V-i'^"''-l itlKiS;;:!:

 - - : »¦(.-

3 91 1(1 J (KilJ*' 4K-5^)

:*.¦•:'

'¦¦-- ;¦¦ ¦

¦.:S;i!»T'ftB;fe*vt:

'l'^!'!!«i'!!i!itm!ilSi!lif,!i|l:

NSM(«MJiil!i«""4jli-W»!iji

YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Gift of
Edith and Maude Wetmore
in memory of their father
George Peabody Wetmore
B.A. 1867

PAPERS

RELATION TO THE CASE

SILAS DEANE.

Noio jFirsl ^uiJIialjjJr from iU ffiiiflinal ^anusttipts.

PHILADELPHIA:
PRINTED FOR THE SEVENTY-SIX SOCIETY.
T. K. AND P. G. COLLINS, PRINTERS.
1855.

INTRODUCTION.

The following pages are published from the original manu
scripts, obtained a few years ago, in South Carolina, by the late
Edward D. Ingraham, Esq., of this city, from the family of
Henry Laurens, President of Congress during a part of our
Eevolutionary War.
Shortly after the formation of our Society, of which Mr.
Ingraham was an early and active member, he complied with
our request that he would edit them with a view to their pub
lication as our first work, and the work had nearly been com
pleted when his sudden and lamented death, on the 5th of
November, 1854, put a stop to it.
For nearly five months after his decease the manuscripts
were mislaid, and we had concluded to present the work in an
imperfect form, when they were discovered in the beginning of
this month.
The imperfections that will be discovered in the Appendix,
are owing to the fact that some of the papers in the collection
are lost and others mutilated.
April, 1855.

MR. DEANE'S NARRATIYE.

f Sir : I beg leave to remind Congress of my having several
times mentioned to them, in my letters desiring an audience,
that my detention was very prejudicial to my private affairs, as
well as that it might tend to embarrass or prevent the settle
ment of those of the public, which my sudden departure from
France obliged me to leave without being adjusted and closed. ")
The prejudice resulting from this delay I now hope will be
fully compensated, from the ample time it has afforded for
making the most minute and scrupulous examination into every
part of my public conduct, both in Europe and America.
I In August last, when I had the honor of being heard by
Congress, T expressed my desire of knowing if objections had
been made to any part of my conduct whilst in their service,
and if any, what they were.j Previous to the entering on a
general narrative, I take the liberty to mention in a few words
the reasons which induced me to make that request.
[ I set out for Europe, intrusted with the political and com
mercial agency of these States, and in the month of December
following received a commission from Congress appointing me
one of their commissioners at the Court of Versailles, by which
my former commission was superseded,Jand a person appointed
to the commercial agency in my room. From the time of my
lea-ving pay native country in March, 1776, to the 4th of March,
3

18 MR. DEANE'S NARRATIVE.
1778, 1 had reason to flatter myself that my conduct had been
such as to meet with the approbation of my honorable constitu
ents; and though the resolution of Congress of the 8th Decem
ber, 1777, which I was then for the first time made acquainted
with, and the letter which inclosed it expressed nothing to the
contrary, yet, sensible of the extremely difficult situation in
which I had been placed previous as well as subsequent to the
arrival of my colleagues; of the variety of transactions, politi
cal and commercial, in which on account of these States I had
been engaged, and knowing that I had been so unfortunate as
to have enemies at Paris and at Nantes who frequently wrote
to America, I thought myself warranted to suspect that mis
representations had been made, either with design to injure me,
or through ignorance and misapprehension. My venerable
friend and colleague. Dr. Franklin, had the same suspicions, as
his letters before Congress show.
Although the dispatches just before sent out by Mr. Simeon
Deane and Captain Courter were sufficient to inform Congress,
generally, of "the state of affairs in Europe," yet my disposition
to pay the most ready and implicit obedience to the orders of
Congress on every occasion, with a desire to know in what
light my conduct had been represented, prevailed over every
other consideration, and 1 left Paris the last of March in the
manner, and under the circumstances which I shall hereafter
relate. Shortly after my arrival I had, from many incidents needless
to repeat, reasons to conclude that my former suspicions were
not altogether groundless, and therefore that the request I made
was proper, and such as my situation required. I therefore
made it, and was happy to find that no objections were made
to my conduct, or exceptions taken to any part of the narrative
I then had the honor of delivering to Congress.
As several months have since elapsed, in which time those
in Europe as well as America (if there are any) who have
really entertained unfavorable suspicions, have had ample time

MR. DEANE'S NARRATIVE. 19
to make the strictest scrutiny into every part of my public
transactions, I confidently rely on the justice of Congress that
if any charges or representations have been made to them
against my character or conduct as the agent and commissioner
of these States, they will order the same to be communicated
to me, and give me an opportunity of making my answer. In
the mean time, in obedience to the orders of Congress, I pro
ceed to lay before them a brief narrative of all my transactions
from my leaving America in March, 1776, to this time.
In the month of December, 1775, soon after Congress ap
pointed the honorable Messrs. Franklin, Harrison, and others
their Committee for Secret Correspondence, application was
made to me by Dr. Franklin and others to receive a commission
and to transact certain affairs, political as well as commercial,
in Europe, but more particularly in France. I accepted their
proposals without hesitation and prepared for the voyage, and,
having wrote in general terms to my brother and family in
Connecticut, that I had undertaken a long journey on affairs
too urgent to permit me to pay them a visit before my setting
out, and having given general directions as to my private affairs,
I received from the Committee, on the 2d day of March, a com
mission and instructions, which I beg leave here to read (No. 1).
On the 5th I left Philadelphia in a vessel bound to Bordeaux,
which met with an accident at sea and was obliged to return
into port.
I embarked again on board a sloop bound for Bermuda, and
sailed the beginning of April. I arrived the 24th of the month,
and having, pursuant to my instructions, chartered a sloop for
France, left that island the 4th of May, having written to the
Secret Committee an account of my proceedings, and the ob
servations I had made.
I arrived at Bordeaux on the 6th of June following, in full
expectation of finding several vessels there which the Committee
had encouraged me should be sent out with cargoes to enable

20 MR. DEANE'S NARRATIVE.
me to execute the commission I was intrusted with. Unfortu
nately none had arrived.
As the sum I carried out with me was little more than suffi
cient for my private expenses for any considerable time, and
the intelligence of our misfortunes in Canada arrived at the
same time in France, with an account of the formidable arma
ments gone and going from England to America, I found it
impossible to execute anything in the mercantile way, and
having placed the bills I carried over in the hands of Messrs.
Delaps, and written to Dr. Bancroft to meet me in Paris, and
to the Secret Committee an account of my situation, and my
proceedings to that time, I left Bordeaux the latter part of June.
Whilst I remained in that city I took the character of a mer
chant from Bermuda, and applied myself to obtain an acquaint
ance with their commerce, their manufactures, and at the same
time with their sentiments respecting America. I found the
goods I wanted could not be procured in that city, nor the
information necessary to direct me how to proceed in the other
part of my commission.
I arrived at Paris early in the month of July, a stranger to
the language as well as to the customs and manners of the
nation. The greatest part of the bills forwarded by Mr. Delap to
London were soon after returned protested, by which I was in
a degree without money. Unknown and unconnected in Eu
rope, I was without personal credit, and the accounts of our
misfortunes in America, with the confident assurances of the
British Ministry by their ambassadors and partisans at Paris,
that everything would be finished, as they expressed them
selves, that campaign, left me as little credit on the public
account as my own.
I had no friend at Court, and- the gentlemen to whom I had
letters at Paris, though worthy and eminent in their stations,
had little more interest there than myself Monsieur le Roy,
the worthy and learned Director of the Academy, was well

ME. DEANE'S NARRATIVE. 21
known in the literary, but unheard of in the political world.
I shall ever be sensible of the hospitable and polite reception
he gave me, and of the ftiendship he honored me with during
my residence in France, and which, I flatter myself, still mu
tually subsists between us. Monsieur Dubourg had been emi
nent as a physician, but had never either held any employment
at Court, or been connected with administration; he was well
esteemed in Paris; and if goodness of heart and the most ar
dent zeal for the rights and happiness of mankind in general,
and of these States in particular, merit esteem, no man in the
world has a better title. Having been recommended to these
gentlemen, I think myself obliged, on that account, to mention
them in my narrative, and gratitude urges me to say thus much
of the many tilings I might with justice say of them. In a
word, considering the magnitude and importance of the objects
I aimed at, I was moneyless, without credit, without friends ;
.nor wOl this sketch give a just idea of my situation, without
adding tliat the wealth and influence of Great Britain were
employed against me.
Dr. Bancroft got into town the day before me. From him I
learned that the state of affairs in Great Britain was, in many
respects, very different from w'hat they had been represented in
America, and from what I expected. The American war was by
no means so unpopular as had been supposed. The ministers
were more secure than ever of their places ; the credit of the
nation was high; three per cents selling for about ninety, and
their other stocks in proportion. From the punctuality with
which they paid the interest of the public debt, they found no
difficulty in borrowing any sums they had occasion for, and the
commerce of the nation appeared in a flourishing state.
On the continent of Europe there was a general peace, and
no symptoms of a rupture in any part, except between Spain
and Portugal about their American dominions, which was of
no importance in the general scale.
In France, the state of affairs was such that no immediate

22 ME. DEANe's NAEEATIVE.
public assistance could be expected for America; though the
court and nation were by no means indifferent spectators of the
contest, and though the American cause was far from being
unpopular, yet many circumstances prevented France at that
time from taking an open and decided part.
The present reign was but just begun, and as it succeeded a
very long and expensive one, the ministers found many of the
most important departments greatly deranged, particularly those
of the Finances and the Marine, the latter of which had, in a
particular manner, been neglected during the latter part of the
late reign. These circumstances, together with the disposition
of the king and his ministers to preserve the peace, rendered
it difficult to do anything of consequence, more especially as
England on her part had carefully avoided infringing any of
the articles of the treaty subsisting between the two courts,
and, jealous that supplies might by some means or other be got
out from thence, had her emissaries and spies in all the princi
pal seaports of the kingdom as well as at Paris, and was besides
armed as well in Europe as America.
I think it necessary to give this general account, not only of
my particular situation, but of the state of public affairs in
Europe on my arrival, as it will "help to explain several of the
subsequent transactions and events.
Immediately after my arrival, I wrote, agreeable to the in
structions I had received, to Monsieur Dumas at the Hague,
and afterwards continued a correspondence with him until I
left France. I wrote also to Monsieur Garnier, Charg^ des
Affaires for France at the Court of London, but received no
s^nswer. I wrote also to Mr. Arthur Lee, then at London.
Doctor Dubourg, having written a letter to his Excellency
the Count de Vergennes, informing him of my being at Paris
we went to Versailles, when I showed him my commission and
informed him generally of the state of affairs in America; of
the errand I came upon; the line of conduct I had pursued,
and prayed his protection, counsel, and assistance. He gene-

MR. deane's narrative. 23
tously assured me of his protection; advised me to continue
under the character I had assumed, which, agreeable to my
instructions, was that of a merchant, and to act with great cir
cumspection, for that I must depend on being narrowly watched
by the British emissaries; but as to assistance, he assured me
the Court could afford none, consistent with the treaties sub
sisting with England, which his Majesty could on no occasion
violate; that commerce was free to all his Majesty's subjects,
from whom I might obtain any articles I wanted, except such
as were expressly prohibited by his Majesty; and that he
would afford me his countenance and protection ; but that he
could do nothing as to the articles which I was instructed to
solicit for. And respecting other subjects, especially an ac
knowledgment of the independence of the United States, he
observed it was an event in the womb of time, and dependent
on so many others, that it would be premature to take it into
present consideration. Monsieur Gerard being the first Secre
tary in his department for Foreign Affairs, and understanding
English, I was referred to him when on any common occasion
I should apply, his Excellency assuring me that I might rely
on what he might at any time tell me, as fully as if I had it
immediately from him.
I now set myself to fulfil, if possible, the mercantile part of
my commission ; but, little or no remittances arriving, though
more than six months had passed since the engagement had
been taken in America to supply me, and hearing nothing from
either the Congress or the Secret Committee, I found it impos
sible. Many of the capital merchants supposing me to have
come over with large funds, offered their service, and to supply
me. They offered me a credit of six, eight, or twelve months ;
but with .this they connected a proposition that some capital
banking-house in France should indorse my bills, and this ever
defeated all their other proposals, however fair and promising
they before appeared.
In the month of July (1776), I became acquainted with Mon-

24 MR. deane's narrative.
sieur Beaumarchais, a gentleman to whom I owe much, my
country more; and if 1 attempted to give his character in this
narrative, I should doubtless be thought partial. Happily there
is no necessity of my doing it, as an honorable member of this
House, now present, has been long and intimately acquainted
with him, and an eye-witness of the services which he rendered
the United States; which services will speak for him more fully
than any language I can make use of It is sufficient to say
here that this gentleman was well recommended to me; that I
ever found him equal, and even superior to the recommenda
tions given of him. I found him thfe only person willing to
venture a considerable credit to these States at that time, and,
from the favorable light he stood in with the Prime Minister,
his connections, I may say intimacy with the great, which he
owed solely to his superior genius and ability as a writer and
negotiator, and from his general knowledge and correspond
ence, and the boldness of his spirit for adventures, the only
person on whom I could rely with confidence to pr.ocure the
supplies then indispensably necessary.
Before the return of Dr. Bancroft to London, I had several
interviews with this gentleman, the Doctor assisting as inter
preter between us, at which the outlines of our plan for sup
plies were laid.
After fixing on a mode of correspondence with Dr. Bancroft
and obtaining what intelligence he could give me, this gentle
man returned to London, having spent about three weeks with
me, during which he gave me much assistance, and laid the
foundation for much more ; and it will not be improper to say
here, that the correspondence carried on between us was never
intercepted, and the intelligence I received from him whilst he
ventured to stay there, and afterwards from his friends, was
clear, and ever proved to be authentic and of great service to
the affairs we were intrusted with.
Soon after the return of Dr. Bancroft I received a letter from
Arthur Lee, Esq., then at London, desiring me to inform Con-

MR. deane's naeeative. 25
gress that Joseph Eeed, Esq. and John Langdon, Esq. were
dangerous persons, and to put Congress on their guard against
them. Stranger as I was to Mr. Lee's character, his letter
greatly surprised me, the more so as he wrote in the most posi
tive terms, without giving me the reasons on which he grounded
his charge. I replied to his letter that I could by no means
comply with his request ; that I had been long personally ac
quainted with the gentlemen he mentioned, and that I had the
fullest confidence in their integrity and zeal for the service of
America, therefore could not think of transmitting such infor
mation without its being at the same time supported by the
fullest proof; that I knew those gentlemen actually held im
portant posts under Congress ; therefore, if the charge against
them could be supported, no time should be lost in transmitting
the proper evidence, but I trembled at the thought of giving
Congress suspicions of their most confidential servants, without
certain proofs to support and authorize such suspicions; the
consequence must have been pernicious to the public and fatal
to the individuals ; this was the purport of my letter.
Having settled the plan for sending out supplies to America,
with Monsieur Beaumarchais, I made out an invoice or estimate
of clothing for thirty thousand men, and for other necessaries
in proportion, together with an invoice for two hundred pieces
of brass cannon, four pounders, and of twenty-eight mortars ;
the cannon and mortars he told me he could purchase out of
the king's arsenals, and could possibly obtain a credit of eight
months, or perhaps longer. I added an invoice, or order, for
thirty thousand fusees, for two thousand barrels of powder, for
ball, lead, flints, four thousand tents, and other articles in pro
portion. He told me that he hoped to purchase also a part of
the fusees from the arsenals.
Having agreed generally on the articles to be furnished, we
turned our attention to the transporting them to America, and
made a contract with Monsieur Monthieu for the ships neces
sary. Monsieur Beaumarchais was my security for the pay-
4

26 ME. deane's narrative.
ment of the freight to Monsieur Monthieu. Monsieur Beau
marchais could not procure the fusees out of the arsenals as he
expected, or at least but a small part of them, as he told me,
and I saw him at the time purchase and pay for fifteen thousand
of Monsieur Monthieu, and smaller quantities of others.
As the transporting so large a train of artillery to the sea
ports, and so many fusees and other warlike stores, must neces
sarily have occasioned great speculation and reports, which the
British ministry could not long be ignorant of, and as the ex
portation of these articles was expressly prohibited, we found
ourselves greatly embarrassed.
Having no one at Court who could openly support me in my
operations, and, to avoid suspicions, venturing seldom to go
there myself, except secretly, I complied with Monsieur Beau-
marchais's proposal of sending out a number of officers with the
stores, and by fixing on such as should be recommended by
persons at Court, or of influence by their connections to procure
what I found myself destitute of, friends and patrons. This
was the origin of my contracts with officers; and for a full
explanation of it, and the grounds I went on with Monsieur
Beaumarchais, I refer to his letter to Congress of the 23d of
March last, No. 2.
Having found that the want of remittances had put it out of
my power to execute the contract for Indian goods, I put into
the list given Monsieur Beaumarchais, as many of the articles
as he could venture to engage for, and applied myself wholly
to the execution of this greater and more important commission.
T now found myself engaged in an affair which called for
assistance. I had taken no Secretary with me, and my re
sources would admit of nothing inconsistent with the most rigid
economy. Major Rogers assisted me at times; he lodged in the
same hotel with me; but as he was there for the benefit of his edu
cation, it was taking from that worthy young gentleman, with
out any equivalent reward, what no one can afford to lose. He
mentioned Mr. Carmichael to me, whom I now have the pleasure

ME. deane's naeeative. 27
of seeing a member of this honorable Assembly, as a gentleman
of his acquaintance, then at Paris on his way to America, but
detained there for the recovery of his health ; I was introduced
to him. After conversing with him generally on the subject of
American affairs, he told me that he was acquainted and cor
responded with Mr. Arthur Lee, and showed me in the leaf of
a Pocket Dictionary, intelligence for Congress, or the Secret
Committee, written by Mr. Lee; this satisfied me as to his
character, to which before I was a stranger; but to my sur
prise I found the same intelligence respecting Mr. Eeed and
Mr. Langdon as had before been conveyed to me from Mr. Lee.
I expressed my astonishment to Mr. Carmichael, and my extreme
uneasiness on that account, when he made me for the first time
acquainted with a part of Mr. Lee's character, which was that of
being excessively jealous and suspicious, and, as is usual with
such dispositions, inclined to receive and credit reports on the
most light and uncertain grounds.
Satisfied with my interview with Mr. Carmichael, I informed
him generally of my situation, and invited him to take his
lodgings with me, and favor me with his company and assist
ance, which, as he had then made some progress in the language,
might be of advantage to my affairs. He complied, and soOn
after I received from Mr. Arthur Lee a letter, informing me
that he should pay me a visit in a few days incog. : but as seve
ral other persons received the like intelligence, neither his
arrival nor his stay in Paris was a secret.
I was now in the midst of mj affairs with Monsieur Beau
marchais, and was with him every day. My first interview with
Mr. Arthur Lee was at this gentleman's house. I afterwards
frequently met them together. Mr. A. Lee was every day at
my lodgings, and I spent all the vacant time I had with him.
I acquainted him with my prospects of procuring supplies, and
from whom ; and he gave me the highest possible character of
Mr. Beaumarchais for his abilities and address. In the course
of our conversation on other subjects I entreated him to inform

28 MR. deane's narrative.
me on what grounds he had gone in his information respecting
Mr. Eeed and Mr. Langdon. He told me that as to Mr. Eeed,
he really knew nothing more than that he formerly corresponded
with Lord Dartmouth, and that his brother-in-law, M. de Berdt,
was actually intimate with his lordship. But for Mr, Langdon
he said there could be no doubt, as he was the last winter in
London, and frequently with the ministry. I replied, that as
to the latter, I had spent the last winter -with him in Philadel
phia; and as to the former, I could not think that such vague
and inconclusive circumstances were sufficient to authorize
sending general charges to Congress ; for that charges of such
a complexion, and coming from such a person as himself, must
forever damn the reputation of those accused thereby, and
alarm and embarrass the public. To this Mr. Lee said, he
knew that a person of the name of Langdon had been in London
the last winter, and therefore he wrote, supposing him to be
Mr. John Langdon of Portsmouth; that he believed that he
was too suspicious at times, and was glad that I had not sent
forward his letter. Mr. Carmichael told him that he had for
those and other reasons (having previously communicated to
me the contents of the Dictionary letter), delayed sending it on,
with which Mr. Lee was apparently well satisfied.
I mention these circumstances here to show on what ground
a serious charge has since been brought by Mr. Lee against Mr.
Carmichael for having opened and intercepted these dispatches,
as well as to give some idea how difficult a part I had after
wards to act -with a colleague of such a disposition, who carried
his suspicions so far as often to declare without reserve, that
there were many in Congress, and even in their Select and
Secret Committee, who ought not to be trusted ; these his sus
picions, afterwards reported to persons in high rank, were, I am
informed, prejudicial to our affairs, because I have been several
times seriously questioned on the subject by the minister.
Mr. Lee, during his stay at Paris, though I often spoke to him
of the affairs I had with Monsieur Beaumarchais, never inti-

MR. deane's naeeative. 29
mated that he supposed that gentleman to have received money
from the Court of France to enable him to send out supplies,
nor was it ever hinted to me until many months after, when to
my surprise I learned that such intelligence had been sent to
Congress by Mr. Lee.
As I am now on this subject, I must take the liberty to go a
little forward in my narrative, and inform that after Mr. Lee's
arrival in Paris as' Commissioner, when he estranged himself
from M. Beaumarchais, and, supposing him to be in disgrace at
Court, spoke as contemptuously of him as he had before been
high in his commendation, he asserted as a fact that Monsieur
Beaumarchais had told him in London that he had received
two hundred thousand pounds sterling of administration for the
use of Congress. Monsieur Beaumarchais constantly and posi
tively denied his ever having said any such thing. As it is
not for me to determine which of these gentlemen is right, I
refer Congress to Monsieur Beaumarchais's letter of the 23d
March, with the inclosed correspondence between him and Mr.
Lee, No. 2, to which may be added the account given by his
Excellency Monsieur Gerard, on that subject, which is very
different from any supposition that those supplies were a gra
tuity from the Court of France. Certain it is, I did not con
sider them as such at the time, for, on finding there was a sur
plus of cannon in the arsenals to be disposed of, I waited on the
minister and solicited the liberty of purchasing them, but was
refused. I then proposed to procure a man to purchase them,
on condition that he should not be called on for the payment
until he received his remittances from America. I could not
obtain this. My view in this was to obtain a longer and more
certain credit than could be relied on from any individual; this
application I made previous to my finishing my contracts with
Monsieur de Beaumarchais.
Having been acquainted with Mr. McCreary at Bordeaux, I
wrote to him in Holland, that as he was returning to America,
and proposed embarking at Bordeaux, I prayed him to take

30 MR. DEANE S NAEEATIVE.
Paris in his way thither, and to take the charge of my dis
patches ; by this gentleman I wrote an exact account of all my
proceedings to the time of his sailing, which was in September.
I informed Congress of my contracts with Monsieur Beaumar
chais and Monsieur du Coudray, and of the reasons which had
induced me to engage with the latter ; that remittances must be
immediately made to the former, as I had not proposed more
than eight or ten months credit; that by much the greater part
of my bills had been protested, that the stores I had engaged
and the charges arising on them amounted to many millions of
livres, for which I was responsible ; and that at the same time
I had not received one line from Congress since my leaving
America to that time.
Having dispatched Mr. McCreary, I Applied myself assidu
ously to the sending the stores to the different ports ; to the
procuring intelligence of whatever respected America ; in set
tling and keeping up a correspondence in different parts of
Europe, and in forming and cultivating an acquaintance with
those characters, who in their different stations might promote
the interest of these States.
Doctor Bancroft paid me a second visit in the month of Oc
tober. I had made an acquaintance with the agent of the King of
Prussia, at Paris; and from the encouragements he gave me, I
was induced to prevail on Mr. Carmichael to make a journey to
Berlin, by the way of Amsterdam, with the view of obtaining
intelligence of the situation of affairs in those parts of Europe;
to give necessary information of the state of the American dis
pute, and to endeavor to open a correspondence and commerce
from thence for the benefit of the United States. He set out
from Paris in October, and returned in December. During his
journey he had an opportunitj'^ of forming an acquaintance with
many persons of note, was well received by the minister at Ber
lin, and performed such services as met with the approbation of
your Commissioners at Paris, who arrived just after his return.

ME. deane's NAEEATIVE. 31
I need not be more particular on this subject, as the honorable
gentleman is present.
From my first engagements with Monsieur Beaumarchais, I
was constantly embarrassed with a succession of obstacles in
the way of my getting the cannon and other stores to the sea
ports from the inland magazines where they lay. France was
then full of British emissaries ; the cannon were at Strasbourg
and in other interior parts ; the moment they began to move,
intelligence was given, remonstrances made, and counter orders
issued. It would be tedious to recount the instances of this
kind, and perhaps improper to relate all the measures taken to
obviate the difficulties which arose daily in our way.
The favorable point of light in which my friend Monsieur
Beaumarchais stood with the Prime Minister; his assiduity,
address, and the amazing fertility of genius which he displayed
for finding fresh resources on every occasion, enabled us to get
so well forward in the execution of our plan, that in November
nearly the whole of the stores -wfi-re collected at Marseilles,
Nantes, Bordeaux, Havre, and Dunkirk, and ships ready at
those different ports to transport them to America.
About the last of November, 1776, Mr. Beaumarchais went
to Havre de Grace to dispatch the Amphitrite and another ship,
viz., the La Seine, from thence. His going and his errand soon
became publicly known, and he had only time to dispatch the
first ship before orders arrived from Court to stop them ; simi
lar orders were sent to the different ports. Much was said on
the subject, and such an alarm given that nothing more could
be immediately done, and he returned to Paris almost dis
couraged, and much blamed at Court, of which his, as well as
the enemies of America, took advantage.
Just about this period I received advice of the arrival of Dr.
Franklin at Nantes, with a commission appointing the Honor
able A. Lee, Esq. and myself, joint Commissioners with him at
the Court of Versailles, and with a commission appointing
Thomas Morris, Esq., Commercial Agent. I dispatched an

82 ME. deane's NARRATIVE.
express to London to inform these gentlemen of their appoint
ment, and a few days after met Dr. Franklin at Versailles, and
conducted him to my lodgings at Paris. Mr. Lee arrived a few
days after. Dr. Franklin took lodgings which I had provided
for him by his desire, in his letter to me from Nantes, in the
same hotel with me, and Mr. Lee in a different part of the city.
As soon as Dr. Franklin had a little recruited himself from
the excessive fatigues of his voyage, we waited on his Excel
lency Monsieur de Vergennes, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and
presented him with a copy of the commission we had received.
Previous to this interview, the Amphitrite, dispatched by
Monsieur Beaumarchais from Havre de Grace, returned into
Port L'Orient by reason of contrary -winds, and of some diffi
culties and disputes among the passengers. The return of this
ship increased the reports then circulating in France, and
which, being transmitted to England, produced the most un
favorable consequences.
At the interview with the minister, the Commissioners entered
only on general subjects, and were generally assured of the
utmost personal protection and ci-vilities ; were advised to con
tinue as in a private character, in which the minister was pleased
to say I had done well; but as to the purport of our commission,
so many affairs of the utmost consequence were dependent
upon, and connected therewith, that it required the most serious
consideration. That he hoped we should be very happy in
France, and that he should be always ready to render us every
service consistent with his station and the treaties subsisting
between the Courts of Versailles and London, which his Ma
jesty would, on no occasion violate. He desired us, that, when
ever we had anything to communicate, we should do it directly
to him or to Monsieur Gerard, and be careful of speaking to
others. This was the substance of the conversation; after
which I mentioned to his Excellency the situation in which the
cannon and stores I had purchased actually were, and prayed
his advice. On which he asked me of whom I had purchased ?

MR, deane's NAEEATIVE. 83
I told him ; he said there had been some very imprudent con
duct in the affair, and appeared to blame Monsieur Beaumar
chais on the subject; indeed, he appeared not desirous of
knowing anything of the affair, or willing to discourse on it at
that time, on which we took our leave and returned to Paris,
where I laid the state of my case before my colleagues, and
found Mr. Lee persuaded from what had passed between Mon
sieur le Compte de Vergennes and me, as well as from the com
mon report in the city, that Monsieur Beaumarchais was a
disgraced and a ruined man. My colleagues determined that as
it was an affair undertaken solely by me, they would not med
dle with it, but left it with me to conduct it through in the best
manner I could.
I visited Monsieur Beaumarchais, and found him sick and
confined to his bed from the fatigue and vexation he had under
gone ; never had I found myself in so critical and distressed
situation as at that period. All the difficulties before removedj
were nothing to those I was then surrounded by.
The stores, amounting to thirty thousand stand of arms com
plete, near two hundred and fifty pieces of brass artillery,
clothing, powder, &c., &c., were ready in the ports, and ships
lying on expense ready to receive them. The officers returned
were very clamorous. Monsieur de Coudray was loud in his
complaints against Monsieur Beaumarchais and the agents for
supplying the ship, whilst Monsieur Beaumarchais and others
complained as loudly against the condtict of M. du Coudray.
Add to this the intelligence of the very critical situation o"f our
armies in America, of the misfortunes they had met with, and
the distress they were in for the want of supplies, together with
the reserve and coolness of the minister on the subject, put me
almost into a state of desperation; but as it was absolutely
necessary to do something, I consulted with Monsieur Beau
marchais whose abilities and zeal I had been long acquainted
with, and, however appearances were at court and in the city
then strongly against him, I could not think of deserting,
5

34 ME. deane's NAEEATIVE.
or rather permitting him to desert from or fall under the
great affairs in hand, which must inevitably have fallen with
him. We considered that the Amphitrite alone had ten or twelve
thousand stand of arms, about sixty pieces of cannon, clothiiig
and blankets to a great amount; and it was very evident that
the getting that ship out to America would be a great and
capital supply.
To effect this I wrote to Monsieur du Coudray, told him of
the complaints made against him, and forbade his embarking
again in the Amphitrite, or in any other vessel in which I was
concerned. The Minister of War sent orders to him to join his
corps immediately at Strasbourg, and Monsieur Beaumarchais
sent his secretary, M. Francis, now his agent in these States, to
L'Orient with orders to clear out the ship as for the West
Indies, and to give security with the captain that she should
not go elsewhere. By this and other measures the ship got
again to sea, and fortunately arrived at Portsmouth in Ncav
Hampshire in April following, just as the troops of these States
were taking the field.
I ought to mention here, that on the return of the ship in
November, 1777, the captain was instantly arrested and im
prisoned for the breach of his engagements. The shock which
this gave our credit, especially among the merchants and mo
neyed men, is more easily to be conceived than expressed.
M. du Coudray came secretly to Paris. I saw him and ex
postulated with him on what had passed, urging him to give up
for the present all thoughts of prosecuting his voyage to Ame
rica. He was unwilling to agree to it, and chose to go out at
any rate. I told him he must not rely on my doing anything
further in his affairs; he was in danger of being arrested at
Paris on account of the order I before mentioned, and left the
city privately. After which two gentlemen of high rank, the
Due de Eoohefaucault and the Chevalier de Chattelier, waited
on Dr. Franklin and myself, Mr. Lee being to the best of my

ME. deane's NAEEATIVE. 85
remembrance out of town, and urged that I should not oppose
the going out of Monsieur du Coudray. I stated generally my
situation, but the character and abilities of this gentleman were
so strongly urged by his noble patrons, that Dr. Franklin re
solved to write in his favor, and having written the letter, I
could no longer refuse joining him in it, which I did, on condi
tion that Monsieur du Coudray should not embark in any of
the ships I ordered stores to be sent in, but that he should shift
for himself as well as he could.
Mr. Thomas Morris came to Paris soon after the Honorable
Mr. Lee, and Dr. Bancroft and Mr. Williams came with him on
a visit, the latter to Dr. Franklin, and the former more imme
diately to me, on account of the correspondence between us.
The Congress had ordered the commercial agent to pay the
Commissioners ten thousand pounds sterling for their private
use, which he was not then able to do, but referred us to a
banker in Paris for our present demands and went to Nantes.
The manner in which affairs were, as the Commissioners were
informed, conducted by him, gave them great uneasiness on
every account. They were uncertain even of the money neces
sary for their support, and wrote on the subject; in answer to
which, M. Gruel of Nantes wrote to the banker. Monsieur Sou
lier, to pay us as we should call for it ninety thousand livres,
or three thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds. Being in
formed of this, the Commissioners wrote to Congress their
opinion of Mr. Thomas Morris, and to him to complete the
payment of the ten thousand pounds without delay. The foibles
and extravagancies of this gentleman I hope will be buried
with him, and I desire only that it may be remembered that he
had it not in his power to comply with our demands as to the
money ; he received remittances but sparingly, and orders for
goods very liberally.
Having received this assurance of money for our support,
and a promise of two millions of livres to be paid us by Mon
sieur Grand, whose brother. Sir George Grand of Amsterdam,

