Baltimore January 25th 1777
Sir,
We are duely favored with yours of the 14th instant with its inclosures, also with your last of the 21st by Mr. Fitzsimmons.1 We have signed the order in favor of John Nixon & Co. for 26025.9.9 Pena. currency, and delivered it to Mr. Fitzsimmon.
You are perfectly right in your opinion of the propriety of dispatching accounts of the events of this Campaign, and the more so, as the Loan on which you rely for supporting our credit under the failure of remittances, will probably depend upon Mr. Deanes receiving Congressional answers to what you may remember he wrote upon this subject. We approve entirely of the several orders you have given as mentioned in your letter of
January the 14th. With respect to the West India Ship mentioned by Mr. Jarvis, we would refer you to what had been done on the subject of purchasing Vessels and Cargos to the eastward before we came from Philadelphia, but if you think that not sufficient, and the information you may receive of the enemy being retired, shall induce you to think the risk not too great, we willingly leave this matter to your discretion, and wish you to write Mr. Jarvis as you shall judge most conducive to the public good. With respect to the purchases you propose to make at Philadelphia, we are willing likewise to leave them to your judgement, as you are more in the way of being informed touching the station and movements of the enemy. The obligation that rests upon us to remit is certainly very strong but the danger of loss may be so great as to overcome it, since all that falls into the enemies hands will not only fail of remittance, but add strength to those we would wish to weaken as much as possible. As the rice from Georgia is otherwise to be disposed of, we give up the scheme of moving the Indigo here, and you may, if you please, ship it from Philadelphia. We must depend on memory, not having the books here, but we wish you to reflect, if the time is not near when a Frigate was by agreement to convoy goods here that were to be shipt by Mr. Merkle to the W. Indies! We have but faint recollection of this business, you undoubtedly remember the thing, and we only mean to turn your attention to that subject.2
We have not yet conversed with Mr. Fitzsimmon about the Friendship, but should it happen that we do not agree with him, we shall endeavor to get a Cargo here for Mr. Curson as you propose.
We are Sir, with much regard, Your most obedient humble servants,
Richard Henry Lee
Fran. Lewis
Wm. Whipple
Receiver's copy, Amherst College. Written by Lee and signed by Lee, Lewis, and Whipple.
1 Morris' letter of the 21st has not been found.
2 See Secret Committee Minutes of Proceedings, June 27, 1776, note 1.