGT Te 
* The messenger was Capt. Howell 
afterwards for several years governor of 
New-Jersey. 
+ See the particulars related by Judge 
Peters, in Garden’s interesting Anecdotes 
of the American War, p. 334, Charleston, 
S. C, 1822. 
army 
