1781:
July 16th -
Wrote to Mr. Dudley at Boston inviting him hither in
consequence of the Continental Agent. Mr. Bradford's Letter
respecting him referred to me by Congress.
July 17th -
Wrote Mr. Bradford respecting Mr. Dudley.
Nov. 10th -
Ordered some money on application of Mr. Dudley to pay his expenses.
Nov. 12th -
Sent for Mr Dudley to consult him respecting the quantity of
Alloy Silver will bear without being discoloured, he says he
can put 6 drops into an ounce. Desired him to assay some
Spanish Dollars and French Crowns, in order to know the
quantity of pure Silver in each.
Nov. 16th -
Mr. Dudley assayed a number of Crowns and dollars for our
information respecting the Mint.
1782:
Jan. 2d - Mr.
Benjamin Dudley applied for money to pay his Board which I
directed to be paid by Mr. Swanwick, this gentleman is
detained at the public expense as a person absolutely
necessary in the Mint. which I hope soon to see established.
My propositions on that subject are to be submitted to
Congress so soon as I can get the proper assays made or.
Silver coin &c.
Jan. 7th - Mr.
Dudley applies about getting his wife from England. I promised
him every assistance in my power. (The following, from the
Morris Papers, serve to illustrate this subject)
ROBT. MORRIS TO
RICHARD YATES
PHILAD'A, Jan. 23,
1782.
SIR,
At the request of a
very honest Man who seems much distressed for the welfare of
his wife, now in London, I beg to trouble you with the
enclosed Letter, praying that you will forward it, and if in
consequence thereof Mrs. Dudley should come to New York, I beg
of you to procure Liberty for her to come to her Husband at
this place. The money for her Passage and reasonable expenses
in New York, which must be reasonable as possible, she may
draw upon her Husband, Mr. Benjamin Dudley, and I engage that
the Draft shall be paid I shall thank you for your attention
to this poor Lady when she arrives, and remain Sir,
your most obedient
and humble servant,
ROBERT MORRIS.
ROBT. MORRIS TO
THE COMMISSARY GENERAL OF PRISONERS
PHILAD'A, Jan. 23,
1782.
SIR,
I send herewith an
open letter for Mr. Richard Yates containing one for Mrs.
Dudley in London, from here Husband now here. I wish these may
be safely delivered to Mr. Yates, and therefore pray you to
send them into New York, by some person that will not only
promise, but perform the delivery of them. I am Sir.
your most obedient
and humble servant,
ROBERT MORRIS.
Jan. 18th - I
went to Mr. Gouvr Morris's Lodging to examine the plan we had
agreed on, and which we had drawn up respecting the
Establishment of a Mint, we made some alterations and
amendments to my satisfaction and from a belief that this is a
necessary and salutary measure. I have ordered it copied to be
sent into Congress.
Jan. 26th -
Mr. Dudley applied for money to pay his Lodgings &c. I
ordered Mr. Swanwick to supply him with fifty dollars,
informed him that the Plan of a Mint is before Congress, and
when passed, that he shall be directly employed, if not agreed
to by Congress, I shall compensate him for his time &c.
Feb. 26th -
Mr. Benjamin Dudley brought me the rough drafts or plan for
the rooms of a Mint &c. I desired him to go to Mr.
Whitehead Humphreys to consult him about Screws, Smithwork
&c. that will be wanted for the Mint, and to bring me a
list thereof with an estimate of the Cost.
Feb 28th - Mr.
Dudley informs me that a Mr. Wheeler, a Smith in the Country,
can make the Screws, Rollers &c. for the Mint. Mr. Dudley
proposes the Dutch Church, that which is now unoccupied, as a
place suitable for the Mint, I sent him to view it, & he
returns satisfied that it will answer, wherefore I must
enquire about it.