36 ME. deane's NARRATIVE.
then at Paris, was very friendly to us in that and in other mat
ters, it was thought advisable for Mr. Lee to set out for Madrid,
as there appeared to be a prospect of doing something there,
and he could not for many reasons be of any immediate use to
these States at Paris.
...^Accordingly he set out to make that journey by the way of
Nantes and Bordeaux, where it was thought he might be of
service in examining personally in what manner our commercial
affairs were transacted.
I now return to the affair of the stores in which I was solely
engaged. Soon after the sailing of the Amphitrite a second
time from Port L'Orient, the rumors before raised beginning to
subside, I consulted with Monsieur Beaumarchais on measures
for sending out the others, and on finding a probability of suc
cess, I was alarmed with the report that the arms as well as
other supplies were bad, and that I had been imposed on.
This was circulated, as I suspected at the time, by the enemies
of Monsieur Beaumarchais, as well as of these States, but never
theless it perplexed me exceedingly, business of the public pre
vented my leaving Paris to go and examine those cargoes
myself. It would have been imprudent in me to have done it,
had I been at leisure, as such a step must have confirmed the
suspicions of those who conjectured that those cargoes were
designed for America ; and a report propagated by the enemies
of these States that the attempt to destroy the magazines, stores,
and shipping at Portsmouth had been made in consequence of
my secret negotiations, had such an effect on the minds of the
weak and credulous, as well as on the desperate partisans of
Great Britain, that the minister advised me not to leave Paris,
and even to be on my guard as to the security of my person;
whilst there, and from the information he received, he even
went so far as to give particular orders to the police, with
respect to my personal safety.
Thus situated,'! proposed to Dr. Franklin that Mr. Williams
should go to Nantes, and examine the stores about .to be shipped

MR. deane's naeeative. 37
from thence, and send up an account how he found them, and
samples, by which a judgment might be formed with certainty,
and that Mr. Carmichael should go to Havre de Grace for the
same purpose. The Doctor approved, and these gentlemen
went; found everything in good order, and had the address to
ship off the stores, then ready at those ports, a principal part of
which arrived in season for the operations of the campaign of
1777. Nantes being a capital port, from which I found that further
exportations must be made, I prevailed on Mr. Williams to
return thither and to continue in the business until the whole
should be completed. I found this gentleman by this trial to
be capable, and really a man of business, willing to sacrifice
everything for his country, and of the most disinterested and
generous principles. I therefore considered the fixing of him
at Nantes, in this business, as a valuable acquisition.
In the course of the examination of the public accounts it
will appear what business he did, and what reward he received
therefor. By the embarkation at Nantes and Havre, a considerable
part of the stores- were shipped, yet a valuable part remained,
and the intelligence from America was such as by no means
helped forward the remainder. In a word, by a continued secret
negotiation, and the most assiduous attention to times and cir
cumstances, the last of those stores were embarked at Marseilles
in September, 1777, on board the Flammand, Captain Landais,
which ship had been waiting ten months on expenses to receive
her cargo. The cargo was finally shipped secretly, and at a
considerable risk to the parties immediately concerned. This
ship fortunately arrived at Portsmouth in New Hampshire.
During Mr. Lee's absence on his journey into Spain, a con
tract was made with the Farmers General for five thousand
hogsheads of tobacco, as per contract No. 3, and one million of
livres were received, the part ^to be advanced. The Commis
sioners were now sure of three million of livres, equal nearly to

38 ^ MR. deane's narrative.
one hundred and thirty-one thousand pounds sterling, to answer
the demands already on them, and to enable them to procure
further supplies. When I mention the demands on the Com
missioners, I ought to inform that the contract with Monsieur
Beaumarchais was considered as an affair entirely out of the
question, and solely between him and me, my colleagues having
declined being concerned, and that no money was ever ad
vanced or paid to him by the Commissioners.
I purchased of Monsieur Chaumont fifty tons of saltpetre,
and shipped it, on account of Congress, as ballast in American
vessels going out previous to the arrival of my colleagues, and
paid him for it out of the money I carried with me. I had
purchased of the same gentleman two hundred tons of powder,
for which I had given my notes or bills, which were paid out
of this money. These were all the purchases independent of
my contract with Monsieur Beaumarchais, which I had made of
any consequence. The saltpetre cost nearly five and a half
pence sterling, and the powder ten pence per pound.
Mr. Hodge, and soon after him Captain Bell arrived, with
dispatches from Congress, in which the Commissioners were
directed to fit out, if in their power to do it, armed cruisers
from France to annoy the British trade in Europe, and blank
commissions were sent there for that purpose.
Previous to the arrival of Dr. Franklin and Mr. Lee, I had
formed an acquaintance with Monsieur Boux, a gentleman emi
nent for his knowledge in the construction of ships, and for his
bravery in commanding. Dr. Franklin and Mr. Lee conversed
with him and approved his plans. This man was sent into
Holland by the Commissioners to build a large ship for the
United States, and three hundred thousand livres advanced to
Sir George Grand to carry on the work.
Dr. Franklin and myself, Mr. Lee then in Spain, made a con
tract with this gentleman to come out to America as soon as the
( ' ship should be completed. This, proceeding was not a secret to

ME. deane's narrative. 89
the ministry, for we made no considerable purchase or contract
without acquainting them with it.
Mr. Hodge soon went for Dunkirk, to purchase and fit out
from thence a cruiser, and took with him a credit on the house
of Messrs. Morrels at that place.
Captain Weeks, on his first coming into France, brought with
him two prizes which he disposed of without difficulty. He
refitted, made a cruise, and brought in three others which he
also disposed of. This gave us encouragement to proceed in
executing the wishes of Congress, signified by the Secret Com
mittee. Captain Johnson arriving at Bordeaux in the Lexington, and
the Commissioners having purchased a cutter, it was agreed to
refit and send out Captain Weeks and Captain Johnson in their
vessels, and Captain Nicholson in the cutter, on a more consi
derable expedition. Accordingly they sailed, nearly as I re
member, some time in April, 1777, with the design of intercept
ing the Irish linen ships. They cruised some time in the
Channel and Irish Sea, and missing the great object in view,
they took, burnt, and sunk near twenty sail of vessels of small
value, and sailing round Ireland returned into St. Maloes and
Morlaix in France, with a part of their prizes. This caused
great alarms in England and Ireland, raised the price of insu
rance, and brought over warm remonstrances from the British
Ministry. From Dunkirk, Mr. Hodge fitted out Captain Conyngham a
cutter, with the design of intercepting a rich packet-boat from
Harwich, destroy some of the transports carrying over the
Hessian troops to England, and to cruise in the Northern
Ocean. Captain Conyngham captured a packet-boat, and sup
posing he had intercepted important intelligence, unadvisedly
returned into port. He also took a brig on his return. Mr.
Hodge came up to Paris with the letters taken in the packet.
Orders were sent from the court to restore the two prizes, to
detain Captain Conyngham's vessel, and to imprison him and

40 MR. deane's narrative.
his people. These orders were executed ; but these expeditious
caused a great sensation to the British commerce ; and for the
first time since Britain was a maritime power, the Eivef Thames
and other of its ports were crowded with French and other ships
taking in freight, in order to avoid the risk of having British
property captured.
After the alarm had a little subsided, liberty was obtained to
send Captain Conyngham and his people out of France, in
another vessel. To effect this, Mr. Carmichael went with Mr.
Hodge to Dunkirk, purchased and fitted out a second vessel
well armed against the insults of British cruisers, and ordered
Captain Conyngham not to cruise or commit hostilities on the
coast of France. Captain Conyngham sailed with the resolution
of following his orders, but he had not been long at sea before
his people mutinied and obliged him to make prizes. This
renewed the alarm in England, occasioned fresh and warm
complaints from that side; to silence which, Mr. Hodge -w;as
confined in the Bastile for five or six weeks, where he was
treated as well as a prisoner could be, and suffered in nothing
but the confinement, which indeed was sufficiently severe to one
of his spirit and feelings.
Captain Conyngham pursued his cruise, sailed round England
and Ireland, and carried a prize with him into Spain, which,
from the then situation of affairs there, turned to little account,
as did some others he afterwards captured.
Mr. Hodge from the first took an interest in the vessel, and
advanced his proportion of the money, and finding this adven
ture was now become an object too trifling to take up our at
tention, I proposed a sale of the public interest in the vessel to
Mr. Eoss and Mr. Hodge. Mr. Hodge delivered his accounts
to Mr. A. Lee and went for Spain, but the bargain was never
formally completed, owing to some difficulties on the part of
Mr. Lee. — While on the subject of marine affairs, I will here
take the liberty to finish the information I have to give on those
affairs. Orders were given to detain Captain Weeks and all the

ME. deane's naeeative. 41
other armed American vessels, but after a few weeks they were
permitted to sail. The Captains Johnson, Weeks, and others,
drew on the Commissioners for the repairs of their vessels,
whilst the commercial agents and others, disposed of the prizes
and rendered no account to the Commissioners ; this occasioned
Dr. Franklin and myself to give orders to the Captains to order
their prizes to the care and disposition of Mr, Williams. The
amount of those expenses was, as will appear by the accounts,
very large. Two valuable Jamaica ships were captured and
brought into Nantes by armed vessels belonging to the subjects
of these States, and put into the care of Mr. W. Lee and Mr.
Williams. After Mr. Williams had sold in the usual manner a
part of their cargoes, and after Mr. Williams had advanced a
considerable sum to the captains, the whole of the prizes by
order from court was taken out of his hands, confiscated to the
king on account of their having entered as if coming from St.
Eustatia, which proved a false entry, and afterwards they were
by the king restored to their original owners. This was during
the month of August, 1777. I had afterwards, with the assist
ance of Monsieur Chaumont, who interested himself in this
affair, sufficient influence to obtain the most ample satisfaction
to be made to the captors. The privateers were the Boston
and Hancock. The sum obtained for them in favor of the cap
tors being four hundred thousand livres, or seventeen thousand
five hundred pounds sterling, in which affair Monsieur Chau
mont and myself were solely active.
Captains Thomson and Hinman arrived in the month of
November, 1777, in two of the continental frigates at Port
L'Orient with two prizes, which they sold without difficulty,
but at a low rate. Their equipments exceeded the continental
share to a large amount, as will be seen in the general state of
the public accounts.
Captain Cleveland arrived at Bordeaux in a merchant ves
sel chartered and loaded by order of Congress to the direction
of Mr. Mirkle, who had made a contract with the commercial
6

42 ME. deane's naeeative.
committee, and was promised fifteen thousand pounds sterling,
to be paid him in France. This gentleman, after purchasing
part of the goods, and being disappointed of the money pro
mised him, was throAvn into the most distressing situation, and
Captain Cleveland, unable to return, the Commissioners were
in consequence obliged to advance money on that account, as
will be seen in the general state of the account delivered; be
sides these different sums advanced by the Commissioners, they
had to pay for packets to a considerable amount.
Before I return to the general thread of my narrative, I must
in justice say that, through the whole of these embarrassments
and apparent hard treatment from court, the result of political
necessity, the American subjects of these States were every
where kindly received by the people in France, and treated in
the most friendly and hospitable manner. Equal justice to my
colleagues as well as to myself obliges me also to say, that the
principal part of this as well as of every other executive part
of the public business was devolved on me.
Soon after receiving assurances of two millions of livres, it
was proposed to appropriate a part thereof to the payment of
the interest of the money then borrowing by Congress in Ame
rica, and that we should write to Congress and inform them
that the interest of their loan would be paid in Europe at the
rate of five livres the dollar. I strenuously objected to this
measure. My reasons against it were,, first, that the lenders of
the money in America had no right to, nor did they expect
other money in payment of their interest than what they depo
sited in the loan office. That the exchange being in favor of
Europe and against America, supposing the money lent to have
been actually in specie, five livres in France must be of more
value than a milled dollar in America. These appeared to me
reasonable\Dbjections, if no depreciation took place on the Conti
nental currency, but the money had actually begun to depreciate
before the loan offices were opened, and how low it would fall
was impossible to be foreseen. That the money we had, and the

ME. deane's narrative. 43
whole we could venture to count on receiving from the remit
tances to be made, would fall short of the demands upon us
already, and those which must be made on us in the course of
the year for supplies. It was easily made evident that no part
of the Commissioners' stock actually in hand and expected, could
be appropriated, were the other objections removed. The whole
amount, including the million received of the Farmers General,
was but three millions of livres, or one hundred and thirty-one
thousand two hundred and fifty pounds sterling.
The Commissioners, through the agency of Sir George Grand,
received general encouragement, that the interest of the money
borrowed in America should be paid in France, but never re
ceived anything in writing on the subject. Had a promise been
ever so explicitly made for the interest, still, my first objections
remained, the last of them in full force, and a new and obvious
one arose, which was, that if we could rely on the payment even
of the interest of but five or ten millions of dollars in Europe,
that sum might on this security be borrowed in Europe; which
must at that very time have been more than fifty per cent.
more valuable than a loan of so much paper in America. To
this it was answered, that it was of the last importance to keep
up the credit of the Continental paper ; that although the paper
had begun to depreciate among individuals before they placed
it in the public loan, yet the public ought not to know any dif
ference between their paper and specie ; that this measure would
effectually prevent any future depreciation, and give the paper
of Congress such a credit and circulation that the war might be
carried on without any foreign loan; and many arguments were
urged to show that a foreign loan ought not to be made, if it
could possibly be avoided. To me it appeared that a foreign
loan was necessary, absolutely so, from the moment the paper
remitted exceeded the amount of the specie necessary in circula
tion, for that, from that moment, a depreciation must commence.
These were the arguments used, and, hoping for the best, I sub
mitted and joined in the letter wrote to the Secret Committee on

44 ME. deane's, naeeative.
that subject. After which, to the time of my recall, I exerted
what influence and address I was master of to obtain in writing
a promise of the interest to a certain amount, but without suc
cess, never obtaining more than general encouragement, and
that commonly through a third person.
During Mr. Lee's absence a resolution of Congress was re
ceived, ordering the Commissioners to purchase a large number
of suits of clothes for the army, a number of brass cannon, to
the amount of about two hundred ; to procure on loan or other
wise, several ships of the line.
At the same time instructions were received to make addi
tional proposals to France and Spain, to induce them to declare
in our favor, and to negotiate a loan of money. With these
dispatches came an order to the commercial agents to supply
the Commissioners with money for the above purchases, and a
commission appointing Dr. Franklin Commissioner to the
Court of Spain.
On application to the minister, which was in March, 1777, we
received for answer that the proposals should be taken into
consideration, and that no answer could be immediately given ;
that he could afford no assistance, either in procuring the can
non or ships; that as to the loan, we were at liberty to negotiate
it on the best terms, only advised us not to offer a greater in
terest than France gave, as they were then borrowing ; that he
thought it prudent for us to use what funds we might have at
command, and what credit we dare venture upon in procuring
the most essential part of the supplies.
In addition to the other disbursements, a magazine of arms
had been purchased at Nantes for two hundred and twenty
thousand livres (see No. 4), which, with four hundred and fifty
thousand livres advanced in payment for goods purchased by
Mr, Eoss for Congress, had diminished our original stock near
one-half As to the loan, after much deliberation. Dr. Franklin and
myself proposed making a trial whether individuals could not

MR, deane's naeeative. 45
be induced to advance money on the security which could be
given them on the vacant lands. It was what had often been
thought of, and the moneyed men seemed to listen to the plan-,
but before we made any proposals to them, or had digested the
plan to be laid before Congress, we received a letter from the
Secret Committee in answer to one before wrote them on the
subject, that it was uncertain -what vacant lands there were in
America, or whether there were any, or words to that purpose.
Previous to the receipt of this letter we had a prospect of a
loan, having laid proposals (see No. 5), before many capital
houses and bankers ; but on this we now dare venture no further,
and we set ourselves to do the best in our power with the
money in hand, amounting at that time to little more than
fifteen hundred thousand livres, or about sixty-five thousand
pounds sterling.
A contract was made by Dr. Franklin and myself, Mr. Lee
being absent, with Messrs. Holker, Sabattier, fils, and Despriez,
for ten thousand suits of clothes, afterwards increased to fifteen
thousand, and for fifteen thousand pair of stockings, &c.
'"' A contract with Monsieur Monthieu for ten thousand* suits
and some lesser articles.
With Mr. Williams for ten thousand suits, a number of shirts,
shoes, &c.; and finding no proper vessels to be chartered on
good terms, a frigate mounting thirty -two carriage guns, since
commanded by Captain Nicholson, was contracted for, and a
large ship commanded by Captain Greene purchased, both
which arrived safely in America with their cargoes.
A contract also with Monsieur Coder for about fifteen hun
dred suits, besides lesser purchases of shoes and other articles.
Mr. A. Lee was present at the making of part of these con
tracts or purchases; the more capital ones were made during
his absence in Spain, and afterwards in Germany and Prussia.
Knowing how much these articles were wanted, and flattering
ourselves that we should receive remittances in the course of
the year, we ventured to engage far beyond our capital in hand.

46 ME. deane's naeeative.
Our expenses for the relief of Americans escaping from prison
in England, and for other contingencies, increased daily on us.
• Mr. Lee -vjrent no further than Burgos, the Court of Madrid
having been, as it was said, advertised of his coming and errand,
through his indiscretion in communicating it to many, and
fearing the consequences, sent and stopped him there, where
the minister met him. As he has sent an account of his nego
tiations to Congress, I refer to that, and need only say here,
that besides the supplies which he procured to be shipped by
the house of Gardoqui & Fures at Bilboa, to Boston, about two
hundred thousand livres were remitted to Paris, which Mr. Lee,
on receiving his commission for Madrid, took the direction of,
and the Commissioners at Paris were never permitted to make
any use of it towards discharging the contracts they had made
in France.
Soon after Mr. Lee's return, he was made acquainted with
what had been done in his absence. Mr. Holker, who had the
management and direction of the principal contract, waited on
Mr. Lee, to inform him of the fashion in which he proposed the
coats* should be made, and to consult him on an improvement
of the lapels by continuing them quite down, so as to join the
waistband of the breeches, which would take about one-sixth of
an ell of cloth and four buttons more than the usual fashion ;
but that it would guard the body from the cold in the most
tender part of it, &c.
Mr. Holker and the gentlemen -with him met with the most
disgusting reception ; everything was by Mr. Lee found fault
with. Mr. Holker very patiently heard him, and pertinently
answered his several objections: that as to the improvement on
the lapels, it was so great, and the expense so very trifling,
that sooner than give it up, he would even be content to throw
the extra expense out of his account. To which Mr. Lee re
plied, that if he did, he had still an objection that could not be
got over, it was the additional weight of the four buttons and
one-sixth of cloth, which must help to fatigue the soldier in his

MR. deane's naeeative. 47
marching. Mr. Holker and the other gentlemen at this lost all
patience, and refused ever after to have anything to do with
him, as did almost every other person with whom we had
formed any connections. I mention this, though a trifling
circumstance in itself, to show the character of Mr. Lee as to
business in the commercial way, and the necessity I was under
of taking in a manner the whole executive part on myself,
which I constantly proceeded in with the advice and approba
tion of Dr. Franklin, and also on account of Mr. Lee's having
since, in his letter to Congress, peremptorily declared that he
never was made acquainted with those contracts.
It is a delicate subject, but justice requires me to say that the
jealous disposition of Mr. Lee, which led him to apprehend de
signs injurious tp him in every one he dealt with, and the liber
ties he took in expressing himself on that and other subjects,
gave a general disgust, and often proved prejudicial to our
affairs. After Mr. Lee's return from Spain, I proposed to go to Hol
land, where I had previously, and from the first of my being in
France, established a correspondence, and thence northward, in
hopes of doing something towards obtaining a loan and other
supplies, but the situation of affairs would not admit of my
leaving Paris. Mr. Lee undertook the journey, and at Berlin
had the misfortune to have his papers stolen, of which, with
other transactions during his journey, he has, I presume, in
formed Congress.
Some time in February, or early in March, 1777, I received
in a letter from Mr. Eobert Morris information that Mr. William
Lee, then in London, was appointed commercial agent jointly
with Mr. Thomas Morris, then at Nantes. I informed Mr. Lee
of the intelligence I had received by the post, but received no
answer ; and he arrived in Paris some time in June.
During the absence of Mr. Arthur Lee at Berlin, he tarried
until his return, and soon after went to Nantes.
The commercial affairs of the Congress were then greatly

48 MR. deane's narrative.
deranged, and Mr. William Lee, as I was informed by Mr. Wil
liams's letters, by which it appears that Mr. William Lee told
him that having a considerable interest in London, and his
family still there, he chose for the present not to act, or be
known publicly in American affairs, contenting himself with
only joining with Mr. T. Morris in complaining, in a letter to
the Commissioners, of their appointing Mr. Williams to take
charge of the prizes sent into Nantes by the Continental ves
sels ; and soon after receiving a commission for the Court of
Vienna, and a commission for the Court of Berlin, he returned
to Paris, and again complained of the appointment of Mr. Wil
liams, and of the irregularities of his colleague. What passed
in this conversation I have already laid before Congress in wri
ting, in my observations on Mr. Izard's letter, which I shall
beg leave to read (No. 6).
Mr. William Lee continued at Paris untU some time in
March, except going to Nantes to take possession of the late
Mr. Thomas Morris's papers. In February, the Commissioners
paid to ,^im and Ralph Izard, Esq., who had been appointed
commissioner to the Court of Tuscany, forty-eight thousand
livres or two thousand louis d'ors each to enable them to pro
ceed to execute their respective commissions.
Mr. W. Lee made several complaints respecting Mr. Wil
liams having the care of the prizes sent into Nantes, and of the
Continental ships of war which arrived, being addressed to him,
to which he was answered that we had conceived the appoint
ment came within our power and instructions; that everything
was in disorder at Nantes when he was appointed, and if he,
Mr. W. Lee, had been there himself, and acting as commercial
agent, the appointment would not have been made; that Mr.
Williams had served the public ably and faithfully ; but that
as he had much other business on hand, there was no objection
to his giving up that part ; but a difference arising between the
Commissioners on a letter proposed to be sent, no order was
given (No. 7).

MR. deane's naeeative. 49
Mr. W'. Lee being about to set out for Vienna, appointed
deputies under him in the commercial department in different
ports. Mr. Williams wrote me that although he had hitherto
done the business at a moderate rate, with the view of serving
his country, he could by no means accept of Mr. W. Lee's offer
of dividing the commissions with him, but would sooner
resign the business entirely. I confess, the thought of losing
so able, faithful, and active a person, and one who had rendered
himself agree'able to the citizens and merchants of France, hurt
me, but I could not as his friend advise him to submit to such
ignominious conditions as those proposed to him. Mr. Wil
liams's letter before Congress, which I shall beg leave to read,
will show his way of thinking, and the treatment he has met
with. (No. 7.) To return a little in my narrative : —
By the month of August, 1777, all the stores M. Beaumar-
. chais had procured were shipped, except those at Marseilles,
where a ship had been in readiness to receive them from the
month of December preceding ; taking advantage at this time
of some favorable circumstances, M. Beaumarchais found an
opportunity of shipping them.
M. Monthieu, from whom the ship had been originally char
tered, represented that the whole of his freight had not been
paid him for the ships already sent out. That one had been
taken, and the other detained in America, for which he ought
to be allowed ; that the ship then at Marseilles, chartered by the
ton, had been long on expense to him, I consulted with Dr,
Franklin, and we agreed that Monsieur Chaumont should settle
the allowance that should be made him on his return from
Marseilles ; on which he set out and dispatched the ship, which
fortunately arrived at Portsmouth. After the return of Mon
sieur Monthieu, M. Chaumont declined meddling at first, on ac
count of the difficulty he said there was in doing any business
with Mr. Lee, and as M. Monthieu's contract for clothing was
not completed, a settlement was put off, that the whole concern
with him might be finished together.
7

50 MR. deane's naeeative.
In September, 1777, I laid before my colleagues a general
state of our expenditures and engagements, by which it ap
peared that they far exceeded our funds ; and no remittances
from America, but on the contrary bills were drawn on us from
thence by order of Congress for large sums; we were greatly
embarrassed ; the most unfavorable intelligence arriving at the
same time from America, we were wellnigh discouraged. It
was proposed, even by Dr. Franklin, that we should dispose of a
part of the clothing provided, and of the ships engaged, to ex
tricate our affairs.
To avoid so desperate a step, fresh applications were made ;
and the Court going to Fontainbleau, I went there repeatedly in
the most private manner, and in the end Monsieur Grand was
authorized to supply us with three millions of livres, in four
equal or quarterly payments for the year 1778. This enabled
the Commissioners to go on with the supplies contracted for ;
though by the appearance which our affairs then took, and the
unfavorable intelligence from America, we were still greatly
embarrassed. During the summer, 1777, previous to the knowledge of the
situation and success of the affairs in America arriving in
Europe, distant hints were given by the friends of administra
tion in England about an accommodation, and Dr. Berkenhout,
who Mr. Lee informed us was in the confidence of Lord North,
went so far as to correspond with Mr. A. Lee on the subject,
and to propose a meeting with him ; but suggested, that as it
was reported that there was not a good understanding between
the Commissioners, it would be to little or no purpose. Mr.
Lee was authorized to say to him, that we knew of no differ
ence subsisting between us that ought to prevent any proposi
tions being made to him for the public good.
Soon after this, the news arrived of the success of General
Burgoyne to the northward at Ticonderoga, &c., and of the ex
pedition of General Howe. ^

ME. deane's naeeative. 51
I heard no more of Dr. Berkenhout until his imprisonment
in this city.
The assurances of the three millions before mentioned, ena
bled us to go on with the supplies ; but from the extraordinary
vigilance of the British emissaries, and the unfavorable appear
ance of the affairs of these States at that time, and previous to
the receiving of the news of General Burgoyne's surrender, we
proceeded with the utmost caution and secrecy.
The ship, building in Holland, had from the first been carried
on under the name of another person ; yet from the intelligence
published in London, soon after the loss of Mr. Lee's papers at
Berlin, we found that this transaction as well as some others
had transpired, and that it would not be in our power to get
the ship to sea, without great and inevitable risk of a capture.
In France, the frigate and other business carrying on at Nantes
we were obliged to conceal under other names, notwithstanding
which, we met with many, and to appearance, insuperable ob
stacles, which rose in succession until some time in the winter
following. In November, the Amphitrite returned with a cargo of rice,
and a trifle of indigo, after having been near twelve months
detained, from her first being taken into the service of these
States. This cargo, and one of lumber and spars, shipped in the
Morcure from Portsmouth, were to this time the only remit
tances made for the stores shipped out by Monsieur Beaumar
chais. The captain, I have already mentioned, was imprisoned
for breach of his engagements, and the Commissioners pro
posing to apply the proceeds of the cargo of the Amphitrite to
the demands then upon them, M. Beaumarchais represented
that the large sums he had advanced had exhausted his re
sources and those of his friends, and the want of remittances
had discouraged them. And that if he was deprived of a cargo,
which would little more than pay the hire and expenses of the
ship, his affairs would become truly desperate, as he should

52 >iE. deane's narrative.
then have no hopes of anything. The Commissioners delivered
him the cargo.
Several persons had reported to the Commissioners that the
cannon and warlike stores shipped by him would be taken on
[account of] the ministry. They reported this as coming from
the minister; but on application, which I several times made
in person, I never obtained any such assurance, or even en
couragement from them. On the last application I made, I was
told that the Congress would do well to make remittances as
fast as they could, according to my engagements with him, and
that it would be best to have the account finally settled in
France. To this purpose the Commissioners, on my reporting
to them, wrote to the Secret Comniittee.
Dr. Bancroft having been involved in the suspicion of being
privy to the firing the stores at Portsmouth, and finding him
self growing obnoxious to the administration and their parti
sans in London, left England earl}'- in the year 1777, and came
to Paris, where he most assiduously devoted his time and abili
ties to the service of his country, and assisted the Commission
ers in writing for them, and by keeping up a correspondence
with his friends in London, from whom good and useful intelli
gence was obtained.
In December, Mr. Austin arrived from Boston with the re
viving and important news of the surrender of General Bur
goyne and his army. This was, if I may so say, like a sovereign
cordial to the dying. It roused and reanimated the friends of
America in every part of Europe.
Soon after the receipt of this intelligence, the Commissioners
sent one Mr. Thornton, a person who had been introduced to
Dr. Franklin, to London, with money for the American prison
ers. After his return, he was employed by Mr. A. Lee as his
secretary, and was afterwards sent by him to London and
Nantes, on affairs which the other Commissioners were not
acquainted with. The more I knew and heard of this man, the
more I found him, at least, to be imprudent.

MR. deane's narrative. 53
The interview with his Excellency, Monsieur Gerard, on the
16th of December, and what then passed, have been fully re
lated to "Congress in the dispatches sent out by Mr. Simeon
Deane and Captain Courter.
The jealous and uneasy disposition of Mr. A. Lee, which had
from the first given Dr. Franklin and myself much trouble, had
been constantly increasing; and the dissatisfaction with, and
contempt of, the French nation in general, which he took no
pains to conceal, often gave us pain, and rendered himself sus
pected by many.
Soon after the arrival of the news of General Burgoyne's
defeat, applications were, by various ways, made to Dr. Frank
lin and myself, separately, and in a secret manner, by the British
emissaries, to agree to an accommodation, and flattering pro
posals made, with which we acquainted each other, and after
wards communicated them to the minister.
Mr. Lee now indulged his natural disposition so far that my
colleague. Dr. Franklin, was of opinion that his head was af
fected. However that might be, after every article of the
treaties were agreed to between his Excellency, Monsieur
Gerard and the Commissioners, and whilst they were engross
ing to be signed, Mr. Lee expressed great uneasiness, and ipti-
mated to Dr. Franklin and mys3I thaf'he could not sign them
unless^ altered in the eleventh and twelfth Articles ; on which
we referred him to Monsieur Gerard, who, he told us had satis
fied him on the subject, and in consequence thereof he signed
the treaty jointly with us on the 6th of February, at my house
in Paris; and an engagement was given on each side that the
transaction should be kept a secret.
The frigate sent out with the dispatches, by Mr. Simeon
Deane, meeting with an accident at sea, returned into port soon
after the signing of the treaties, and a second was immediately
dispatched, in which he embarked with copies of them.
In the month of February, Mr. Fox declared, in the House of
Commons, that the treaties were executed, and named the day.

