York in Pennsylva. 16 June 1778
Dear Sir
I thank you for your favor of the 5th which I received yesterday.1 It is the only. satisfactory account I have received of the proceedings of our Assembly. The enemy have made many insidious attempts upon us lately, not in the military way, they seem tired of that, but in the way of negotiation. Their first, was by industriously circulating the bills of pacification as they call them, before they had passed into acts, in order to prevent our closing with France. These bills received a coment from Congress on the 22d. of April, which no doubt you have seen. The inclosed paper will shew you the second attempt from Lord Howe and Gen. Clinton, with the answer of Congress. The third movement happened very lately, when Clinton dcsired a passport from Gen. Washington for Dr. Ferguson to come to Congress w ith a letter from the newly arrived Commissioners Lord Carlyle, Wm. Eden esqr. and Governor Johnston. The General refused the passport until Congress should give leave. The letter from Clinton was transmitted here, but the impatience of the Commissioners did not suffer them to wait for an answer. Thro the medium of the General, leaving their Secretary Dr. Ferguson behind, the packet arrived containing a letter from the Commissioners with a copy of their Commission. Their letter is a combination of fraud, falsehood, insidious offers, and abuse of France, Concluding with a denial of Independence. The sine qua non being withheld, you may judge what will be the fate of the rest. An answer has not yet been sent. In due time you will have both the letter and its answer. I dont know whether to call Governor Johnston an Apostate or not. He has been in opposition to the Ministry and has spoken some speeches in our favor, but I believe he has never been a friend to American Independence. However, there seems no doubt but that he has on this occasion touched Ministerial gold. The others are notorious Ministerialists. It is amazing how the Court of London does mix pride, meanness cunning, and folly, with Gasconade, and timidity. In short the strangest composition is there formed that ever disgraced and injured Mankind. The King of Prussia has declared in terms explicit, that he would follow France in acknowledging our Independence and his hobby horse is, to become a maritime power. Yet he seems, by his movements disposed to quarrel with the Emperor about the divisions of the Bavarian dominions, the Elector being dead without Heir of his body, the next Heir who is the Elector Palatine must loose his right between the two great Spoilers. We have been long amused with accounts of the enemy abandoning Philadelphia. I believe they will do so when they can stay no longer, but not until then They have certainly removed all their heavy Cannon, Baggage &c. And fearing a French war every Moment, they keep in readiness to depart. We did lately shatter extremely a 20 gun ship belonging to the enemy in the North river, and sent her away to York, in no condition for service. I observe by our last delegation, that my enemies have been again at work, however, they shall not gain their point of withdrawing me from the public Councils.2
I am dear Sir your affectionate friend and obedient servant,
Richard Henry Lee
Jefferson PapersLibrary of Congress
Printed in Boyd, Papers of Thomas Jefferson, 2:200 - 201. Printed also in James Curtis Ballagh, The Letters of Richard Henry Lee, Volume 1, 1762 - 1778, pp. 412 - 13.
1 Jefferson’s 5 June letter to Lee is in Boyd, Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
2 The Virginia House of Delegates had not included Richard Henry Lee’s name on the list of nominees it selected on 28 May to be considered in the annual balloting for delegates to Congress. The senate added his name to the list, but in the house balloting the following day, Lee ranked sixth among the seven delegates appointed. Journal of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1777 - 81 (Richmond, 1827), May 1778, pp. 23 - 27.
Governor Henry expressed his concern over the outcome of this election in his 18 June letter to Lee. "I felt for you on seeing the Order in which the balloting placed the Delegates in Congress," Henry explained. "It is an Effort of that rancorous Malice that has so long followed you thro the arduous path of Duty in which you have invariably travel’d since America resolved to repel her Oppressors." Lee Papers, American Philosophical Society. In a more accusing tone, Francis Lightfoot Lee offered the following comments in his 25 June letter to his brother. "The junto, by their Lyes & intrigues have so far carried their point, as to throw some little discredit upon us; but have missed their great aim, of removing obstructions to their jobbing schemes. I think you are perfectly right in not gratifying them, by resenting the ill treatment of the Assembly. The Esqr. says, Mr. Harvie, who got to Wmsburg after the election, was much affronted, & made those who had been taken in, by certain gentry, perfectly asshamed of themselves. I suppose they wou’d now willingly return you thanks, to make up with you; tho they will again be taken in by the same wretches." Lee Family Papers, University of Virginia Archives.