Oct. 26th. 1779
Dear Sir,
Your Favor of the 3d reached me early yesterday, & those of the 9th & 16th this morning by Col Loyaute. There are Letters of mine on the Road to you which will reach you with the Registers. By the by, I did not give the Printers, as I ought to have done, Extracts of those Books for Publication. I wish, for the Sake of a thorough Friend Col. Peabody that I could have in print or out that Passage where orders are given for more rigorous Treatment of us than formerly. I am so pressed now that I cannot give you Vouchers or Extracts but by Mr. Laurens I will aim to do it. I shall attend to what you say of the Post Office, And a Report is this Day in Train. 1 I hope the Office will have added to it all or most of the present Expenditures for Expresses; or rather, that the Office will be enriched with one twentieth Part of that enormous Sum. You must e’r this have heard of the Secretaries, and Joshua Johnson to examine accounts. But as Mr. Laurens is going to Holland I think he will be able, if directed to Scrutinize many Things in France also.
I hear nothing from Mr. Jno A - & Fr - D yet. But if the latter refuses I understand that Gov. M. & Sr. JJ2 are desirous of filling that Vacancy or the principal one if JA refuses. I would even strive, therefore, for the 2d place.
I hope I shall have more Leisure to write by next oppertunity.
Yr, affectionate Friend & humb Sert,
JL
Receiver’s copy, Lee Family Papers, University of Virginia Archives.
1 The report of the post office committee had been submitted to Congress on October 23, when further consideration was postponed to "Tuesday next," which was October 26. According to the journals, Congress did not resume consideration of the report this day, but returned to the report on December 1. See Samuel Huntington to Richard Bache, December 2, 1779.
2 The persons referred to by Lovell are, respectively, John Adams, Francis Dana, Gouverneur Morris, and Sir James Jay.