Philadelphia April 15. 1777
Dear Col.
Having given Col. Tayloe what little news is stiring here, which I know will be communicated to you; I have only to acknowlege the rect. of several of your favors, for which I am much obliged to you. Your sentimental description is in the hands of Mr. Towne the evening Printer.1 He has not yet informed me whether he can print it; but I doubt he will be prevented by the many domestic occurrences. I think you are too severe upon the aspring of Popularity, tho I think it wants mending which I fear nothing will do effectually, but the self denying ordinance.
Since my return here, I have again pushed Doctor Bond for the method of granulating Sugar, he has promised faithfully to procure it & I shall take care to remind him of his promise. He mentions a person in N. England who made sugar from the tops of the corn stalk, which yeilded him more profit, than all the rest of the corn.
We are threatened to be again driven from this City. It is very troublesome, & I think so disgracefull that I cou’d find in my heart to cut the figure in history, which you some time agoe mentioned, if we cou’d find the body of men; but strange to tell that is now our only want, tho in the long enumeration of wants which we have been used to make, that never entered into the catalogue. Mr. Howe is but in a poor condition, & yet he bullies us, however as there is little prospect of his being soon reinforced, I hope e’er long he will be obliged to look to his own safety, Proper regulations in the different departments are making, that if we ever get an Army, we shall keep it. Our accounts from London say the plan of operations for this campaign is for Howe to demolish the Eastern states, Burgoyne with 10,000 men is to conquer all that borders on Chesapeak while Carlton from Canada subjugates the <middle states> 2 but most of the troops to effect all <this are to> be procured & no man in Europe can tell from whence. Not from Russia, the Turk is likely to give her employment. God send, they may soon all get together by the ears, & then we shall be at rest.
Our best compts. to Mr. Carter, his Lady & family. Health & happiness attend you my good friend.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Receiver’s copy, Virginia Historical Society.
1 Benjamin Towne subsequently refused to print Carter’s article because of its length. See Lee to Carter, 8 June 1777.
2 This intelligence was included in the 6 February letter of the commissioners at Paris and Arthur Lee’s 11 February letter to the Committee of secret Correspondence, which are in Wharton, Diplomatic Correspondence, 2:261 - 65, 266 - 69.