Description:

Peale, Charles Wilson (1741-1827) Revolutionary War-dated ALS requesting astronomer, inventor, and State Treasurer David Rittenhouse to pay for Nails used to repair Independence Hall

Rare Autograph Letter Signed "Chas W Peale" as one of three members of the "Committee of Assembly," one page, 6.75" x 3". [Philadelphia], January 29, 1780. Also signed "Wm. Hollinshead" and "Jacob Schreiner." To David Rittenhouse Esqr. Uneven right edge. Mounting strip at top edge on verso, no show-through. Endorsed on verso "Jacob Greiner" beneath manuscript "Feb. 2d. 1800 Recd the Contents." Fine condition.

In full, "Please to pay unto Mr. Jacob Greiner the Sum of Four Hundred and Seventy eight pound, Seven Shillings & Six pence, for Nails Used on the Stadt House and public Stables."

On February 11, 1785, Maryland members of the Continental Congress James McHenry and William Hindman forwarded to Maryland Governor William Paca, a motion of the Delegates of Maryland which stated, in part, "By the eighth Article of the Confederation, it is declared 'That all Charges of War and all other Expences that shall be incurred for the common Defence or general Wellfare and allowed by the United States in Congress assembled, shall be defrayed out of a common Treasury.' It would seem that Congress having so many Towns in their Choice, in which they may hold their Sessions, and at a very inconsiderable Expence erect a Federal Stadt-House & proper Offices, if the Erection of such Stadt-House and Offices should become necessary..." The term "stadt house" was eventually anglicized to "state house" by the early 19th century.

In 1730, the Pennsylvania General Assembly appointed a committee to direct the expenditure of £2,000 on a new "Stadt house." Constructed between 1732 and 1756, it served as the meeting place for the general assembly of the province of Philadelphia. From 1775 to 1783 (except for the winter of 1777 - 1778 when Philadelphia was occupied by the British Army), it was also the meeting place for the Second Continental Congress. It was in the Assembly Room of this building that George Washington was appointed Commander in Chief of the Continental Army (1775) and the Declaration of Independence was adopted (1776). In the same room, the design of the American flag was agreed upon (1777) the Articles of Confederation were adopted (1781), and the U. S. Constitution was drafted (1787). The Pennsylvania State House soon became known as Independence Hall.

In an article in Vol. 43 No. 1, "Transactions of the American Philosophical Society," 1953, titled "The Independence Hall Group," Edward M. Riley, Chief Park Historian, Independence National Historic Park Project, writes, "When the [Pennsylvania] Assembly relinquished their room on the first floor to the Congress in 1775, they moved into the small room in the southeastern corner of the second floor. Although the enlargement of its membership, by the State Constitution of 1776, from forty-one to seventy-two Representatives made this room inadequate, nothing appears to have been done to improve conditions until after the British occupation. At this time the room was almost doubled in size by removing the partition between it and the long room to the Chestnut Street wall. This made the room the same size as the old Assembly room they had left. The new quarters seemed to be so comfortable that the Assembly occupied it for some time after Congress left in 1783."

On October 7, 1779, a committee was named by the Assembly "to direct the repairs of the chamber of the general assembly." On March 24, 1780, the committee made a report on their expenses. The accounts of payments of these expenses are itemized in the "Journal of the House of Representatives of Pa., 1776-1781." Riley reports that on February 17, 1780, 19 days after this letter was handwritten by Peale and signed by him, Hollinshead, and Schreiner as the members of the "Committee of Assembly," Robert Allison, carpenter, was paid £511.17.5 "for carpenters work done at State House." Undoubtedly, this payment to Jacob Greiner is also listed in the journal. David Rittenhouse was Treasurer of Pennsylvania from 1777 to 1789.

When Benjamin Franklin returned home from Paris in 1785, he built significant additions to his house. Greiner is listed in the expenses of Franklin's payments: "Jan. 5 1787 Paid Jacob Greiner in full for Nails 16.19.2_." Although more nails must have been used to repair Independence Hall in 1780 than to add to Benjamin Franklin's house in 1787, it is interesting to compare the two payments to Greiner: £428 by the government, £16 by Franklin. It was Franklin who said "If you'd be wealthy, think of saving, more than of getting" and it was Franklin who knew the benefits of "early to bed and early to rise..."

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