Annapolis Apl. 22d. 1779
My dear Brother,
I am thus far on my way home from Congress, & finding a Vessel about to depart from hence tomorrow morning for France; I embrace the opportunity of letting you know that all your friends are well.
There is as yet no determination on Deane’s affairs, but probably soon will be, & I fear, much to your prejudice, shou’d it be otherways now, I am satisfied you will in the end be sacrificed, & therefore it may not be amiss to think in time, of some establishment in which your honor & fortune will be less dependant on the villainy & folly of Mankind. For my own part I am determined to retire being fully convinced, that at present, the post of honor, is a private station. Tell our bror. W.1 to look to himself, I shall write fully to him about his affairs, by the first opportunity after my arrival in Virginia. You was not mistaken in your opinion as to the support D - - 2 brot with him; the open and indecent countenance which has been given to those who were never friends to independance, nor of course to the Alliance, will I fear injure greatly the common cause, if England is wise enough to make use of the advantage. The world will expect from you a clear refutation of all the infamous slanders, which a most abandoned junto have thrown on you; with a full exposure of their wicked plots against the public. Therefore no pains shou’d be spared in collecting materials. The want of a cypher & the uncertainty of this conveyance prevents my being more full, but I expect R.H.L.3 who is still at Congress, will give you a compleat Idea of our present system of Politicks. Remember me to Mr. Adams & Mr. Lloyd. Love to W.L.’s family.
Yours ever,
Loudoun [Francis Lightfoot Lee]4
Receiver’s copy, bMS Am 811.5, Houghton Library, Harvard University.
1 That is, William Lee.
2 Silas Deane.
3 Richard Henry Lee.
4 Lee’s departure from Congress on 16 April brought to an end a distinguished career that began with the autumn session of the Second Continental Congress in September 1775. Although he is last mentioned in the journals on 14 April, his accounts give his final period of attendance as "from the 7th Novr. 1778 to the 16 Apl. 1779 inclusive being 161 Days at 15 Dollars a day £724.10." Emmet Collection, NN; and JCC, 13:452.
Another manuscript in Leeâs hand pertaining to his congressional career consists of some "queries" and foreign "Intelligence," apparently drafted for publication. As it is accompanied by two draft letters in the hand of Richard Henry Lee addressed to "Mr. Dunlap," all were doubtless intended for submission to the Pcnnsylvania Packet, but no evidence that they were published has been found. They demonstrate the Lee brothersâ continuing effort to protect the positions of Arthur and William Lee abroad. The documentsâ contents seem to indicate that the queries were written shortly after the foreign affairs inquiry committee reported to Congress on 24 March, for which see JCC, 13:363 - 68 The covering letters were written thereafter, but apparently a few days apart. The rough state of the documents and their location in the Samuel Adams Papers suggests that they were sent to Adams for review The fact that the queries were never published in the Pacict may be attributed to Francis Lightfootâs departure for Virginia, the momenturn that the "recall debate" quickly assumed and Richard Henryâs decision to resign his seat in Congress. For information on the recali debate in Congress, see John Fellâs Diary, 6 April 1779, note 2. For Leeâs resignation, see Richard Henry Lee to the Virginia House of Delegates, 4 May 1779. See also Francis Lightfoot to Richard Henry Lee, 5 January 1779, note 3.
The cover letters drafted by Richard Henry, which bear the heading "Publication respecting Mr. Silas Deane," read as follows:
"Mr. Dunlap. As Mr. Silas Dean has thought proper to produce before the public a suggestion of much suffering and great merit on his part, which he insinuates on the part of others much demerit, and having given reason to expect that his insinuations should be realized by a communication of facts which it was of importance should be known, Which communication having been long promised but not complied with - As a free and virtuous Citizen of America I have taken pains to get the best possible information about the causes and probable consequences of Mr. Deanes unusual Address of the 5th of December last, and could wish to be aided in my enquiries by having plain answers given to the following plain quiries.
"Mr Dunlap. I chanced the other evening to fall in company with a person whom I found after conversing upon the subject which has lately engaged the public attention to be a Supporter of Mr. Silas Deane, after some general and evasive justification of Mr. Deans conduct he proceeded to shew the necessity of recalling the other Commissioner[s] by the following reasons - Because said he they have quarr[el]ed, and there have been such dispu[ta]tions and disagreements as tend to the injury of the public affairs - That the M[ess]rs. Lee wanted obilites [abilities?] and that their Manners were ungracious, their tempers suspicious, quarelsome, and jealous; and these opinions of those gentlemen I found were to be supported by the evidence of Mr. Deane, and two or three others whom he has combined with him &c by a similarity of manners, and of interested views. This conversation suggested to me the following quiries which an honest enquirer would be thankful for a plain answer to."