March 22d -
Mr. Dudley and Mr. Wheeler came and brought with them some
Models of the Screws and Rollers necessary for the Mint. I
found Mr. Wheeler entertained some doubts respecting one of
these Machines which Mr. Dudley insists will answer the
purposes and says he will be responsible for it. I agreed with
Mr. Wheeler that he should perform the work; and, as neither
he or I could judge of the value that ought to be paid for it,
he is to perform the same agreeable to Mr. Dudley's
directions, and when finished, we are to have it valued by
some Honest Man, judges of such work, he mentioned Philip Syng,
Edwd. Duffield, William Rush and--all of whom I believe are
good judges and very honest men, therefore I readily agreed to
this proposition. And I desired Mr. Dudley to consult Mr.
Rittenhouse and Francis Hopkinson Esquire, as to the Machine
or Wheel in dispute, and let me have their opinion.
March 23d -
Mr. Dudley called to inform me that Mr. Rittenhouse & Mr.
Hopkinson agree to his plan of the Machine &c.
April 12th -
Mr. Dudley wants a horse to go up to Mr. Wheelers &c.
May 20th - Mr.
Dudley wrote me a Letter this day and wanted money. I directed
Mr. Swanwick to supply him, and then disired him to view the
Mason's Lodge to see if it would Answer for a Mint, which he
thinks it will, I desired him to go up to Mr. Wheelers to see
how he goes on with the Rollers &c.
June 17th -
Mr. Dudley applied for money to pay his Bill. I directed Mr.
Swanwick to supply him.
June 18th -
Issued a warrant in favor of B. Dudley Pound 7,11.6.
July 15th -
Mr. B. Dudley applied for money, he is very uneasy for want of
employment, and the Mint in which he is to be employed and for
which I have engaged him, goes on so slowly that I am also
uneasy at having this gentleman on pay and no work for him. He
offered to go and assist Mr. Byers to establish the Brass
Cannon Foundry at Springfield. I advised to make that proposal
to Genl. Lincoln and inform me the result to-morrow. (This
letter will illustrate this subject)
ROBERT MORRIS TO
THE REV. WILLIAM GORDON, D. D.
PHILAD'A 25th July,
1782.
SIR,
In consequence of
your Letter of the nineteenth of June, I sent for Mr. Dudley,
told him the information you had so kindly given to me, and
assured him of my desire to make him easy and happy. The
business in which he is intended to be employed, is like many
other important matters, retarded by the tediousness of the
States in supplying the Continental Treasury.
The Hon'ble Secretary
at War has commenced a correspondence with General Gates at my
request, which I think, will produce what he wishes. Be
assured that I take particular pleasure in promoting the
interest and happiness of worthy men, and that I am with great
esteem Sir,
your most obedient
and humble Servant,
ROBERT MORRIS.
July 16th -
Mr. B. Dudley to whom I gave an order on Mr. Swanwick for
fifty dollars, and desired him to seek after Mr. Wheeler to
know whether the Rollers &c. are ready for him to go to
work on rolling the copper for the Mint.
August 22d -
Mr. Saml. Wheeler who made the Rollers for the Mint, applies
for money. I had a good deal of conversation with this
ingenious gentleman.
August 26th -
Mr. Dudley called and pressed very much to be set at work.
Sept 3d - Mr.
B. Dudley applied for a passage for his Friend Mr. Sprague,
pr. the Washington to France & for Mrs. Dudley back. Mr.
Wheeler applied for money which I promised in a short time.
Sept. 4th -
Mr. Wheeler for money. I desired him to leave his claim with
Mr. McCall Secretary in this office, and I will enable the
discharge of his notes in the Bank when due.
Nov. 8th - Mr.
Dudley applies for the amount of his Bill for Lodgings and
Diet &c. and I directed Mr. Swanwick to pay him, but am
very uneasy that the Mint is not going on.
Dec. 23d - Mr.
Dudley and Mr. Wilcox brought the subsistance paper, and I
desired Mr. Dudley to deliver 4000 sheets to Hall and Sellers.
(This letter will illustrate this matter).
