Philadelphia, Monday, May 29, 1797. MY DEAR SIR, I acknowledge the receipt of your several letters to which I will reply to-morrow-I beg you to attribute my omission in answering sooner to any thing but the want of respect or esteem for you both of which I have cherished from our earliest acquaintance and shall never part with but with extreme pain. Doct. Romayne, New-York. DEAR SIR, Wm. BLOUNT. Philadelphia, May 31, 1797. I can't come to New-York to see you and I much want to see you. Can't you come to this place to see me, I beg the favour of you to do so-And if you can come I wish you would come this week-To see each other face to face it would be best and to a man of your abilities and observation a journey to this place cannot be lost I am, dear Sir, with the sincerest esteem, Doct. Romayne, New-York. MY DEAR SIR, Wm. BLOUNT. New-York, June 2d, 1797. I have received your two letters, and I must take it into consideration the visit to Philadelphia. The late packet which is arrived has brought me no letters which surprizes me much-The affairs of Europe are indeed such that the great ones are mostly occupied respecting matters which are pressing upon them-I do not know what to think respecting peace, but it appears to me that England will be more eager to obtain it now than when I left Europe-but I have no idea that a peace will be permanent-The parties will only respire and begin again-At this time I consider our prospects more uncertain than I did. I had penned some sentiments to be sent to you in case I should leave this before the meeting of Congress-I wish you had them, but I dare not trust them out of my hands. Should Should however the war continue in Europe it will be impossible for this country to escape being parties in it. Yours respectfully, The Hon'ble William Blount, Esq. MY DEAR SIR, NICS. ROMAYNE. New-York, July 2, 1797. I have been confined to my room for a fortnight past with St. Anthony's fire in one of my feet, and though I am now nearly recovered yet the warm weather deters me from undertaking a journey to Philad. though I am extremely anxious tô see you. I think myself very fortunate that I did not go to Europe this spring-I am much disposed to think the business is over now- Whether France will make a peace with England this season I have my doubts, and that nation if the war continues will not be able to shew much exertion under the present load of accumulated debt-What is to be the fate of our country is very uncertain, but I have my fears that if the war continues France will be very unpleasant to us. I presume it is now understood that Louisiana is to have a new master-how will the change be liked by the settlements in the Tennessee and the Ohio? You know I had some thoughts when I could command a little money to invest it in lands in that quarter, but I now hesitate very much on that subject. Though a peace may take place between England and Note. The preceding was found among the Papers of Nicholas Romayne, and acknowledged by him to be an unfinished Letter to Wm. Blount.-Vide Capt. Eaton's Report. A post upon Hosage river a branch of the Missouri about 100 leagues from the mouth of the Missouri-established as a trading post. This post was contemplated in the winter 1794, and may or may not be established. It is reported Hosage Indians are at war with the Spaniards. Petit Coat a post 8 or 9 miles up the Missouri with a small garrison say a militia subaltern's command. The circumjacent militia are about 80. St. St. Louis 15 miles below the mouth of the Missouri upon the bank of the Missisippi situate upon a rock a serjeant and 12. Here the Commander with the rank of captain resides, cirjacent militia about 300. St. Janevier 65 miles below St. Louis no soldiers in lieu militia about 180-This post is commanded by a captain of militia-At this place is a regular quadrangular stockade capable of being defended by 400 men but no cannon mounted. New Madrid commanded by Col. Lusare with the rank of Commandant of Upper Louisiana. Indorsed-Judge Turner, Memor. of Force, &c. Deposition of Doctor Nicholas Romayne, aged Thirty-nine Years and upwards; taken before the Committee of the House of Representatives, appointed to prepare and report Articles of Impeachment against William Blount, a Senator of the United States, impeached by the said House of High Crimes and Misdemeanors, on the 15th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Days of July, 1797. DR. NICHOLAS ROMAYNE, being sworn on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, doth depose and say: THAT he had been acquainted with William Blount since the year 1782, when he first came to this city, as a member of Congress. Some time after, he had occasion to correspond with him, respecting some property belonging to the deponent in North-Carolina. Upon that and various other subjects, the correspondence between them had continued till very lately. While Mr. Blount was governor of the territory of the United States south of the Ohio, the deponent was requested by a friend, to write to him, and to propose the solution of certain queries respecting the military lands on Cumberland, in that territory, for the purchase of which, it was contemplated to form a company, and to propose to Mr. Blount to become a party. This proposition was accordingly made to him. Mr. Blount's answer to these queries and propositions, was communicated by