Francis Lightfootâs draft "queries" continue:
"A Person in public employ, informs of misconduct in another, & furnishes documents on which he founds his opinion, are his proceedings to be invalidated, by the accusation of the Accused Person upon his bare assertion, unsupported by any evidence or ought he to be in the least affected, by such accufsation?
"Is the former to be deemed & punished as quarrelsome because the latter, will fasten a quarrel upon him, for endeavoring to prevent the waste of public money; & informing those of his grounds of suspicion, who alone have the power of remedying the Evil? Has there been any quarrelling with A.L. since S.D. left France? Was there any quarrels between A.L. & Doctor F - - when they served Massachusets together in London? Has not S.D. transferâd the quarrels from France to America? If S.D. has been successfull in infusing Jealousies into the minds of some of the French Ministers of A. Lee (which is denied from the best Authority) what has that to do with the Court of Spain, to which he belongs? & with whom he has had considerable success, in procuring supplies?
"Deaneâs insinuations have gone forth to the world as charges against A.L. & W.L., a recal fixes those charges as truths & persons will be sacrificed, who have given up their greatest prospects to serve the Public, & have entrusted their honor & everything dear to them to the Justice of their Country, & why? Because persons, whom they have endeavoured to prevent from injuring the public, abuse them for doing their duty. What man hereafter will endeavor to bring defaulters to justice, who will certainly be offended & quarrel if in consequence of the defaulterâs quarrelling with him, he must necessarily be disgraced & ruined? Is it not the most proper way to punish the Offender & enlarge Your confidence in the Man who has contributed to bring him to Justice. The Cause being removed, the effect will cease. What Minister can be confident in his exertions for the public good when he knows, that if any designing persons, disappointed in their views, shall fasten a quarrel upon him, he must for that reason alone be inevitably ruined? In the present case it is necessary to examine well into Dâs Conduct, to see if there were not good grounds for A Leeâs interfering with his proceedings if there was, was it not his duty to do it? If in consequence of his doing [his] duty, D. wouâd quarrel with him is it his fault? Is there any [ ] reason to suppose A.L. will have any quarrel in Spain, unless from the same cause, which Congress may prevent, by instructing A L not to notice any misconduct in persons employed by the public in his District.
"May it not be the design of some to obtain the benefit of such an instruction by futile appointments as an assortment of Characters may present such Incapacity & littleness discovers as it may greatly import the public to be made acquainted with.
"WL & AL went to London [in] 1768 quite strangers, it is notorious, the rank they held there at the commencemt of this war. They had the honor of an acquaintance & even intimacy with Lds. Chatham, Temple, & Shelburne, Sergeant Glyn, Mr. Dunning & many other eminent characters in that Country, for all this they coud not be indebted to their connections or parliamentary interests, they had none, nor to their wealth, for tho born in a Wealthy family, they were the youngest of many children. The persons above named were certainly acquainted with mankind, & it cannot be supposed that they wouâd have honored with their regards, Persons who were unfit for any public character & of disgracefull manners, who were circumstanced as the Messrs. Lees were at that time. This discovery is reserved for Deane & a few others who have seen more of the world, kept better company, & of finer parts & understanding than those Noblemen & Gentlemen. Is it possible for human credulity to be stretched so far, as to pay any regard to them?
"Intelligence recd. from the American Commissioners
"It had been debated in the british Cabinet, whether Independance shouâd be acknowledged. That there was no prospect of our Enemies getting any reinforcements except what might be raised in their own dominions. The sailing of the Cork fleats. The situation of the whale fishery, the vessels employed in it, easy to be destroyed.
"The friendly sentiments of Holland, & of their having actually agreed upon a Treaty, to take place at a proper time.
"The friendly disposition of the King of the two Sicilies, & of his having opened his ports to American Vessels, with a desire of being informed how to distinquish them.
"Their application to fiance for protection against the Barbary Corsairs, with the proceedings thereon - the two Articles of the Treaty expunged, agreable to the request of Congress. The Ministers Answer respecting Beaumarchais. Their prospects of getting money & supplies for the Army.
"That Russia wouâd not assist G.B. with forces against America.
"What wouâd be expected by Spain, in case of a treaty with America, & what she wouâd give in return. That while acting the part of Mediator, affected reserve & secrecy. Supplies sent & sending, upon the funds granted by that Court.
"The Courts of Berlin & Austria, couâd not receive our Commissioner or signify their intentions respecting America, in the present situation of their affairs. The events of the war between those powers.
"Situation of Affairs at the Court of the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
"General Accounts of the Affairs of Europe, with political reflections & inferences." Samuel Adams Papers, NN.