To John Jay from William Livingston, 3 March 1777
From William Livingston
Haddonfield, 3d: March 1777
Dear Sir
Mrs. Livingston informs me that Master Peter is now really gone; & one of his Grandfathers can inform you that he will go home with a heavy Heart upon account of his being gone—
General Howe is lately arived at Briunsw[ic]k, & the Enemy’s Army reinforced with between 3000 & 4000 men. They now doubtless intend to make some last Push to retrieve their late Disgraces— And tho’ We have for some time past kept them at Bay, & so stuck to them that they could scarcely stirr for the purpose of foraging without being drove into their Quarters with loss & infamy, I fear that we are not sufficiently strong to resist, if they should all move in a Body; & I am not sure that they have yet given over their Project of visiting at Philadelphia. Our Assembly, after having spent as much time in framing a Militia Bill, as Alexander would have required to subdue Persia, will at last make such a ridiculous Bussiness of it, as not to oblige a single man to turn out who can only bring him to consume three gallons of spirits in Toddy Per Annum less than he does at present.1 Please accept of the inclosed, and believe me to be Your most humble svt.
Wil. Livingston
ALS, NNC (EJ: 6876). Addressed: “To / John Jay Esqr / Kingston / Ulster County—/ State of New York.” Endorsed. Enclosure: Livingston’s speech to the New Jersey Council and Assembly, dated 25 Feb. but presented, entered into the record, and ordered published on 28 Feb. 1777 (see JJ to William Livingston, 22 Mar. 1777, below).
1. On 24 Jan. 1777 Governor Livingston sent a message to the assembly urging a new and more effective militia law. He repeated his plea on 3 Feb., but no militia bill was reported in the assembly until 19 Feb. The bill passed the assembly three days later but met opposition in the council. On 1 Mar. a committee of conference from the two houses was formed to prepare a compromise bill, and the committee’s report was presented to the assembly on 7 Mar. After further debate in the assembly, acceptable provisions were adopted on 13 Mar., and the statute received Livingston’s signature on 15 Mar. 1777. The Militia Law of 1777 provided for a sliding scale of fines, from £5 to £40, to be imposed on enlisted men or officers who refused to march in time of “Invasion or Alarm,” while citizens exempted from militia duty by reason of age, physical disability, or occupation were to be taxed in lieu of military service. Votes and Proceedings of the General Assembly of the State of New-Jersey . . . (Burlington, 1777; , no. 15466), 52, 56, 73, 74, 76, 90, 94–95, 103–4, 105; Acts of the General Assembly of the State of New-Jersey At a Session Begun . . . on the 27th Day of August 1776 . . . (Burlington, 1777; , no. 15459), chaps. 20, 26–36.