Printed transcription/modern copy of letter

Stategic Situation in the Western Territories

Writing as member of Continental Congress to the Superintendent of the War Office, Monroe discusses the military-strategic situation in the Western Territories and along the Mississippi River. Notes that posts to north not evacuated by British. Recommends maintaining posts on the lakes. Discusses situation with Spanish on Mississippi River. Discusses Indian affairs and importance of fur trade.


James Monroe to Joseph Carleton
Trenton Novr. 26. 1784.
Dear Sir,
I was favor'd with yours of the 12th a few days since. You were thoroughly acquainted with my sentiments of those arrang'ments which we shod. have adopted at Annapolis as well as of those which were ultimately carried. If I was then anxious that we shod. not entirely disarm ourselves & leave the military affairs of the union, as well of command as the ordinance & other stores afloat, our present situation alone wod. determine my conduct. The posts are certainly not evacuated & in addition to this I was appriz'd in Canada, in a trip I took, during the recess of Congress, that the commanding officer had recd. order to hold them, in consequence of wh. he had put the vessels in commission wh. had been laid aside under the provisional treaty, upon the lakes Erie, Ontario & Champlain. I was at ft. Erie, niagra, & the post on the St. Lawrence as far as Montreal & saw no step wh. argued a disposition to evacuate the posts within our bounds, but if a contrary disposition existed in the Ct. of London I am more fully impress'd with the necessity, from the view I have had of that country of keeping posts on the lakes; upon that alone will the direction of the conduct of the Indians & the fur trade depend. We have it in our power to avail ourselves of those advantages if we will not shut our eyes agnst. measures wh. point their own necessity; but if we loose the present moment we shall not only loose them ourselves but add them to the resources of the Brith. province of Canada. Upon the Missisippi, our attention is call'd by the conduct of Spn., she is stimulating the Indians agnst. us & will I hear deny us the right of navigation. Our situation, in every view, requires the wisest arrangement of our affairs in every department, and it will be particularly incumbent on us to have those of yr. department well attended to. It will be, for yet we have but six states, among the first objects of Congress. I cannot determine what course Congress will pursue, but my own opinion is yr. presence shod. be immediately requir'd here. Nor can I say in what light you are at present consider'd, but I shod. suppose certainly in command, or rather, in the service of the States; of this you may rest assur'd that the last Congress, & I am well satisfied this will do the same, entertain'd an high sense of your merit & services & will be happy to give you the most honorable testimonials of it. Believe me I shall with pleasure seek any opportunity to serve you, as in doing it I am thoroughly persuaded I am at the same time, more especially in the present state of our affrs., rendering service to my country. I am with great respect & esteem dear Sir your friend & servant,
Jas. Monroe

1784

11

26

Trenton

Source for the transcrition is Smith, Letters of Delegates to Congress (36-37).

Joseph Carleton

James Monroe

British

Spanish

congress

Trenton

Mississippi

Spain

posts

lakes

Mississippi River

Spain

Britain

Annapolis

Canada

Erie

Ontaio

Champlain

Niagara

St. Lawrence

Montreal

Indian affairs

fur trade

1784112653500

2

James Monroe to Joseph Carleton
Trenton Novr. 26. 1784.
Dear Sir,
I was favor'd with yours of the 12th a few days since. You were thoroughly acquainted with my sentiments of those arrang'ments which we shod. have adopted at Annapolis as well as of those which were ultimately carried. If I was then anxious that we shod. not entirely disarm ourselves & leave the military affairs of the union, as well of command as the ordinance & other stores afloat, our present situation alone wod. determine my conduct. The posts are certainly not evacuated & in addition to this I was appriz'd in Canada, in a trip I took, during the recess of Congress, that the commanding officer had recd. order to hold them, in consequence of wh. he had put the vessels in commission wh. had been laid aside under the provisional treaty, upon the lakes Erie, Ontario & Champlain. I was at ft. Erie, niagra, & the post on the St. Lawrence as far as Montreal & saw no step wh. argued a disposition to evacuate the posts within our bounds, but if a contrary disposition existed in the Ct. of London I am more fully impress'd with the necessity, from the view I have had of that country of keeping posts on the lakes; upon that alone will the direction of the conduct of the Indians & the fur trade depend. We have it in our power to avail ourselves of those advantages if we will not shut our eyes agnst. measures wh. point their own necessity; but if we loose the present moment we shall not only loose them ourselves but add them to the resources of the Brith. province of Canada. Upon the Missisippi, our attention is call'd by the conduct of Spn., she is stimulating the Indiians agnst. us & will I hear deny us the right of navigation. Our situation, in every view, requires the wisest arrangement of our affairs in every department, and it will be particularly incumbent on us to have those of yr. department well attended to. It will be, for yet we have but six states, among the first objects of Congress. I cannot determine what course Congress will pursue, but my own opinion is yr. presence shod. be immediately requir'd here. Nor can I say in what light you are at present consider'd, but I shod. suppose certainly in command, or rather, in the service of the States; of this you may rest assur'd that the last Congress, & I am well satisfied this will do the same, entertain'd an high sense of your merit & services & will be happy to give you the most honorable testimonials of it. Believe me I shall with pleasure seek any opportunity to serve you, as in doingn it I am thoroughly persuaded I am at the same time, more especially in the present state of our affrs., rendering service to my country. I am with great respect & esteem dear Sir your friend & servant,
Jas. Monroe