54 ME. deane's naeeative.
This caused many speculations and suspicions, which, whether
well or ill founded, were attended with no material ill conse
quence at the time, as the treaties were soon after publicly
announced to the Court of London by the ambassador of
France. I had never any correspondence in London previous to my
first going to Europe, nor afterwards, except with Mr. Arthur
Lee, Mr. William Lee, Dr. Bancroft, and with one or two
Americans accidentally there on business. M. Petry, a gentle
man of character, indeed, showed me a letter from his friend in
London, in which he sent him an extract of a letter he had
received frora Mr. Lee, dated the 6th of February, the day the
treaty was signed, to him in London, informing him generally
of the event which had taken place. I mention this, as some
pains have been taken to represent as if this intelligence was
given by Dr. Franklin or myself.
To expedite the recovery of the two Jamaica prizes detained
at Nantes, Mr. Carmichael, who was coming out to America,
went down to Nantes, and it was agreed to send our dispatches
after him. When they were ready, Mr. A. Lee insisted that they
should not be sent by him, but by a Mr. Stephenson, who had
just come to Paris from London. Dr. Franklin and myself in
sisted upon sending them by Mr. Carmichael. Mr. Lee urged
his suspicions of Mr. Carmichael, founded on the affair of the
Dictionary, of which I had heard nothing from the first transac
tion to that moment. This appeared the more extraordinary,
as the Dictionary had been, for some time after Mr. Lee's being
in Paris, in common use on my table as a Dictionary, and he
had never mentioned anything to either Dr. Franklin or myself
about it until that time. A dispute arose thereon, needless to
be related,tad Dr. Franklin and myself sent out the dispatches
as we had first agreed, by Mr. Carmichael. Mr. A. Lee, Mr,
W, Lee, and Mr. Izard sent theirs by Mr. Stephenson.
The first great object of our labors and wishes being now
obtained in the treaties, I set' myself to complete what I con-

ME. deane's narrative. 55
sidered as the secondary, that of obtaining a loan in Holland
for these States. I had previously corresponded and made
interest with some of the principal houses in Holland on the
subject, and was assured of the credit and assistance of some
persons of high rank in France.
The stores and clothing were then nearly all shipped, and ar
rangements taken for the payment as the accounts should be
brought in and the money become due. As it would take two
or three months to have the several accounts collected, I pro
posed the spending that time in Holland on this negotiation,
when, on the 4th of March, I received a letter from the Hon.
Mr. Lovel, with the order of Congress of the 8th of December,
1777 (No. 10). I communicated this letter to Dr. Franklin, ,
who was of opinion that though the dispatches sent out by Mr.
Simeon Deane and by Captain Courter would give the state of
affairs in Europe to Congress, yet as we had received no letters
from Congress for several months, and as we had proof of the
intrigues and artifices of the enemy, it was best for "me, not
withstanding the unsettled state of the public accounts, to re
turn ; he urged that my detention in America could not be for
any time, and that, accidents excepted, I might be back in
France in season for their final settlement.
Having taken his advice I waited on the minister, acquainted
him with my recall. I found him uneasy on account of some
reports that were circulating, and particularly so on the report
of the appointment and going out of the Commissioners for
America, an event which soon after took place. He told me
that a frigate, or even a ship of the line should be instantly
ready to go out with me, and that, with respect to the affairs in
France, which I must necessarily leave unsettled, they would
not probably suffer in my absence. Finding it a favorable occa
sion, I took the liberty, as an individual, to urge an immediate
declaration of the treaties to the Court of London, and the
sending out of a strong squadron, then nearly ready at Toulon.
After several interviews on the subject, the measure was

56 MR. deane's narrative.
adopted, and I engaged that the affair should be a secret on my
part to all, except Dr. Franklin and Dr. Bancroft,- with whom
my situation was such that it could not be concealed from
them ; to the former it was told by orders from the minister.
I had to induce the minister to order the fleet direct to the
Delaware, laid before him the great certainty of the success, as
well as urged the greatness of the object. I also informed him
that I could procure four brave and skilful American captains,
acquainted with the American coast, to embark in the fleet with
me, which I was desired to do, and I engaged Captain All,
Captains H. and E. Johnson, and Captain Nicholson, and pre
sented them to the ministeK
On the 19th of March the Commissioners were publicly pre
sented to the king, and on the night of the 31st I secretly left
Paris with the four gentlemen above mentioned, having pre
viously agreed with Monsieur Gerard on the different routes we
should take, and written such letters and taken such measures
as wovild most probably cover our real designs.
Previous to my setting out, I obtained of M. Grand, our
banker, an account of all the moneys received or paid out on
the public account, which I brought with me, and which has
been for some time before Congress; which account must,
nevertheless, be liable to be misunderstood without my per
sonal presence, complicated, extensive, and unsettled as they
naturally were. Duplicates were also given to Dr. Franklin
and Mr. Lee, and I left with the former what public papers
were in my hands and an explanation of the account. It was
all that the little time I had would permit me to do, the greater
part of the accounts being then unsettled, without which, no
general account could be made, and the order for my recall and
Mr. Level's letter, which were all the information I received of
the motives for my recall, giving me to understand that the
desire of Congress pointed to an information of the state of
affairs in Europe, I by no means conceived that I was so sud
denly called upon to render in an exact state of an account

MR. deane's narrative. 57
which demanded necessarily a much longer time to complete
than was allowed me by the terms of the recall; nor, in addition
to this, could I possibly conceive that the nature of the recall
was such as to require of me, individually, an account of the
joint transactions in money matters of myself and colleagues.
My other papers I lodged in a place of safety.
I ought to mention that copies of the correspondence of the
Commissioners on political subjects, and other papers of a poli
tical nature, had been kept by Dr. Franklin from his first arrival.
Living with him in the same house, I had not the necessity of
copies of them, which prevents at this time my being so exact
as I wish, as to dates, and has occasioned a longer time in
reducing my narrative to writing.
I fell in with M. Gerard on my way to Toulon, and we em
barked together, happy in the great prospects before us. I
arrived in this city on the 12th of July last.
On the review of this general narrative, it will be found that
at different periods I have acted in three different characters.
From my leaving America to the arrival of Dr. Franklin and
Mr. Lee, I acted as the sole political and commercial agent un
der Congress; from their arrival to my recall, as j.QintjCoicaciia;'7
sioner -with themjto_the Court of Versailles only, and at the
same time in carrying into execution my former engagements ;„
and from that time to my sailing for America, as an individual
desirous of improving every opportunity of being useful; in
which last capacity, I had the happiness to induce the Court of
France to order the Count d'Estaing's fleet to America.
Just before my setting out, I received a letter from his Excel
lency the Count de Vergennes to me, with an honorable token
from his Majesty of his approbation of my conduct whilst in
France. I was honored with one at the same time for the
President of Congress, and my venerable friend and late col-
leao-ue at parting put one into my hand. I also received one

58 MR. deane's narrative.
from him at Toulon, which letters I will take the liberty of
reading at the close of my narrative.
Having been perhaps tedious already, J wiU not take up
more of the time of Congress by making those observations
which I at first intended, on my situation and conduct at dif
ferent periods ; the chief of them are obvious to every one. I
need only say that in my first and last characters I took -the
best advice I could obtain, and acted as I judged was for the
greatest advantage to these States, consistently with my instruc
tions and powers.
In the second, I acted jointly with one or both of my col
leagues ; and though, as I have before said, and it is well known
in Europe, as well as in America, that the_exgjiutixe4)artof the
business lay on me, I never undertook anything without the
advice and approbation of at least one_of_m.y-ColleaguesT I~can
but observe that Mr. A. Lee and Mr. Izard, with the latter of
whom I never transacted any business whatever,, appear sensi
ble of this, and have therefore joined Dr. Franklin and myself
together in the illiberal and injurious letters they have written
to Congress since my departure from France, which, with my
observations on them I take the liberty to read (Nos. 9, 11).
I confess I feel a pride in having my name joined with so
great a patriot and so venerable a character, and am content
that the present age and posterity should be informed that Mr.
Lee and Mr. Izard complained of me, if at the same time it be
known that a Franklin was my guide, philosopher, and friend.
It is now three years since my engaging in the foreign affairs
of Congress ; near four since I have visited my femily, or at
tended to my private concerns, but from the moment I engaged
I put everything private out of the question. And the anxiety
I have suffered, and the impatience I have expressed under the
delays I have met with, have arisen from the situation of the
affairs and interest of these States, more particularly in Europe.
It is now eight months since I left France, and more than
five that I have been in this city. The letters that I have had

MR. deane's narrative. 59
the honor of writing to Congress, and the observations I have
taken the liberty of making on some important subjects, are
before this honorable House ; they will at least show my uni
form and constant wish to render my country every service in
my power.
The unsettled state of the affairs I had the honor of being
concerned in transacting in Europe, either by myself, or jointly
with my colleagues, have long pressed for my return.
I confess that the great and important crisis to which the
politics of Europe are now arrived, have lain with still greater
weight on my mind, as I see the present peace and tranquillity
of these States so nearly connected with, and dependent on the
events they may produce, and that soon. I presume the pre
sent state of affairs in Europe is better known to Congress
than to me ; yet from comparing the present appearances which
they put on with what I knew them to be last winter, and from
the knowledge I had an opportunity of acquiring whilst in
France, I am fully convinced that Great Britain is exerting her
whole influence, both in Europe and America, to draw off these
States from their alliance with France, or to render it ineffectual ;
and that the British ministry, besides their usual practices of
attempting to negotiate secretly with individuals, will avail
themselves of every advantage which the present prospect and
apprehensions of a general war in Europe, may possibly afford
to bring about this favorite object of theirs; in short, that no
period in the history of these States was ever more critical and
important than the present, nor any one for ages past more so
in Europe, since on the issue of the negotiations of the mighty
powers now in arms, the peace and tranquillity of more than
half the world depend.
From the secret attempts made to negotiate with me in
France just before the treaties were signed, and with Dr. Frank
lin afterwards, I was very apprehensive of the dangerous designs
of Dr. Berkenhout ; when I heard of his being in prison in this
city, which was the first knowledge I had of his being in Ame-

60 MR. deane's narrative.
rica, and when I heard of his return to New York, I was sur
prised, and concluded that some public inquiry had been made,
the result of which had satisfied those who ordered him to be
apprehended; but confident on my part that his designs were
prejudicial to these States, I did what lay in my power as an
individual to detect them, and to put my countrymen on their
guard. The Dr., on his landing at Staten Island, threw off the
mask, and freely declared that he had effected the business of
his journey, or, as he said, had got what he came for; that he
had been assured that those States were at liberty to make
peace without consulting their ally. He showed letters which
he had carried from hence, and among others one for Governor
Johnstone, one of the British Commissioners, whom he advised
to obtain a release of Colonel Connolly from prison, and to send
him to join Colonel Butler to lay waste our frontiers, to effect
which, should it be refused, he advised them to recall all pri
soners out on parole ; but, as several of the honorable executive
council of this State have seen and conversed with the person
with whom the Dr. travelled on his journey to New York, and
have been told all, and more than was communicated to me, I
need not say more on the subject than this, which cannot be
too often repeated : that, at this time, these States are in danger
from the arts, rather than from the arms of their enemies.
In reducing the account of ray agency for these States to
writing, I have introduced many circumstances and anecdotes
into the body of it which I did not mention at my audience on
the 21st of August, as I then designed to confine myself at first,
almost solely to those transactions and affairs which passed im
mediately through my hands, expecting to have finished every
thing I thought worthy of laying before Congress in a very few
days at furthest.
~" It always gave me pain to think of being laid under the ne
cessity of speaking of the jealous, uneasy, and captious disposi
tion of my late colleague, Mr. Lee. I evaded doing it as long
as was in my power, and have now said much less on the sub-

MR. deane's narrative. 61
ject, and of his rude and disgusting manner in which he con
stantly spoke of the French nation, and hated many of the
individuals, than what has been often said and wrote by Dr.
Franklin, to whom I freely appeal, and to those gentlemen who
had an opportunity of being acquainted with Mr. Lee's style of
speaking and conducting on many occasions.
With respect to his brother, the Honorable William Lee, Esq.,
I think it my duty to declare that it was the opinion of Dr.
Franklin and myself, from the little concerns we had with him,
as well as the opinion of others who did business with him, that
he was by no means calculated to gain the esteem and confi
dence either of individuals or public bodies, but the reverse,
from his suspicious turn of mind, total want of confidence in
those whom he attempted to do business with, and from a dispo
sition which was penurious to an extreme, and which common
to him with his brother, Mr. A. Lee, often led both the one and
the other to littlenesses, extremely disgusting to a gallant and
polite people, and in a degree prejudicial to the character of the
country they represented.
I beg leave to return to the letter written by Mr. A. Lee of
the 1st of June last, and my observations, which I had the honor
of writing to Congress the 12th of October last, on those extracts
of it which were by order communicated to me. I hope the
rather to be indulged in this, as I find that in consequence of
that letter and other misrepresentations, the part I acted between
the 4th of March, the time I was acquainted with my recall,
and the time of my leaving Paris on the 31st, has, by artful
men, been turned to my disadvantage ; not that complaints have
been made against what I really did, which indeed is not gene
rally known ; but it has been weakly insinuated that instead of
pursuing the great and important line of conduct which I was
happily successful in, beyond even my own expectations, and
the most sanguine hopes of my friend and late colleague, Dr.
Franklin, I ought to have considered the order of Congress and
the letter of the Honorable Mr. Lovel as a summons to render

62 MR. deane's naeeative.
an account of my private conduct, and to settle the joint ac
counts of myself and colleagues ; and consequently that it was
my duty to collect all the accounts then outstanding, and the
vouchers ; to have settled at once up to that time all the con
cerns and engagements of myself and colleagues, and render on
my return an exact and minute state thereof. I could have
done this, it is true, and to the uttermost farthing, had I thought
the pressing and urgent call of Congress on me to inform them
of the state of affairs in Europe, could be construed to mean any
such thing. I did not think so. Dr. Franklin and the honor
able personages I was acquainted with, and who honored me
with their friendship and counsel, never dreamed of such a con
struction ; and I have too high an opinion of the open and can
did mode of the conduct of Congress, towards those they have
honored with public confidence and employments, to harbor for
a moment the idea that this was their intentions in the order
they sent me.
From the circumstances of affairs in France, as well as in
England, objects of the greatest importance presented them
selves: The obtaining a public declaration to be made of the alliance,
to that time kept a secret, and such a fleet to come out as should
not only convince America of the power, as well as the gene
rosity of France, and not only relieve this capital, but at one
blow reduce the whole power of Britain in America; these
objects appeared to me so great that the obtaining them was,
in my view, sufficient to satisfy the utmost of my ambition or
wishes. To this I applied myself, and was fortunately success
ful. It is no vanity or presumption in me to say that it was,
next to concluding the treaties, the greatest and most important
services that could, in any circumstances, be rendered to this
country, and that the application was made, and the design
effected by myself solely. These are facts well known and
acknowledged even by my enemies.
The absolute necessity of secrecy and dispatch after the mea-

63
sures were resolved on, which was not until the 10th of March,
left me little time for making the most common preparations
for my voyage. It even forbid me to bid adieu to my generous
and honorable patrons and friends, much less to call in accounts
from the most distant parts of the kingdom, and from Holland;
yet what could be done in the time I did. I obtained from the
banker an exact account of all the moneys received or paid out
on account of these States, from the first arrival of the Com
missioners to the day of my leaving Paris, and sent a duplicate
to Mr. Lee. I left with Dr. Franklin another, and a full, gene
ral explanation of every payment made, with such papers and
vouchers as I had on hand.
I presented Congress early with a general, and afterwards, on
the 12th of October, with the particular accounts of the receipt
and payment of public money, being a duplicate of the banker's
account. In the course of my observations on the extracts of Mr. A.
Lee's letter of the 1st of June, I have been so particular that I
will now only throw together certain facts, and afterwards sub
mit all that gentleman has wrote to be judged of by Congress.
Mr. Lee asserts : —
1. " That he cannot find any satisfaction as to the expendi
tures of public money, and says : all we can find is, that mil
lions have been expended, and almost everything remains to be
paid for."
It has been proved that Mr. Lee had, when he wrote this
letter, an account in his hands of all the expenditures of public
money until I left Paris, of the sums paid, and to whom.
2. That one hundred thousand livres had been advanced to
Mr. Hodge for the purchase of a vessel which cost but three
thousand pounds sterling, or seventy -two thousand livres, &c.
The truth is, Mr. Hodge did not in the whole receive that
sum, and he purchased and fitted out two vessels instead of one.
3. Speaking of the contracts, he says: "You will see that my
name is not to the contracts."

64 MR. deane's narrative.
The fact is, he was not in France when the principal part of
them were made.
4. He says there was the greatest profusion and dissipation
in the purchases.
The clothes are now in use in the army, and a suit complete
delivered on board cost but thirty-two or thirty-three shillings
sterling, and better clothes no army was ever furnished with.
5. He says that Mr. Williams had received near a million of
livres without accounting, &c.
The truth is, Mr. Lee was privy to the contracts made with
Mr. Williams, and signed the orders for the principal part of
the money put into his hands by the Commissioners; and when
he wrote this letter, he could not be ignorant that Mr. Williams
was then adjusting his accounts for a settlement, which was
actually made, to the satisfaction of Dr. Franklin and Mr.
Adams, but a few weeks after. (See Mr. Williams's letter,
July 22d, 1778, No. 18.)
6. Mr. Lee says, "that the contracts were industriously con
cealed from him, &c."
His dispute with Mr. Holker, already mentioned, the princi
pal contractor, now the honorable agent of France in America,
about the lapels and buttons, and his assisting personally to
settle those accounts, and afterwards his signing the bills for
the payment thereof himself (for the truth of which I freely
appeal to Mr. Holker and to M. Grand's account delivered), is a
sufficient answer, though, as it appears to be a contradiction to
his assertion, it hurts me to give it, and would pain me exceed
ingly, were it not that I am disposed, from these and like cir
cumstances, to join in sentiment with Dr. Franklin as to his
unhappy situation. I will now leave him, and the representa
tions alluded to, to be determined on by Congress.
Conscious of the truth of what I have now generally related,
and flattering myself that the whole of it will be remembered
by this honorable Assembly, I do not feel myself under the
necessity of making a particular recapitulation, but generally

MR. deane's narrative. 65
entreat this honorable Assembly, in their considering the nar
rative I have given, in the first place, to take into view the
three different periods of my agency abroad for the public,
viz: —
The first, from my leaving America until the arrival of Dr.
Franklin and Mr. Lee in Paris.
The second is from that time until the 4th of March, 1778,
the day of my receiving my recall ; and the third is thence to
my leaving France ; and that my situation and conduct may be
considered and strictly examined in each of these three different
situations and periods, and also what assistance I received, and
what services I performed.
In the first, my situation was such as I venture to say no
public minister or agent ever before found himself in. During
this first period, in a manner, the whole of the artillery, tents,
arms, and other stores for fhe campaign of 1777, were procured
by me; the ships engaged to transport them to America, and
actually loaded or ready to load with them, and as skilful and
gallant a corps of artillery and engineers of family and connec
tions every way honorable, engaged to go out with the stores,
as ever (I confidently say it), embarked in any enterprise what
ever. Though my contracts with them may have been con
sidered as beyond the powers I was vested with, and an error
in me, this by no means lessens the abilities and character of
those gallant officers, or the importance of the supplies obtained
partly by my engagements with those officers and their connec
tions in France. It is with pleasure I find that those of them
wTio were employed and served in America have fully justified
the characters given of them to me at first by my honorable
friends, their relations and patrons, and that they have shown
themselves, in the opinion of Congress, deserving of higher
ranks than what I contracted with them for. At the same time
I cannot forbear saying, that the personal distresses and chagrin
which others of them have undergone, deeply affects me.
One fortunate circumstance I cannot b^jt mention and con-
9

66 MR. deane's naeeative.
gratulate my country on ; it is, that of the eight vessels which
were taken up by me, and loaded with these stores, one only
fell into the hands of the enemy, and that after a considerable
part of her cargo had been landed in Martinique. I mean the
ship La Seine, betrayed through the villany of an ungrateful
jmd abandoned American, one Davis, formerly of Boston.
During the second period, it will be found on examination
that my situation was equally peculiar; joined with two col
leagues, one of which Dr. Franklin and myself were so unhappy
as to differ with, and the public business intrusted to us exceed
ingly important, pressing, and embarassed, and, at times, to
appearance desperate.
Availing myself of the perfect confidence and friendship
which mutually subsisted between my colleague Dr, Franklin
and myself, I took the burden of the executive part of Ameri
can affairs on me.
No remittances were made from America ; on the contrary,
large drafts for money were sent over from Congress, The
whole sum received in Europe amounted to but about one
hundred and thirty thousand pounds sterling, to answer every
demand.
^'^During this period, and thus situated, besides the private as
well as public important services I executed, near forty thou
sand suits of clothes complete, shirts, shoes, stockings, and lesser
articles to a considerable amount, arms, ammunition, supplies
for ships, cannon, a frigate entirely new of thirty-two guns, a
large ship mounting sixteen, and lesser vessels were purchased
and procured, and the vessels loaded and sent out to America,
where fortunately they all arrived seasonably for the campaign
of 1776,
In the execution of this, as well as of every other part of the
business executed by me, I was assisted and directed by the
advice and concurrence of my colleague, Dr, Franklin ; and as
uniformly vexed, and at times embarrassed, by the incessant

ME, deane's naeeative, 67
uneasiness and murihurings of Mr, Lee, who took no part in
the execution of the above business of supplies.
In addition to the executing the business above mentioned,
the Continental ships of war, prizes, and other ships which ar
rived in France, or were sent out from thence, on account of
these States, formed a most complicated and embarrassing part
of our affairs, the management of which was devolved entirely
on me.
The captains and others who arrived ever paid the utmost
respect to my colleague. Dr. Franklin, and advised with him ;
but from his advanced age, and never having been conversant
in maritime affairs, they never looked to him for the dispatch of
their concerns and commissions. As to Mr. Lee, the most any
of them could be brought to, was to pay him those ceremonious
civilities never to be dispensed with to men in office.
I kept up at the same time a regular correspondence in the
different ports and capital trading towns in France, and in
other commercial states, particularly in Holland, besides other
correspondence of a political nature, and an extensive one with
merchants in different parts of Europe, who had turned their
attention towards a commerce with the subjects of these States.
This general correspondence of mine, and the continual appli
cations made to me by merchants in Paris, and from other
places, gave Mr. Lee great jealousy, and led him to imagine me
deeply concerned myself; a suspicion totally groundless; for
neither in the ships I chartered, before or after his arrival, _had
I ever shipped one shilling of private property, or made to. my
self one shilling^advantage; and with .the merchants who. soK-.
cited me for information and advice, I had never any interest
except two adventures which I engaged in whilst under, the .
character of a merchant, one of which was taken by the enemy,
the other arriving, made good my loss. Excepting these,
though I had before been in commerce, and had then two
brothers actually engaged in it in America, I never, as it is well

68 ME. DEANE S NARRATIVE.
known, shipped anything to either of them, except some trifles
in the family way.
During the whole of the first two periods, I was generously
and ably assisted by Mr. Carmichael and Dr. Bancroft, at their
own expense of time and even money in part, as only a part of
their expenses and living was paid by the Commissioners, and
I never burdened the public with the expenses either of a
secretary or clerk. These gentlemen who had thus disinterest
edly served their country, I am confident will be properly con
sidered by Congress.
I had on my hands also during this second period until Sep
tember, 1777, when the last ship saUed, the business of shipping
out the stores I contracted for in the first.
The part I acted in the short space of time which forms the
third is well known, and it is with the greatest pleasure I this
day see this honorable Assembly and these United States enjoy
ing those advantages which have resulted from it, which though
not so great and decisive as I had a right at the time to expect,
and promised myself, are, notwithstanding, too well felt to re
quire my enlarging on them.
The letters before Congress from Dr. Franklin, and other
great and distinguished persons in France, who were intimately
acquainted with my whole transactions, will show with what
degree of reputation, in France, I conducted the affairs of these
States, to which I applied myself with that attention, that da
ring near two years' residence in France, I never appropriated a
single day to any private business of my own, nor even to
amusement; that I confined myself entirely to the business I
was engaged in, never having so much as left Paris or the
Court during the whole of that time, except on a journey to
Havre for a little relaxation, and where public accounts and
other business of these States called me.
Before I close, I ask the attention of Congress to what re
spects, not only myself personally, but the public.
It is now three years since my entering on the negotiations I

MR. deane's narrative. 69
have had the honor of relating. The settiement of the public
accounts, which I am exceedingly anxious for, will show,
whether, during that time, I have applied one shilling of the
public moneys to my own use. It is well known that my pri
vate fortune in America, which at the time I left my country
was moderate, has not been augmented, but the contrary, by
my absence; and I now assure Congress that, except a few
pieces of silk sent out to the care of my brother, the effects of
which he left with me, and for which I am accountable, and one
hundred guineas or louis d'ors for pocket money, I brought
nothing with me from France except my clothes.
I should not have troubled Congress with mentioning these
circumstances, trifling in themselves, had not reports been in
dustriously propagated, that I had been largely concerned in
private commerce, and amassed a large fortune thereby. Those
who know me personally, know in how light a scale I have
ever held my private interest when that of my country pre
sented itself, as coming in the least in competition with it.
When Congress and the public reflect on the opportunities
then in my hands of advancing my private fortune without in
juring the public, they will be convinced of the same; for had I
sent but one or two trunks or packages in each of the ships
which every agent it is well known is always entitled to, or
indulged in, such was the situation of American commerce, I
well knew I could have made a fortune equal to my wants or
wishes. I never lost a moment on the subject.
I must add that when urged to come out in a frigate or ship
of the line, instead of insisting on the fleet from Toulon, it was
urged to me as an inducement that I could transport with safety
any articles I might wish to carry out with me, and which,
considering the long time I had been absent, might be of con
sequence to me and my family, and which by sailing from Brest
I might improve, whereas I could not do it at Toulon — the part
I preferred is known. I will not boast of sacrifices when serv
ing my country ; I study to know only what is my duty, nor

70 MR. deane's narrative.
ever think of sacrifices; much less can I ever bring myself to
boast of anything I have done, or may do, or suffer, as being
sacrifices. Since my attending the pleasure of Congress in this city, I
have repeatedly taken the liberty to express, in my letters to
Congress, the situation I found myself in, and my anxiety to
finish the errand I returned upon. I presume that no one will
censure me for an unbecoming impatience, who considers the
trust that had been reposed in me, the great and extensive
affairs I had been concerned in, the circumstances of my leaving
France, and how prejudicial a silent delay of months must prove
to that character and reputation with my countrymen which I
flattered myself I had merited, and which I looked for as the
only valuable reward of my labors ; and when they add to these
considerations the insinuations of my enemies, that this delay
was on account of the dissatisfaction of Congress with my con
duct, and meant as a mark of their displeasure, though I can by
no means bring myself to believe that Congress, when dissatis
fied with their servants, will not instantly tell them of it, in the
most explicit terms, as well as in what they have offended ; yet
from a resolution passed in Congress on the day of
last, ordering Mr. Carmichael to be examined respecting my
character and conduct in France, unfavorable inferences may be
drawn, I again take the liberty to entreat that if anything has
been laid to my charge I may be informed of it in writing.
I cannot omit another circumstance which renders this neces
sary; a confidential servant of Congress, the secretary of the
Secret Committee for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Payne, has, in a
publication in Mr. Dunlap's paper of the 15th inst., in order to
give the greater force to his illiberal and abusive attack on my
character and conduct, whilst the agent and minister of Con
gress, assured the public that he is, as he expresses himself, no
stranger to my negotiations and contracts in France, and in
deed that many things respecting my conduct in France (which
really never happened), are familiar to him. He then repre-

ME. deane's narrative. 71
scnts himself equally familiar with everything which is debated,
or which passes in Congress ; of the grounds on which the reso
lutions of Congress are taken, and how the votes stood on the
question put, as well as of the cause of other important events ;
and has ventured to acquaint the public that the motives for
the resolution of Congress of the 8th of December, ordering my
return, were very different from anything expressed in the reso
lution itself, or in the letter accompanying it, and really such
as are totally contrary, not only to the expressed sense of the
resolution and letter, but to everything I have been informed
of by the honorable members of Congress then present.
Nothing but the official character of this man, and his taking
advantage of it to sport with the secret proceedings of Congress,
which (if true), affect my reputation, could have induced me to
take notice of him or his publications.
Congress best know what were the motives for my recall,
and what were then or have since been the charges, if any,
against me. As their servant I obeyed their orders, and have
since waited their pleasure, though in a situation distressing to
my personal interest, and more so to my feelings.
I had the misfortune, when, in August last, I was honored
with being heard by Congress, to be greatly misunderstood by
some of the honorable members then present, who have since
expressed themselves in consequence of such misapprehension,
as if I had declined or evaded the answering such questions as
were or should be put to me by Congress, as I have been as
sured by an honorable member of Congress that he understood
me in that manner. I have since endeavored to recollect, as
nearly as possible, what expression of mine at the time gave the
ground for this error. I have* consulted my minutes, but find
* Originally thus : " I have also consulted the minutes of those gentlemen who
noted in writing what I said, as well as my own, minutes." The several -words
scored are carefully and artfully scratched with a pen, and almost obliterated; as
if Mr. Deane meant, upon second thoughts, arising, probably, upon a second
consultation, to conceal that he had "consulted" with "those gentlemen.''

72 ME. deane's narrative.
nothing on which such a construction could be made, unless it
arose from what I then thought and meant to express, and
which, as my present sentiments and request, I beg leave to
repeat, that, as insinuations had then and have since' been pro
pagated to my disadvantage, .1 then asked, and still pray, that
if there are any charges exhibited against me, I may be made
acquainted with them, and that in such case those charges, as
well as the questions to be asked me respecting them, may be
delivered to me in writing.
On a review of what I have written, I think myself obliged
as a citizen of America, deeply interested in whatever affects
the prosperity and reputation of these States, to say that the
Commercial Agency, since the first appointment of Mr. Morris
to that department, has not been advantageous to either, and I
do not think it will be so hereafter. Capital houses in the
trading cities, such as that of Messrs. Delaps at Bordeaux, and
Messrs. Montandieu at Nantes, have been greatly disgusted at
proposals made to them of dividing a commission with the
agent and acting as his deputies ; nor will any persons accept
of such terms but those who have little or no other employ,
and consequently are not of a character in the commercial
world to give weight and reputation to our commerce.
A consul at L'Orient, which is probably by this time declared
a free port, and another at Bordeaux, or Bayonne, and one at
Dunqurke, appear to me to be necessary, and that such a regu
lation would give the proper reputation to our commercial
affairs, which have hitherto suffered greatly, as well by the
agency itself, as from the conduct of the agents ; and having
taken the liberty to say thus much, I ought to add that proper
persons for this appointment, and persons well esteemed in the
commercial ports of France, are now there, particularly Mr.
Williams from Boston, Mr. Johnson from Maryland, and Mr.
Nesbit from this city.
Though I have several times mentioned Dr. Bancroft and his
services, I cannot, in justice to these States, to him, and to my

MR. deane's narrative. 73
own feelings, omit saying that he was early sent for, by order
of Congress, from London ; that he sacrificed all his prospects
there, and, during the whole time of our negotiations in France,
devoted himself to the service of his country ; that he acquired
the esteem and confidence of persons of rank and character in
France, as well with the political and commercial, as with the
literary characters in that kingdom. It is true he had the mis
fortune to disagree with Mr. A. Lee, and with Mr. W. Lee,
more particularly with the latter, yet I must flatter myself that
Congress will not suffer his merit and services to remain longer
unnoticed. M. Beaumarchais often complained to me that, in return for
his labors and advances, he was so far unnoticed that he could
not obtain a single letter in answer to the many he had written
to Congress, and which he was informed had been received by
them. It is of the last importance that persons employed as the
agents and ministers of these States in Europe, should be such
whose liberal and generous disposition, manner, and address,
will conciliate the esteem of the people at large, as well as of
the Court to which they are sent. This, though known and
acknowledged by all, I mention here, because these States have
suffered already partially, and may hereafter, essentially, from
different characters.
From the situation of affairs in Europe when I left it, and
from everything I am able to form a judgment of what it will
be hereafter, I am fully persuaded that these States can never
be benefited equal to the expense, by supporting ministers at
any of the courts in Europe, except at the principal ones of the
Bourbon, or family compact, at Holland, and at Sweden or
elsewhere in the north of Europe; at the latter, on account of
naval stores, and at Holland, on account of commerce in gene
ral, and of a loan of money, if it should be thought necessary to
procure one.
When I left France, a loan was practicable in Holland for
10

74 ME. deane's narrative.
these States, as I have before mentioned ; but I ought to say it
was then, and has ever since been growing more difficult, yet I
do not think it impracticable at present, if rightly applied for,
and without further loss of time.
I have now, in obedience to the order of Congress, given a
faithful narrative of my agency of their affairs in Europe, and
such information on other subjects as I have thought of import
ance that Congress should be acquainted with.
I have now to apologize for the length of my narration,
which has unavoidably exceeded what I expected, and to return
my grateful acknowledgments to Congress for the honorable
trust they appointed me to execute, and the opportunities given
me of serving these States in a distinguished and important
line, and for the patient and candid hearing I have now been
indulged with. The sphere I have moved in, and the part I
have acted, can never be considered as an indifferent one. Not
to have merited the approbation of Congress, situated as I have
been, necessarily must be to deserve their severest censures. I
cheerfully rely on the candor and justice of Congress to exa
mine and judge which I am entitled to; their decision will
relieve me, my friends and countrymen, from that state of sus
pense with regard to my conduct which the public have been
for some time held in.
The approbation of my country is the greatest reward and
honor I have ever aspired to, and the hopes of securing finally
their liberty and independence alone animated and supported
me under the pressing, the various, and I may say inexplicable
difficulties and embarrassments which I labored under from my
arrival in, to my leaving of France. Without this, and the
generous patronage afforded me by my honorable friends in
Europe, in France in particular, I must early have failed and
sunk under them. Fortunately for me, and much more so for
these States, the great object in view was finally obtained, and
the greatest and last wish of my life will be, that the liberty
and independence of these States may be perpetual.

MR. deane's naeeative. ' 75
Next to the honor of assisting and securing the liberty and
independence of my country, I count on that of being its honest,
faithful, and disinterested servant and citizen ; a character which
the following letters will show me to have obtained in France,
which I have never forfeited; enjoying this, and while I am
conscious of the part I have acted, and that these States are free
and independent (partly in consequence of it), whatever my fate
may be, I can never be miserable, on the contrary I shall be
essentially happy.

MR. DEANE'S MEMORIAL.

TO THE HONORABLE THE DELEGATES OP THE
UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMEEICA IN GENE-
EAL CONGEESS ASSEMBLED.
The Memorial of Silas Deane, late one of their Commission
ers at the Court of Versailles, and their political and commercial
agent, respectfully showeth —
That he engaged to serve these States as their political and
commercial agent in January, 1776, and soon after embarked
for Europe.
That, on his arrival in France, he diligently applied himself
to render these States every service in his power, as well in the
political as in the commercial line.
That, previous to the arrival of the Honorable Doctor Frank-'
lin in the month of November following, with a commission,
appointing him one of your Commissioners at the Court of
Versailles, your memorialist had contracted for large supplies
for these States, and had begun to ship off the same for this
Continent, which, with the political concerns intrusted to his
care, engrossed the whole of his time and the utmost of his
attention, meeting with difficulties and embarrassments, which
the situation of affairs in France, at that time, threw daily in
his way.

