Philadelphia June 13th 1779
My dear Sir
I send you the inclosd Extracts from our Friends Letter according to your Request. No Pains are spared to effect the Recall of Mr Arthur Lee.1 If any are in hopes by this to put an End to the Usefulness of an able, faithful and indefatigably industrious Friend to our Country, I beleive they will be disappointed. I still flatter myself they will never obtain a Majority; but should they succeed thus far, it is my opinion that no Man in America would afford greater Aid in the publick Councils than he. The Day before yesterday another Attempt was made. The Motion which was offerd by Mr B2 before you left us, was brot on, that Mr Dean be directed not to depart from these States till further order, and that Mr A Lee repair to America to make good his Charge against him. The Question was divided, and failing by an equal Division of the States in the first part, the other was downd by a very great Majority of Voices on a previous Question. When some one of the States may be better represented*,3 it may be brot on again and again. Mr Lovel will write to you more largely.
Being in great Haste preparing to set off on my Journey to Boston this day,4I can only add that I am very affectionately, Your Friend,
SA
Lee Family PapersUniversity of Virginia Archives
1 For additional information on the most recent efforts in Congress to recall Arthur Lee as commissioner, see Henry Laurens’ Notes of Proceedings, 10 and 11 June 1779.
2 That is, Thomas Burke. See JCC, 14:711 - 15.
3 Adams added the notation "Ch. Just. D" to explain this asterisk, meaning William Henry Drayton, chief justice of South Carolina, a well-known supporter of Silas Deane and opponent of Arthur Lee.
4 Adams did not leave until 15 June. His account of expenses incurred during his attendance at Congress contains the notation "My Service from Apr 28, 1778 to July 1, 1779, 428 days [which would include travel time]." Adams Papers, NN.