Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 2 September 1775 - December 1775

Richard Montgomery

Sir

Ticonderoga

30th Novr. 1775

The Congress having done us the honour to Appoint us as a Committee to Confer with the General and yourself on the measures Necessary to be taken for the reinlistment of the Army, as also to Conciliate the affections of the Canadians and to remove as far as in us lay every Objection that the good people of that Province might have to a Union with the thirteen Colonies, who are Strugling in the Glorious Cause of freedom, We arrived here a few days Since in prosecution of that design; but are extreamly happy to find that General Schuyler and yourself have in a Great measure by your prudence and foresight anticipated our business, and renderd a Journey into Canada in some measure unnecessary at present which indeed we rather decline on Account of the Advanced season of the year and the improbability of your being able to lend us any assistance, while the enemies of the Natural Rights of man continue their hostilities against our fellow Subjects in that Province, and Confine your Attention to those Military opperations which are Necessary to procure their Relief.

We cannot help however expressing the ardent wishes of the Congress that you would Cherish the first dawnings of liberty among a people, who have early testified their sense of its Value if we may be Admitted to Judge from the Assistance they afforded you in repelling its enemies. That you would assure them that the Honble. the Congress have thro us declared that they hold their Rights as dear as their own, and that on their Uniting with them they will exert their utmost endeavours to procure, for them and their posterity the blessing of a free government and that Security to their property and persons which is derived from the British Constitution-that they hold Sacred the rights of Conscience, and will never disturb them in the free enjoyment of their Religion.(1)

The Honb. Congress Recommend it to you to use your utmost endeavours to procure a free meeting of the people in their several Parishes, out of whom to Chuse a Provincial Convention who will form such Rules and regulations as the present exigencies may render Necessary for their Province. From this body they hope that delagates will be chosen to meet and Cooperate with them in such measures as they shall think Necessary for their mutual Security against the unjust Violences of an arbitrary ministry. If the unsettled state of the Province should Prevent a free and full Representation of the whole Colony, yet the Honb. the Congress will Acquiess in the Choice of Such Towns, Parishes and districts, as may think it proper to send deputies-or if previous to their meeting in Congress they should have any Difficulties which it is out of your power to remove, a Committee of Congress will at any time when the Communication is more open be ready to meet and Confer with them on the Subject at Albany, Montreal, or any other place, which they May think proper to appoint. We need not mention to you the propriety of punishing in the Severest manner any of our Troops, who should so far forget the duty that they owe to us and our worthy Allies, as to offer the least injury either to their property or Persons. We know not your Arrangement of the Army, but Presume you have not in the distribution of Commissions over looked the Merrit of those who deserve well of their Country, nor Sufferd them to be Advanced who have merrited its Censure.
General Schuyler has inclosed our last instructions which will shew you the Design of the Congress with Respect to Quebeck but which from your letter we find you have already in some measure Anticipated. He also gives you our Sense with Respect to the Clothing and bounty to the Troops, in the management of which we must rely upon your prudence and doubt not that the Congress will make good any engagements to which you may have found it Necessary to enter. The other Subjects of our Conference with the General, some of which are mentioned to you in his letter and others wanting the Sanction of Congress we think it unnecessary at present to trouble you with. The post being just abt to Depart we cannot enlarge. If any other opportunity should offer, we may write you again before we leave this.

We Congratulate you upon the happy Success of our Arms and hope shortly to hear that your prosperous endeavours has left no footing to our enemies in that Country from which they hoped to draw the most effectual supplies.

We Remain with the greatest Respect Your most Hbl Servts

Rob. R. Livingston
Rob. T. Paine
Jno Langdon

Tr (DNA: PCC, item 166). Endorsed by Charles Thomson: "Decr. 23. A Letter and Report of the committee appointed to repair to Ticonderoga & Confer with Genl. Schuyler. Read Decr. 23. 1775-referred to Mr. Dickinson, Mr. McKean, Mr. Wythe, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Langdon." FC (DLC). In the hand of Robert R. Livingston, Jr., though not signed.
l The following phrases were crossed out in Livingston's draft: "Tho the power of Government being now in a great measure dissolved in that province it will be necessary to take some measures to prevent the evils that may arise from confusion & anarchy but as the congress wish not presume to interfere in the internal policy of any province but leave that solely to the management of its own members." DLC. Montgomery's political plans for Canada are discussed in Gustave Lanctot, Canada & the American Revolution 1774-1783, trans. Margaret M. Cameron (Toronto: Clarke, Irwin & Co., 1967), pp. 94-96.