{Congress} May 23. 1779
{Dear Brother}1
As I shall have occasion frequently to mention {name}s in the course of {this letter} remember that the {column}s in the {system} of {name}s are {number}ed 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Since my last the {party} have pushed a {vote} for {your recall} but they have {fail}ed, the {state}s being {divide}d. Nothing has been done since. But every thing will be attempted to {injure you} regardless of {truth, virtue}, or {public good} tho the last is the pretext and forever {protrude}d in some {mouth}s. Tis remarkable that the uniform, fixt, invariable {Whig}s are for {you}. Those against {you} are generally well known in America. The latter are {mark}ed in {the list}, "T". The papers 1. 2. 3. 4. will {show you} the {ground} they {were} on. What part {Gerard}2 has taken the papers 2. 3. 4 will {demonstrate}. I believe verily that {Deane} is not more your {enemy} than {Gerard}. And the latter possibly more bitter and much more subtle. It would be well to search diligently if {Gerard} is not connected in some {intrigue} with {Deane}. Our cruel enemies have lately invaded Virginia with 2000 men and taking the advantage of the dispersed state of the people there, they have burned Portsmouth, & Suffolk, and every house they came to. Murders in cold blood and rapes without end mark their way. Every outrage and every ravage that would disgrace the worst Savages they have committed. The people are collecting and will be in force very soon to punish these Wretches. But according to custom, as soon as they see a force equal to their own collected, they will fly to their Ships, and by crossing a wide river with their Ships of War to cover them, begin their ravage in another part. This will {carry} me {home} to take care of my {family} - And {leave}ing the {foreign} and {Deane}’s affairs unfinished in {Congress} much {distress}es your {friend}. It is very remarkable that those Men who from the beginning of this contest have been the most decided friends to the Liberties of America and the firmest opposers of British Tyranny, and who in the hour of Trial will be found most true to the Alliance, are the Men whom {Gerard} has shewn the least desire to be {welcome with}. Another sort of Men have shared his {friendship} and {familiarity}. This has been the policy of the British Court for 15 or 16 years past. Time will prove if tis a wise one in {Gerard}.3The {first describe}d class of men are not {friend}s to the {intrigue}s of Deane, Chaumont, Holker, Williams, Wharton, Bancroft, Beaumerchais &c. &c. &c. &c.
If Ludwell is not necessary for you, he is I suppose quite fit now to commence the Study of such part of the law as may fit him for early practice, and therefore it is wish’d he may avail himself of coming over in the first safest Ship - Either a frigate of ours, or in any Ship of War of our Ally coming this way. He should come well provided with Linnen & other cloathes, with a few necessary Books. If Mr. Wm. Lee has no business for Thom he may come over likewise - But this is left entirely to Mr. Wm. Lee on whose judgement and friendship his father depends. Mr. Wm. Lee and yourself were both vvritten to very fully and lately via Nantes - Furnish the former with the contents of this and with the Writers best love.
Twould do infinite good if this most wicked combination against you could be fully explored and exposed. I am persuaded there are no worse enemies to America and the friends of America than these people. I am well informed that the {vote} about your {recall} gave great uneasiness to the {Whig}s in this State. They consider it as coming too near to {sacrifice}ing one of themselves and their good & able friend. Make an apology for my not writing to our {brother}. I am quite exhausted with long and close attention to variety of business.
{Richard Henry Lee}
P. S. 25. Many of your friends are of opinion that it will be for your honor that you should be called here in order to bring {Deane} to justice. Should this be the resolution, I entreat you to spare no pains in collecting the most authentic proofs, for I am very certain that there has been so much misconduct and {wicked traffic} with the {public money} That you will do honor to yourself and serve your country by breaking up this bad man and his very bad connections. Unless you come in a strong Ship of War or otherwise powerfully convoyed {carefully conceal} the {time} and manner of your {coming}. You know the virulence of yr. enemies, notice may be {given} in order that the {enemy - } may place you to languish in a British jail.
Altho the plan for recal should not finally be carried, yet your friends are of opinion that the violence & wickedness of your enemies is such, that they think it will be wise in you, to take the first favorable opportunity to resign, or rather ask leave to do so. I before mentioned and again repeat my earnest wish, for I think it indispensable that when you come you bring every material for making the fairest and fullest settlement of the expenditure of such pub. money as has passed thro you, or been entrusted to your care. It will by no means be proper for one of us to endeavor to shelter ourselves, as some bad men do, under a thousand delusive pretexts for not settling accounts and demonstrating the rectitude of our conduct. If you come, I suppose, that as you cross the Sea, having the necessary Materials, you may be digesting a complete state of all your transactions and your well supported ideas of {Deane}’s culpability. I {set off} this {day} to guard my {family} from the insults and cruelty of the enemy.
Capt. Nicholson says that Williams bot for Dean a prize Brigantine that he captured, and that she came out loaded with private property with our fleet in spring 1777. Enquire about this & the manner in which Williams disposed of all the prizes committed to his disposal.
Lee PapersHoughton Library
1 Words printed in braces in this text were written by Lee in cipher.
2 At this point Lee wrote "419aXXVIII," which in the Lee cipher indicates the word "welcome," and was so employed just three lines above. Since "welcome" makes no sense in this context, it seems clear that Lee erred in his use of the cipher. The sentence appears to make the best sense if it is assumed that Lee had in mind "Gerard," and therefore should have written "455.b.1.XIV," which he did four times previously in this letter. For the cipher used by the Lees and the conjectural element involved in deciphering their correspondence, see these Letters, 9:654n.2.
3 [This footnote is present in the printed text, but there is no referent for it in the page footer]