Philadelphia September 11th. 1785
Sir,
I had the honor of receiving this morning your favor of the fourth instant concerning the letter from Count de florida Blanca to the President of Congress, which was delivered to me by Mr. Gardoque.1 Having considered that letter as a public one, I deliverd it to Congress, and it now remains with their Secretary, if he has not sent it to your Office. I do not precisely remember the contents of the letter, and viewing it in the light of a public one, I have two difficulties, which I pray your assistance to remove. As a public letter, it would seem that the sentiments in answer should be dictated by Congress - As a private one, I should know exactly its contents which I do not. I shall be very happy to have your sentiments on this occasion after you have seen the letter; and I will readily pursue that course which your better knowledge of such business shall point out to me.
Be pleased Sir to accept my thanks for your obliging wishes for the restoration of my health which is much mended since I have drank the waters in the vicinity of this place. My compliments, if you please, to Mr. Gardoque.
I have the honor to be, with sentiments of much esteem and regard, Sir your most obedient and very humble servant,
Richard Henry Lee.
Receiver's copy, Papers of Continental Congress, item 78, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.
1 Jay's letter is not in the PCC, but the enclosed October 8, 1784, letter from the conde Floridablanca to the President of Congress introducing Don Diego de Gardoqui is in PCC, item 97, fols. 262 - 65. Lee's file copy of an English translation of the letter is in the Lee Papers, PPAmP (Lee Family Papers microfilm).
For the submission of Floridablanca's letter to Congress and referral to Secretary Jay on October 4, and Jay's October 6 report, see JCC, 29:807n, 809. For Lee's response to the Spanish foreign minister, which with minor variations is the draft reported by Jay, see Lee to Floridablanca, October 6, 1785.