ROBERT MORRIS TO
BENJAMIN DUDLEY
OFFICE OF FINANCE, 29
Nov., 1782
SIR,
You will herewith
receive the Form for making a particular kind of Paper--You
are to proceed to the Paper Mill of Mr. Mark Wilcox, in Ash
Town Chester County, who has the Stuff prepared, and there to
superintend the making of sundry reams of leave it in
the power of any person or persons to make any paper upon this
Form without your immediate Inspection.
You are to attend the
Workmen constantly whilst they are at work, and when you
retire from the Mill upon any occasion you are to take the
From with you. You are to count the Paper as it is made sheet
by sheet and when you have finished the whole, you are to
bring it to me together with the Form. I am Sir,
Your most obedient
servant,
ROBERT MORRIS
Dec. 26th -
Mr. Hall the printer brought 100 Sheets of the subsistence
notes this day, and desired that more paper might be sent to
his Printing Office, accordingly I sent for Mr. Dudley and
desired him to deliver the same from time to time, until the
whole shall amount to 4000 Sheets.
1783:
April 2d - I
sent for Mr. Dudley who delivered me a piece of Silver Coin,
being the first that has been struck as an American Coin.
April 16th -
Sent for Mr. Dudley and urged him to produce the Coins to lay
before Congress to establish a Mint.
April 17th -
Sent for Mr. Dudley to urge the preparing of Coins &c for
Establishing a Mint.
April 22d -
Mr. Dudley sent in several Pieces of Money as patters of the
intended American Coins.
May 6th - Sent
for Mr. Dudley and desired him to go down to Mr. Mark Wilcox's
to see 15,000 Sheets of paper made fit to print my Notes on.
May 7th - This
day delivered Mr. Dudley the paper Mold for making paper,
mark'd United States, and dispatched him to Mr. Wilcok's but
was obliged to advance him 20 dollars.
May 27th - I
sent for Mr. Dudley to know if he has compleated the paper at
Mr. Wilcock's paper mill for the Certificates intended for the
pay of the Army. He says it is made, but not yet sufficiently
dry for the printers use. I desired him to repair down to the
Mill and bring it up as soon as possible.
May 28th - Mr.
Whitehead Humphreys to offer his lot and buildings for
erecting a Mint.
July 5th - Mr.
Benjn. Dudley gave notice that he has received back from
Messrs: Hall and Sellers the Printers, three thousand sheets
of the last paper made by Mr. Wilcocks. I desired him to bring
it to this office. He also informs of a Minting Press being in
New York for sale, and urges me to purchase it for the use of
the American Mint.
July 7th - Mr.
Dudley respecting the Minting Press, but I had not time to see
him.
August 19th -
I sent for Mr. Benjamin Dudley, and informed him of my doubts
about the establishment of a Mint, and desired him to think of
some employment in private service, in which I am willing to
assist him all in my power. I told him to make out an account
for the services he had performed for the public, and submit
at the Treasury office for inspection and settlement.
August 30th -
Mr. Dudley brought the dies for Coining in the American Mint.
Sept. 3d - Mr.
Dudley applies for money for his expenses which I agree to
supply, but urge his going into private business.
Sept. 4th -
Mr. Dudley for money, which is granted. Directed him to make
three models for constructing Dry--
Nov. 21st -
Mr. Dudley applies for money. He says he was at half a guinea
a week and his expenses borne when he left Boston to come
about the Mint, and he thinks the public ought to make that
good to him. I desired him to write me and I will state his
claims to Congress.
Nov. 26th -
Mr. Dudley for money, which was granted.
Dec. 17th -
Mr. Dudley with his account for final settlement. I referred
him to Mr. Milligan.
1784:
Jan. 5th - Mr.
Dudley applies for a Certificate of the Time which he was
detained in the public service. I granted him one accordingly.
Jan. 7th - Mr.
Dudley after the settlement of his account, which I completed
by signing a warrant.