78 ME. deane's memoeial.
That, on the arrival of Dr. Franklin, many circumstances
conspired to increase the difficulties in the way of completing of
those contracts, which lay wholly in your memorialist ; in ad
dition to which, the executive part of the business of the Com
missioners in contracting for, and purchasing clothing and other
stores for the armies of these States ; the soliciting for supplies
and assistance, and the procuring of ships to transport the same
to these States, fell, in a manner, wholly on him, and the obsta
cles he met with, and the embarrassments he found himself
constantly under were such, that nothing but the hopes of pro
curing for his country the most important and seasonable sup
plies animated him to persevere amid the many difficulties
which surrounded him.
That his situation and conduct at the time having been
already laid before Congress, need not be particularized at this
time; it is sufficient to say that, on the 4th of March, 1778,
when all the stores your memorialist first contracted for, were
shipped, as were those purchased afterwards by himself and the
Commissioners, his then colleagues ; and when the treaties of
alliance and commerce, being happily completed, your Com
missioners and agents found themselves, for the first time, at
liberty to transact their affairs openly and with the protection
of the court ; and when your memorialist found himself in a
situation to complete the shipping off the stores still ou hand,
and to close the accounts of the several purchases made, and of
•the expenses thereon ; he received the order of Congress, of the
8th of December, 1777, for his immediate return to America,
Though your memorialist has at all times paid the most ready
and implicit obedience to the orders of Congress, yet situated
as he then was, and as the affairs of the Commissioners and his
own were, he then thought, and is still of opinion, that his
immediate return might have been dispensed with, until the
accounts of the Commissioners, as well as of his own transac
tions, should be adjusted and closed, had it not been for an
object of the last importance to these States, which then pre-

MR, deane's memorial, 79
sented itself, to obtain which, he then and still considers himself
justified in neglecting every other consideration.
Your memorialist, therefore, knowing that it was impossible,
without delaying his return for many months, to call in, and
close accounts open with persons who had been employed in
different ports in France and Holland by the Commissioners in
procuring the stores, and that to attempt to do it would expose
his intention of returning, which it was necessary to be kept
secret to effect the other purpose (already explained to Con
gress), he resolved on immediate compliance with the order
received, and left Paris on the 30th of March, taking with him
an account from the banker of all the moneys received and paid
out, on account of, and by order of the Commissioners, in order
that Congress might have an authentic and exact state of their
funds in France ; which general account, with a particular ex
planation thereof, he laid before Congress immediately after his
return, and to which no exceptions have ever been taken that
have come to his knowledge.
On the arrival of your memorialist on the 10th of July in
this river, and on the 12th in this city, he, without delay, ap
plied to Congress on the subject of his return ; his repeated
applications to Congress, and the answers he has received are
before them, and need not be recited here. Congress must also
be sensible of the delays he has met with, and have some idea
of what he has suffered thereby. Your memorialist, from his
first arrival in America to this time, having repeatedly solicited
Congress, as well in person, as by his letters and petitions, that
they would inform him if exceptions had been taken, or charges
made against any part of his conduct, and that he might be
heard thereon if there were. He has been the more urgent and
pressing on this subject, knowing that his conduct had been
misrepresented by his enemies whom he left at Paris and at
Nantes, and on account of the many false and abusive pubhca-
tions in the newspapers since his return. As his letters and peti
tions on this subject are still before Congress, your memorialist

80 MR. deane's memorial.
need not to repeat them, or the substance of them at this time,
but begs leave to observe that, from the resolutions of Congress
of the 6th inst,, by which he is discharged from any further at
tendance on Congress, and by which the several Commissioners,
commercial agents, and others, in Europe, intrusted with public
money, be directed to transmit without delay their accounts and
vouchers, and also triplicate copies of the same to the Board of
Treasury of these United States, in order for settlement, he is obliged
to conclude that Congress are satisfied with his conduct, whilst
their political and commercial agent and Commissioner, and that
they do approve thereof so far as the same has come to their
knowledge, and that there are no charges against him before
Congress, and that it is the resolution of Congress to have all
the accounts of their Commissioners and agents settled without
delay; this resolution, which your memorialist petitioned for
in October last, as by his letter of that date still before Con
gress wUl appear, obliges him without further loss of time to
return to France, previous to which, he requests the attention
of Congress to his situation in a few particulars.
First, that it was his immediate compliance with the orders
of Congress, and to render these States an important service,
which occasioned him to leave France without first settling his
accounts, and finally closing every transaction he had been con
cerned in, either as the political and commercial agent, or as
one of the Commissioners of Congress,
Secondly, that though he is interested in the final settlement
of those accounts. Congress is no less so, and that he cannot
return to France and attend the settlement of those accounts,
and for their final approbation and. being passed at the Treasury
Board here, without a very great expense both of time and
money, for which no provision is made by the said resolutions
of Congress,
Thirdly, that the person to be appointed by Congress to examine
the said accounts in Europe, and certify his opinion thereon previous
to their being transmitted, is not by said resolution empowered,

MR. deai^e's memoeial. 81
in case he shall find a balance due to either of your agents or
Commissioners, to order the same, or any part thereof to be
paid; and that your memorialist, well knowing that a considera
ble balance is, and will be found due to him, which, considering
the accidents of war, he must remain long deprived of, if pre
vious to, its being paid, his accounts, though examined and
approved of in France, must be transmitted for the final exami
nation and approbation of the Treasury Board. That, at the
same time that he has no objection to that mode of proceeding,
being at all times desirous to prevent any possibility of error
in the final settlement, and that Congress may have the most
clear and ample satisfaction as to every part of his conduct, he
can but inform Congress that his private fortune, which has
suffered greatly by his absence and the depreciation of money,
must be totally ruined if obliged to wait so long a space of time
for the balance due to him ; on which your memorialist most
respectfully entreats of Congress that the circumstances of his
return to America, and his situation since, as well as the neces
sity of his return to France without loss of time, may be con
sidered by them, and that such provision may be made therefor
as shall appear just; and that the person to be appointed to
examine his accounts in Europe, and to certify his opinion
thereon, may be empowered and directed to order him the pay
ment of the balance which shall be found in your memorialist's
favor, he gi-ving security to be accountable therefor, in case
that, on the final examination of his accounts by the Board of
Treasury, there shall be found any mistake or erroneous charge
therein. Your memoriahst flatters himself that his request
will appear reasonable and just in the eyes of Congress, and
that they will grant him the prayer of his memorial ; and he, as
in duty bound, shall ever pray for their and his country's glory
and happiness. (Signed) SILAS DEANE.
Philadelphia, August 16, 1779.
11

82 proposed report on MB, deane's memorial.

PROPOSED EEPOET ON ME. DEANE'S MEMOEIAL.
The Committee, to whom was referred the Memorial of Silas
Deane, Esq., of the 16th of August, 1779, beg leave to report —
That the memorialist, as appears by the minutes of the Com
mittee of Secret Correspondence, dated 23d of January, 1776,
had undertaken a voyage to Martinico for public service.
That, on the 22d of February, 1776, it was " agreed by the
said Committee that he should proceed immediately for France
as an agent of the Congress, to transact such business, and nego
tiate such matters, as may be committed to him by Congress or
their Committee."
That it was certified by the Committee " to all whom it may
concern, that the bearer (meaning the memorialist, as your
Committee presume), was appointed to go into France, there to
transact such business, commercial and political, as the said
Secret Committee had committed to his care, in behalf and by
authority of the Congress of the thirteen United Colonies."
That, in the sequel of instructions given by the Secret Com
mittee to the memorialist, the memorialist was directed to keep
a daily journal of all material transactions, &c.
Your Committee cannot be of opinion that the Secret Com
mittee judged it necessary to give the memorialist directions to
keep fair and exact accounts of all receipts and expenditures of
money on account of his constituents, the keeping and regu
larly transmitting such accounts being the indispensable duty
of every agent, whether public or private.
Hence, your Committee are. of opinion that Congress had
good ground for expecting to receive from the memorialist,
upon his arrival at Philadelphia, circumstantial and accurate
accounts of his contracts, if any, and a regular stated account
current of all receipts and payments of money on account of
these States, together with invoices and bills of lading, for

proposed 'REPORT ON MR. DEANE's MEMORIAL. 83
goods ishipped, and receipts or other satisfactory vouchers for
payments said to have been made by him.
It appears to your Committee that the memorialist had abun
dant time before he received the notification of his recall, for
collecting all accounts, and for making a full and fair state of
aU his transactions during the time he had acted as commercial
agent; and, in the opinion of your Committee, such a statement
of accounts ought to have been transmitted to Congress by the
memorialist, long before the date on whioh the memorialist says
he received the said notification.
Your Committee are also of opinion that the memorialist
ought to have brought with him from France, and to have laid
before Congress, a fair abstract of all accounts and engagements
on account of these States, so far as he had proceeded in them,
which is the duty and the practice of every faithful agent acting
for private persons or public bodies.
Your Committee cannot ascertain the meaning of the memo
rialist when he says, that to render these States an important
service was one consideration which occasioned him to leave
France without first settling his accounts, and finally closing
every transaction he had been concerned in. Be this as it may,
your Committee do not know of anything so important which
the memorialist has laid before Congress, since his arrival, as
will justify his conduct in leaving his accounts and vouchers in
France, not in the hands of the other Commissioners, and not
producing authenticated copies of them so far as such accounts
might have been wholly or partially closed.
Your Committee are clear in their opinion that the memo
rialist ought to have deposited in the hands of the other Com
missioners at the Court of Versailles, the originals, or copies
satisfactorily authenticated, of all his accounts and transactions
as aforesaid, especially as he was duly informed that another
Commissioner was appointed to supply hisiplace, whence he
could have had no foundation for presuming that he was to
return.

84 PROPOSED REPORT ON MR. DEANE'S MEMORIAL,
It does not appear to your Committee, from any of the nar
ratives or letters of the memorialist, that a considerable balance,
as he insiiiuates, can possibly be due to him from these States;
on the contrary, from the large sums which the memorialist has
received from M. Grand, the banker, in Paris, from M. de Beau
marchais, and from other hands, the presumption is, that the
memorialist is indebted.
Your Committee are further of opinion that the memorialist
ought to be informed that Congress have received the -vindica
tions of the Honorable Arthur Lee, and William Lee, Esqs.,
against certain charges and insinuations respecting their public
conduct, published by the memorialist in \hQ ' Pennsylvania
Packet of the 5th of December, 1778, and directed to the free
and virtuous citizens of America, and also of such charges as
the said Arthur Lee, and William Lee, Esqs., have set up
against the memorialist.
And your Committee recommend that the memorialist be
also informed that the unjust and unwarranted charges against
Congress, in the said publication, merit thei^ highest displeasure
and resentment.
Lastly, the Committee are of opinion, that if it be still prac
ticable to detain the memorialist, he ought to be detained and
directed to send to France for all accounts and vouchers of his
transactions, in order to adjust his accounts at the Treasury
Board, and to answer to the charges set up against him by the
said Arthur Lee, and William Lee, Esqs., and that the said
Arthur Lee, and William Lee, Esqs. ; should be directed forth
with to attend Congress, as well for the final adjustment of their
own accounts, as for answering such charges as have been
brought against them respectively by the memorialist, and for
supporting their several charges and accusations against him.
Your Committee cannot conclude without remarking that the
memorialist, in all his intimations of accounts and transactions,
speaks inexplicitly and ambiguously ; and that they cannot find
among all the papers transmitted to, or laid before Congress by

AMENDMENT TO MOTION, ETC, 85
the memorialist, any contract, or copy of contract entered into
by the memorialist for large supplies for these States, as is
asserted in the third paragraph of the memorial.
All which is humbly submitted by your Committee, &c.

AMENDMENT TO A MOTION EESPECTING
ME. DEANE.
Congress being informed by a letter of Arthur Lee, Esq.,
Commissioner of the United States, at the Court of Madrid, and
one of the Commissioners of the said States at the Court of
Versailles, dated at Paris the 4th day of April last, that the
papers left in France by the Honorable Silas Deane, Esq., late
one of the said Commissioners at the Court of Versailles, were
not sufficient for the purpose of settling the accounts of public
moneys received and expended in Europe. And being further
informed by the said Silas Deane, that the time between the
receipt of the letters to recall him, and his embarkation, was
so short, as to render it impossible to adjust the said accounts,
which were, from their nature, both various and extensive;
wherefore he had left his papers and vouchers in the hands of a
friend in France, but by accidents of the sea or enemy they
might have been destroyed.
Resolved, That the said Silas Deane be directed to lay before
Congress the most accurate accounts, which the materials now
in his possession will admit of, of all moneys by him received
or expended on account of the United States of America.

€HARGES AGAINST MR. SILAS DEANE,
MR. FRANKLIN, AND MR. ADAMS.

CHARGES AGAINST MR. SILAS DEANE, WITH
THE EVIDENCE.
1st Charge. — That Mr. Deane, during his political and
commercial agency, entered into private commercial concerns.
Evidence. — Mr. Deane's Narrative, p. 119 ; and a publication
by Mr. Robert Morris, 9th January ; a letter from Mr. Hodge
to Commissioners, 10th July, 1778.
2d Charge. — Misapplication of public moneys.
Evidence. — A letter from Mr. Hodge to the Commissioners,
10th July, 1778 ; information given by Mr. R. H. Lee, 18th
September, 1778; extracts of letters from John Lloyd and
Wniiam Stephenson to Mr. A. Lee, 21st and 22d January, and
1st February, 1778 ; a letter from John Lloyd to Mr. A. Lee,
24th January, 1778; Mr. Hodge's account,of the receipt and
expenditure of public money for a lugger and a cutter, bought
and fitted out at Dunkirk ; Mr. Carmichael's examination.
8d Charge. — That Mr. Deane broke the orders of the Secret
Committee in cruising the cutters for prizes which he was

88 charges. AGAINST ME. DEANE, ETC.
ordered to purchase and load with stores for these United
States. Evidence. — Orders of Secret Committee, 30th May, 1776;
orders of said committee, 3d October, 1776 ; Deane's Narrative,
pages 46, 47, 48, 49.
4th Chaege. — That Mr. Deane exposed the interests of the
United States by offending of the French court in breaking his
engagements with it.
Evidence. — Count de Vergennes's letter to the Commissioners,
16th- July, 1777, and letter from him to Monsieur Grand, dated
21st August, 1777.
5th Chaege. — That Mr. Deane exceeded his powers in the
engagements he made with several French officers.
Evidence. — Monsieur du Coudray's contract.
6th Charge.— That Mr. Deane was in partnership with Mr.
Jonathan Williams, and, in his public character of Commis
sioner, purchased stores of that partnership for these United
States. Evidence. — Mr. Robert Morris's letter, 26th December, 1777;
Mr. Deane's Narrative, pages 60, 61.
7th Charge. — That Mr. Deane withheld information from
Mr. Lee, joint Commissioner with him and Mr. Franklin.
Evidence. — Deane's Narrative, p. 87 ; extracts of letters from
Mr. A. Lee, Williams, and Dellaps, 10th August, 23d Decem
ber, 1777 ; 9th, 15th, 21st December, 1777; 6th January, 1778 ;
Mr. Franklin's lettjgr, December 22, 1777, to Mr. Williams.
8th Charge. — That Mr. Deane's accounts are in a confused,
unsettled state.
Evidence. — Mr, A, Lee's letter, 1st June, 1778; Deane's Nar
rative, pages 104, 105,

charges against MR. FRANKLIN. 89
9th Chaege. — That Mr. Deane traduced Congress, in charg
ing them with shutting their ears against his information, and
sacrificing him for the aggrandizement of others.
Evidence. — Mr. Deane's publication, 5th December.
10th Chaege. — That Mr. Deane, in his private character,
wrote to Congress information, which in his letters wrote in his
public character as Commissioner was directly contradicted.
llvidence. — Mr. Deane's letter 3d and 10th September, 1777,
and his public letter 7th October, 1777.-*

CHARGES AGAINST MR. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,
WITH THE EVIDENCE.
1st Chaege. — That Mr. Benjamin Franklin withheld infor
mation from Mr. A. Lee, joint Commissioner with him and
Mr. Adams.
Evidence. — Mr. A. Lee's letter to committee, 1st June, 1778.
2d Charge. — That Mr. Franklin, from a partiality to his
nephew, Mr. Williams, and his friend, M. Chaumont, concurred
with Mr. Deane in systems of profusion, disorder, and dissipa
tion in the conduct of public affairs.
Evidence. — Mr. A. Lee's letter to committee, 1st June, 1778r^

3d Charge.^ — -That Mr. Franklin is not a proper person to
be trusted with the management of the affairs of America ; that
he is haughty and self-sufficient, and not guided by principles
of virtue or honor.
Evidence. — Mr. Izard's letter to the Honorable Mr. Laurens,
President of Congress, 28th June, 1778. —
* Altered in original to 16th February, 1778.
12

90 charges AGAINST MR. ADAMS.

CHARGES AGAINST ME. JOHN ADAMS, WITH
THE EVIDENCE.
That Mr. John Adams threatened Mr. Izard -with the dis
pleasure of Congress in his opposing the 11th and 12th articles
of the Treaty of Commerce; and that the said Mr. John Adams
entertained expectations that Congress would be inattentive to
the interests of nine States of America to gratify the eaters and
distillers of molasses.
Evidence. — Mr. Izard's letter to the President, 12th Septem
ber, 1778.

PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS

WITH KEPEEENCB TO

THE DETENTION OF MR. DEANE, AND THE RECALL OF
MR. LEE.

[Note by Editor. — The order taken upon the narrative of
Mr. Deane appears in the following resolutions of Congress : —
Tuesday, December 7, 1778, 6 o'clock, P. M.
Resolved, That Silas Deane, Esq., report to Congress, in writ
ing, as soon as may be, his agency of their affairs in Europe,
together with any intelligence respecting their foreign affairs,
which he may judge proper.
Resolved, That Mr. Deane be informed, that if he hath any
thing to communicate to Congress, in the interim, of immediate
importance, he shaU be heard "to-morrow at six o'clock.
Mr. Deane attending, was called in, and the foregoing resolu
tions read to him. Tuesday, December 22, 1778.
According to order, Mr. Deane attending, was called in, and

92 proceedings in congress
proceeded to read his written information, but not having time
to finish —
Ordered, That he attend to-morrow at ten o'clock, and pro
ceed in his information. Wednesday, December 23, 1778.
According to order, Mr. Deane attending, was called in, and
proceeded in his information, and having gone through what
he had written, he produced sundry letters and papers, which
he desired might be read. Upon a letter of April 7, from Dr.
Franklin to him, being read, Mr. Deane desired leave to say
something in explanation of the last clause of the said letter,
which respects a negotiator, "who, as the letter mentions, is
gone back apparently much chagrined at his little success, and
in which Dr. Franklin says, he has promised him faithfully,
that, since his propositions could not be accepted, they should
be buried in oblivion ; and, therefore, earnestly desires that Mr.
Deane should put that paper immediately in the fire, on the
receipt of the letter, without taking, or suffering to be taken,
any copy of it, or communicating its contents."
As he was proceeding to explain this matter, a motion was
made that Mr. Deane withdraw.
Mr. Deane accordingly withdrew.
A motion was made that Mr. Deane be called in, and in
formed that if he has anything further to report, that he lay it
before Congress in writing. In lieu of which it was moved as
an amendment : That Mr, Deane be permitted to proceed in his
verbal explanation referred to, and that it be afterwards reduced
to writing, if Congress should judge it necessary.
Which was resolved in the affirmative.
Ordered, That the Secretary inform Mr. Deane, that Congress
will give him notice when he shall attend again, which will
probably be this evening.]

RELATIVE TO MR. DEANE. 93
In Congress, 10th June, 1779.
The order of the day being called for, and the report of the
Committee of Thirteen on Foreign Affairs being taken up —
A motion was made by Mr. Burke, seconded by Mr. Laurens,
that the further consideration of the said report be postponed,
until order be taken on the letter of the 22d May last, from
Mr. Deane, and a decision made on the resolution moved there
on by a member from North Carolina, seconded by a member
from South Carolina. On which, the yeas and nays being re
quired by Mr. Burke —
New Hampshire  Mr. Whipple  No. — No.
Massachusetts Bay...'M.T. S. Adams  No.'-\
Gerry  No. }- No.
Holton  Ay. J
Rhode Island  Mr. Ellery  No. ) „. ,
Collins  Ay. )
Connecticut  Mr. Sherman  No. )
Huntington  No. )¦ No.
Spencer  Ay.}

New YorJc  Mr. Jay  Ay.
Lewis  Ay.

Nevj Jersey  Mr. Scudder  No.

[}Ay.
A \ ¦^*^''^-
Fell  Ay. j
Pennsylvania  Mr. Armstrong  No.'^
Shippen  No.
Searle  No.
Muhlenberg  Ay.
McClane  No.
Wyncoop  Ay.
Maryland  Mr, Paca  Ay."
Carmichael  Ay.
Henry  Ay.
Jenifer  Ay. _

94 proceedings in congress
Virginia  Mr. Smith  Ay. "]
Griffin  Ay. )¦ Ay.
Flemming  Ay.}
North Carolina  Mr. Penn  -^yA
Burke  Ay. )¦ Ay.
Sharpe  '^...Ay.]
South Carolina  Mr. Laurens  Ay.
Drayton  Ay.
So it was resolved in the affirmative.

IW

The motion was then read that Silas Deane, Esq. be ordered
not to depart the United States -without the special permission
of Congress, and that Arthur Lee, Esq. be directed to repair
forthwith to America, in order the better to enable Congress to
inquire into the truth of the several allegations and suggestions
made by the said Arthur Lee, in his correspondence -with Con
gress, against the said Silas Deane.
When the question was about to be put, the pre-vious ques
tion was moved by Mr. Gerry and seconded by Mr. S. Adams ;
a division of the main question being called for, and on the
question to agree to the previous question for ordering Mr.
Deane not to depart the United States -without the special per
mission of Congress, the yeas and nays being required by Mr.
Laurens —

Ay.

New Hampshire  Mr. Whipple  Ay.. ..Ay.
Massachusetts Bay, . .Mr. S. Adams  Ay. "
Gerry  Ay.
Lovel  Ay.
Holton  Ay.
Rhode Island  Mr. Ellery  Ay.
Collins  No.
Connecticut  Mr. Sherman  Ay. ]
Huntington  Ay. \- Ay.
Spencer  Ay.)

\ Div'd.

RELATIVE TO MR. DEANE. 95
New Yorh  Mr. Jay  No.\
Duane  No. )
Neiu Jersey  Mr, Scudder  Av. 1
Fell  Iy.\^y-
Pennsy Ivania  Mr. Armstrong  Ay.'
Shippen  Ay.
Searle  Ay.
Muhlenberg  No. '^'
, McClane  Ay.
Wynkoop  Ay.^
Maryland  Mr. Paca  No. )
Carmichael  No. \ ,^
TT AT r^"-
Henry  No.
Jenifer  Ay.j
Virginia  Mr. Smith  No. ]
Griffin  No. [No.
Flemming  No.}
North Carolina  Mr. Penn  No. ]
Burke  No. \ No.
Sharpe  No.)
South Carolina  Mr. Laurens  iVb. |
Drayton  No. )
And so the pre-vious question was lost.
On the question to agree to the main question, for ordering
Mr. Deane not to depart, &c., the yeas and nays being required
by Mr. Holton —
New Hampshire  Mr. Whipple  No. — No.
Massachusetts Bay. . .Mr. S. Adams  No.
Gerry  No.
Lovel  Ao.
Holton  No.

96 PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS
Rhode Island  Mr. Ellery  No.

¦ I Div'd.
. )

}%

^No.

Collins  Ay.
Connecticut  Mr. Sherman  No. ^
Huntington  No. \- No.
Spencer  No.}
New York  Mr. Jay  Ay.
Duane  Ay.
New Jersey  Mr. Scudder  No. |
Fell  Ay.)
Pennsylvania  Mr. Armstrong  No. ~-
Shippen  No.
Searle  No.
Muhlenberg  Ay.
McClane  No.
Wynkoop  Ay. ,
Maryland  Mr. Paca  Ay. '
Carmichael  Ay. .^.,,
Henry  No.
Jenifer  No._
Virginia  Mr. Smith  Ay. \
Griffin  Ay. \ Ay.
Flemming  Ay. J
North Caroliim  Mr, Penn  Ay. ]
Burke  Ay. )¦ Ay.
Sharpe  Ay. J
South Carolina  Mr,Laurens  -^y, )
Drayton  Ay. )
So the States were equally divided, and the question lost.
On the question to agree to the previous question on the
second part, for directing Mr. A. Lee to repair forthwith to
America, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. Ellery —
New Hampshire  Mr. Whipple  Ay. — Ay.

RELATIVE TO MR. DEANE.

97

Massachusetts Bay.

Rhode Island.
Connecticut 

Ay.

New York 
New Jersey ... .
Pennsylvania.

Maryland. Virginia...

North Carolina.

South Carolina.

So it was resolved in
be not now put.
13

..Mr, S, Adams  Ay."
Gerry  Ay.
Lovel  Ay.
Holton  Ay. ^
,Mr, Ellery  Ay. )
Collins  Ay.S^y-
.,Mr, Sherman  ^2/-l
Huntington  Ay. [ Ay.
Spencer  Ay.}
.,Mr, Jay  Ay.) ,
-n / \^y-
Duane  Ay.)
..Mr, Scudder  Ay.) ,
Fell  Ay\^y-
.Mr. Armstrong  Ay."
Shippen  Ay.
Searle  Ay.
Muhlenberg  Ay.
McClane  Ay.
Wynkoop  Ay.^
.Mr. Paca  J.y.^
Carmichael  Ay. \ Ay.
Jenifer  Ay. }
.Mr. Smith  No.-\
Griffin  Ay. '\ Ay.
Flemming  -^2/- J
.Mr. Penn  ^2/-"l
Burke  Ay. \ Ay.
Sharpe  ^y-}
.Mr. Laurens  Ay.
Drayton  Ay.
the affirmative, that the main question

\^y-

\^y-

98 PROCEEDINGS IN CONGRESS
[NOTE BY MR. LAURENS.]
Never was there a more droll scene exhibited in a public
assembly than the foregoing.
Almost every man who voted for detaining Mr. Deane, did
so from a hope of securing a vote for recalling Mr. Lee. When
this should have been effected, Mr. Deane was to have obtained
"the special permission of Congress for departing from the
United States," or it might be that he would depart without the
"special permission," "for who could control him" (said Mr. S.
and J. P). Such sentiments were expressed by both parties,
which warrant this suggestion. To these and similar expressions
I replied in Congress : " If Mr. Deane, in defiance of the order
of Congress, shall depart the United States, it will be pleading
guilty, and upon Mr. Lee's appearance before Congress and
giving evidence against Mr. Deane, judgment will go against him
by his default ; and I believe neither this. nor a future Congress
will hazard that public resentment which would follow a permis
sion to Mr. Deane to depart, before the appearance of Mr. Lee,
unless from captivity or other extraordinary accident he should
be detained an unreasonable length of time." On the other
hand, those who could not bear the idea of recalling a faithful
servant, and subjecting him to the risk of being captured and
carried into England, whose king and ministers of state are
exceedingly exasperated against him, and who also suspected
the designs of the opposite party, therefore voted against their
wishes to detain Mr. Deane, because the recall of Mr. Lee was
tacked to that article as an express condition. Thus were
votes given by all, three or four excepted, against the princi
ples of the voters.
My sole motive in bringing forward the proposition for de
taining Mr. Deane and ordering Mr. Lee to appear and support
his charges, was for obtaining justice —
1st. To my much injured country.
2d. To individuals.
The proposition originally sprung from myself, although Mr.

RELATIVE TO MR. DEANE. 99
Burke reduced it afterwards to writing, in order, as he said, to
try if gentlemen were in earnest. He never found me other
wise. Before I had voted against the recall of Mr. Lee (on the
[8th June, 1779], see the journal), I had repeatedly declared in
Congress tha,t I would vote for his recall, provided Congress
would detain Mr. Deane, and this opinion I have invariably
supported in private conversation with Mr. Lee's brother, and
other particular friends, in opposition to their sentiments ; ^'¦fiat
justitia ruat ccelum,^^ was my governing principle.
Thank God, I have acted agreeably to the dictates of my con
science, without respect to persons, and I trust my country will
not condemn my conduct.
11th June, 1779. [NOTE BY EDITOR.]
In Congress: Friday, August 6, 1779.
Resolved, That the Honorable Silas Deane, Esq., late one of
the Commissioners at the Court of Versailles, and political and
commercial agent, be discharged from any further attendance
on Congress.

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO
IN SUPPORT OF THE NARRATIVE.

MR. DEANE'S MEMORANDUM.
Total amount of payments made by Monsieur Grand, Banker,
to the Commissioners of the United States, from January,
1777, to March 27, 1778, inclusiTe  livr. 4,049,988 17
Total amount of sums received by the said Monsieur Grand 3,756,250 00

Balance due M. Grand, 27th March, 1778 " 293,738 17

Sums received are as foUo-ffS, -viz: —
Four quarterly payments of 500,000 livres, each . . livr. 2,000,000 00
Of the Farmers General in payment of the contract for Tobacco 1,000,000 00
Discount of Interest  3,250 00
Discount -with Doerner  600 00
Discount with Mr. McCreary  2,400 00
" 3,006,250 00
The first quarterly payment for 1778 . 750,000 00
Total amount of moneys received . . " 3,756,250 00

N. B. The promise for 1778 -was 3,000,000 of livres in quarterly payments, the
first is accounted for in the above; there is, therefore, 2,250,000 livres more to
be received, but there are also many payments still to be made, some of them
large. Mons, Monthieu's contract for clothes, for brass, for tin, &o., amounted,
nearly as I remember, to about 600,000 livres, for he procured 10,000 suits of
the clothes sent over in one article ; besides this he had a demand lor the demur
rage of his vessels, and the total loss of one of them, for all -which he had re-

102 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
ceived by orders on M. Grand, charged in M. Grand's account but 60,000 livres.
Mr. Williams had a large account unclosed, as had Mons. Chaumont, besides
several smaller ones, which -with the continual expenses, and disbursements for
prisoners escaping from England, for repairs of Continental vessels arriving in
France, the dispatching of packets, &o. &c. ; to all which is to be added the com
pleting and loading -the ships in Holland, which will alone call for 500,000 livres
more than has already been advanced. These sums put together will amount to
as great a sura in my opinion as the whole of the remaining three quarterly pay
ments. Among other large sums, is the bills drawn in favor of Price & May-
wood, sent over by Mr. Bonfield, amounting, as I understand, for I did not see
his bills, to about 200,000 livres.
Suppose then the amount coming as follows, to be received in throe quarterly
payments, 2,250,000 livres.
Demands as follows : —
Supposed in Holland  livr. 500,000
To Price, Maywood, & Co  200,000
To Monthieu, WiUiams, Chaumont, Sabbatier, & Co., &o. . 1,000,000

1,700,000

There will remain for the payment of expenses through the year,
and for the payment of lesser demands, and the contingent
expenses mentioned, of prisoners, repairs, &c. &o. &c. . 550,000
" 2,250,000

Forgive my haste. Sir, I have forgot the balance already to send to M. Grand
of 293,378 livres 17 s., and I have no time to copy what I send. Should the
above estimate prove true, and I think it not far out of the way, there will be left
256,621 livres 3 s. in hand for the payment of expenses, small debts for prisoners,
repairs of vessels, and contingent expenses.
I must pray your Excellency after perusing to return this, or a copy, as I have
no Secretary, and have not time to copy before I send it, but -will afterwards
copy it myself and return it if you choose.
P. S. Presume this -will be only for your private perusal, have not therefore
been so particular as I otherways should have been ; but it is near enough to be
laid before the public, if you judge propel', as a general memorandum.

DR,

MR. SILAS DEANE, in account with WM. HODGE,

OR,

To

Mr. Murdoch's bill, cost the lugger
with provisions and outfits ....
cash paid Captain Conyngham out of
lugger 
Murdoch's bill, cost the Cutter Grey
hound  ¦ .
Capt. Cruize, for expenses going to
Dover to purchase the lugger .
cash paid Jus. Jones on account of
money furnished Capt. Cook, expenses
for seamen from Amsterdam, 794 17.
1777 
paid Capt. Cook, his expenses back .
my expenses to Amsterdam and back
two expresses sent to Cassel & Letter
my expenses going up twice to Paris
and back 
Morel & fila, acc't. the cutters . . .
cash on 100 pigs lead 
Fitzgerald's account, for cash paid
lodging people 
Murdoch's account for beef and greens
cash paid Paul Cruize 
cash paid Captain Boyly 
in my commission at 2J per cent .

25,122 15 9
144 00 0
37,372 15 6
144 00 0

209 19 0
96 00 0
180 00 0
85 00 0
605 05 0
26,700 10 0
2,886 10 0
15,732 02 0
744 16 0
900 00 0
24 00 0
2,772 00 0

livr. 113,720 12 7

1777
March 15,
April 16,
" 24,
" 26,
May 3,
" 13,
" 31,
June 5,
" 28,
July 18,
" 25,

By cash received. Morel & fils, Dunkirk,
by order M. Grand at Paris

Mr. Murdoch .
V. Dque. Morel & fils

balance due Wm. Hodge

7,000 00 0
12,000 00 0
9,318 14 6
23,139 10 0
8,042 10 0
240 00 0
2,485 08 0
480 00 0
12,000 00 0
15,000 00 0
2,586 00 0
21,428 12 7

livr. 113,720 12 7
Errors excepted. WM, HODGE.
Mr. Deane has the diff-erent inclosed accounts as well as the Tradesmen's bills for every article; you will please to observe that I
received only 92,292 livres during my stay at Dunqurke, for all of which I gave double receipts. (Signed) W. H.

!>
hi H"^
O1-1
oa
o a
ci

OOS

104 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.

