Philadelphia March 25. 1777
Sir,
We are commanded by Congress to transmit Copies of their Resolve of the 13 instant to all the Gentlemen abroad that hold correspondance with any of their Committees.1 The Necessity of Such a resolution and due attention to it, is fully evinced by the heavy expence America has been put to by many Gentlemen received into their Service, who have found it impossible to render themselves usefull for Want of the Language and we think this the most likely means to save others the charge and trouble of a long Voyage, as well as the mortification of being disapointed in their expectations. You will therefore serve all such and oblige us by discouraging their coming to America for Military employments.
We are sir, Your Obedt. Servants. By order of the Committee of Secret Correspondance,
Robt Morris
Receiver's copy, American Philosophical Society. In a clerical hand and signed by Morris. Addressed: "To The Honorable Doctr Benjn Franklin, Silas Deane & Arthur Lee Esqrs, Paris."
1 On March 13 Congress had directed the Committee of Secret Correspondence to write their ministers and agents abroad "to discourage all gentlemen from coming to America with expectation of employment in the service, unless they are masters of our language, and have the best recommendations." Nevertheless foreign officers continued to arrive in large numbers, with and without recommendations from the American commissioners, causing innumerable difficulties for the Continental Army and Congress. As a last resort, Congress began to pay for the return passage of European officers who were not given commissions. See JCC, 7:174, 177, 185, 189, 335 - 36, 8:406, 450 - 51, 559 - 60, 637 - 38, 721 - 22, 9: 792, 875 - 79, 902 - 5. Several letters of recommendation from the American commissioners are in Wharton, Diplomatic Correspondence, 2: 145, 176, 261, 265, 269 - 70, 304 - 5. See also Don Higginbotham, The War of American Independence (New York: Macmillan Co., 1971), pp. 214 - 16; and Edmund C. Burnett, The Continental Congress (New York: Macmillan Co., 1941), pp. 241 - 43.