York Town 14 May 1778
Sir
Your favors of Novr. 24 and Decr. 18,1 reached us only the 2d of this month with the letters of our friends at Paris from whom we had not received a regular packet for Eleven months.
You will readily conceive how much We wish to hear from you; and how very agreable your informations would have been at an earlier period. It is evident that You yourself were in a degree of doubt as to the conduct of France even after the Conference of our Commissioners in December; you will therefore be naturally led to give us due credit for the resolute manner in which We proceeded upon the two draughts of bills which the British Ministry had hurried over to America. Be assured we were unacquainted with the spirit of the French Court. The decisive part it has taken was really unexpected upon what accounts we had collected from travellers.
The dates of the papers herewith sent will enable you to put this matter in a clear point of view. The turn of affairs in Europe will make it needless for us to attempt the finesse of recruiting in Germany, which you hint at, and which would have a good effect in Case of necessity.2 Doctor Lees letters make it quite probable that your Commission will prove successful at Berlin, and there appears the best agreement between the King of Prussia and the Emperor.
The enclosed resolve of Congress of the 7th Inst. will show their intentions with regard to your support, which was not properly attended to when your Commission was made out.3
Other papers herewith sent will give you a general idea of our situation. You may be assured that Independence is firmly adopted by the states; and the unanimity of Congress is truly emblamatic of all America. Nova Scotia has long ago expressed its wishes to be adopted by Us, and now afresh Solicits.4 Canada will be greatly affected by the news of our alliance with its former parent state. In Short, Sir every thing which could be added to our own determination of being free and independent is ensured by this eclairrissment of the Court of Versailles.
Our army is growing daily so that if we are to negotiate with Britain we shall do it in a proper posture. There are some reports of her drawing away her troops, that she may with a proper grace enter into parley. But this must be done without disguise, or no treaty can be held. For surely no one can suppose that we shall now give up a point which we had made a preliminary before we knew what powerful friendship was secured to us in Europe.
The powers which had been given to our Commissioners in France and our great Anxiety to keep perfect faith in Treaties induced a caution with regard to the powers given in after appointments which is now become unnecessary. Perfect equality being the basis of our present treaties without any exclusive privileges to France there can be no chance of discontent from the conclusion of similar treaties with other powers of Europe; therefore we shall doubtless soon forward to you more full powers than what were sent with your commission. As you seem to think it may be advantageous to have a cypher for correspondence we would propose the same which has been mentioned to Doctor Franklin formerly by Mr Lovell,5 and this is the rather chosen because it may serve between the Doctor and you or any number of your friends taking a different key word for each. The Scheme is inclosed marked L.
R. H. Lee
James Lovell
Rob Morris
File copy, Papers of Continental Congress, item 79 and item 79 appendix, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
1 Lee’s 24 November and 18 December 1777, letters to Secretary Charles Thomson and to the committee are in Wharton, Diplomatic Correspondence, 2:426 - 27, 454 - 55.
2 In his 24 November 1777, letter to Charles Thomson, Lee had suggested the possibility of raising troops in the German city-states as a means of embarrassing the British. Silas Deane had also proposed the raising of mercenary troops in a 28 November 1776, letter to the Committee of Secret Correspondence. Ibid., pp. 198 - 99, 426 - 27.
3 See Committee for Foreign Affairs to Ralph Izard, this date, note 2.
4 See Henry Laurens to the Massachusetts Council, 23 May 1778, note 3.
5 See James Lovell to Benjamin Franklin, ante 4 July 1777.