COPIE DE LA LETTRE BCRITE PAR M. DE CHAUMONT A M. HOLKER,
DATEE DE PASSY LE 28 FEVBIEE, .1778.
ilONSIEnK —
Les deux frigates Am^ricaines le Hancok et le Boston, commandoes par les
Capitaines Babjors et Hendrik, ont conduit S, Nantes le 13 Aout dernier, deux
navires Anglois charges de suere qu'ils ont mis en declaration comme navires
HoUandois venant de St. Eustache ; cette fausse declaration a entrain^ legale-
ment la confiscation de ces deux navires, et le Roy, apres avoir satisfait a sa
justice, a OcoutO les representations qui ont 6t6 faites k sa bonte, et je suis charg^.
Monsieur, de vous autoriser h, compter aux armateurs et autres interess^s d'ans
les deux frigates Americaines le Hancok et le Boston, la somme de quatre cens
mille livres argent de France, que pouvoient valoir les deux navires Anglois et
leur chargemens qu'ils ont conduit a Nantes. Je vous avoiie. Monsieur, que je
suis enchante de vous transmettre une commission aussi agrOable, et qui prouvera
aux Amfoicaines combien nStre Roy est bon et juste. Vous pouvez tlrer sur
moi des lettres de changes pour quatre-cens mille livres en m'envoyant en meme
tems les pieces les plus probantes de payement que vous aurez fait. Si depuis
deux mois, il m'avoit M possible de vous faire passer surement une lettre, vous
auriez 6t6 plust6t a meme de regler cette affaire.
J'ai I'honneur d'etre tres parfaitement Monsieur,
V6tre trfes humble et tres obeissant serviteur,
Sign6 LE RAY DE CHAUMONT,
Intendant honoraire de rH6tel Royal des Invalides,

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 105

COPY OF M. GRAND'S GENERAL ACCOUNT OF MONEY RECEIVED AND
PAID ON ACCOUNT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
DR. Messrs. FRANKLIN, DEANE, & LEE, their account with F. GRAND.
June 1, 1 To Mr. Deane's accepted draft of Mr. Williams, 3d
of June  . 15,029 02 05
2 " Mr. Deane, to an order of Mr. Deane, favor of
Monthieu  1,200 00 00
3 " Mr. Deane, of two drafts of Harcourt des Harre,
of 6th June, 5,000, 5,016 .... 10,016 00 00
4 " a payment the widow Dque, Morel & Sons, made
to Wm. Hodge of 12,000 and charges, approved
by Mr. Deane  12,083 00 00
July 5 " cash to Mr. Deane as per receipt , , , 2,400 00 00
6 " " Monthieu, by order of Mr. Deane , , 11,184 00 00
7 " Mr. Deane's acceptation of WiUiams's draft 17th
June  3,000 00 00
8 " Messrs. Franklin and Deane's drafts, favor Hol
ker, for  10,000 00 00
9 " Mr. Deane's acceptation of Williams's two drafts
9th inst., 3,000, 1,500  4,500 00 00
10 " a payment the widow Morel & Sons, Dunkirk, to
Hodge, and charges, 19th . , , , 15,098 12 00
11 " " " 26th, both approved by
Mr. Deane  2,606 02 00
12 " Mr. Deane's acceptation of a draft of Williams's
of the 14th  1,200 00 00
13 " " " four drafts of WiUiams's
of 22d and 26th inst., 1,200, 2,400, 1,500, 1,842 6,942 00 00
14 " Messrs. Deane and Lee's drafts of 7th inst, to
Mr. FrankHn  4,800 00 00
15 " Messrs. Franklin, Deane, and Lee's drafts, 7th
inst. to Holker Son  10,000 00 00
16 " Mr. Deane's acceptation of Williams's drafts of
26th and 29th, 1,200, 2,847 7 8, 1,742 7 , 5,789 14 08
17 " " " " 28th, 3,000, 1,000 4,000 00 00
Aug. 12, 18 " Messrs. Franklin and Deane's order of 11th inst,
to Mr, A. Lee  2,400 00 00
19 " " " " 14th inst.
to M. le Roy du Chaumont .... 2,448 00 00
14

106

APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS.

20 To Mr. Deane's acceptation of Williams's draft of
the 9th inst  3,000 00 00
21 " " " 14th inst. 960, 960 1,920 00 00
22 " cash to Mr. Deane, 29th inst. as per receipt . 4,800 00 00
23 " Messrs. Franklin and Deane's order of the 25th
inst. favor of Sabattier Son .... 5,509 02 00
24 " " " " " 25th
inst. favor of Holker Son ... . 2,888 13 07
25 " " " " " 28th
inst. favor of Latour  1,827 08 00
26 " Messrs. Franklin and Deane, their acceptation of
Williams's, 17th June  1,257 06 00
27 " acceptance of Mr. Deane to the drafts of Thos,
Bell, bought, 4,490 11, 1,000 . , , 5,490 11 00
28 " acceptance of Mr. Deane to the drafts of Williams
oflSth, 19th, and 26th inst. . . . 9,306 00 00
Sept. 14, 29 " the drafts of S. J. H. Delap of Bordeaux, 30th
August, by order Mr. Deane . . . 6,000 00 00
30 " Mr. Deane's order of 3d inst. favor of Monthieu 12,000 00 00
31 " " " " " Mr. Eeed,
£25 15 sterling  538 11 06
32 " Mr. Deane's acceptation of WiUiams's drafts, 6th
and 9th inst. 641 19, 3,600 .... 4,241 19 00
33 " cash paid Mr. Deane, 16th inst. . . . 4,800 00 00
34 " Messrs. Deane and Lee's order, 16th inst. favor ^
Reed, for £30 sterling  699 12 00
35 " Williams's drafts, 2d inst. favor Monthieu, ap
proved by Mr. Deane  3,791 04 00
36 " Messrs. Franklin and Deane's order, favor of
Latour, Shoemaker  1,827 10 00
37 " order of Mr. Deane, 22d inst. favor of Crury,
2,400, 696  3,096 00 00
38 " drafts of S. & J. H. Delaps of Bordeaux, 13th
inst. approved by Mr. Deane . . . 30,000 00 00
39 " Mr. Deane's order, favor Mr. Franklin, 25th inst. 4,00100 00
40 " " acceptation Williams's drafts, 22d
August  6,192 17 08
41 " S. J. Delap's drafts, 20th inst. at sight, 6,000,
1,563 10, by order Mr. Deane , , . 7,563 10 00
42 " Williams's drafts, 28th August, accepted by Mr.
Deane  3,801 15 00
43 " H. Johnston's drafts, 16th inst. accepted by Mr.
Deane .... 13,342 06 00

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 107
44 To the drafts of Lamb. Wiokes, 14th inst, accepted
by Mr. Deane  6,000 00 00
45 " the drafts of Williams, 2d inst. approved by Mr.
Deane  1,200 00 00
46 " the drafts of Thos. Bell, 17th inst. accepted by
Mr. Deane  486 00 00
47 " thedraftsof John Williams 8th inst., accepted by
Mr. Deane  792 18 00
48 " Messrs. Franklin and Deane's order, 3d inst.
favor Johnston  904 00 00
49 " cash to Mr. Deane on his receipt . . . 2,400 00 00
50 " Mr. Deane's order, favor Merceir, 9th inst. . 1,200 00 00
51 " cash to Mr. A. Lee on his receipt . . . 4,800 00 00
52 " Messrs. Franklin, Deane, and Lee's order, favor
Coder, of 14th inst  73,840 00 00
53 " Messrs. Deane and Lee's order, 19th inst. favor
of Druy  600 00 00
54 " J. Sabattier & Sons draft, 15th Sept. approved
by Franklin, Deane, and Lee ... 306,910 18 00
55 " Lambert Wickes's draft, 14th Sept. accepted by
Mr. Deane  3,484 18 06
56 " James Nicholls's draft, 16th September, accepted
by Mr. Deane ...... 4,703 18 00
67 " Landais of Marseilles, accepted by Mr. Deane . 3,627 19 00
68 " Williams's draft of 5th and 7th August, approved
by Mr. Deane . . . . . . 25,800 00 00
59 " " " 5th September, •' 480 00 00
60 " Mr. Franklin's order, 21st inst. favor Cafi-ery . 2,932 00 00
Nov. 61 " cash paid Mr. A. Lee, the 12th inst. . . 2,400 00 00
62 " Messrs. Franklin and Deane's order, of the 15th
inst. favor W. F  8,000 00 00
63 " Mr. Deane's order, favor Monthieu . . . 112,000 00 00
64 " cash paid Mr. Deane, 20th inst. as per receipt . 2,700 00 00
65 " Williams's drafts of 18th and 19th August, ac
cepted by Mr. Deane  10,000 00 00
66 " Williams's draft of 5th August, accepted by Mr.
Deane  1,200 00 00
67 " draftof Segury, BeaujeardSonof St. Malo, 19th
October, by Mr. Deane .... 3,489 11 06
68 " Mr. Deane's order, 27th inst. favor Cushing,
£24 2 3 sterling  " . 551 03 00
69 " WiUiams's draft 2d September, favor Monthieu,
approved by Mr. Deane .... 7,500 00 00

108

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS'.

70 To drafts of PeUitier du Doyer, favor Mr. Williams,
14th August, by Mr. Deane .
Decern. 71 " cash to Mr. A. Lee 
72 " Mr. Franklin's order of inst. favor Troyes
73 " cash paid Mr. Deane, 11th inst.
74 " draft of PeUitier du Doyer pf Nantes, 14th Aug,
favor Beaumont, approved by Mr. Deane
75 " " " 11th and 27th Sept.
76 " •' " 25th October, "
77 " " " ¦ 11th November, "
78 " " " 20th December, "
79 " " Gardoqui of BUboa, 18th October, ac
eepted by Mr. Deane ....
80 " << J. WilUams, 26th and 28th August, ac
eepted by Mr. Deane, 6,500, 2,764 7 .
81 " " PeUitier and Doyer of Nantes, 14th Sept,
favor WilUams, approved by Deane
82 " cash paid Mr. A. Lee, 23d Nov. as per receipt
83 " " Mr. SUas Deane, 21st Dec. "
84 " " Mr. A. Lee, 23d Dec. "
85 " Messrs. Franklin and Deane's order, 25th Decem
ber, favor de la Plaigne
86 " draft of Coffin of Dunkirk, 12th December, ac
eepted by Mr. Deane ....
87 " draft of Messrs. FrankUn and Deane, 29th Deo,
order Monthieu 
88 " Messrs. Franklin and Deane's order, 29th inst.
favor W. J. Franklin , , . ,
89 " cash to Boux Neveu, as per receipt, for account,
approved by FrankUn and Deane .
90 " draft Morel & Sous of Dunkirk, 22d December
91 " Messrs. Franklin, Deane, and Lee's drafts, 21st
November, favor Bauregard ....
92 " " " " " 29th
December, favor Monthieu ....
93 " Horneau, Tireau, & Co. of Amsterdam, approved
by Franklin, Deane, & Lee ....
94 " " " " <i
95 " " " for the ship the Indian
96 " P. Ct. 3,069 2 paid by " to Boux of Amster
dam for the Indian 
97 " Francis Coflin of Dunkirk, his draft of 19th De
cember, accepted by Mr. Deane .

15,500 00 00
2,400 00 00
600 00 00
2,400 00 00
3,000 00 00
20,500 00 00
8,000 00 00
4,000 00 00
4,500 00 00
6,580 14 00
9,264 07 00
9,799 08 00
22,519 05 06
2,400 00 00
2,400 00 00
2,480 00 00
3,300 00 00
6,416 00 00
2,400 00 00
480 00 00
1,008 10 00
119,061 00 00
60,000 00 00
35,027 01 03
9,232 03 00
72,000 00 00
6,649 00 00
938 02 03

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 109
98 To W. Hodge of Nantes, his draft 20th December,
accepted by Mr. Deane .... 3,000 00 00
99 " John Hancock's drafts, favor Sundries . . 17,400 00 00
Jan'y. 100 " Mr. A. Lee's order, favor Byrd, 30 louis d'ors . 720 00 00
101 " Mr. Deane's acceptation of the drafts of T. Thom
son, Coffin  68,984 00 00
102 " cash paid Mr. A. Lee, 11th inst. . . . 4,800 00 00
103 " cash paid Mr. SUas Deane, 13th inst. . . 4,000 00 00
104 " J. WilUams of Nantes, from 18th September to
10th January, of which 500,000 was approved
of by Messrs. Franklin, Deane, and Lee, rest -
by FrankUn and Deane  563,097 05 10
105 " my commission on livres 1,290,275 6 7 at J per
cent  6,451 00 04
6 " postage of letters, packets, and other charges on
their account  1,998 09 00

1,962,903 04 01

7 " balance of the above account of the 15th Janu
ary, 1778  295,725 03 00
8 " Arnoux de Saulsaye of the Orient, drafts 6th
July, account Indian  5,000 00 00
9 " E. Haimann's draft, 29th December, accepted by
Mr. Deane  2,032 18 04
10 " Messrs. FrankUn and Deane's order of the 20th
January, favor Sabattier & Despres . . 49,165 17 07
11 " Borard Brothers of the Orient, their draft, 12th
January, accepted by Deane .... 2,074 17 06
12 " J. WilUams, since 10th January to 20th, on ac
count of the credit given to him of 200,000 by
Messrs. Franklin and Deane .... 30,862 09 09
13 " Sabattier & Sons' drafts, 8th January, approved
by Messrs. Franklin, Deane, and Lee . . 153,963 17 04
14 " my commission on 243,100 at J per cent . . 1,215 10 06
15 " postage and other charges from 15th January to
24th  52 14 00
16 " WiUiams's draft, 2d Sept. omitted in last account"
2,000 00
17 " draft of Samuel Nicholson of Nantes, 8th Nov.
259 17 J
18 " Mr. Franklin's order of 29th January, favor Bois
Martin  6,353 00 00

I- 2,259 17 00

110 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS,
19 To Mr. Franklin's order, 2d February, favor Da-
nets and Hennel  17,404 06 03
20 " cash to Mr. A. Lee  2,400 00 00
21 " Mr. Deane's order, February 6, favor HoUeville 609 00 00
22 " Mr, Franklin's same day, favor Franklin, Jr. , 4,800 00 00
23 " Messrs. Franklin, Deane, and Lee's orders, 6th
February, favor W. Lee, Iz'd., 48,000 48,000 96,000 00 00
24 " Mr. Deane, 12th February .... 2,600 00 00
25 " Messrs. Franklin, Deane, and Lee's drafts, 12th
February, favor Captain Courtier . . . 1,433 14 03
26 " Mr. Franklin a Bill of Exchange on London for
100 sterling, a 31  2,322 00 00
27 " Mr. Deane's order, 6th February, favor Captain
Courtier, £52 10 a 31^ . . . . 1,200 00 00
28 " Messrs. Franklin and Deane's order of the 6th
of February for 100 louis .... 2,400 00 00
29 " Deane's draft of Amsterdam, 8th January, . 2,400 00 00
30 " cash to Mr. A. Lee, 16th January, as per receipt 2,400 00 00
31 " Messrs. Franklin and Deane's orders, 18th Jan.
favor Roy de Chaumont .... 86,000 00 00
32 " cash received by M. Bourbonnette 5th May last,
from Horneoa, Fireaux, & Co., Amsterdam . 4,351 05 03
33 " Thomas BeU of Nantes, his draft, 6th February,
on Mr. Deane  570 14 00
34 " cash to Mr. William Lee, February 28th, as per
receipt  960 00 00
35 " Messrs. FrankUn and Deane's order, March 2d,
favor Blunden  3,600 00 00
36 " cash to Mr. A. Lee, March 6th, as per receipt . 4,800 00 00
37 " Messrs. Franklin and Deane's order, March 2d,
favor Blunden  240 00 00
38 " cash to Mr. W, Lee, March 10th, as per receipt 1,656 00 00
39 " J. Hancock's draft, 14th Sept. 30 days, order the
Chev. Desbeusson  4,712 00 00
40 " cash paid Bondel the Printer .... 246 00 00
41 " Horneca, Fireaux, & Co. draft 26th January, for
their remittance 4,000 Platina . . . 20,213 17 06
42 " Sam. -Wharton of London, 17th Feb. approved by
Mr. Deane  19,620 14 00
43 " Sam. Darcy of Bordeaux, 21st December, on S.
Deane  4,800 00 00
44 " Mr. Silas Deane's assignment 16th March, to
James Bomel  250 00 00

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. HI
— To Mr. Silas Deane's assignment, 17th March, to
B. Nicholson  240 00 00
45 " cash paid Mr. W. Lee 16th March, as per receipt 955 00 00
46 " " " " " 3,600 00 00
47 " " Silas Deane 17th March, as per receipt 4,800 00 00
48 " Leguy, Beauregard, Sons & Co. of Mario, draft
6th of March on SUas Deane . . . 523 00 00
49 " cash paid SUas Deane March 24, as per receipt 2,400 00 00
60 " an assignment March 25th, favor W. J. Franklin 4,800 00 00
51 "J. WiUiams's drafts since last account to this
day, 28th March  178,273 03 09
go > To drafts by J. Hancock on Commissioners . . 4,767 00 00
64 To assignment of Mr. S. Deane 25th March, to
Johnson, 27 All 800,600 .... 1,400 00 00
" my commission ou Uvres 490,756 15 6 at J per
cent  2,453 00 00
" postage of letters, packets, and other charges . 441 10 00

1,043,738 17 00
On which sum I have received 750,000 00 00

293,738 17 00

This account amounts to the sum of two hundred ninety-three thousand seven
hundred and tliirty-eight Uvres seventeen sous, which is the balance due to
Ferdinand Grand this day, 27th March, 1778. Errors excepted.
Credits, 1777.
By balance settled 10th June  664,178 1 1
" cash 6th July  500,000 0 0
" a remittance of S. & J. Hans DeUap, account M. Crury . . 2,400 0 0
" cash the 10th October  500,000 0 0
" cash 6th November from Lavabre & Doernir Co. . . . 600 0 0

112 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.

Messrs. FRANKLIN, DEANE & CO., their account with F. GRAND of Paris.
DR. CR.
Jan'y. 1 By cash from those gentlemen, per receipt . . . 500,000 0 0
Feb'ry. 2 To cash paid to L. Mutter of Nantes 168 00 0
3 •• M. Boux for his quarter . . 625 03 0
4 " M. Chaumont Mr. Deane's biUs . 180,000 00 0
March. 6 " Th. Hyson of Dunkirk, his draft . 15,169 11 0
6 " cash to Mr. Hodge at Dunkirk . 7,044 11 0
April. 7 " Mr. Deane's draft 9th AprU, on sight 9,707 16 5
8 " cash paid Mr. Hodge at Dunkirk . 12,075 16 0
9 " Horneau Fireaux his drafts (April) 300,000 00 0
10 " my remittance B, 1000 at 53 J (April) 2,242 19 9
11 " cash to Mr, Hodge at Dunkirk . 12,075 16 0
12 " Mr. Deane's orderfavorM. Chaumont 8,729 15 0
13 " my commission on 559,848 . . 2,795 04 0
14 « postage of letters . . . 227 14 0
15 Balance in my favor carried to new account 62,071 8 5

Uvres 562,071 08 5 562,071 8 5

April. To the above balance . . . 62,071 08 5
By cash from the above gentlemen 500,000 0 0
16 To cash paid Mr. Hodge at Dunkirk 9,377 15 3
May. 17 " " " " 8,093 11 3
18 " their order the 7th, favor Monthieu 220,000 00 0
19 " " " " 69,455 00 0
20 " cash paid Mr. Hodge at Dunkirk 264 14 0
June. 21 " " " " 2,506 12 6
22 " their order favor Sabattier . . 10,000 00 0
23 " Mr. Ross, his draft May 17 at 90 450,000 00 0
By cash from these gentlemen . . 1,000,000 0 0
By discount for two months five days on
450,000  3,250 0 0
To my commission on 1,438,000 . 7,190 00 0
" postage  112 15 0
By balance due by those gentlemen . 664,178 01 1

Errors excepted.

1,603,250 00 0 1,503,250 0 0

To Ross by Mr. Grand .... 460,000
" " Jonathan WiUiams . . . 20,000
470,000

APPENDIX or DOCUMENTS. 113

EXTRACT FROM THE BANKER GRAND'S ACCOUNT OF MONEY
PAID TO MR. HODGE.
1777
March 18 Pour autant payi si M. Hodge a Dunkerque sur le credit
1 24m que je lui avois atable chez St. Dque. Morel
et Fils et d'Ordre de M. Deane avec fraite . 7,044 11 0
April 16 " autant pay^s a, M. Hodge k Dunkerque avec fraite 12,075 16 0
26 " " " " " 23,284 18 3
28 " ci qui k 6t6 paye a M. Wm. Hodge h Dunkerque,
sur le credit qui je lui avois stable chez Ste. Dque.
Morel et Fils, cet article ainsi que les suivants
semblables sont de I'ordre de M. Deane . . 9,377 15 3
Mai 6 " " " " " 8,093 11 3
Mai 17 " autant paye ^ M. Hodge a Dunkerque . . . 264 14 0
Juin 2 " " " " ... 2,508 12 6
June 4 To a payment the widow Dque. Morel & Sons made to Wm.
Hodge of 12,000 and charges, approved by Mr. Deane 12,083 00 0
10 " " made the 19th to " and charges 15,000 15,098 12 0
" " both approved by Mr. Deane, 26th, 2,586 . 2,606 02 0

92,441 06 3

A GENERAL STATE OF THE ACCOUNT BETWEEN THE COMMISSION
ERS AT PARIS FROM THE UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA,
AND MONS. GRAND, BANKER, SHOWING WHAT PUBLIC MONEYS
PASSED THROUGH MR. DEANE'S AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS'
HANDS, REFERRED TO IN MR. DEANE'S LETTER TO CONGRESS.
Total amount of moneys received by the Commissioners to the
time of Mr. Deane's leaving Paris  3,753,250 00 00
The balance due to M. Grand the 27th March last, amounted to 293,738 17 00

Total amount of expenditures in DoUars, 809,337f; in livres 4,046,988 17 00
The same particularized —
To Monsieur Chaumont for 2,000 barrels powder for brass can
non for the frigate at Nantes, &c. &c. ¦ . . . 277,177 00 00
" Captain Hyson for the purchase of a lugger for a packet . 15,169 11 00
15

114 " app:i5Ndix of documents.
To Mr. Hodge, who purchased successively two cutters at Dun
kirk, &c., paid the expenses of Conyngham's imprison
ment, &c. &c  92,729 10 03
" Hornica, Fitzeau, & Co. at Amsterdam, for the buUding a
large ship of war, and M. Bouy's expenses 307,274 12 06
" purchase cordage, &c. for said ship . . 72,000 00 00
" pay for goods purchased there by Merkle,
according to his contract with Congress 44,259 04 03
" paid " for gun-locks, &c. sent to Nantes
to Mr. Williams, as was also the goods
bought by Merkle  20,213 17 06
" paid " for moneys paid out by them to
Monsieur Dumas and other expenses at
Amsterdam  4,361 06 03

Total paid the house of Hornica, Fitzeaus, & Co. 448,098 19 06
" paidM. Monthieu for his magazine at Nantes 220,000 00 00
" cash advanced by him for goods bought at
Nantes  69,465 02 06
" " " " " 11,184 00 00
" fusees shipped at Marseilles which arrived
at Portsmouth  12,000 00 00
" freightflue him  120,000 00 00
" so much in part of his contract for clothing 60,000 00 00

•  484,569 02 06
cash paid Mr. Ross to enable him to pay for goods purchased
by him agreeable to his contract with Congress . . 460,000 00 00
cash paid Sabattier, Desprez, & Co. and Mr. Holker, for
15,000 suits of clothes, &c  538,438 07 11
cash paid Desgray, Beaugeard, Fils & Co. for 100 tons of
saltpetre purchased at 11 s. the pound, or 5^- d; sterling 119,061 00 00
Mr. W. Lee and Mr. Izard for their expenses . . . 96,000 00 00
Monsieur Coder for clothing  73,840 00 00
Mr. Jonathan WilUams at various times .... 981,901 10 04
cash paid Monsieur Monthieu on account . . . . 6 416 00 00
Dorets Hornet for fusees delivered at Nantes . . .17 404 06 03
cash to the orders of Captains Thomson and Henman for re
fitting and equipping their ships at L'Orient ... 70 092 17 08
cash paid at L'Orient for carriages and other articles for the
ship building at Amsterdam  5,000 00 00
N. B. She was to have been brought to L'Orient to be
armed.
orders of Mr. Hancock paid . . 35 909 00 00

APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS. 115
To paid Messrs. Delaps for sundry supplies and disbursements
to the Lexington and other ships  42,563 13 10
" amount of orders paid for the refitting of the Lexington, the
Reprisal, and other Continental ships, the orders drawn by
Captain Weeks, by Captain Johnson, by Captain Nicholson,
and others, as may be seen in M. Grand's account, D D . 48,202 03 10
" amount of what the Commissioners paid for their private
expenses, of what they paid for expresses, for shoes, and
other articles bought at Paris and shipped from Nantes,
with other disbursements, as may be seen at large in M.
Grand's account  24-1,285 13 11

livres 4,046,988 17 00

MR. DEANE'S ASSUMED CONTRACT WITH M. BEAUMARCHAIS.
MEMOIRE for CLOTHING.
12,500 aunes of blue cloth to cost nearly 8 livres per aune; 2,500 aunes of
cloth of the following colors for lapels or facings, viz: 500 scarlet, 500 green,
500 crimson, 500 buff or white, 500 yellow or orange ; 25,000 aunes of shaloons
for lining the clothes, of the value of about 1 livre per aune of blue color; 7,000
aunes of linen for lining breeches, and other use in making up the clothes, of the
value of 1 livre 10 sous per aune ; 2,000 pounds sewing thread for making up the
clothes of a blue color; 100 pounds blue sewing silk ; 10,000 dozen of coat metal
buttons, plain white; 10,000 dozen of vest or small buttons, plain; 30,000 aunes
of linen for shirts, at about 2 livres per aune; 5,000 blankets; 10,000 pair stock
ings, white woollen ; 4,000 aunes of blue cloth of better quality, for officers, to
cost about 12 livres per aune; 1,000 aunes for facing or lapels of scarlet, of
green, of crimson, of buff, or white, of orange, or yellow, of each an equal quan
tity ; 4,000 aunes of blue shaloon for lining the above, of about 2 livres per aune
value; 1,000 dozen of plain white metal coat buttons; 2,000 dozen plain white
metal vest buttons or small; 3,000 aunes of linen for officers' shirts of 2 livres
10 sous or 3 livres per aune ; 500 pounds weight sewing thread for making up
coarse shirts.
The above estimate is for 5,000 men to be clothed in blue, the facings to be
various in the different battalions, consequently 30,000 men will take six times
the quantity, in the whole of each particular article above mentioned, which fol
lows in detail.
N. B. It is unnecessary to repeat here the particulars of each color, as they

116 APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS,
run in the same style and quantity, only varying the colors, and each part for
5,000 men is put up distinct, OTHER STORES,
24,000 aunes of coarse shagg cloth, of woollen of 5J wide, for melas or Indian
stockings, so called, to cost 2 10 or 3 livres per aune ; of this quality the colors
must be blue, scarlet, and green, an equal quantity of each; also, 30,000 wooUen
caps of the same color as the clothes, in equal quantities, viz: 5,000 of blue,
6,000 scarlet, 6,000 green, 5,000 brown or gray, and 10,000 black, the latter to
go with the pale blue and gray clothing or uniform ; also, 100 needles of the
coarse or common kind, and 100 small awls for the soldiers to mend their clothes
with; also, 60,000 colored handkerchiefs, one for the neck, a custom among
American soldiers, and one for the pocket; also, 30,000 pair of cheap shoe and
knee buckles; 30,000 large cutteau knives; 600 boxes of tin plates; 200 brass
four-pounders; 88,315 baUs; 27 nine-inch brass mortars; 12,326 bombs; 30,000
fusils; 60,000 gun locks; 6,000,000 of flints; 200 or 100 tons lead; 200 tons of
powder; 10,000 pair hose for officers ; 10,000 additional blankets; 10,000 addi
tional silk handkerchiefs, and 30,000 linen handkerchiefs with several smaller
articles, such as buttons, buckles, knives, &c. &c.

M. BEAUMARCHAIS'S CONTRACT WITH MONTHIEU.
WE the Subscribers, John Joseph Monthieu and Roderique Hortalez & Co.,
Mr. Silas Deane being present, and approving of the following settlement for the
United Colonies, have agreed as follows, viz: —
That John Joseph Monthieu promises to furnish for the thirteen United Colo
nies of North America, ' a number of vessels armed for war and loaded with stores
and goods to the amount of sixteen hundred tons, sufficient to carry over to some
of the ports of North America belonging to the thirteen United States, all the
stores and goods of which the amount fixed and signed by us is valued to the
weight and number of about sixteen hundred tons above mentioned. It is agreed
that he shall be paid for sixteen hundred tons, the whole contents of the ships, at
the rate of two hundred Uvres per ton ; the said Monthieu further engages to
have the said ships ready to sail from the ports of Havre, Nantes, and MarseiUes,
to the order of Messrs. Roderique Hortalez and Co., viz., the ship which is to
carry over the passengers mentioned in the agreement to sail from Havre, and
that saUing from Nantes shall be ready in the month of November, and the others
in December next, ou the condition that the half of the payment for the above
said freight at the rate of two hundred livres for each ton to go over to America
and come back to France, the ships being likewise loaded in their return for the

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 117
account of the thirteen United Colonies, and of Messrs. Roderique Hortalez &
Co., who are accountable for the same, will be made directly in ready money,
bills of exchange, or any other notes of hand negotiable, and Messrs. Hortalez &
Co. will engage themselves to pay me the same — the other half part of the agreed
bargain between us at the time when these ships will sail ; agreeing besides that it
will be paid to me five hundred livres for the passage of every officer or gentleman
not belonging to the ship, two hundred and fifty livres for each soldier and ser
vant, and one hundred and fifty for each seaman passenger. It has been posi
tively settled between us that aU the risks of sea and the capture of the said
ships are entirely on the account of the Congress of the United Colonies, and
these vessels shall be paid to me at the rate on which each of these vessels will
be estimated upon the bargain which has been made by me, — engaging to give to
Messrs. Hortalez & Co. before the sailing of these vessels from any of the ports
above mentioned, the certificates containing the price of the purchase; and last,
it is agreed that if the Americans detain these ships, or some of them, more than
two months in their ports without loading them for their return to France, all
the expenses, wages, and appurtenances from the day of the arrival of these
ships in the ports of North America till their departure from these same ports,
will be on their account (two months excepted), and shall be paid by them or by
Messrs. Roderique Hortalez & Co. in their own name, and answering for the
Congress of the United Colonies. We agree to the above said conditions, and wo
promise to fulfil exactly all those which concerns us, in faith of what we have
signed this writing the 15th of October, 1776. RODERIQUE HORTALEZ & CO.
MONTHIEU. SILAS DEANE.
Agent for the thirteen United States of North America.

