_Dr. Barry_,
After congratulating you on your safe arrival and success, I shall
without any apoligy relate to you what has been Transacting in this
Quarter relative to rank for this week past, it still hangs over our
head & requires every Exertion of Interest to prevent its taking
place. The Attempt has been bold & Daring and is only equaled by the
man who made it.
The Chevalier ever since his arrival in this City has devoted his
time, privately, by making personal application to the Individual
members of Congress to give him rank at the head of our Navy, and
after Interesting (by being an accomplished Courtior), every member
who was week, or of his own stamp in his favor, hands into Congress a
Narritive of his services from the beginning of time containing the
best part of a Quire of paper, and attended with a modest petition
seting forth the injustice he had done him in the Establishment of
rank and desire of redress &ca. This had the desired effect, and he
had a Committee of Congress consistg. of Genl. Vernon, Mr. Mathews &
Mr. Clymer appointed to enquire into his Claim and to make report,
they accordingly did and in his favor. Congress was upon the point
of taking the report up, and I have too much reason to believe woud
have gratified the hight of his ambition had we not by the greatest
accident discovered it, this was done by information a member of
Congress gave Mrs. Reade in whose house he lived, he was also on the
most familiar terms with myself, so far he had proceeded without
the least suspisian on our side. As soon as I was informed of it,
I immediately took my Hat and with very little Ceremony waited
on the President of Congress at his house, & informed what I had
heard, he received me politely & told me my suspisians was just, I
therefore desired as my right that Congress might delay determining
on it untill Cap. Reade & myself in behalf of ourselves & the absent
brother officers equally concerned, should have an opportunity of
being heard, which he promised me his Interest to have done, and that
day Cap. Reade & myself threw in our remonstrance to Congress a Copy
of mine you have Enclosed, the Consequence of which was the Committee
was ordered to reconsider it and to give us notice to attend, we
according did & found Cap. Jones without doors in conferance with
two of them, Cap. Jones did not attend, I desired the Chairman would
send for him, the reason I assigned was that I would say many things
in his presence that I would not in his absence, he sent word that
he would wait on us but never came, we found the President & Mr.
Mathews predetermined in his favor, but Mr. Climer otherwise, after
pointing out the absurdity of his claim which proceeded from a
Brevial from Commodore Hopkins to the Command of the Sloop Providence
were from his own claim, Capts. Whipple, Hallock, yourself, &
Alexander where Capts. before him. I say after pointing out this to
them, the Presidt. appeared to be convinced, but if so in reality
I wont pretend to say. We had a good deal of conversation with the
Committee, Mr. Mathews alone seemed his most strenious advocate and
in my oppinion behaved obstinate & ungentiel. I said many things
pretty severe of the Chevaliers private as well as Public Carrector
too odious to mention and yet unnoticed, upon the whole we acquited
ourselves well. It happened five days ago and they have not yet made
their report. Should it be in his favor again, I have some reason
to believe the honest part as well as those who had been imposed on
from their ignorance about our Naval Transactions and the method
of Establishing rank, are now sufficiently alarmed, and should the
report be taken up at all, they will not determine in his favor.
Your arrival & success came very opportunily and I did not fail to
make use of it I mean outdoors in presence of Cap. Jones & some of
his advocated Members, by observing that you had acquit yourself
well, which they acknowledged. I then told them they could not do
less than make you Admiral also. I had not a sentense of reply. it
irritated the Chevalier so much that he was obliged to decamp. I
yesterday was informed by a Member of Congress a friend of mine that
they had received a letter from Bob Morris (The Financier) that he
would undertake to Fitt out immediately my Ship & the 74 and if they
agreed to it, there would be a necessity for appointing a Cap. to
her immediately, and at the same time asked if I would accept of
the Command of her. I refused but at the same time pointed out the
necessity of the next Senior officer having the offer & so down, and
in case none of them would accept untill it came to Chevalier that
then he should have the offer he seemed convinced from the arguments
I made use of of the Necessity of this mode as the only one that
would give satisfaction and make our Navy of repute. How it will
opperate with Congress I cant undertake to determine. I also let him
understand that you was already appointed to her. I have very good
reason to believe that Bob Morris' views are solely to serve him, but
be that as it may, he has my consent, as I am convinced he will never
get her to sea. It will suit his Vanity & only tend to expose himself
and his friends in Congress.
I have now 120 men onbd., and as Bob Morris has undertaken to supply
us with money expect to get to sea in a fortnight.