York the 4th [May] 1778
My dear Sir,
I am greatly obliged by your very kind letter of condolance of the 24th last,
1
and I am to thank you for another of your favors that I found here on my arrival. I beg leave to congratulate you on the very important intelligence that we yesterday conveyed to Government by Express. There appears a magnanimity and wisdom in his most Christian Majesty exemplified in these Treaties with France that does him great honor. It was surely magnanimous not to take advantage of our situation so as to obtain unequal advantage, and it was wise to leave open a door for all the Maritime States (England not excepted) to enter and share the Commerce of N. America. Without this last, the intrigues of G.B. might have combined the other Trading powers with her to distress us and our new Ally. As it is, all will be with us against England because our Commerce is open and profitable to all. If England were wise, she would immediately acknowledge our Independence and make, as France has done, a Treaty with us, which, if agreed to on her part without making war on France, might give peace to the world, and guilty Britain alone suffer for her folly by the loss of N. America. But England is proud, and has long been Mad (I mean since the present accession) in her conduct to No. A. Pursuing her plan, if she meanly submits to the French commerce with us, and pushes all her force against us this Campaign, as I think she will, it may injure us much unless we wisely and timely prepare to resist her greatest efforts by quickly and strongly reenforcing our Army. This done, I am clearly of opinion that G.B. will and must acknowledge our Independence before the close of the year.
General Lee is hourly expected here in his way from his seat in our Berkeley County to the Army, being certainly and fully exchanged for Gen. Prescot.
I am, dear Sir, most sincerely and affectionately yours,
Richard Henry Lee
P.S. The inclosed extracts are of most undoubted authority and I beg you will insist on both our Printers publishing them.2
In our dispatches by the Express it was mentioned that Gen. Amherst & Admiral Keppell were arrived at Philadelphia as Commissioners.3 That Account came direct from Philadelphia, but it has since been contradicted, and therefore please have it contradicted in our papers if such news has got into them.
1 l For further details about the death of Lee’s brother Thomas Ludwell, See Richard Henry Lee to Arthur Lee, May 12, 1778.
2 The 4 May Hall and Sellers broadside Lee enclosed was reprinted in the 15 May issue of the Virginia Gazette (Dixon & Hunter), along with the Virginia delegates’ 3 May letter to Governor Henry and the American commissioners’ letter to the Committee for Foreign Affairs, 8 December 1777. See also Henry Laurens to John Lewis Gervais, 3 May 1778, note 5.
3 Richard Henry Lee had reported the rumored arrival of these commissioners in his 2 May letter to Thomas Jefferson, but unfounded reports of their appointment had reached Williamsburg even earlier. In the 8 May 1778 issue of the Virginia Gazette (Dixon & Hunter) the following extract was printed under the heading "Postcript of a letter from York, in Pennsylvania, dated April 26." "Since writing the above, Congress is informed by the General, that, from good intelligence from the city, he learns that the Commissioners, consisting of Lord Amherst, Admiral Kepple, and Mr. Murray, formerly Governor of Quebec, are appointed, and are to hold a plenitude of civil and military powers for negociation or war, and their arrival may be shortly expected, as the long delay of the former Commissioners was reprobated by the nation. It is probable, if no negociation or pacification, under the propositions, should take place, these new leaders of the British bands will act with great energy and decision in the field. Should we not determine immediately to augment our army?" See also John Mathews to Thomas Bee, 26 April 1778, note 4.