LETTER OF MR. DEANE TO ROBERT MORRIS.
Dear Sm — •
Your brother, Mr. T. Morris, came to town the 14th, and I was informed
that evening that he had letters from you to me, and also letters in whioh the
Commissioners were jointly concerned. I have since his arrival repeatedly ap
plied to him to obtain the letters, but without success ; nor has he communicated
anything to the Commissioners; nor has he seen them, excepting Mr. Lee, by ac
cident at a public walk two days since. A friend of mine showed me a letter
from Mr. Eoss, the inclosed No. 1 is an extract of it. This is probably all I
shall know of the contents, as I have no reason to hope that the original will ever
come to my hands. This you will suppose is sufficient to inform me in what

118 APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS.
manner tho candid and friendly part I have acted towards you has been repre
sented, and how you have resented it. I should be less surprised, were I not
assured that Mr. Bromfield was arrived, and that you must have received my let
ter by him, copy of which. No. 2, I inclose for your reperusal. I little thought
at that time that I was doing what would occasion me the loss of your friendship,
and draw on me your reproaches, affected as I am by the consequences, for I
have ever held your friendship, or the share I thought I had in it, both honora
ble and agreeable ; yet were I again in the same situation, I would again, act the
same part, which you, I am confident, will approve when you are acquainted with
the whole truth, of whioh you cannot long be ignorant. Your brother's conduct
cannot at this time be a secret in America ; it is therefore unnecessary for me to
say one word on the subject.
As many of the Commissioners' letters may have failed, I take the liberty of in
closing an extract of a letter wrote jointly by Dr. Franklin and myself in March
last, in which we sent an extract of a letter from Mr. Lee, who had been at Nantes
and was then at Bordeaux. This letter was to the Committee, and consequently
to Congress. We wrote one also previous to this, to the Committee, just before Mr.
Lee's going to Nantes, in which your brother's conduct was mentioned; but you
will observe that my letter by Mr. Bromfield, of the 5th of January, was the first
in which I mentioned your brother's conduct as being in my opinion bad beyond
recovery, and that this letter was directed to you particularly. I might, indeed,
have wrote you at large before, had I been willing to write from the reports of
those who saw him in London ; but the prejudice I had in favor of his abilities, as
well as the friendship I had, and permit me still to entertain for you, prevented
my saying more than "that I feared pleasure had got too strong hold of him,"
which expression you will find repeated in my letter of November and December
last ; and your letter to me expressed the same fear on your part.
Letters from Mr. Ross at Hamburg, and from very respectable characters in
different parts of Europe, would justify much more than what I have ever wrote
or said to you or to the Committee — to the latter I wrote jointly with my
colleagues. I am informed that you complain of me that I wrote to the Congress before I
informed you of his behavior ; as to this, the dates of my letters will show that
you are in error, whioh I suppose was occasioned by some of my letters being
intercepted, and others arriving without duplicates of the first.
I refer you to your letter to me by Captain Bell, for what were your feeUngs
and distress on receiving intelligence of what was your brother's mode of life,
and the resolutions you took upon it ; also to your subsequent letter to Mr. Ross
on the same subject, both of whioh were wrote in consequence of other informa
tion than mine. I must also refer you to my letter by Captain Hammond, and
submit to your cool and candid determination whether I acted the part of a friend
or an enemy. I confess to you, that Captain Wilkes at that time gave me real
hopes that matters were not so bad as both he and I as well as every one else

APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS. 119
have since found them to have been. I refer you to Captain Wilkes on this sub
ject if you are still in doubt — I mean with respect to my conduct in this affair.
I am informed, for I have not the advantage of the letter directed for me open
to your brother, that it is insinuated that interested and private views influenced
me to write as I did, and that the fixing Mr. WiUiams at Nantes was the object I
had in view. I am very sorry you should be so imposed upon; the consequences
must ultimately be more prejudicial to yourself than to any other person. In
the mean time, as a man of honor I assure you, I have neither interest or connec
tion in Mr. Williams's business, nor have I engaged in the smallest private
concern, except what you have been acquainted with, and which you know was
in consequence of your letter in June, 1776.
Mr. Williams came to France to visit Dr. Franklin ; he was in a good way of
business in London, where he was entering into busineps with a capital house in
the sugar business. England was disagreeable to him, solely on account of the
animosities which prevailed among individuals on account of the public quarrel.
The stores which I had engaged, and which were sent out in the Mercury and
Therese, were at Nantes, where matters had been so conducted that you must
suppose I had no confidence in the managers. On this occasion, I applied to Mr.
WiUiams, as a friend, to make a journey to Nantes, and examine the goods and
see them shipped. He left Paris without intending to tarry longer than to per
form this business, but his conduct at Nantes was so much the reverse of what
had preceded, that every one who wished well to our affairs desired he might be
continued there. No solicitations, the interest of my country was my sole motive ;
I knew he served it faithfully, and I knew him generous and disinterested in the
service. Yes sir, disinterested ; and you will acknowledge it, when you are in
formed that what he exacted of us was barely a sufficiency to support him, not
amounting to one-fourth of one per cent, on the business. He has, if I am to have
the credit of fixing him there, done me great honor ; he has at the same time
obtained the good opinion and friendship of the capital persons at Nantes. I am
thus particular on this subject, as I am well convinced it has been represented to
you very differently ; how it has been represented I know not, nor am I like to be
informed, but from second-hand, by your brother's showing your letter directed
to me, to Mr. Ross, and telling some others what were its contents ; and that
you not only justified his conduct, but had obtained for him more ample appoint
ments, with severe reprimands to me, and even oblique censure on Dr. Franklin,
who happens to be Mr. Williams's uncle.
It is hard for me, acting as I have done from the most disinterested motives,
and from those principles of friendship which shall be ever sacred with me, to
have been thus censured by you unheard, and that you should still confide so far
in your brother as to put the censure in his hands, not to be shown to me but to
others. I wrote the 5th of January, you would almost think with a presentiment
of what was to happen. I said then "that I would not be angry," and I assure
you I am not, but I am exoeeilingly hurt, not on account of any prejudice your

120 APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS.
brother's conduct will in the end do me particularly, but on your account more
immediately ; for myself, I know you will justify and thank me for the part I
have acted when you know the whole circumstances of the affair. I say on your
account immediately — for let me inform you of what it is probable others will
not — it is reported that your brother's excesses, though no way comparable to
the present, were known to you several years before he left America.
The friends of America in France, as well as the Americans themselves, are so
surprised to find him still continued in the most important, as well as the most
delicate trust, and of being at the head as it were of the American commerce at
this critical period, and at the same time are grieved to see the effects this confi
dence has on him. You may suppose that this occasions much speculation, not
among the Americans only, but among the merchants of Europe, to whom the
management of our affairs in the commercial department is no secret.
Mr. Ross does justice to the character you gave of him. I expect to see him
in Paris in a few days, when I shall show him what I now write you.
I have not the least desire of intermeddling in the commercial concerns of the
Congress in Europe, nor of going out of my own department, whatever it may be,
on any occasion ; but I have been obliged to take much upon my hands in the
procuring supplies of clothing, &c., as have also my colleagues, on account of the
unhappy situation of our affairs here as to commerce. I will not add to a letter
already long, only that if I have been mistaken in anything, you will reflect that
I write in reply to a part of one of yours which I am unable to procure a sight
of, and assure you that no private concern affects me more than the having drawn
on myself your resentment by my desire of serving you ; and though confident
you will soon be disabused, yet I fear the part you have taken for your brother
in this affair, though you have doubtless acted from the most natural as well as
generous and good principles, may produce consequences whioh none but your
as well as my enemies wish for. Be assured that I retain the highest esteem
and respect for you in your public as well as private character, and am
Your sincere fi-iend and very humble servant, SILAS DEANE.
Paris, 2Sd September, 1777.

LETTER FROM SILAS DEANE TO EOBEET MORRIS.
Paris, October 5, 1777.
Dear Sir —
After closing my letters of the 23d and 26th ultimo, which I presume you will
lay before the Congress, Mr. Morris, on the 27th, called on me and said he had a
letter from you, which, though directed to me, respected the Commissioners, and

APPENDIX or DOCUMENTS. 121
therefore he chose to deliver it in the presence of Dr. FrankUn, I thereupon
conducted him to the Dr.'s apartments, and he delivered the letter to him. It was
open, very much worn and dirty, and the cover in which it was wrapped, with
out being sealed, was superscribed in the handwriting of Mr. T. Morris. After
Dr. Franklin had read the letter, Mr. T. Morris told us we had -written to Con
gress more than was true respecting his conduct, that the Congress were of this
opinion, and that he should hereafter despise us and treat us with the greatest
contempt, adding other insulting expressions, not necessary to be repeated ; to all
which my venerable colleague made this reply: "It gives me pleasure to be
respected by men who are themselves respectable, but I am indifferent to the
sentiments of those of a different character, and I only wish that your future con
duct may be such as to entitle you to the approbation of your honorable constitu
ents." On parting, Mr. T. Morris told us he had shown the letter to all whom
he thought his friends, and having copied it, he should continue to show it in the
same manner. How pubUc it may soon be made by him, or those he communi
cated it to, I know not, but I am apprehensive that many who are neither friends
to him nor to America have already seen it, and that this indiscreet exposure of
it may give our enemies an opportunity of using it to strengthen their accounts
of our internal divisions, animosities, &c. I must also inform you that Mr. Pen-
net, pretending to have received intelligence from you of what I wrote to Con
gress concerning him, has had the assurance to send me, open, by Mr. T. Morris,
an insulting and menacing letter, which had also been shown in the same manner.
But such proceedings from these men are not surprising, after you have not only
informed them of what we had written to Congress, but have, as I understand,
excited them to resent it : though, as far as respects your brother, you yourself
declare that you believe every tittle of it. The extracts which I inclosed in my last
wiU evince that the good or ill opinion of such men cannot affect us as individu
als, though I must confess that it appears derogatory to our public character, as
well as of dangerous example, that we should be exposed to such treatment for
having, as the servants of the public, done an act of indispensate duty to our
constituents. Your principal cause of complaint against us, as stated in your letter, is that
"we did not suppress aU information to Congress respecting your brother, and
convey it only to you in private, because your letters by Captain Bell ought to
have convinced us that it was not necessary, and that you did not wish him em
ployed in the public service if he did not deserve it." You should, however, have
reflected (and I remark it once for all), that the letters by Capt. Bell, on which
you frequently lay so much stress, did not, and could not possibly come to hand
until long after we had written that to Congress of which you complain, and
your brother's conduct had then become so flagrant and notorious, that we did
not imagine our silence would have- preserved to him a good name, though it
must have appeared like a culpable sacrifice of pubUc duty to private friendship,
16

122 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
and a sacrifice too, which, had we been disposed to make, did not appear likely to
do you any service. Nor would this have been otherwise had it not been for the
present very limited communication from Europe to America. You say too that, in
your letter by Capt. Bell, you had put your brother in my "power to be confirmed
in his employment or dismissed, as his conduct might require." The letter in
question was written by you in your private capacity, and it did not appear to me
' that the private letter of any individual member of Congress would authorize me
to displace a man regularly vested by Congress with powers independent of those
given to the Commissioner. Of this your brother appeared, both then and since,
to be perfectly sensible, and he has long since set us at defiance. It seems, there
fore, to be wrong in you " to get up in Congress and declare that you had put
your brother in my power," &c., unless Congress had given you special power
over that department, whioh indeed appears likely to have been the case, from
your declaring "that if your brother's conduct had been such as to inspire you
with perfect confidence, all the Commissioners at Paris should not have removed
him." However, as you did not inform me of your having such special authority,
all that I could do, in consequence of your letter, was privately to admonish your
brother, and endeavor by my friendly exertions, if possible, to reclaim him ; and
that I was desirous of doing this you will see by my friendly letter of ¦* ¦* ¦*
Respecting the information of gentlemen at Nantes, I shall only observe that,
interested as certain persons there are to have Mr. T. Morris continued in his
appointment, it is not surprising that they should represent things in his favor ;
time, however, will discover who has really done the business which passed
under his name, and in what manner it has been done ; their other scandalous
imputations are as contemptible as they are wicked. I have never had any
"nephew, cousin, or partner to provide for," and our motives respecting Mr,
Williams have been truly stated in my letter of the 23d ult. You will before
this have heard that the Commissioners committed to him the care of forwarding
their dispatches ; we had good reason for this precaution, arising from the man
ner in which letters to and from America were understood to have been treated
by certain persons at Nantes, and we were at that time more particularly induced
to it by Captain Hammond's having just been detained near a fortnight after he
had received from us dispatches of great importance, whereby he lost the advan
tage of a most favorable wind, and we much fear he has been himself lost in con
sequence of it, having heard nothing of his arrival.
You -will also, I suppose, have heard that the Commissioners authorized Mr.
Williams to sell the prizes lately made by Captains Wilkes, Johnson, and Nichol
son ; for this too we had sufficient motives. We knew that in Mr. T. Morris's parox
ysms of intemperance and debauchery he was unfit for aU business, and shut up
from all access ; that these paroxysms usually lasted for several weeks together
without a single hour's omission, and that there were but very short intervals
between the termination of one paroxysm and the commencement of another ;
and the business committed to him not being done by himself or by any in

APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS, 123
whom we could confide, but by persons who had just before very badly disposed
of prizes consigned to Mr. Morris, we thought the step we took a necessary act
of duty. Mr. T. Morris, however, denied both our general authority and that of
your letter by Capt. Bell, and has disposed of the prizes, and left us to pay for
the repairs and other expenses of the Reprisal, Lexington, and Dolphin, amount
ing to more than seventy thousand livres. Jlr. T. Morris was directed by Con
gress to pay us ten thousand pounds sterling, but so early as in January last, he
boasted that we were in his power, and when we had received about sixty thou
sand Uvres (not three thousand pounds). Gruel and Pennet, who manage affairs
as they please, ordered their banker at Paris to stop paying us any more, and to
protest our biUs, wickedly hoping by that manoeuvre to get us into their power.
Such treatment (and I represent it in the softest light) must, I think, shook the
Congress as much as you were shocked by the representation we made to them.
Mr. Lee made two journeys, one to Spain, the other to Berlin, and our public
characters have required our Uving expensively here ; this, with the sums we have
paid for expresses, sent to and dispatched by us, and those we have advanced
to relieve distressed Americans escaping from confinement in England, soon
exhausted our scanty supply, and we have not at present the smallest prospect
of receiving any more of the ten thousand pounds ordered us. This, however,
is a subject more proper for our joint representation, than for my answer to a
letter addressed individuaUy to me. I am informed that Mr. T. Morris like
wise shows about a very long letter from you to him, mentioning among other
things that our letters respecting him had been read in Congress, and not only
disbelieved, but treated with indignity. What extraordinary causes have been
employed to produce such extraordinary effects I know not, but as it seems the
Congress have been so far misled as to doubt whether the Commissioners have
not, from interested views, unjustly accused Mr. T. Morris, it becomes necessary
that they should be made acquainted with what I have written to you on this
subject, and I must therefore request that you wiU communicate to Congress as
well the present letter as my last, with the several extracts, documents, &c.,
inclosed therewith. I have the honor to remain, with much esteem.
Dear Sir, your most obedient servant,
SILAS DEANE.

LETTER OF ME. EOSS TO ME. DEANE.
Dear Sir —
I confirm and refer you to my last by the Saturday's post. Permit me now to
inform you Mr. Morris is possessed of the instructions to Mr. Lee from Com
mittee of Congress on his being appointed Commercial Agent here. Since your

124 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
last letter came to my hand I suspected this to be the case, from some circumstances, and
by accident last evening learnt it to be so. These instructions are contained in a
letter addressed to Mr. Lee and Mr. Morris, as joint agents, which is similar and
of equal force with the separate powers on which Mr. Morris has acted hitherto.
I therefore take the liberty to recommend Mr. Lee's repairing hither immediately,
to assume the management, being certain Mr. Morris will possess him of this
letter, so soon as they meet, though kept so long back, probably from inattention.
Am pleased Mr. Lee's objection to coming here is so far removed by this intima
tion, and flatter myself to have the pleasure of seeing him in Nantes previous to
my departure, whioh I hope may be the next week.
I am, with particular respect.
Dear Sir, your most obedient servant,
(Signed) JOHN EOSS.
Nantes, %2d July, 1777.
To Silas Deane, Esq.

LETTEE FEOM ME. SIMEON DEANE TO THE Hcfk. SILAS DEANE, ESQ.
AND SIE GEOEGE GEAND, INTERCEPTED (BY THE ENGLISH), AND
PUBLISHED IN LLOYD'S MOENING POST, AUGUST 26, 1778.
Hon. Silas Deane, Esq.
Dear Brother^
I wrote you immediately after my arrival in the frigate Le Sensible ; also three
letters from Yorktown; to those I must beg leave in part to refer you for the
different articles of intelligence at that time stirring ; also the various manoeu
vres, and appearances of parties and factions so notoriously prevailing in this
distracted country. I am sorry to think that such epithets may ever be truly
applied to any respectable public body; but the world must and will soon judge,
whether certain fiagrant transactions proceed from these motives or not.
It is now about a fortnight since I left Yorktown, and ha-ving been travelling
in different parts of the country, have missed two posts from thence, otherwise
should have had letters from our B. D., also from Mr. Holker, who, I conclude,
is ere now at Yorktown. To-morrow I go from hence again to Petersburg and
Richmond, at which two places I expect to make my stand. I am sorry not to
find any of that number of vessels consigned me from Europe ; and as these Capes
have been so closely blocked up, I expe'ct they have fallen into the hands of the
English, except some few who have got into North Carolina, and have then thought
proper to do their own business, which is a practice they pretend to adopt, however
disadvantageous to their owners. But they very often bring some little piddling
fellow, who wUl do it to save himself the commissions, &c. ^

APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS. 125
I have not as yet had any intelligence concerning the Union, Capt. Welsh, from
Cette, nor the Two Friends, from Nantes ; but as the communication is at present
so interrupted both by land and water, I still hope they are somewhere arrived,
either northward or southward. If they were here with such valuable cargoes
as theirs, I could sell for £100,000, and procure tobacco at £4 per cent! in im
mediate payment. Goods are very high here and scarce ; but should these Capes
continue open for a few weeks, as they have been for two or three weeks past,
tobacco would rise, and goods fall very fast. Salt was yesterday sold by the
cargo for 100 pounds tobacco for two bushels ; but it will certainly fall ; indeed
it has already greatly fell.
My fiattering expectations in this country are greatly checked by the missing
so many consignments ; also .by the brigs Two Friends and Union, still unheard
of. However, I shall still continue hereabouts, and try to get what business I
can ; at the same time hope you will not fail to write to our acquaintance in
Europe, and infiuence their consignments in my behalf, without which I fear I
may not be able to make an advantageous settlement here.
Numerous shoals of French adventurers are crowding over in every ship, and
will most certainly attempt to secure the consignments of their countrymen by
every artifice in their power.
I have wrote to Sir George Grand, Mr. Emery & Son, and Messrs. MoreU, by
this conveyance, and would write to aU my other acquaintance in France, if I
could write in French. I beg you to inform them particularly of my situation,
and infiuence their consignments ; especiaUy my partners, Sabbatier and Despres,
M. Chaumont, and M. Grand ; also all our other acquaintance. Pray make my
apology to those gentlemen last mentioned ; assure them that I would write to
them if I could write French ; and whenever I can get a French clerk, will regu
larly write to them.
I am much at a loss to calculate how or in what manner you wiU proceed, in
consequence of the unworthy treatment you have received ; but hope that if you
can consistently stay in France, and turn your views to commercial matters,
they may turn to great advantage. Indeed, one fortunate adventure at thi^ criti
cal time, makes a large fortune. M. Beaumarchais's large ship, Le Tier Rode
rique, from Rochfort, is in York River. She mounts fifty-four guns, and has
nearly discharged her cargo, having sold to the State of Virginia at about six for
one, or a dollar for a livre, prime cost. She was said to have been consigned to
Frangois, but before she came here they made sale of the goods, &c. Yesterday
a ship also arrived mounting forty guns ; she sold her cargo in New London, and
is come to load with tobacco. I have not yet heard her name, or from whence,
but expect to be informed this evening.
I have had the honor to wait on his Excellency, Governor Henry, and also on
Colonel Harrison. These gentlemen have been exceedingly polite and civil, and I
doubt not are your and my real friends. The gentleman first named is very frank,
and speaks concerning the plots of your N. E. friends, together with M  from

126 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
this State, in a manner unreserved. Your letter to him he inclosed, and sent to
Mr. R. Morris, who, he thinks, will get something done in the matter. Mr.
M  , I suppose, has convinced you of the mistake he made concerning his
brother, and of his esteem and friendship for you. They are attacking him in a
certain great and mighty assembly, and 'tis said that some of the Southern
 are joining those from N. E. against him ; especially the present P  1
of C  .
I am told that when Mr. H  tn of B  , the late p  1, resigned his office,
his countrymen of N. E. vigorously opposed returning him the thanks of C  ss.
The two A  's from N. E. are both strongly against him and yourself. God
knows what lengths they intend by their factions ; yet depend, they are indefati
gable. I can with great truth assure you, that, notwithstanding their treatment
of you, and charging every foreigner to your account, they have not yet dared
to attack your character, further than to say you were in trade, &c. This has
been amply blazed by the imprudence of Mr. Bromfield, who has told it every
where, in -Virginia and the Carolinas, that you and M. M  owned a quarter
or half of the ship commanded by Capt. Roche. The effects of that cargo, I be
lieve, are here (or a part of them), in his possession at James River, and in case
they have been laid out into tobacco, last June, at 30 to 36, may turn amazingly
advantageous — but whether this has been fully done or not, I am not informed.
His Excellency informs me that a Land Office will likely soon be opened here
on very advantageous terms for the sale of ***-*¦¦*-*--**-**

LETTEE OF ME. DEANE TO PEESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Philadelphia, 1st November, 1778.
Sir— I think it unnecessary to make any apology for sending you the inclosed esti
mates, and reflections made on two of the most important and interesting sub
jects, for desiring the same may be communicated to Congress; should that
honorable body approve of any or all of them, I shall be very happy, and if they
should not, they wUl excuse me for having given them this trouble, when they
reflect that the desire of throwing some light on these subjects has been my sole
motive. The providing for the redemption of our money, and the establishment of a
marine, are objects which, in my view, far exceed in the magnitude and extent of
their importance, any that are at present under public consideration. They
greatly depend on each other, and, permit me to say, all our future operations in a
great degree depend on them. We cannot pay the interest of any considerable
loan without commerce, which cannot be revived effectually without a marine

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 127
force of our own, which may, I am confident, be formed on the inclosed plan, and
be ready in a short space of time to act with vigor. Great Britain has long had
the empire of the ocean, and, in consequence, the whole world has been her tribu
tary. Her own bad policy and the present war will deprive her forever of that
empire ; at this important crisis, it depends on the measures taken by the United
States, whether they shall succeed Great Britain or not in this extensive do
minion. Reason, observation, and experience authorize me to say there is not
in the world any power so capable of it, and, as the United States can never aim
at foreign conquests, but simply to guard their own coasts, and to protect the
commerce of their subjects, their superiority at sea can never give just cause of
jealousy or offence to any other nation. I am confident that a fieet of forty sail,
to consist of twenty such large ships as I have described, and twenty frigates,
will be more than equal to their purpose, and such a fleet may be got to sea in
the course of the coming year, if the materials wanted from Europe can be pro
cured, which, if immediately applied for, I have not the least doubt of.
I have the honor to remain, with much respect. Sir,
Your most obedient and very humble servant,
SILAS DEANE.
P. S. I am stiU without the honor of any answer to my letter of the 7th ult.

November 13, 1778.
After writing the above, my apprehension lest I should be thought any way out
of the usual course of communicating my sentiments to Congress, made me omit
sending it to you with the inclosed ; but the alarming intelUgence which I received
but a day or two since, of the sentiments of my countrymen in different parts,
on the present situation of the credit of our money, the state of our finances
and resources, and of the temper and disposition prevaiUng in consequence, has
made me waive every personal consideration, and communicate this, with the in
closed, to Congress, and shall count it one of the happiest occurrences in my life
if anything in my power will help to prevent that total loss of public as well as
private credit, which I am sorry to find begins to be almost universally appre
hended — and I fear appearances at this time are in support of such apprehensions ;
which, though at bottom they may be ill founded, yet if once generally prevail
ing, will produce consequences easily foreseen. I beg leave to refer to Col. Duer
for the substance of the intelligence I refer to, having communicated the letters
I have received to him ; for as they contain many things merely personal, I could
not lay them at large before Congress.

128 APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS.
LETTEE OF ME. DEA'nE TO PRESIDENT OF CONGEESS.
Philadelphia, November 19, 1778.
Sir— I did myself the honor of writing to you on the 7th of October last, and having
since received a letter from Mr. WilUams, I send it inclosed, to show to Congress,
that the moneys mentioned by Mr. A. Lee in his letter of the 1st of June last,
to have been received by that gentleman, have, in the opinion of two of the Com
missioners, been well laid out and faithfully accounted for. It gives me great
pleasure to find that the clothes contracted for by M. Monthieu, Messrs. Holker,
Sabbatier, Desprez, that gentleman and others, are on examination approved of
and allowed to be the best of the kind, both as to the quality of the cloth and the
fashion they are made in, of any that have ever been imported. It is indeed a
fortunate circumstance that out of near forty thousand suits so few have been
intercepted. As Mr. A. Lee in his letters, has insinuated that the contracts for
these clothes were made entirely by me, and has charged me with great extrava
gance in them, I beg leave to inform Congress, that these suits complete, and
delivered on board, do not cost on an average thirty-six Uvres, or thirty-one shil
lings and sixpence sterling the suit. I labored hard to send over shoes, stock
ings, and shirts, in proportion, and so far as it was effected, the suit complete,
with shoes, stockings, and shirt, does not amount in the whole to forty shUlings
sterling. These facts being known, I am content to take on myself the merit or
demerit of furnishing these supplies. I will make no comment on the dismission
of a man of Mr. WiUiams's known abiUties, integrity, and economy, and who did
the business of the public for two per cent., to make room for the deputies of Mr.
William Lee, who shares five per cent, with them, nor on the still more unaccount
able conduct of Mr. A. Lee, in ordering biUs, accepted by Messrs. Franklin and
Adams, to be protested. It gives me pain to be forced to lay these facts before
Congress, but cannot, consistent with the duty I owe my country, nor with the
justice due myself, to permit them and others of the Uke nature to remain longer
concealed from public view and examination. My letter of the 7th ult. covered
observations on Mr. Lee's and Mr. Izard's letter to Congress, to which am stUl
without the honor of any reply. Nothing would give me greater satisfaction
than to learn by what part of my public conduct I have merited the neglect with
which my letters, and most respectful solicitations, for months past, to be heard
before Congress, have been treated. I confess that I once flattered myself the
services that I performed in procuring supplies, and sending them to the United
States at the most critical period of their affairs, and in assisting to bring forward
and conclude the treaties, together with the honorable testimonials from the
Court of France whilst I had the honor of residing there, would have merited the
approbation of Congress, with every person of sensibility and honor : to imagine

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 129
what must be my disappointment and chagrin to find myself obliged at last to
leave America without being informed if exceptions have been taken to any part
of my conduct, or what they may be. Thus situated, though I can but feel most
sensibly, yet a consciousness of the integrity and zeal which have ever guided and
animated my conduct, and a sense of the important services I have been so for
tunate as to render my country, with the confidence I have that justice will yet
be done me, support, and will never permit me to forget or desert myself or my
country whilst in my power to be useful. I took the liberty, on the 12th inst., in
writing to Congress, again to remind them of my being without any answer to my
request, and having wrote already repeatedly, I will not trouble that honorable
body further on the subject of my being heard, agreeable to what by their resolu
tions which recalled me and since I hoped for and had reason to expect, but pray
ing them to accept my sincere thanks for the honor they did me in appointing
me their commercial and political agent in Europe, and afterwards one of their
Commissioners to the Court of France, by which I have had an opportunity of
rendering my country important services. I have only to repeat my former re
quest that orders may be given to their minister at the Court of France, to have
my accounts examined and settled immediately on my return thither, referring
to my letter of the 7th on that head, and entreating for a speedy resolution on
the subject. I have the honor to remain with the most profound respect.
Your Excellency's most obedient and very humble servant,
SILAS DEANE.
P. S. Since writing the above, I am informed that letters have been received
from the Honorable Mr. Lee, and read in Congress, which mention certain pro
ceedings of Mr. Hodge, and that a sum of money had been paid Mr. S. Wharton
by my order, without the knowledge of the Commissioners, and which I left un
explained and accounted for. I will only say here, that any insinuations of this
kind are totally groundless, and makes me feel most sensibly what I suffer by not
being permitted to be heard before Congress, which I still solicit for.

17

130 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
COPY OF J. WILLIAMS'S LETTEE. Passt, July 22, 1778.
Dear Sir —
I wrote you a few days since by a Uttle vessel from Dunkirk, which I hope will
get safe to hand.
There is a wide difference between the state of our affairs here at this time,
and during your residence ; no further secrecy is necessary in any operation,
and Government readily assists instead of opposing American transactions ; now
there is no longer any vexation, trouble, or danger. The transaction of the
public affairs is committed to those who did not dare to appear when they were
difficult to manage, and every person who had anything to do with you is shame
fully turned aside, because ******* (pardon the repetition),
because it was you they had to do with ; when I give you this reason, you cannot
be at a loss of the cause. This, however, is not the reason given ; it is, because
the simplicity of public business is necessary for the frugality of the pubUc
money, and that simplicity requires that it should only be in the hands of Mr.
L.'s deputies and sub-deputies. My discharge, therefore, 'tis said, does not pro
ceed from any prejudice to me, for whom they have a great respect and esteem
(these are the words), and two of the Commissioners say that I am honest, that
I have good commercial abilities, that I am industrious, that the money I have
laid out has been very beneficially laid out, that I have done great service to my
country, that I have been very (nay too) reasonable in charging two per cent.
commission when all the other agents charge five. But it is the opinion of one
that frugality requires a change ; this establishes the new doctrine of five being
less than two. M. Grand and I exchanged papers the other day of a very singu
lar kind. I presented him with the approbation of two of the Commissioners for
all my drafts — he showed me the disapprobation of one of them, with a prohibition
to carry said bills to the public debt. Of all the disagreeable dispositions that
the world produces I believe this one stands alone, and, without prejudice or
passion, I am sure (and it is an universal opinion here), that he can never have
anything to do in any business without defeating its purpose, and quarrelling
with all who has any concern with him. I have been here near two months to
settle my accounts, and I have been obliged to collect vouchers in the same man
ner as if I was to appear at a bar of justice, and was accused of fraud, yet I
can't get them examined.
I have given up all the goods that were in- my possession, and the magazine is
stopped. I shall make no comment on the above, so far as it relates to me, nor shall I
make use of any arguments to persuade you to assist me with your interest in

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 131
Congress. If you think me stUI deserving I shall be sure of your friendship,
and I have no right to expect it from any other motive.
War is begun, several captures of armed vessels have been made on both sides,
and two powerful fleets are now at sea — Keppell with about twenty-eight sail
of the line, and d'Orvilliers with about thirty-two. Every hour is big with ex
pectation of a battle. The king is publicly declared, in a letter to the admiral,
that he is determined to tike vengeance, and has directed his ships to seize and
destroy all English property wherever it is to be found.
The Spanish galleons are arrived. I am obliged to break off, but will take up
my pen again as soon as possible. I am, most respectfuUy and affectionately, J. WILLIAMS.
Copy original, per Capt. Whipple.

LETTEE OP ME. DEANE TO PEESIDENT OF CONGEESS.
Sir— I have now to acknowledge your favors of 10 o'clock last evening, and to thank
you for the attention paid to my last letter to you. Previous to receiving the
intimation you have given me "that Congress had resolved to take into considera
tion their foreign affairs, and that such branches as I had been particularly con
cerned in, would in due course become the subjects of deliberation," I had
prepared to leave this city, and had made my arrangements accordingly, whioh
will not be in my power to dispense with for any time. I take the liberty of
mentioning this, as I do not find in the intimation you have given me of the reso
lution of Congress, any time fixed for my attendance, and I take the liberty of
repeating what I have before had the honor of writing to you, that my detention
is extremely prejudicial to my private affairs, and, so far as I am able to judge,
in some degree so, to those of the public which I have had the honor of being
entrusted with, some of which require my presence at the settlement of them,
as well on account of my own reputation as for the interest of the United States.
I have the honor to be, with much respect.
Sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,
SILAS DEANE.
Friday, ith December, 1778.
His ExceUency, Henry Laurens, Esq.

132 APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS.
LETTEE OF MR. DEANE TO THE SECEET COMMITTEE.
Paris, &d September, 1177.
Gentlemen —
Captain Landy is the bearer of this ; he comes in the Flammand, loaded with
stores for America. This cargo has, by a succession of obstacles thrown in the
way, been delayed from January last to a most prodigious cost and expense; I
hope, however, that it may finally arrive in season to be of essential service.
Captain Landy, whom I have mentioned in my former letters, will offer his ser
vice to the United States ; I must repeat here, what I have wrote before, that I
find him to be a skilful seaman, of long experience in every part of the world, of
good judgment, and of the most unsuspicious honor and probity ; I can but con
sider him as a valuable acquisition to our navy. My agreement with M. Mon
thieu, the owner of this ship, in case she should not be sold in America, is, that
she be dispatched with a cargo of tobacco, as soon as possible, if the article is to
be had, if not, with such articles as can be procured, as I have engaged for the
freight out and home, and you are sensible of the necessity of having remittances
by every opportunity. Whatever this ship maybe loaded with, I pray the cargo
may come to Messrs. Eoderique, Hortalez, & Co., as they have advanced for the
arms, and many other articles of this cargo over and above their other large
advances. Tobacco is the best article at present in the por^ of France, or indeed
any part of Europe, and must continue so for a very considerable time yet to
come, most probably for twelve mouths. You will please to send me an account
of the cargo, whatever it may be, that you ship in this vessel, and duplicates by
others. I have the honor to remain, with the utmost esteem and respect.
Gentlemen, your most obedient and very humble servant,
SILAS DEANE.
To the Honorable,
The Secret Committee.

LETTEE OF ME. DEANE TO THE COMMITTEE FOE FOEEIGN AFFAIES.
Paris, September 10, 1777.
Gentlemen —
This will be handed you by M. Francy, who is agent to Messrs. Eoderique,
Hortalez, & Co. You will see by the bills of lading the quantity of stores shipped
by that house, and make some judgment of their considerable amount. The

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 133
vessel in whioh M. Francy comes is loaded with stores, whjoh were long since
engaged, but by a succession of obstacles have been until this detained ; I still
hope they will come in safety, and in season to be of service. The ship will be
offered you to purchase if she suit you, and if not, will be equally agreeable to
have her returned on the owner's account. I could not say anything to purchasing
a ship without knowing more of her than I could know of this. I have, therefore,
left it to your option to pay the price demanded or the freight ; the latter is to
be what is at this time customary in vessels of such force, which not being pre
cisely fixed, is submitted to M. Chaumont by the advice and consent of my col
leagues. It wUl probably be about two hundred and fifty Uvres per ton of goods
to America, and back to France ; it wUl not exceed. Messrs. Roderique, Horta
lez, & Co. have other vessels which wUl foUow this in a short time, which they
want to have dispatched with tobacco, agreeable to what they formerly wrote
you, and M. Francy comes partly on that account — must therefore pray you to
furnish him with the means of procuring the quantity he will want for them, in
season. The cargo of the Therese, sent by the way of St. Domingo, I hope is
by this time arrived : it was so valuable that it was thought most prudent to send
it by that route, as it would run no risk in getting there, whence it might in dif
ferent bottoms be got into the continent, without the considerable risk of going
direct. As the vessels of Messrs. Hortalez & Co. will arrive at a time when
dispatch will be of the utmost consequence, they are desirous to have their car
goes ready on their arrival. By those vessels will write you particularly on this
subject, and in the mean time have the honor to be with the greatest respect.
Gentlemen,
Your most obedient and very humble servant,
SILAS DEANE.
The Honorable,
The Committee for Foreign Affairs.

