PREFACE

THIS book contains a biography of ROBERT MORRIS and a financial history of the period of the American Revolution. Neither of these subjects has heretofore been made the object of thorough investigation. Early in this century, two biographies of Morris were written, one by Mease, the other by Wain; and numerous short sketches of his career have since been published which simply repeat the contents of those two. The financial history of the Revolution is very obscure. The most important records of. the financial administration between 1775 and 1781 are lost. The finances of the Continental Congress had no proper boundary. In one point of view, they seem never to have had any finances ; in another, the whole administration was financial.

Neither branch of the subject can be considered as exhaustively treated in the present work. In the ” Inventory of Articles found in possession of Robert Morris, in his room, debtors’ apartment, Saturday, August 1st, 1801,” which is printed with the Account of his Property, is an enumeration showing that he had an enormous mass of papers, letters, account-books, etc., covering his life and business from 1775 to 1800. There were twenty-five letter books. These books and papers seem to have been scattered; but it is probable that a great many of them may still be in existence. Morris kept a diary during his service as Superintendent of Finance. It was used by Sparks, who published brief extracts from it. From the description of it by Homes, it must be extremely interesting and valuable. Sparks must have neglected his opportunity to secure possession of it and save it ; for the present owner, Gen. Meredith Read, of Paris, says that he bought it just in time to save it from the paper-mill. As between my reader and myself, I am called upon to say that I made every possible effort to obtain the use of it for the present work, but that it was not consistent with General Read’s views to grant my request. It will remain for myself or another, at some future time, to fill the gaps and correct the errors which are now unavoidable. My book will, I hope, show that it is worth while that this should be done.

W. G. SUMNER.

YALE UNIVERSITY,

October, 1891.

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