Captain Chisholin, at that time an entire stranger to the deponent, but whom Mr. Blount recommended as a proper person to be employed by the company, as a purchasing a gent. The The plan, However, was wholly dropt, on account of the person who proposed it, going to Europe. Sometime afterwards, the deponent formed a resolution of paying a visit to Europe; which being known to Mr. Blount, a proposi tion originated between them, that an attempt should be made there to form a company on the principles, and for the purposes formerly mentioned, and to include Governor Blount and Captain Chisholm as partners. This happened previous to the 12th of July, 1795, on which day the deponent sailed for England. An agreement to this effect was made and formally executed; but from motives of delicacy, and apprehensions of the fall of lands on account of the political events in Europe, no direct attempts were made to carry it into effect. The deponent, however, left maps and papers on the subject, with certain persons of consideration, in England, and was requested by them, and some others, to procure from the state of Tennessee, a law for enabling them, as aliens, to hold lands:These persons contemplated to purchase lands, as the price, circumstances, and their own convenience should dictate: in case of their becoming purchasers, it was understood that Governor Blount, and the deponent, might be interested in the purchases; upon terms, however, which were not settled; and the propriety of the purchases was to depend, in a great measure, upon his opinion. On his arrival in this country, he was to keep up a correspondence with them, which he has done. In October last, the deponent arrived in America. He has not been out of the state of New-York since, till he was summoned to this place. Soon after his arrival, he wrote to Governor Blount, informing him that he had done nothing in their land-business, more than has been before mentioned. To this letter he never received any answer; but about the beginning of February last, Governor Blount came to NewYork, on business of his own: at least his coming was not at the instance, or with the privity of the deponent. During his stay there, he and the deponent frequently met as acquaintances: had much political conversation, and frequently conversed on the value of property in the United States, particularly landed property. It seemed to be his wish that the deponent should urge his friends in Europe to become purchasers of land at that time; which, however, he positively declined, on account of what he considered to be the political state of this country. He particularly stated to Governor Blount, that the French government was at that time very hostile to the government of the United States; M 2 that that in his opinion there was no probability that General Pinckney would be received as Minister of the United States; that this opinion was founded on a knowledge of what ap peared to be the system and temper of France, when he came from there in July last; that he had much reason to believe that Spain had made a cession to France, of Louisiana and the Floridas; that the French, possessing great powers, had great views in all their operations, and that he thought it not improbable they had in contemplation the acquisition of Canada and the whole Western country; that he and his friends might be prepared to think of becoming sans-culottes. Mr. Blount seemed to be much interested by this conversation, which was very extensive, and which became at length more particularly directed to the state of Tennessee, and the manner in which it might be affected by these events. He said he had taken great pains to settle that state, and to render it important; he spoke of his being concerned in administering the government there, on the subject of which he said, he had been treated very ill by the President, or some of the executive officers of the United States. The conversation indeed became so affecting to him, that he wept; upon which the subject was dropt for that time. His stay at New-York was several days;-he was out at the house of the deponent one or two nights; and there were frequent conversations on the same subject: in the course of which, the deponent expressed his opinion, that under present circumstances, the lands in Tennessee and in the Western country, in general, would be of little or no value. A remark was made, that in case of a war between the United States and France, the situation of the Western country must be very disagreeable, and that in such an event, those people, in order to relieve themselves from the calamities which must appear so threatening, would perhaps be impelled to separate from the government of the United States. Speaking of the Gennessee lands in the state of New-York, and of some sales of them lately made abroad, and comparing them with the price of lands in Tennessee, the deponent was led to remark, that it was a pity Louisiana also, as well as Canada, could not be in the hands of the English; as neighbourhood to that government added so much to the value in the sale of lands. Mr. Blount replied, that he had no doubt of the justness of the osbervation: that it was indeed to be regretted that the British did not possess Louisiana, and that such an event might very casily be brought about. The deponent expressed some doubts of this opinion; having always un derstood |