LETTER OF MR, DEANE TO HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT LAURENS.
Delaware Bay, July 10, 1778.
Sir— This will be delivered your Excellency by Monsieur Chouen, who comes with
letters from his Excellency, the Comte d'Estaing. Permit me to recommend him
to your favors, and desire that you will furnish him with money to the amount of
twenty thousand livres, if he have occasion for it, and the same will be accounted
for by his Excellency, M. Gerard, as I have already mentioned in my letter, per
Captain Nicholson. I have the honor to be, with the utmost respect.
Your Excellency's most obedient and very humble servant,
SILAS DEANE.

134 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
LETTER OF MR. DEANE TO HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT LAURENS.
Philadelphia, September 8, 1778.
Sir— I pray your Excellency to remind the Congress that I still wait to receive their
orders, and though I am sensible that they have many and important affairs un
der their consideration, yet I must entreat them to reflect on the peculiar situa
tion I have for some time past been placed in, and inform me if they desire my
further attendance. I have the honor to be, with the highest respect.
Your Excellency's most obedient and very humble servant,
SILAS DEANE.
His Excellency, President Laurens.

LETTER OF MR. DEANE TO HIS EXCELLENCY H. LAURENS.
Philadelphia, September 24, 1778.
Sir— Being informed that letters from Mr. Izard, reflecting on my character and
conduct whilst in the service of the public abroad, have been read in Congress, I
have to ask that honorable body to grant me copies thereof, and that I may be
permitted to wait on Congress and to be heard in my vindication. I have that
regard for Mr. Izard's opinion of my ability and disposition to transact public
business, which I ought to have, and am consequently easy on that subject; but
facts asserted which affect either, call for an explanation ; those indeed which
respect myself personally, require none before Congi-ess, nor will I trouble that
honorable body with the making any ; but those which regard my character and
conduct as a public minister, and in so important a transaction as that of the
late treaties of Paris, call on me, as well in justice to the public, as to myself,
for an explanation, which I am very happy in the having it in my power to give,
as well as in the confidence I have, that Congress will neither delay, nor refuse
doing this justice, to .a faithful and greatly injured servant of theirs.
I have the honor to be, with the most respectful attachment,
Your Excellency's most obedient and very humble servant,
SILAS DEANE.
His Excellency, H. Laurens.

APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS. 135
LETTER OF MR, DEANE TO HIS EXCELLENCY JOHN JAY.
Philadelphia, 12th May, 1779.
Sir-
I returned last evening, and now send you the New York papers of the 3d and
6th inst. You wiU much oblige me by informing me what resolution Congress
have come to on my letters of the 26th, 27th, and 30th ult., as well as on the
petitions I have repeatedly made to them for the settlement of the business on
which I was ordered to return to America upon. If nothing has been done I
pray to be informed when I may depend on a decisive answer from Congress.
I have the honor to be, with the most sincere respect.
Sir, your most obedient and very humble servant,
SILAS DEANE,
P. S. Mr. Duane has the paper of the 5th, and will hand it to you.
His Excellency, John ,Iay, Esq,

MR, CARMICHAEL'S ACCOUNT WITH MR. DEANE FROM SEPTEMBER,
1776, TO DECEMBER, 1777,
WM. pARMICHAEL, in account with the HON. SILAS DEANE, Esq.
1776
Sept. 4. Lent Mr. Deane  10 10 00
5th to 20th. Sundries paid  1 14 00
Oct. Paid biUs for wood, fruit, candles, &c., &c., &c., of
which Mr. Deane's share amounted to . . . 1 05 03
Paid Traiteur's bill  7 13 06
Sundry expenses at Versailles  1 16 00
Nov. & Dec. Expenses in Holland, at Hamburgh, BerUn, and thence
to Paris  151 00 00
Carriage bought at Hamburgh  19 12 00
1777 To Ja Fargne, by your orders. Hotel de'Antragues . 8 08 00
January. Expenses at to and from Havre, when sent to expedite
the sailing of the Andromeda, &c  29 14 00
Postage of parcels, carriage of fusils, &o. . . . 1 1 1 06
Paid by your order to Captain Hynson, for Taylor's bUl,
board, &c. for which you have his receipt to Congress, 22 13 04
Captain Clerk of Newberry, do  2 02 00

136

.APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.

Lent Mr. Deane in gold 
Sundry expenses at Versailles 
Carriage hire to Dunkirk, 24 days ....
June. Expenses to and from Dunkirk, when sent to get out
Cunningham . 
Paid in cash, and on account of Smith, sent down with
me as surgeon for do. 
Expenses to from and at Calais, to get a copy of Compte
de Maurepa's letter to Lord Mansfield
July. Paid a woman at Dunkirk for complaining to the admi
ralty that the English commissary. Prayer, had en
ticed her husband, a French pilot, into the British
service .¦ .
November. Cash, &c., &c., &c 
December. By order on Dr. Bancroft, for cash taken with him from
me but not disbursed' 

12 12 00
1 05 00
4 09 00
30 06 04
10 11 00
3 17 00

2 02 00

2 14 10

40 00 00

November. 1777
May & June

1776
Sept. & Oct. By wine merchant's bill, &c., &c., at the Hotel De Grand
Villars 
" Taylor's bUl ....
" Surgeons' and Apothecaries' bill
" sundries 
cash from Hodshon at Amsterdam
Bill of Exchange on Hamburgh, from Mr.
cash on account of Captain Hynson, &c.
cash for self
old chaise
cash when going to Dunkirk
cash borrowed
&c., &c., &c., &c., &c.

CR.

Hodshon

78 06 00
100 00 00
* 22 13 04
12 12 00
1 17 06
52 10 00
31 10 00

The above is verbatim et literatim, a copy of the account sent to me by Mr.
Deane, and in Mr. Carmichael's handwriting. ARTHUR LEE.
Paris, January 5, 1777.

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 137

LETTEE OF MR. CARMICHAEL TO  .
Gentlemen —
The arrival of my papers at length enables me, in compliance with your
desire, to reduce to writing the state of facts which I had the honor of personally
submitting to your consideration at Yorktown. I have been under the necessity
of transcribing in full, the letters annexed, lest it should be imagined something
was suppressed which might operate to my disadvantage. I hope the motive
wUl apologize for the trouble I give the committee, and that a man who has once
suffered by injurious suspicions wiU be excused for excess of caution in future.
I know not what resources detected guilt may find for consolation, when even
innocence cannot protect from anxiety the man who, for a moment, is Uable to
suffer in the esteem of the public. I therefore entreat you, gentlemen, to lay
this correspondence as early as possible before the honorable Congress, to whose
justice I am under the highest obligation for giving me the opportunity of
making my defence as public as was the charge against me.
Mr. Arthur Lee having given as a reason for not signing a letter, written un-
soUcited by me, to the committee for foreign affairs, by B. Franklin and Silas
Deane, Esqs., entrusting their dispatches to my care, " That he had received
information within the space of a few days that my political sentiments were not
the same in the commencement of the dispute as they then appeared to be;"
permit me to observe that it would have been proper in him to have mentioned
his informant, the Congress would have then known what credibility was due to
evidence which induced conclusions so unfavorable to the character of a man
who had been a volunteer near eighteen months in their service.
To invalidate the truth of his information, I refer you, gentlemen, to the repre
sentatives of the State of which I am a native, and to a letter. No. 1, from the
chairman of the committee for the county of Kent, my place of residence. This
reference wiU best decide what was my conduct, and what my poUtical opinions
previous to my departure for Europe in 1774.
I think too highly of Mr. Lee's prudence to suppose he would not take particu
lar pains to inquire what were my poUtical sentiments in England before he en
trusted me with secrets and a correspondence which, confided to improper hands,
mi|ht have endangered his Uberty, if not his life. But, lest his prudence should
not be deemed a sufficient evidence in my favor, I beg leave to refer to letters
written to various gentlemen in America by those in England, whose zeal and
attachment are as well known to Mr. Lee as they ought to be to every American.
One of these gentlemen is the particular correspondent of Mr. Arthur Lee, and a
trustee or attorney in England for Mr. William Lee. These letters, now in the
possession of Mr.  , wiU by that gentleman be readily submitted to your
perusal. If these references should destroy the oredibUity of his information,
18

138 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
his conclusions, of course, faU to the ground, and I may be aUowed to complain
that his suspicions should be particularly pointed at me, when not only the three
Commissioners, but Dr. Bancroft, Mr. FrankUn, jr., Messrs. Beaumarchais,
Chaumont, and the two Grands, besides others whom the court might think
necessary to trust, knew as much of the matter as myself, or more.
The suspicion entertained by the French ministry, that the secrets respecting
our affairs were betrayed, is by no means to be wondered at ; for the loss of Mr.
Lee's papers at Berlin, gave such a clue to the English Court that the Commis
sioners could not have concealed the operations at that time commenced, unless,
in the midst of them, they had changed their whole arrangement, which was
impossible. From this unfortunate circumstance arose the necessity of selling
our frigate in Holland, and many obstacles to the transportation of our clothing
from Europe. But that these suspicions were not particularly levelled at me,
will appear by the concealment of Mr. Holker's voyage to America, and the object
of it, from Mr. Lee himself. Indeed, I had the best reason to suppose that I was
not suspected, for I was apprised of the favorable intention of the Court of
France, though not circumstantially, some days before Mr. Lee knew a syllable
of the matter. I am charged also with reporting dissensions among the Commis
sioners which had no existence. I should have been happy that there were none :
I have taken pains to conceal them, but, at the very time alluded to, they were
public at every coffee-house. My friend, Mr. Williams, hath put into my hands
copies of letters to justify himself, should he faU under Mr. Lee's censure, which
he was led to expect from attacks made, without too much consideration, upon
the reputation of other gentlemen ; to one of these. No. 2, I refer to show the
notoriety of these differences at Nantes, three hundred miles distant from Paris,
some time before I quitted the last-mentioned city.
I come now to explain the affair of the Dictionary, which, after being buried
sixteen months in obscurity, was dragged forth to corroborate conclusions drawn
from information that my conduct and opinions had been inimical in the com
mencement of the dispute. I am extremely sorry that suspicions hastily ex
pressed upon misinformation, lay me under the necessity of producing letters
never meant for the pubUc, and accusations which Mr. Lee hath been induced to
make in the same light manner against others, but which a further investigation
hath probably erased from his mind, for I am informed that he hath since in
trusted dispatches to a gentleman whose attachment to his country is well
kno-wn, but whom he once styled a viUain of the first magnitude, as wiU appear
by No. 6 of the papers annexed.
Before I left England, which was in the spring of 1776, Mr. Lee and many
others gave me letters for different gentlemen in America, and as we had agreed
to correspond while I remained in France, Mr. Lee also gave me a small pocket
Dictionary to serve as a, cipher between us, the method of which he then ex
plained ; and, as it was possible 1 might be taken, he pasted two small pieces of
paper between the blank leaves and cover of the Dictionary, which he informed

APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS. 139
mo contained intelUgence for the Secret Committee. This book I made use of in
France for the purpose for which it was originally given, untU the arrival of Mr.
Deane, and afterwards.
As soon as I was informed of this gentleman's public mission, I addressed him
to know how I might soonest convey these letters and this intelligence to America ;
because unhappily my bad state of health, which had long detained me in England,
prevented me from embarking so soon as I hoped and intended. When Mr.
Deane was informed that the intelUgence came from Mr. Lee, he told me that he
was intrusted by the Secret Committee to correspond with him. On which, and
the supposition that the Dictionary might contain some particulars relative to the
situation of our affairs in Europe, essentially necessary for Mr. Deane to know as
early as possible, and which it would have been the duty of Mr. Lee, had he been
on the spot, to have communicated instantly, I offered to put the Dictionary,
with its contents, into Mr. Deane's hands. I had no knowledge of Mr. Deane,
other than the public character he sustained, and had I acted in this transaction
from any other motive than what merely regarded the pubUc service, he would
not have placed the confidence in me he soon after did, a confidence by me unso
licited, and productive of no advantage to me, except the pleasure of rendering
myself useful to the pubUc by assisting him. A little time after this transaction,
Mr. Lee came to Paris, was apprised of the proceeding, saw the Dictionary in
Mr. Deane's possession, and approved of the reasons which occasioned its being
communicated to him. The strongest proofs I can give of this are the letters
annexed, ovir intimacy for many months afterwards, and his proffered confidence
»to take me as his secretary to the Court of Berlin. In one of these letters. No. 7,
you will see, gentlemen, in what manner he speaks of the Dictionary. Indeed,
had Mr. Lee thought proper, he might have still sent it on with its contents, Mr.
Deane having had no proper opportunity of conveyance until after Mr. Lee's
return to England ; why he did not do it proceeded from his being convinced by
BIr. Deane that he by suspicions, expressed in those very dispatches, injured
gentlemen of acknowledged character in the United States. On this occasion I
cannot but observe that deeply as my feeUngs are wounded by the unjust asper
sions cast upon my reputation, it is some consolation to reflect that the same
man not only suspected the integrity and patriotism of General Eeed, and John
Langdon, Esq., of New Hampshire, but meant to convey his suspicions to Con
gress. Probably another reason which induced him to wish that the Dictionary
might not be sent on was, that he discovered the account given in it of the
French ministry to be erroneous.
This, gentlemen, is the history of a business which is revived after eighteen
months' silence, during which Mr. Lee gave me strong and repeated proofs of
public and private confidence : he corresponded with me from that period until
his appointment as a Commissioner drew him from England to France ; he re
mained on the same terms of intimacy during his residence at Paris, and until
his journey to Spain, when he prayed my attention to, and care of, a nephew he

140 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
left behind him. He corresponded with me on that journey, as will appear by
No. 8, and, finally, ou his return, proposed to take me -with him in the most con
fidential capacity, that of private secretary, to BerUn ; and, although he was dis
pleased at my refusal to attend him in a private character, yet he never mentioned
this affair until some time after I left Paris on my way to America, when, in terms
which appeared extraordinary to me, after what had passed, he demanded this
book to be given up, and insinuated the charge I am now called to answer. I
consulted my respect for Congress, and the business I was charged with, and
not the feelings which his letter occasioned. I therefore, instead of returning to
Paris, answered him that the book, -with its contents, would probably be delivered
into the hands of those for whom it was originally intended. If that is not done,
the annexed paper. No. 10, will show that it is not my fault.
It is said there is no evil from whioh some good may not be extracted. I shall
have great reason to think so iu the present instance, if my conduct meets with
your approbation as it did that of Dr. FrankUn, to whom I addressed a letter
recapitulating the preceding facts, and appealing to the testimony of Silas Deane,
Esq., who is now on the spot, to render me justice. With Dr. Franklin's answer.
No. 9, I shall close this long recital.
I have the honor to be, gentlemen.
Your most obUged and most obedient humble servant,
(Signed) WILLIAM CAEMICHAEL.
Philadelphia, 6th August, 1778.

EIAMIMTIOI OF MR. CARMICHAEL
BEFORE CONGRESS.

Mr. Carmichael having, before taking the oath to give true
answers, to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth, touching such questions as shall be asked, intimated
that, as he might be embarrassed by the novelty of his situa
tion, he wished to have the questions propounded to him in
writing, and that his answers might be received in writing, that
he might answer with that clearness and precision which he
could wish.
Ordered, That Mr. Carmichael be informed that the questions
will be propounded to him by the Chair, and that he is to
answer viva voce, but that if he should find himself embar
rassed, time will be given him in the House for recollection.
September 28, 1778.
Mr. Carmichael called in and sworn.
Q. At what time did you become acquainted with Mr.
Deane ?
A. In the month of July or August, 1776.
Q. Did Mr. Deane acquaint you with the nature of his mis
sion to France, and at what time?
A. I was introduced to Mr. Deane by Mr. Eogers, of Mary-

142 EXAMINATION OF MR. CARMICHAEL.
land, who informed him I was zealously attached to the interest
of America, and some time after Mr. Deane acquainted me with
the nature of his mission.
Q. How long after being introduced to Mr. Deane were you
acquainted with the nature of his mission?
A. I cannot recollect precisely.
Q. Did y'ou assist Mr. Deane in his public business?.
A. On knowing the nature of his mission, I offered to assist
Mr. Deane in any way in my power, while I was in France.
Q. Did Mr. Deane accept your offer?
A. He did.
Q. In what respect did you assist Mr. Deane?
A. In various respects ; I assisted him in copying letters and
in conversations.
Q. During the time you assisted Mr. Deane, were you ac
quainted with the receipts and expenditure of public moneys
which passed through his hands ?
A. I knew Mr. Deane received money and made purchases
and contracts on the public account, but as I never wished to
charge myself, or make myself responsible where I could have
no merit, I did not pay suf&cient attention to answer with pre
cision. Q. Do you know whether Mr. Deane misapplied the public
money, or converted any of it to his own use ?
A. My answer to the former question will show that I am
not an adequate judge of the application of public money, and
cannot answer with precision ; at the same time would entreat
that the House would not put an interpretation on my silence
to the prejudice of any person whatever,
Q. From the knowledge you had of Mr. Deane's transactions,
do you recollect any instance which you apprehend to be a
misapplication of the public money ?
A. I beg to know whether I am to answer from my know
ledge, or suppositions, or opinions in my own mind.
Ordered, That Mr. Carmichael withdraw.

EXAMINATION OF ME. CARMICHAEL. 143
On the question whether the last be a proper question, the
yeas and nays being required by Mr. Marchant —
New Hampshire..... M.T. Bartlett  Ay. — Ay.
Massachusetts  Mr, S. Adams  -^y- 1
Gerry  Ay. )¦ Ay.
Holton  Ay.}
Rhode Island  Mr. Marchant  Ay. — Ay.
Connecticut  Mr. A. Adams  Ay. — Ay.

New York  Mr. Lewis  yAy.

G.Morris  Ay.\

Ay.

Pennsylvania  Mr. E. Morris  Ay.
Clingan  Ay.
Maryland  Mr. Chase  No.'\
Plater  No. \
Stone  No. \-No.
Forbes  No.
Henry  No..
Virginia  Mr. Harvey  No.'
E. H. Lee  Ay.
M. Smith  Ay.
Griffin  Ay.^
North Carolina  Mr. Penn  -^2/- 1
Harnet  No. \No.
Williams  No.}
South Carolina  Mr. Laurens  -^y-}
Drayton  Ay. \- Ay.
Matthews  No.}
Georgia  Mr. "Walton  -^y-1
Telfair  Ay. )-Ay.
Langworthy  No. }
So it was resolved in the affirmative.
Ordered, That Mr,. Carmichael attend at the bar on "Wednes
day next, at ten o'clock, to be further examined.

144 EXAMINATION OF MR, CARMICHAEL,
Wednesday.
The last question proposed.
Although I think the House, by their determination, has put
me into a very delicate, and to me, disagreeable situation, as I
am desirous of giving the House every information, I ani ready
to answer the question, provided the question relates to appre
hensions that may have arisen on what I conceived to be fact
at the time,
A. I do.
Q. What were the instances ?
A. The instance I allude to particularly, was the equipping
a vessel of war, where I apprehend the public money had been
appropriated to private uses.
Q. What vessel was it you allude to?
A. It was a vessel intended to be equipped in the Mediter
ranean, partly at the expense of the public, and partly of indi
viduals. Q. The name of the Captain and of the vessel ?
A. The name of the Captain intended to be employed was
Bell; as there were vessels bought which were afterwards
obliged to be given up; there was no name given to any of
them that I recollect.
Q. From what circumstances do you apprehend that there
was a misapplication?
A. From this circumstance, that Mr. Deane ha-ving received
money from M. Beaumarchais, which I conceived to be public
money, did appropriate it to private uses, that is, in the pur
chase of those vessels as far as it regarded individuals.
Q. Why did you suppose that to be public money?
A. Because M. Beaumarchais ha-ving, as I apprehended, ad
vanced before to the public to a large amount, I thought it was
likewise on the public credit he advanced this sum.
Q. Are you clear there were more vessels than one bought
in the Mediterranean?

EXAMINATION OF MR. CARMICHAEL. 145
A. There was but one intended to be bought, but the person
employed bought two, as I understood.
Q. Who compelled the giving up of the vessels ?
A. I understood the State of Genoa had interposed and
compelled the purchaser to restore them to the original pro
prietors. Q. What were the names of the private persons that were to
have been concerned with the public in those vessels ?
A. I do not recollect all the private names.
Q. Do you recollect any ?
A. I understood M. Beaumarchais was to have been con
cerned. Q. Do you recollect any other ?
A. I understood that Mr. Thomas Morris was to have been
concerned for others, but who those others were I cannot posi
tively say.
Q. Was Mr. Deane to have been concerned in his private
capacity? A. I do not know that he was.
Q. Did you understand or were you informed that Mr.
Deane was to have been concerned in his private capacity ?
A. I did not receive such information as to induce me to
believe he was concerned.
Q. If you did not believe that Mr. Deane was concerned in
his private capacity in those vessels, what did you mean when
you said that you apprehended the public money was applied
to private purposes in that instance?
A. I meant that I thought Mr. Deane had applied the public
money to supply the deficiency of the money that others were
to have advanced, but did not, towards the purpose of fitting
out these vessels.
Q. On what grounds did you think that Mr. Deane meant -to
supply those deficiencies?
A. From conversations with divers persons, and other occur
rences at that period.
19

146 EXAMINATION OF MR. CARMICHAEL.
The last question and answer being read, Mr. C. gave this
explanation : —
The idea I meant to convey to the House was this : I appre
hended Mr. Deane had applied the money which I conceived to
be public, to a private use. I judge that I had my information
of Mr. Deane's receipt of the money from M. Beaumarchais,
Mr. Deane himself, and others, but that this information was
merely of the fact that he received it, not whether it was public
or private money which he had received and so applied.
Q. What persons?
A. I apprehend Mr. Deane and M. Beaumarchais were two
of the persons that informed me at that time.
Q. Were the other Commissioners or either of them ac
quainted with this transaction ?
A. I apprehend Dr. Franklin was acquainted with the fitting
out these vessels. I cannot charge my memory whether Mr.
A. Lee was then at Paris or not.
Q. Are you sure that Mr. Deane and M. Beaumarchais were
two of the persons with whom you had the conversations you
before mentioned?
A. I apprehend from the nature of the transaction it must
have been these persons, but I cannot be sure.
Q. By Mr. Adams. Whether from conversation with other
persons or from other occurrences, he had reason to believe
Mr. Deane had advanced or was to have advanced moneys to
make up these deficiencies?
A. I cannot at present absolutely charge my recollection with
what I had reason to believe at that time — probably there might
have been other occurrences which may have induced me to
apprehend a misapplication of the money upon that occasion.
Q. By Mr. Duer. Do you know that the particular sum you
allude to was charged by M. Beaumarchais to the United
States? A. Since my arrival in this country, by conversation with
the agent of M, Beaumarchais, I have reason to believe the

EXAMINATION OF ME. CAEMICHAEL. 147
particular sum was charged by M. Beaumarchais to Mr. Deane's
private account, M. Francis is now in the country and can
answer the question.
Q. Did you know or believe that Mr. Deane applied the
public money to the payment of such parts of those vessels as
were to have been the property of the public?
A. I do not know, I believe that Mr. Deane would have ap
plied the public money to that purpose, but cannot say that he
did. Ordered to -withdraw — to have notice at what hour to attend
on Friday afternoon. Monday, October 5, 1778.
Q. Are you sure that the public had any share in those two
vessels which were purchased in the Mediterranean ?
A. I apprehended at the time that they had, and my reason
for apprehending was that the Captain had a Continental com
mission; I thought they were on the same footing as those
fitted out at Dunkirk.
Q. Were you anywise concerned in equipping Capt. Conyng
ham from Dunkirk?
A. I was in no way concerned in the equipment. I was sent
by Mr. Franklin and Mr. Deane to facilitate the departure of
that vessel from the port.
Q. Was Captain Conyngham's vessel fitted out at Dunkirk
more than once?
A. Captain Conyngham commanded two vessels from that
port, one a lugger, the other a cutter.
Q. Were they fitted at the same time ?
A. At different times.
Q. Were they or either of them public or private property ?
A. I apprehended that each of them were part public and
part private, but I do not certainly know.
Q. When you were sent to dispatch these vessels, did you
consider yourself as acting for the public or for private persons?

148 EXAMINATION OF MR. CARMICHAEL.
A. Every service I performed for the Commissioners I con
sidered as done for the public, and so I considered in this
instance. Q. What reason had you to consider these vessels as part
private property ?
A. From conversations I had at the time, particularly with
Mr. Hodge, I had reason to apprehend he was concerned.
Q. Had you reason to suppose that Mr. Deane was concerned,
or any of the Commissioners ?
A. I did apprehend at that time that Mr. Deane was con
cerned in the first equipment.
Q. What reasons induced you to apprehend that Mr. Deane
was concerned in the first equipment?
A. I cannot recollect the reasons that induced that belief,
but I know that I did at the time apprehend he was concerned.
Q. At what time was the first equipment mad'e, what year,
and what month?
A. At present I cannot precisely recollect. I think it was
in the spring, 1777. The captain of the Harwich packet will
nearly point out the time of the sailing.
Q. Do you know if any and what instructions were given to
Captain Conyngham respecting that cruise?
A. I think there were instructions given, but I cannot be
particular what those instructions were.
Q. By Mr. Lee. Do you know that the vessels or either of
them, were ordered to cruise on the coast of England ?
A. I speak to the first vessel, I believe the object was to
cruise for one of the Harwich packets. I myself gave direc
tions. Q. Was this equipment at Dunkirk made with or without
the knowledge of the French ministry?
A. I cannot answer as to the knowledge of the French min
istry. Q. Did you overhear that the French ministry objected to it?
A. I know they gave proofs that it did not appear to be,

EXAMINATION OF MR. CARMICHAEL. 149
agreeable, for the Captain was imprisoned upon his return to
Dunkirk. Q. Did you hear that the French ministry objected previous
to the sailing?
A. I do not know that they knew of the first vessel previous
to her sailing, therefore they could not object to the equipment.
Q. Did you ever hear that the French ministry offered to
pay the expense of equipping those vessels, or either of them,
to prevent their sailing?
A. Of the first vessel I never heard that they did ; of the
second, I heard after she had sailed that they had given orders
to pay the expense to prevent her sailing.
Q. Did you understand that much diligence was used to push
these vessels, or either of them, out of Dunkirk, to prevent the ef
fect of the measures the ministry had taken to stop their sailing ?
A. With respect to the last, I believe all possible diligence
was used to accelerate her departure, to prevent measures from
being taken by the ministry to stop her sailing.
Q. Did you ever see or hear of a letter or letters written by
the Count de Vergennes to M. Grand, or the Commissioners,
complaining of this measure ?
A. I have heard that there was such a letter, but I do not
know whether to M. Grand or the Commissioners.
Q. Do you know whether the Commissioners had received
any order from Congress or the Secret Committee relative to
the fitting out of these two vessels ?
A. I do not know whether they had received orders relative
to the fitting out of these two vessels.
Q. Did you ever hear that they had?
A. I never heard that they had received orders to fit out
these two vessels particularly, I heard that they had general
orders to fit out vessels.
Q. Do you mean vessels of force to cruise against the enemy?
A. I do, because they received Continental commissions for
the Captains.

MR. LEE'S NARRATIYE.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY, THE PEESIDENT OF THE
HONOEABLE THE CONGEESS OF THE UNITED
STATES OF AMEEICA. Paris, February 10, 1779-
SiR—
A letter under the signature of Silas Deane, and addressed to
the citizens of America, has been published with great avidity
by our enemies, and propagated through all Europe.
Of the public effect it is likely to produce, I shall only speak
in the words of a foreign minister here — that he doubted
whether any power in Europe would, for the future, think*
itself safe in treating with us.-* Indeed, it must be ob-vious, that
* The following expression in Mr Deane's letter : "I now see, what I have for
some time suspected, a design to lead you into a breach of your national faith
and honor solemnly pledged," tends so directly to destroy all confidence in our
faith among the powers of Europe, that it is not incredulity itself to believe it
was done without design. Lord Mansfield and the Court of England are now
employing this assertion with all the courts in Europe, to prevent them from
negotiating -with us, and Lord Mansfield himself, could not have devised an argu
ment more effectual. Mr. Deane will not deny that when we were settling the
treaty here, he had a private conference, upon matters, unknown to one of your
Commissioners at least, with a Mr. Paul Wentworth, the corrupt and corrupting
instrument of Lord Mansfield. I was informed of this some time after, and de-

152 ME. lee's narrative.
if one who has been entrusted with a negotiation, is at liberty
to reveal to all the world, and to misrepresent what has come
to his knowledge under that trust, there is an end to all public
confidence and safety. I am at a loss to conceive what can be
more traitorous to the community than such conduct.
Nor is it possible to devise a surer method of disappointing
the negotiations in behalf of the States, by rendering the per
sons of the negotiators odious and suspected, than for a man
who is known to have been in high office, thus to publish
against them the basest and blackest accusations. It imports
not, as to the injurious effect, whether' they be true or false.
The mischief may happen before it is possible to prove the
falsehood of what is alleged ; for example, Mr. Deane says : " A
gentleman of character in Paris told him that his correspondent
in England, saw a letter written by me, dated the night of
signing the treaty, and giving an account of its being signed."
Had Mr. Deane named this gentleman of character, or his cor
respondent, I, or any other person, could have gone to him to
trace and refute the falsehood, but as it stands I can only say,
it is not true ; which puts it upon the foot of my denial against
his affirmation, and leaves the mind in doubt, but always
tainted with the suspicion, that there must be something in the
accusation, or a man would not hazard his name to it. With
this dark covering are many of his accusations clothed, which
shows the art and unfairness with which they are made.
Congress will now permit me to speak to those charges,
which he has made against me. And first, I do most solemnly
declare, before God and man, that every one of them is totally
and absolutely false.
His first charge is, that by a " wanton display of my errand,
sired to know of Mr. Deane the subject of this conference, who told me, it was
only general professions of -wishes to accommodate. I o-wn, therefore, that I
cannot help connecting this conference with a declaration so pernicious to our
cause, and so direct to the purposes of our enemy. But the facts are before you
for your own judgment.

MR. lee's narrative. 153
I gave just cause of distrust to the Court of Madrid," and was
restricted to Burgos. I inclose a copy of the letter'"' written to
me by order of the minister, which contains his reasons for
wishing me to meet him first at "V"itoria, and then at Burgos : I
thought it prudent to comply, and wrote immediately to my
colleagues for their opinion, which may be seenf concurring
with mine. Upon my interview with the Duke de Grimaldi,
and his endeavoring to dissuade me entirely from going to
Madrid, it seemed to me proper to make the representation, a
copy of which is inclosed.^ This, I conceived, would either
alter their sentiments, or make them more liberal in their aids,
by way of compensation.
With regard to the "wanton display of my commission"
which Mr. Deane charges rue with making, I affirm nothing
can be more contrary to truth. I defy him to produce the least
tittle of evidence of what he asserts, or in contradiction to what
I declare, that I did not communicate my mission to any one
living, or had the smallest intercourse with any person from
Bordeaux to Burgos. It was impossible to conceal that I was
going to Spain, or prevent persons writing so to Nantes and
Bordeaux. But this was all they knew.
* Extract from the said letter. "MAnKiD, 11 th February, 1777.
"All which we shall so manage as to meet one and the other at Vitoria, where
we shall tarry under some good disguise until our mutual arrival, and as this
noble minister has had to this day the entire direction of all affairs, and is of
course fully acquainted with his majesty's intentions, believe it is the only per
son with whom you might treat, either in said place, or some country house that
might be picked up for the purpose, and thereby avoid the inconveniences which
must inevitably follow by your coming to Madrid.
"P. S. Having considered upon the properest place for our meeting, we have
settled it on that of Burgos, instead of Vitoria, which pray note accordingly, and
hope to meet you there." See the whole letter authenticated. No. I.
"March 21st, 1777.
+ " Mr. D. is stiU here. You desire our advice about your stopping at Bur
gos. We agree in opinion that you should comply with the request." See the
extract authenticated, No. II. signed B. FrankUn.
t See a copy of the memorial authenticated. No. III.
20

154 MR. lee's narrative.
By the extract of our public letter* it appears that it was
the public good which called upon one of us to go to Madrid ;
and it certainly was that which animated me to travel night
and day through every inclemency of -weather, to accomplish
this end. But, according to Mr. Deane, the secret purpose was
to get rid of me, which, though I have suspected, I little im
agined he would have had the imprudence to declare, and by
that means point out the real cause of all the cabals which have
been constantly working to calumniate and vilify me since my
return from Spain.
As a co-ver for this, I am represented as " proclaiming my
hatred and contempt of the French nation, and being suspected
by persons in high office from my connections with Lord Shel
burne." Situated as I was, if I regarded only my personal safety, it
would have been little short, of insanity to 'have made such
declarations, whatever might have been my opinion. If Mr.
Deane means that I frequently exclaimed against those con
tractors and jobbers, who, very much under his influence, were
doing injustice to the public, he is right ; and in no other sense
is there a color of truth in the charge. I had travelled three
times before in France, from my own inclination ; was this like
one who hated and despised the nation ?
If I was suspected for my connection with Lord Shelburne,
till very lately an avowed and able friend to the American
cause, how came it that Doctor Franklin, who was known to be
intimately connected with Lord Howe, Sir Grey Cooper, Sec
retary to the Treasury, and Mr. Strahan, the king's printer, the
most ministerial servants and enemies to America, should have
escaped suspicion? If I was suspected, how came the court
* "Finding that our residence here together is nearly as expensive as if we
were separate, and having reason to believe that one of us might be useful in
Madrid, and another in Holland, and some courts further northward, we have
agreed that Mr. Lee go to Spain, and either Mr. Deane or myself to the Hague.
Mr. Lee sets out to-morrow." See the extract authenticated'. No. IV.

