The War in the Northwest 69 



did even more; and throughout the contest, even in 

 its darkest hours, they sent them down to receive 

 the final touches of a lady-like education at some one 

 of the State capitals not at the moment in the hands 

 of the enemy such as Charleston or Philadelphia. 

 There the young ladies were taught dancing and 

 music, for which, as well as for their frocks and 

 "pink calamanco shoes," their fathers paid enormous 

 sums in depreciated Continental currency. 14 



Even the close of active hostilities, when the Brit 

 ish were driven from the Southern States, brought 

 at first but a slight betterment of condition to the 

 struggling people. There was no cash in the land, 

 the paper currency was nearly worthless, every one 

 was heavily in debt, and no one was able to collect 

 what was owing to him. There was much mob vio 

 lence, and a general relaxation of the bonds of law 

 and order. Even nature turned hostile; a terrible 

 drought shrunk up all the streams until they could 

 not turn the gristmills, while from the same cause 

 the crops failed almost completely. A hard winter 

 followed, and many cattle and hogs died; so that 

 the well-to-do were brought to the verge of bank 

 ruptcy and the poor suffered extreme privations, be 

 ing forced to go fifty or sixty miles to purchase 

 small quantities of meal and grain at exorbitant 

 prices. 15 



14 Clay MSS. Account of Robert Morris with Miss Eliza 

 beth Hart, during her residence in Philadelphia in 1780-81. 

 The account is so curious that I give it in full in the Appendix. 



16 Clay MSS. Letters of Jesse Benton, 1782 and '83. See 

 Appendix. 



