Philadelphia 12th October 1779.
My Dear sir.
Since my last Letter to you under the 28th September I have not been honored with any of your favors, nor from a former intimation, could I have expected to hear from you.1
We remain without any addition to the first advises of Count d’Estaing’s arrival near Georgia, this circumstance detains me in Philadelphia, which I cannot conveniently depart from, until I shall have seen & conversed with the Young Gentleman lately appointed Secretary to the Embassy at Versailles, 2 I mean to give him a faithful unbiasing account of Foreign & domestically-transacted-foreign affairs & leave him to judge & determine if he reads my heart he will return thanks & decline acceptance.
You will receive with this a Copy of the Journal containing the Yeas & Nays formerly spoken of, the different principles alluded to by a Note in the Margin were - J thought 10 or 15 by far too little. L was of opinion that anything would be too much.3 The Report for which a certain Monday was "set apart" remains unconsidered & probably will remain so to the day of Judgement. Yesterday I received Packets & Letters ten in number directed to yourself & Colo. F. L. Lee from France which I have delivered to Mr. Lovel who has shewn me Copies of two which will be read this Morning in Congress, I shall move to have them printed, if refused, & I can obtain Copies, they shall be printed - Mr. Lovel will enlarge on these points. 4 The P.S. to my Letter above recited informs you that I had paused upon the propriety of transmitting a Paper which had been inclosed, 5 upon mature reflection & considering circumstances which have since happened I see nothing improper in it, therefore I shall inclose it with this in its original state, probably it may at this distance of time convey no information. The Salaries to Ministers Plenipo: £2500 Sterling per Annum, to their Secretaries £1000 - in full of all expences &c. passages excepted. I moved for £2000 & £700 & was uniformly no! against everything higher & my motives & reasonings I trust will meet the approbation of my thinking fellow Citizens - we have made the appointments where are the funds? Mr. Carmichael had no competitor, but I refused my Vote;6 upon proper reflection I am persuaded he himself will applaud my candor & I will take the liberty of adding, my judgement.
He who had repeatedly acknowledged that he had called an American Minister in Office a Rascal & did not deny that he had called him Villain too & said he would display his Villainy to Congress, must have been either right or wrong. I need not deduce the logical conclusion, I think I have acted as if I understood it.
The two Legs are made Ult. but yesterday there was a proposition for reconsidering & expunging the Southernmost, I opposed it, after an hours debate, adjourned-we shall hear more of it today.7 I told the advocate for expunction, I had long since heard every word he had offered in support of his motion - out of doors.
The Confederacy is still at Chester her Passengers will embark in the course of this Week.
God bless you my Dear Sir, have patience & all things will work together in support of honesty & truth.
I am with sincere Esteem & regard, Your obedient & most humble Servt,
Henry Laurens.
Receiverâs copy, Lee Papers, American Philosophical Society.
1 The "former intimation" has not been identified, but the circumstance alluded to probably involves Leeâs experience with post riders, which he also discussed in an October 15 letter to Laurens. Lee, Letters (Ballagh), 2:159.
2 Laurens is referring to his son John.
3 The subject is the congressional debate of August 26 concerning compensation for Silas Deaneâs expenses. John Jay and James Lovell are undoubtedly the delegates referred to here.
4 See James Lovell to Richard Henry Lee, October 13, 1779.
5 The enclosed "Paper" has not been found, and the incident to which it pertained has not been identified. Laurens had prepared this enclosure for his "last letter" to Richard Henry, but before transmitting it he had a mysterious meeting with the person involved in the episode and decided at the last moment not to send it, because to do so, he explained, would be "inconsistent with my honor." See Laurens to Richard Henry Lee, September 28, 1779, note 6.
6 Laurens had refused to support William Carmichaelâs election as secretary to the minister to Spain because of Carmichaelâs refusal in September 1778 to testify against Silas Deane although he had previously intimated that Deane had misappropriated public funds. See these Letters,10:653n.3, 661, 707 - 9, 717 - 20, 11:114, 309 - 10.
7 The "two Legs" made ultimata were the fisheries and navigation of the Mississippi River. For the maneuvers involved in attempting to expunge "the southernmost," see Gouverneur Morrisâ Draft Motion, c.13 October 1779.
8 Laurens may be referring here to John Jay.