[October 13, 1779]Dear Sir
I believe I made some mistake in putting up the Papers for you by last post, as I find a Letter of the Kind which I intended to have sent. Direction on the Cover -
Paris June 5th. 1779
His Excellency The President of CongressI beg the favor of your Excellency, to lay my Respect before Congress; with a Repetition of my most earnest request to be recalled. I should most willingly continue to sacrifice as I have hitherto done, my private Interests to the public good. But I am satisfied that the dissentions raised concerning me, will be continued by a continuance of my Commission, and will be of more injury to the public than I can be of Service. And as the public good was the sole motive of my accepting the Commission, the same reason now induces me to desire most earnestly to resign it.
I have the honor to be, with the greatest respect, Your Excellencys most obedient humble Servant.
Tho' dated June 5th it is the exact Copy of May 31st. which was this day read in Congress and produced the inclosed Resolve.2 I imagined such an Entry on the Journals would be a sort of decency beyond total silence and therefore moved it. The Letter was listened to with Gravity and some Remarks I made were approved & confirmed by each one who spoke and by no one more than Mercer who acknowledged that this Letter gave him new & pleasing Ideas of Mr Lee. I was sure yr. Brother would so Conduct if he found his Ability to serve these States to be impaired by the malignant Arts of his avowed Enemies strengthened by the unbecoming Tameness of those who ought to be the Patrons of his Honor on the meer ground of official Relation, to say nothing of his proved Capacity for acknowledged Integrity and his unwearied Zeal.
I did not mention to put into the Presidents Letter, as a copy now sent, one of the old Letters of March 1st3 for had I been interogated as to its arrival I should not have been in the State that honest Davus wished to be in regard to the placing of the Infant, ut liquido faciam says he, if I am called upon to deny it. There would be a meaness in putting in now what I intend readily to own, when there is occasion, that I aided to Suppress.
I have by me a Letter from Capt. Fowler to a Friend of his here Col. Semple, 4 in which, upon Sight of Rowlands Peice of Augst. 10th,5 he was induced to insert the strongest Testimony of the Stock jobbing Schemes of Wharton, Bancroft &c. wishing however to have his own name concealed. He writes from Ohio Sepr. 22
Receiver's copy, Lee Family Papers, University of Virginia Library. In Lovell's hand, though not signed.
1 Although undated by Lovell, this letter can be dated by Lovell's statement below that Arthur Lee's May 31, 1779, letter was "this day read in Congress," which was October 13.JCC, 15:1165 - 66.
2 See Committee for Foreign Affairs to Arthur Lee, this date.
3 No March 1, 1779, letter from Arthur Lee has been found, but it also may have dealt with his resignation.
The suppression of Arthur's resignation, which Lovell had managed since mid-July (see Lovell to Samuel Adams, July 16, 1779, note 6), was also a subject of the following letter from Richard Henry to Arthur written on October 12, 1779.
"Your {enemies} have triumphed at last," he wrote in explanation of Congress' September 27 selection of John Jay as minister to Spain, "{wicked} persevering and under no kind of {restraint} they have fairly {worried} out the {friends} of {virtue} and their {country}. By various manoeuvers and after repeated and frustrated attempts to recall, one was fallen upon that succeeded and Jay of {Congress} is to go {plenipotentiary} to {Spain}. Mr John {Adams} is to {negotiate} the {peace} with G.B. when that comes on. I sent your {resignation} long since to philadelphia to be submitted, as to presentation, to Americas best friends and it was determined to {withhold} it until it was seen how {Congress} would act in {Deane's} affair. In the mean time, the above manoeuvers took place - I believe it will now be presented. Your best friends are of the opinion that you should come immediately over and before {Congress} demand a full hearing and complete vindication - If it is {refused} the {public} will, on an {appeal} do right to the injured. In your Letter to Loudoun of May 28 Last, you deliver a sentiment that is perfectly just, that in a free country like ours their is no disgracing a man who is shielded by innocence and evidence - far less can a wicked faction do any such thing. Bad men may impose for a time, but cannot stand against the truth fairly displaied and properly enforced. Our {frigate}, [Confederacy], will carry {Gerard} (and perhaps {Deane}) home, by her {return} you and Ludwell may {return} here. These two men have been most intimate here, and tho constantly declaring for many months past that they must depart in a few days yet they never stirred until their {point} was {gained} and now I suppose, as a certain gentleman says, they are glutted (even to statiety with revenge) they will realy go. Wisdom and perseverence are excellent qualities, to secure success and to vanquish finally all wicked combination. If you can, I would advise you to land at Portsmouth in Newhampshire where I am assured you will be well received, at that place and at Boston you will have an opportunity of seeing General Whipple and Samuel Adams Esqurs. with other wise and virtuous friends of America, who loving their Country, esteem and honor its able and virtuous Citizens. You will thus have an opportunity of seeing a valuable part of this union which you have not yet been personally acquainted with. Mr. John Adams, since his arrival here and before he came has in his Letters (for he has not been at Congress) done great justice to your character. The above business was determined in Congress before the arrival of the Chavalier de la Luzerne. He has since arrived at Philadelphia. The Virginia Delegates in Congress are James Mercer! Wm. Fitzhugh of Chatham! Flemming! Cyrus Griffen! Mery Smith[!] I wish that Mr. Wm. Lee and Mr. Izard would come with you. Farewell, {First Survivor Brother}.
"{Congress} neglected for very obvious reasons to publish your {Vindication}, but I expect to get it done immediately leaving out such parts as might be improper on account of {foreign powers}. An honorable Member of Congress says he doubts not but that your Country will yet do you honor. I think so too. A temperate, firm, and wise conduct is only necessary." Lee Papers, MH -H; and Burnett, Letters, 4:481 - 82. Words printed in braces were written by Lee in cipher, for which see these Letters, 9:654n.2.
4 Alexander Fowler, auditor of the army in the western district, and William Semple.
5 Richard Henry had written a number of essays defending Arthur Lee that were printed in the Pennsylvania Packet during August over the pseudonym "Rowland." See Lovell to Richard Henry Lee, August 17, 1779, note 3.