Philadelphia Augt. 7th. 1782
Dear Sir,
I wrote you a long letter of the 30th Dec. 1780 to which I have not yet receivd any answer. But I can not help writing a line to you by this opportunity, as well to congratulate you on the success of your negotiations in Holland as to mention to you what I think may be of material concern to you; that the present Minister for foreign Affairs is as devoted a partizan of Count de Vergennes and Dr. Franklin as any that exists. Here he is entirely under the direction of the Minister & Marbois. It may be obvious that considerable caution will be necessary in your correspondence with such a Minister. You may also judge that some balance is necessary against the French influence here, to keep us from swerving from the interest of our Country wherever that happens to run counter to the real or imaginary interests of the Court of Versailles. Therefore a Minister from the States general may be of essential utility here. For when there are two foreign parties, the friends to their country, tho' few, may make the scale preponderate as they please, which certainly is not now the case. For these reasons I think you will render us an essential service by hastning the departure of a Minister who may answer this valuable purpose.
Our Affairs here at present are prosperous. The Enemy have e[v]acuated Savannah after having been beaten in an engagement by Genl. Wayne; & it is pretty certain that the evacuation of Charles-town will soon follow. Hard-money begins to come in by taxes, & when Commerce has a little recovered us from the baneful effects of Paper-money, I think, our Finances will soon acquire stability, & the States credit.
The Instruction which subjects you to the french Ministers gives great offence & uneasiness to many in Congress; & to no one more than to myself.
1
I think it most dishonorable & dangerous. It is a surrender of our Independence & Sovereignty & an acknowlegment that we are unequal to either. Mr. Jay has expressed the same sentiments very freely to Congress & I hope the Commissioners will not think that Instruction can bind them to assent to any thing injurious to their Country, tho it shoud be the advice & opinion of those who cannot have the interests of this Country so much at heart, & who are not responsible to us for their conduct.
God bless you & prosper your Negociations, in spight of us, to a safe, honorable & lasting Peace.
PS. Please to make my Compts to Mr. Jay, & let him know that his Letters have gaind him some friends, & perhaps lost some. But his account of a certain Court differs so much from what I had learnt of it, that I cannot but think there has been some secret agency in the business. Remember me affectionately to Mr. Laurens.
Sir Guy Carelton & Admiral Digby have announcd to Genl Washington & he to Congress, that Mr. Grenville is instructed to propose the Independence of the 13 provinces, so they phrase it, previous to a negociation.
This Letter was committed to Mr Lee, Mr. Witherspoon & Mr Rutlege, who will report I beleive - That Congress consider the above Letter as mere matter of Information, inexplicit as to the nature & extent of the Independency directed to be proposd by the british Plenipotentiary; & as Congress have receivd no information on this subject from their Ministers for negociating with G.B. therefore no public measure can or ought to be taken upon it, in its present form.
That it be & hereby is recommended to the several States in the Union, not to remit of their exertions for carrying on the war with vigor & effect.
That the Commander in cheif be authorizd to empower the Commissioners he shall appoint to settle a general Cartel; to release Earl Cornwallis from his parole in return for a similar indulgence granted by his britannic M[ajesty] to the Honble. Mr. Laurens.
2
To our very great surprise, we have not received one line from you relative to our acknowlegement &c by the States general. Some of us suspect foul play with your Letters as Dr. Franklin has chosen to be silent on the subject, which no doubt is very mortifying to him & his Employers.
Receiver's copy, Adams Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society. Endorsed by Adams: "A. Lee Esq. Aug. 7. Ansd. Oct. 10. 1782. Livingston a devoted Partizan of Vergennes and Franklin. The Instruction wh. Subjects us to the French Minister."
1 See Lee to James Warren, July ? 1782, note 1 (not in printed text).
2 Considering its content and the altered appearance of the handwriting, this postscript was probably begun on August 9 and completed on or before the 12th. Washington' s August 5 letter to Congress and enclosed August 2 letter from Carleton and Digby, which are in PCC, item 152, 10:665 - 71, were read in Congress on August 9 and referred to Lee, John Rutledge, and John Witherspoon. To this committee was also consigned the reports of two committees appointed July 29 and August 7 together with various letters relating to a partial exchange of prisoners. Lee' s committee proposed on August 12 resolutions which he partially summarized here. See JCC, 22:460n.2, 23:462 - 64; PCC, item 19, 6:401 - 2, item 185, 3:37, item 186, fols. 46, 48; and Washington, Writings (Fitzpatrick), 24:466. See also Charles Thomson's Notes of Debates, August 9 and 12; and John Hanson to Washington, August 13 and September 1, 1782.