Exeter. March the 15th. 1777 My Dear Sir Esqr Bitton who arrived here Safe the 7th Inst. Delivered me yours of the 7th ulto for which I thank you and am very Sorry my letters are So Long geting to you. Mr Bitton I understand met with no great Difficulty in his return: the people here are much Disappointed in [struck: not] his not bringing any lottery Tickets; they would Sell here very fast: I hope a considerable number of them will be Sent here speedily otherways I believe our House of Assembly will be for Setting up a Lottery for this particular State, So great is the [illegible] of the people to become adventurers: the General Court is now Setting and I hope next week to inform you who will be appointed to relieve you & your Colleague, a Spell this Summer as I Shall Resign my Seat: General Washington has ordered our 3 Regiments to march to Ti - Some have marched already [text loss] very few have inlisted Since I wrote you last; the men waiting to have the Regiments filled by a Draft when they Expect an additional bounty from private persons. The Massachusetts have taken that measure and our State must Do the same; I Expect it will be Done next week [text loss]. By some intercepted Letters from Governor Wentworth John Cochran &c to some persons in this State Dated Janry 17th & 23d they Say that G:B: has Engaged 20,000 Russians 12,000 Wirtenburgers &c and Expect to be in this State Either in peace or war this Summer and have advised their friends to move their best Efforts from Portsmouth [inserted on left hand margin: As they say there will be the Destruction of property without any Reserve] they Seem to be very much pleased with the Expectations of Success and say that the Southern [struck: states], provinces are all about to Lay Down their arms & Submit [2] However I hope there is not much Credit to be given to their information I Cant yet Believe that Ti &c S: and Prussia &c will Lay Still & see G Brittain Employ Russians, Hessians & the Lord knows who to subdue us. I hope we shall soon hear Better tidings from Europe There are many [inserted: Continental] Bills passing which which are much suspected of being counterfeit and we find much difficulty in detecting them for want of the Proof Sheets of each emissions being sent to our treasury agreable to the order of Congress I am desired to write to you & request that they may be sent forward; I believe that many that are suspected are only from the alterations made in the Different emissions Give my best Regards to Col: Thornton and accept the same for your self from your sincere friend- Josiah Bartlett We have sent 28 loads of sutlers stores to Ti- for our soldiers; Pray Remember to send forward some lottery tickets & the proof sheets of money: the weather here is now very warm & spring like Pray inform me [struck: how] [inserted: whither] the Southern States hold firm, whether N: Carolina have taken up Government and what: has Maryland taken up government. My health tho, better than when I left Philadelphia will not permit my attending Congress this sumer, hope Col: Walker & Mr Wentworth will be sent to your relief am not certain as several others are talked of may the Supreme ruler Divest your counsels with wisdom, may our Enemies be defeated in their [strikeout] villainous desires may success & victory attend the American arms and may the United States of America soon be the hapiest, most flourishing, & most virtuous people on this globe [struck: which is the] such are the earnest desires & first wishes of J:B: [3] This moment Recd yours of the 16th ulto with a copy of lee Letter to Congress for which I tha [inserted: n]k you I confess I am not competent at this Distance to determine concerning prudence of the Congress in not sending a committe to N York agreable to his request However at present I can see no Disadvantage that that would be likely to accrue had that measure been taken and I fear such determined resolutions not to hold any conferences concerning peace with G:B: will be apt to disaffect many people when publickly known as people in general seem almost tired of the war if you had sent possibly something might have turned up much to our advantage at least it would convince both whigs & tories that we were desirous of peace on reasonable terms and cleared the Congress of the aspersion cast on them by our enemies that they are [text loss] averse to peace so that they may keep the whole power in their own hands these are my hasty thoughts on the matter I am yr J:B: [docket] J.Bartlett 15th March [address leaf] To - The Honble William Whipple Esqr Member of Congress at Baltimore Maryland