MR. lee's NARRATIVE. 155
and ministers here to trust me with those of their proceedings
which they most wished to be kept secret? The truth is, that
I have been apprised often of Mr. Deane, by himself and his
agents, having endeavored to excite this suspicion in order
to injure me. And. so far, did he flatter himself he had suc
ceeded,' that it appears from the declarations which many gen
tlemen, particularly Mr. Stevenson, heard Mr. Carmichael, once
Mr. Deane's confidant, repeatedly make at Nantz, that he knew
the excuse Mr. Deane would make to Congress for his doing
the business of the Commission without consulting me, would be
that the French ministry had desired it. Mr. Carmichael added
that he did not doubt this arose from Mr. Deane's suggestions.
I have written but two letters to Lord Shelburne since my
leaving, England, of which I send you copies (No. V.), I owe
this testimony to the honor of that nobleman, that, notwith
standing our former friendship, he never has attempted directly
nor indirectly to get a line from me, nor has he had one but
the above, one of which was written soon after my arrival here;
and the other to recommend the business of our prisoners. I am
next represented "as making the tour of Germany to arrive at
Berlin in safety, where I was unfortunate enough to do nothing
but lose my papers, discover the secrets and expose the mea
sures of my colleagues, so as to enable the British ministry to
counteract the measures takeij for our advantage,"
That my door and desk should be broke open in the midst of
the city of Berlin, in open day, was an outrage little to have
been expected, and which no human prudence could have pre
vented. When Mr. Deane imputes this to me as a crime, he
shows at once his candor and his forgetfulness, that a similar
accident happened to us all in France, when our dispatches by
Folger were robbed. Is it sure that the enemy received no
intelligence from that robbery ? Congress will see by the in
closed letter''^ from me to my colleagues, the real state of the
* "Finding two days ago, while I was at dinner, my bureau had been broke
open and some papers stolen out which were in my portefeuiUe. The EngUsh

156 ME. lee's NARRATIVE.
robbery at Berlin, and the early notice I gave them of that
event, to prevent any possible ill consequences. Let him point
out the measure or measures for the public good which it ena
bled our enemies to counteract. Certain it is, that it did not
interrupt that foolish and fatal business at Dunkirk, which was
entirely his, as Dr. Franklin always disclaimed it, and which
threw Mr. Hodge into the Bastile, deprived us a long time of
even being admitted to see the minister, drew from him the
most disgraceful reflections against us, and a positive order*
for all our vessels of war to quit the ports of France in twenty-
four hours, and not to return. " Pourvu que ce soit k la condi
tion bien exprim^e de ne plus revenir;" these are the minis
ter's words. He says I did nothing at Berlin; yet Mr. Deane
had read the Prussian minister's letter,t pledging the king, in
ambassador happened to be in the hotel where I lodge, when I discovered the
robbery. Upon being informed that I was gone to the governor, and that the
suspicion fell upon one of his servants, he went away in great confusion, and in
half an hour the portefeuiUe with all the paperg were laid down at the door."
See authenticated copy, No. VI.
Extract of a letter signed in the king's own hand on the same subject: —
" Le Eoi ayant re9u la lettre du Sr. Lee, de Berlin, le 1st Juillet, et sa plainte
du vol qui lui a ete fait, vent bien faire savoir en reponse, qui sa majeste vient
d'ordonner a son Ministre d'Etat le Baron de Schulenbourg d'entendre ce qu'il
auroit a lui dire ult^rieurement la dessus." See authenticated copy. No. VII.
* Extracts from the minister's letter to a third person, he not then correspond
ing with the Commissioners: —
" Vos amis ne sont pas ni justes ni honnetes s'ils se plaignent des homes qu'on
a du mettre aux entreprises de leurs corsaires. An reste, si on m'^crit, et que ce
soit d'une maniere convenable, je prendrai les ordres pour repondre. Mais vis
k vis ce que vous me mandez des dispositions de vos amis, je vols que le senti
ment de I'amitie ne se grave pas profondement chez eux. Je ne sais pas si en
Am^rique il est permis d'user de ces sortes de detours, mais en France, et en
Europe, c'est une faute tres grave de mentir an Eoi, ce qu'U a fait lorsqu'U a
affirm^ et cautionn^ que le batiment sorti de Dunquerke n'alloit point en course."
See the whole letter authenticated, No. VIII.
f Extract from a letter dated Berlin, 16th January, 1778, signed Baron de
Schulembourg : —
"Si Majesty souhaite que vos g^n^reux efforts soient suivis d'un plein succes,
et comme je vous I'ai dejS, marqug dans ma lettre du 15 Deer. eUe ne balancera

MR. LEE'S NARRATIVE. 157
the strongest and most explicit manner, to acknowledge our
independence the moment it was done in France. He knows
that letter was shown to Count de Vergennes and M. Gerard. I
have already had the honor of sending Congress a copy of this
letter, and they had in their possession a refutation of this
charge as of many others, at the time it was made. The ac
knowledgment of our independence included every purpose I
went for, and would have fulfilled the utmost object of my nego
tiation. The sudden and unforeseen death of the Elector of
Bavaria, on the 30th of January, by the smallpox, and the war
that grew from it, prevented the King of Prussia's compliance
with his promise, because it would necessarily have thrown
Great Britain, Hanover, Hesse Brunswick, and their connec
tions into the emperor's scale against him. But, surely, there
is not another mortal breathing, so uncandid as to visit this
upon me, or to think I failed in my negotiation, because events
uncontrollable by any man living, disappointed us of the fruits
of it, the moment they were ripe for gathering.
My correspondence with Dr. Berkenhout is his next charge;
he is obliged, however, to confess I communicated " a part" of
it to my colleagues. How does he know I did not communicate
the whole? I did communicate the whole, that concerned us
jointly. What more could have been required of me? But
he forgets to add that I also laid it before the French ministry,
and that my answer was made by their unanimous advice. Dr.
Berkenhout's reply, and his declining to proceed any further,
was not owing to the news of General Howe's success, as will
appear by my letter.* It was, that the English ministry under
stood that there was a difference between Dr. Franklin and me,
which rendered it useless to treat with us. This report had
pas a reconnoitre votre independence d^s que la France, qui se trouve plus direc-
tement interess^e §, Tissue de cette contestation, en donnera I'exemple." See the
authenticated copy. No. IX. The copies of the Prussian Minister's letters to me,
Nos. X. and XI., contain further accounts of my negotiation.
* See a copy of my letter. No, XII. (A)

158 MR. lee's narrative.
been industriously propagated, both here and in London, by
Mr. Deane's cabal, to injure me.
Mr. Deane asserts that, "about the time of the arrival of the
news of General Burgoyne's surrender, my secretary went to
and from London, charged with affairs which were secret to
your other Commissioners."
Congress will be astonished to hear that I had no secretary
at that time, nor at any time before it, except Mr. Sayre, who
left me at Berlin, and has not been in Paris since. Let Mr.
Deane name, if he can, who that secretary or person was. The
first secretary I ever had was Major Thornton, who entered
upon, that office late in January, 1778. At the time Mr. Deane
mentions. Major Thornton was chosen by my colleagues, I never
having seen or heard of him before, to carry our letter to Lord
North about the prisoners, and to visit and relieve them. This
will be seen by Dr. Franklin's letter,* introducing him to Sir
Grey Cooper, and announcing his business. Among other let
ters of information which he wrote us from London, and Avhich
were long concealed from me, one contains the following re
markable piece of intelligence: —
" Lord North told Mr. Hartley last Saturday, the 3d of Jan
uary, 1778, that he knew of several persons who had come to
London, from Messrs. Franklin, Deane, and Lee, and that Dr.
Bancroft had been in London, and he was informed had been
sent by those gentlemen from. Paris on stock -jobbing business."
The fact is, that Dr. Bancroft, then acting as secretary to Mr.
Deane, and living in the house with the other Commissioners at
* " Receiving frequent accounts by American prisoners, who have escaped
from your jails, of the miserable situation and hard treatment of their country
men at Portsmouth, and Plymouth, we have prevailed with a gentleman. Major
Thornton (to us much a stranger, but who appears a man of humanity), to visit
the prisons, and give from us some relief to these unfortunate men." See the
authenticated copy. No. IV. (A), dated Passy, 11th December, 1777, and signed
B. FrankUn. N. B. Mr. Austin arrived at Paris, with the dispatches of General
Burgoyne's defeat and surrender, the 4th December, 1777.

MR. lee's narrative. 159
Passy, went off express for London the very day the news of
the Saratoga surrender arrived. Mr. Jonathan Loring Austin,
who brought the dispatches, knows this, as does every Ameri
can who was then in Paris, or in London. The infamy of this
transaction was visited equally upon me.
The whole of this forgery is calculated to support his insin
uation, that I held a correspondence with the enemy, and be
trayed state secrets ; and to confirm this, he refers to ,a decla
ration of Charles Fox, that the treaty, was signed. For this '
purpose, too, he has converted Charles Fox from a family foe,
as every one knows he is, into , the friend of Lord Shelburne.
It is impossible Mr. Deane should be ignorant of what was the
common talk and surprise of the time, that . Mr. Fox expressly
declared that his information came from Dr. Franklin. The
following are his words, as detailed at large in the Courier de
V Europe, Mardi, Fevrier 24, 1778:—
"Chambke de Communs, stance de Mardi, 17 Fevrier.
"J'ai vu une lettre du Docteur FrankUn dans laquelle ce Commissaire de
I'Amerique dit expressSment a son correspondant a Londres, il y a dix jours
que les deputes du Congress ont signg avec le ministere Fran9ois un traite de
commerce, dans lequel toutes les formalit^s qui s'observent de nation a nation
contractantes ont ^te solemnellement observ^es."*
To fix, therefore, this imputation upon me, of having betrayed
to the enemy " an important matter, that was agreed to be kept
a profound secret," he has recourse to a gross falsehood, and a
most palpable misrepresentation of a notorious fact.
But what will be the opinion of him, when, from the follow
ing declaration of Captain M. Livingston, which I have under
his hand, a direct and irresistible conclusion arises that Mr.
Deane himself betrayed the secret, not a/ter, but ie/bre the treaty
was signed, which was ten times worse. "Pakis, llth April, 1778.
" I do certify that I was shown a letter in London, dated the 27th of January
* See authenticated copy. No. XIII.

160 MR. lee's narrative.
last, which I was told was written by Dr. Bancroft to Mr. Wharton, informing
him that he might depend upon it, he had it from the very best authority, that
the treaty with the Court of France, was to be signed the 5th or 6th of February,
and desiring him to make his speculations accordingly, in the above words, or
words to that effect. I do also certify that I have seen Dr. Bancroft's hand
writing on other occasions, and that I believe the above-mentioned letter to have
been written by him."* Signed M. LIVINGSTON
Witness, Geo. Digges.
Captain Livingston is a gentleman of unimpeached character,
was some time lieutenant on board the Boston frigate, which he
quitted with a recommendation from the Commissioners to
Congress. He now commands the Governor Livingston, and I
hope will reach America to confirm personally what he has
given under his hand. Dr. Bancroft lived with Mr. Deane as
his secretary, and every one will judge who was his best authority.
And since Mr. Deane chooses to deal in circumstantial evidence,
there is one circumstance very strong to point this to him;
which is, that it appears, from a mistake of our banker in having
charged to the public account what belongs to the particular
one of Mr. Deane, that some little timef after this transaction
Mr. Deane remitted to this Mr. Wharton in London, from Paris,
19,520 liv. 14 s. It is proper to observe that this gaming was, by
giving so much down, to receive a certain sum on the happening
of a stipulated event in a given time. This made it necessary
to remit. Mr. Deane may perhaps explain this away; but I beg
it may be by well-authenticated facts, not by mere assertions,
as I think some doubts have been thrown on his veracity.
Before I quit this article, I must observe that the stock-job
bers have been base enough to circulate reports that my brother,
Mr. Izard, and myself, were also employed in stock-jobbing.
They found this upon my having sent my secretary. Major
-* See authenticated copy. No. XIV.
f "Trait de Samuel Wharton de Londres du 17th Fevrier, sur M. Silas Deane,
19,520 liv. 14 s. Signe Grand."
True extract from the banker's accounts. H. Ford, Secretary.

ME. lee's NARRATIVE. 161
Thornton to London. I will state the facts for the judgment of
Congress. Finding Major Thornton, from the activity and in
trepidity of his disposition, and his acquaintance in the army
and navy, to be a very proper person to get me intelligence of
the designs and measures of the enemy, I sent him to London
for that purpose with the following instructions : —
"February 21, 1778.
"Instructions to Mr. Thornton — To go -with all speed to London, and there
learn the real and probable future force of Great Britain; the number of men
raised and to be raised, and where stationed ; the number of ships and seamen ;
whether the harbor of Shields is fortified; with all other information he may
think of use."*
He accordingly brought me a very accurate account of the
number and disposition of the force of Great Britain, of which
I informed Congress, in my letter to the Committee, dated
April 4, 1778.t
The next important period for intelligence was, when the
great fleet of the enemy was arming. I therefore sent him to
London again, with the following instructions : — "April 30, 1778.
" To find the destination of the main fieet under Keppell ; the number of sea
men actually in service ; whether there is any design against the Spanish flota, J
and what it is ; to get copies of material papers of the Cabinet, the Treasury, or
the Secretary of State's Office; whether any more naval or land force is to be
sent to America, what, and when ; to trace the correspondence by the lady in ^
Paris ; to trace the ministerial connections and proceedings of the stock-jobbing
company, and get copies of their letters, the feigned names under which they
correspond, and the key to their cipher.''^
Mr. Thornton continued to send me constant intelligence on
the above subjects,] and particularly on the force and desti-
* See the authenticated copy. No. XV. (A.)
j- See the authenticated exti-aot. No. XXXII.
J Of this I informed the Spanish ambassador. See No. XVI. authenticated.
I See the authenticated copy. No. XV. (B.)
11 Of which I made communications to Count Vergennes and the Spanish am
bassador. See No. XV. (G.)
21

162 MR. lee's narrative.
nation of Byron's fleet, of which I sent notice to Count Ver
gennes,^ as appears by my letter-book the 10th of May ; and
wrote to all my correspondents in France and Spain to com
municate it to all captains going to America.
Of this also I informed Congress, by my letter of the 23d of
May, in these words: "I have sent orders to all the ports in
-France and Spain, to communicate the account of the sailing of
a fleet of thirteen ships from England against America, to all
the captains who sail for the United States or the French
islands. This, I conceived, would be the most certain means of
communicating the alarm and preventing surprise. The minis
try here are also to convey a letter from us by every opportu
nity to the same purpose."t I was not at Passy when this
letter was signed, and therefore my name was not to it.
Before Mr. Thornton went the last time there Were whispers
that he had been concerned in stock-jobbing. I taxed him with
it; and he satisfied me, by a letter from Mr. Wharton, that,
though strongly solicited, he would not hold a correspondence
with him. These whispers grew stronger in his absence, which
made me caution him against giving any foundation for them.:j:
At length, a formal accusation was given in against him to Dr.
Franklin by Dr. Bancroft, in behalf of Mr. Wharton. It con
fessed that the former had gained upon his information ; that
he had given Thornton a promissory note for £500, payable on
' a declaration of war in such a time, and charging him with
having taken copies clandestinely of material papers.§ It ap-
* See authenticated extract. No. XV. (C.)
•j- See authenticated extract. No. XV. (F.)
J See authenticated extract. No. XVIII. And I also wrote to every worthy
person to watch his conduct. See my authenticated letter, No. XVII.
g " Some time in March last, Samuel Wharton informed me by letter, that he
feared his brother, Joseph Wharton (who had lost near £10,000 sterling by the
bankruptcy of Richard Ford & Co.), was disposed to endeavor to repair his
losses by insurances upon political events, and that Mr. Thornton was, as he sus
pected, encouraging and misleading him into that kind of speculation. A few
weeks afterwards, Mr. Austin infqrmed me that Mr. Thornton had sho-wn him a

MR. lee's NARRATIVE. 168
pears from Mr. Livingston's letter to me, that the material
paper cited by them in evidence of this, was furnished from
Passy,* and probably with a view of giving color to this accusa
tion. But Mr. Jonathan Loring Austin, who acted then as our
secretary, having assured me that he saw the promissory note
in Mr. Thornton's possession, and he not coming when I re
called him to answer the accusation, I took another secretary,
the Eev. Mr. Ford, and have not heard of Mr. Thornton since.
So far, however, they succeeded in seducing from me the best
intelligence I could possibly have found ; and avenging them
selves on a man who had given early warning of Dr. Bancroft's
proceedings. When Mr. Deane asserts that "frequent bickerings and dis
putes happened between Mr. Lee and him for his attention to
the public service," he commits a little mistake. It was be
cause he was sacrificing the public to private views, usurping
the sole management of that business, in which I was equally
authorized and equally interested; and because the public
money was expended without any specific accounts or vouchers,
and I had great reason to believe was very improperly spent.___
I have Dr. Franklin's testimony that he did the business
-without me, as he says in his letter to his nephew : " Mr. Deane
generally consults with me (not with his colleagues), and has
my approbation."f Indeed, it may well be conceived that, not
withstanding the modesty and unassuming diffidence so con
spicuous in Mr. Deane's character, yet, as he conceived himself
saddled with me, the moment I was appointed, he would find
note of hand for £500 sterUng, payable by Joseph Wharton, on condition that
war should be declared before a certain day in April ; this note I understood to
have been obtained by Mr. Thornton from Mr. Wharton, as a consideration for
some intelligence."
True extract from the original in the handwriting of Dr. Bancroft, with which
I am weU acquainted. H. Ford, Secretary.
* See authenticated copy, No. XXI.
f See a copy of the whole letter authenticated. No. XIX.

164 MR. lee's narrative.
out some means of relieving hiniself from the burthen. The
Madrid scheme, it seems, I maliciously disappointed, by pro
claiming my commission along the road ; he therefore cut the
matter short by setting the power of Congress at defiance, and
usurping to himself that Commission with which they had
jointly intrusted me.
I beg the particular attention of Congress to one observation,
the truth of which, the contracts, appointments, and banker's
accounts will show. That, though the public money was
equally in my disposal, I never disposed of fifty pounds without
the concurrence of my colleagues ; nor did one livre go through
the hands of any relation or connection of mine. That no con
tract or place was ever given by my recommendation. The
graciousness and the advantages of these things, my colleagues,
their friends and relations, enjoyed exclusively and entirely.
One would have imagined this might have kept them in good-
humor with me; but unhappily it did not.
I come now to one of the weakest confessions of criminality
ou the part of Mr. Deane that ever the blindness of passion and
rage of accusation produced. He informs the public that he
received, the 4:th day of March, the resolution of Congress, which
he quotes, at large, recalling him and appointing another Com
missioner in his place ; yet with this recall and annihilation as
one of your Commissioners in his possession, he imposed him
self upon his colleagues, upon the Court of France, and upon
all Europe, as still a representative of the United States. He
was publicly presented, on the 20^^ of March,* to the King and
Court of "Versailles as still bearing that character ; and this was
announced to all Europe. He disposed of the public money to
others, and took largely of it to himself, as will appear by the
following articles in the banker's account : —
* See the authenticated extract from the Court Gazette of France, No. XXXV.

MR. lee's narrative. 165

March 15. Assignation de M. Silas Deane, 3, Js. Barnet
" 17. Autre du meme a B. Nicholson .....
" 25, and 27. Assignm. de M. S. Deane a H. Johnson & J. All
" 17. Compte a M. S. Deane, sur re9U ....
" 24. " " "
" 30. " " " ...
" 30. Pay€ " " ....

250 240
1,400
4,8002,400
26,715 4,800*

Thus Mr. Deane, no longer a Commissioner, takes out of the
public treasury, entrusted to your Commissioners only, in the
space of thirteen days, 38,715 livres, or £1,700 sterling, to his
own use. It may be imagined this was to pay the necessary
expenses he had incurred here. But I appeal to the banker's
accounts, to the Hon. John Adams, Esq., and young Mr. Frank
lin, whether his houserent, his furniture, his carriage, and even
the wages of his servants, have not been paid since out of the
public money. Neither can he pretend it was for the expenses
of his voyage, since these were defrayed by His Most Christian
Majesty. That he concealed his recall from his colleagues, will appear
from the following letter of Dr. Franklin. As I had heard a
report of Mr. Deane's recall and Mr. Adams's appointment, I
thought it more delicate to inquire about the fact from Dr.
Franklin than from Mr. Deane, and therefore I wrotef to the
former to know whether there was any intelligence received at
* I have compared the above with the original accounts delivered in by Mr.
Grand, and find the statement and sums to be just. H. Ford, Secretary.
[A Note added in Philadelphia.] — The first three sums, amounting to 1,890
Uvres, have been omitted in Mr. Lee's account, which he calls in gross, 38,715;
but the whole amount, from the 16th to the 30th of March, is 40,606, the differ
ence 1,890. The reading should therefore be : "in the space of 15 days, 40,605
li-vres, or £1,776 9 4J sterling," computing livres at lOJ d. After having re
ceived his recall, and information that another person was appointed Commis
sioner in his place, Mr. Deane's power over money in the public banker's hands
ceased, and he ought not to have touched a livre of it without an order first ob
tained from his late colleagues.
+ See the authenticated letter. No. XX.

166 MR. lee's NARRATIVE.
Passy, of the recall of one of the Commissioners. To this I re
ceived the following answer : — Passt, March 13, 1778.
Dear Sm —
I have been told that some passengers landed at Orient, from an American
ship, report that Mr. Adams is coming out to replace Mr. Deane ; but I have re
ceived no advice of that kind from Congress, and suppose that, if true, he -wUl
bring their .orders with him. I have the honor to be, &c.
Signed B. FRANKLIN. ¦»
But these were not his only transgressions against the laws
of his country at that period. Mr. Deane knew that it was one
of the fundamental laws of our Union, that no person in the
service of the United States should accept frora any king,
prince, or minister, any present or gratuity whatsoever. He
knew it, because the Articles of Confederation were transmitted
here, and printed by our order, and delivered to this court and
several others: yet, in Jhe. face vQf this fundamental law, Mr.
Deane accepted of a ^Id snuffbox, set with diamonds, from
the King of France. This -eourt- was at that moment anxious
to gain every influence for the ratification of the treaties, and
the disappointment of the British Commissioners, the extent of
whose offers were not known, and Mr. Deane was too modest
to refuse the douceur they offered.
"Dr. Berkenhout," says Mr. Deane, "hath since said that he
had letters to the Hon. Eichard Henry Lee, Esq., from the Hon.
Arthur Lee, Esq., joint Commissioner of the United States at
the Court of Versailles, and sole Commissioner of these States
at the Court of Madrid." Before whom did Dr. Berkenhout
say this? Was it to General Maxw^ell, or to the council which
examined and released him? Did Providence reveal this also
to Mr. Deane? Was it revealed before or after the Dr.'s de
parture ? Wherefore was it that Mr. Deane, who knew of his
being in Philadelphia, who had, as he pretends, suspicions of
* See the authenticated copy. No. XX.

ME. lee's NARRATIVE. 167
my correspondence with him, and of my designs against the
independence of my country in favor of the English, did not
give information against the Dr. when in custody, and have
him examined as to this particular and important point? What
was it sealed his lips, till opening them could be of no use, but
that of aspersing those he hated, and has infinite reason to fear?
Particulars are not for Mr. Deane's purpose, they would en
danger his " stubborn and undeniable faots." General slander,
vague and dark accusation, are at once his dart and his defence.
His malice gives a certain force to his accusations, and people
are apt to mistake at first the venom of the shaft for the vigor
of the bow. When slander is his object, no name escapes him.
When evidence is required, his delicacy about names is in
vincible. I not only never wrote a line to Dr. Berkenhout- about my
brother, or any other person in America, but neither he nor Mr.
Temple ever apprised me of their intention of going. I was
informed of it by others jiist about the time of their sailing, and
had some correspondence on the subject, of which I send copies.*
As to my being at once "joint Commissioner at the Court of
Yersailles, and sole Commissioner at the Court of Madrid," it
is a wilful and shameless perversion of truth, for as shameless a
purpose — that of deceiving the public and calumniating their
absent servant. I have seen Mr. Deane read my commission
more than once ; he knew that when I became Commissioner at
the Court of Madrid I ceased to be such at the Court of Ver
sailles ; nay, that the moment I quitted Paris to enter upon the
Commission at Madrid, my powers as Commissioner here ceased,
and were no more. The words are : " Provided, always, that
the said Arthur Lee shall continue to be possessed of all the
powers heretofore given him as a Commissioner at the Court of
France from these States, so long as he shall remain in and be
present at the said court."
* See No. XV. of the authenticated extracts, at the letters (D) and (B).

168 Thus the existence of the one was incompatible with that of
the other Commission, and they could not possibly take place
in me at the same time. Thus, too. Congress had a person
ready to embrace the first favorable moment of negotiating
with Spain without any additional expense, which must neces
sarily have been double, had they appointed another person ;
yet this wise and economical measure of Congress excited infi
nitely Mr. Deane's spleen; because, either in his misconception
or misrepresentation, it showed an extraordinary confidence in
the man he hated, and whose ruin he meditated.
"  Hinc spargere voces.

In vulgum ambiguas, et quserere conscius arma.''
But, admitting two commissions had been actually confided in
me at once ; how came this to give such alarm to Mr. Deane's
virtue, when it was not shocked in the least at having an hun
dred committed to the three, which according to this plan were
soon appropriated to my two colleagues, and were likely to vest
in Mr. Deane alone ? I was dispatched to Madrid ; Dr. Frank
lin or Mr. Deane was to go to Holland. Suppose it had been
the former; then Mr. Deane, whose acquaintance with Europe,
its language, courts, and politics, was of two whole months
standing, and who had travelled quite from Bordeaux to Paris,
might have had at once the negotiations to manage with the
Courts of Versailles, Vienna, Prussia, Portugal, Sardinia, Naples,
Tuscany, Eussia, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, the Swiss Cantons,
all the Electors and sovereign Princes of the Empire, those of
Italy, the Grand Seignior, the Emperor of Morocco, and the
Barbary States; yet I do not remember that the modesty and
diffidence of Mr. Deane expressed the least apprehension at the
probability of so much power devolving upon him alone. His
mind seems to have been entirely employed in providing against
the possibility of so unequal a weight falling upon my shoul
ders. We are not to search too deep for the motive of so
obliging an act.

MR. lee's narrative. 169
Mr. Deane's piece was published on the 5th of December.
On the 14th of September preceding. Dr. Franklin was chosen
Minister Plenipotentiary here; and, consequently, I was no
more a Commissioner at the Court of Versailles. If it were
possible to conceive that Mr. Deane, though residing in Phila
delphia, and attentive to the proceedings of Congress, could be
ignorant of this, his own advices to France announcing it,
would prove that when he published to the people on the 5th
of December that I was a "joint Commissioner at the Court of
Versailles and sole Commissioner at the Court of Madrid" he
asserted that which he knew to be untrue, and this with the
worst and basest of all purposes, the imposing upon the public,
to induce them to censure Congress and myself unjustly.
Mr. Deane informs the public that, "unfortunately for them
I gave universal disgust to the nation whose assistance we
solicited." He had taken so entirely the business of the Com
mission into his own hands, that not a millionth part of the
nation knew that I was a Commissioner or even that I existed.
Of all the letters addressed from different parts of the king
dom, there was not one in an hundred which bore my name.
The following pa.ssage of a letter from the Messrs. Delaps, of
. Bordeaux, will show the fact and reason of it. "January 3, 1778.
"We wrote several letters addressed to your direction, to whioh we received
answers only from Messrs. Franklin and Deane, which gave us room to ima
gine you were absent; in consequence of which we replied only to them gen
tlemen." Neither these letters nor answers in general were communi
cated to me. In answer to his assertion, I will subjoin a single
week's engagements from raj memorandums, from which every
one may judge on what terms I was with the French nation.
Possibly Mr. Deane may have poetically put his friend M.
Beaumarchais for the French nation, as I certainly have given
him disgust by opposing a demand for £200,000 sterling
22

170 MR. lee's narrative.
against my country, the justice of which I have very good rea
son to doubt.
Note of Engagements to Dine. — Thursday, M. Turgot ; Friday,
Count Sarsfield ; Saturday, Count Welsh ; Sunday, Prince Tin-
gry; Monday, Duchess d'Anvelle; Tuesday, Mons. de Sartine,
Ministre de Guerre ; Thursday, le Mareschal Due de Mouchy;
Saturday, Due de Aien. Mr. Deane's calumny obliges me to
make a show of the attention paid to me here by persons of the
highest rank, which otherwise I never should have mentioned.
There could not be a thing more notorious than that I asso
ciated with and cultivated the French people ten times more
than Mr. Deane. It is true that I did not attempt to have my
name celebrated as all-powerful and all-bounteous in every
coffee house in Paris, by arrogating sovereign power, giving
commissions and recommendatory letters to all persons who
would attend at my levy and flatter my greatness. I considered
such conduct as criminal, and never concurred in it. In my
judgment it was an usurpation of the sovereign power which
sent us, and exercised without the least discretion or discern
ment. It is in vain to say the court was desirous these officers
might be sent, and that recommendatory letters were not con
clusive upon Congress. I have had it from Count Vergennes
himself that he disapproved of it. Those who gave the recom
mendatory letters knew that the persons receiving them con
sidered them as commissions, anal when they were disappointed,
they deemed and complained of it as an act of the highest in
justice.* Congress know how much money and disquiet these
ill-judged and presumptuous proceedings have cost them and
the public. As soon as Mr. Deane informed me of his arrival
and business, I came to Paris at the hazard of my life, to con
sult with him, and communicate to him whatever was in my
power for his information. Without derogating from the trans
cendent abilities of which this gentleman thinks himself pos-
¦* See the authenticated copy of a letter. No. XXII., which is a strong proof.

MR. lee's NARRATIVE. 171
sessed, it might have been supposed that one who had been so
long in Europe, engaged and active from the beginning, in this
question, repeatedly employed, and actually in equal trust with
himself, might have given some useful advice. But Mr. Deane
neither ever communicated to, nor consulted with me, and
when I offered my opinion, he received it with such captious
rudeness and indecency as soon satisfied me of the inutility of
again repeating it.
I hope I shall be pardoned for begging the attention of Con
gress while I answer also the accusations of Mr. Deane against
my brother, who, being absent in Germany, cannot defend him
self by this opportunity. I have in my possession, proofs of
the untruth of every charge which he has made.
Mr. Deane says, that, after informing Mr. William Lee of his
appointment as Commercial Agent, " he heard nothing from him
till the month of June, when he arrived in Paris." My brother
wrote to me immediately that he would come over as soon as
he could settle his affairs, of which I informed both my col
leagues. He came while I was in Germany, and remained here
by the express advice of Dr. Franklin and Mr. Deane, he having
no commission to act, and they refusing to give him any counte
nance, till Mr. Eoss wrote in the following words, from Nantz,
to testify that he was authorized, and to press his coming
down. "Nantz, 22d July, 1777.
"Permit me now to inform you that Mr. Morris is possessed of the instruc
tions to Mr. Lee from committee of Congress, on his being appointed Commercial
Agent here ; since your last letter came to my hand I suspected thus to be the
case from some circumstances, and by accident last evening learnt it to be so.
These instructions are contained in a letter addressed to Mr. Lee and Mr. Morris
as joint agents, which is similar and of equal force with the separate powers on
which Mr. Morris has acted hitherto. I therefore take the liberty to recommend
Mr. Lee's repairing hither immediately to assume the management.
Signed "JOHN EOSS."
This letter was addressed to Mr. Deane; their consent could

172 MR. lee's narrative.
now no longer with any decency be withheld, and my brother
set out for Nantz with a letter from us, recommending harmony
between the commercial agents in conducting the public busi
ness. Unfortunately for my brother's peace, that harmony ap
peared to have taken place, as we soon received a joint letter
from them stating that the powers given to Mr. Williams by
Mr. Deane for his name only, appeared in them, though it ap
peared afterward that Dr. Franklin had confirmed them, were
incompatible with their agency, and therefore they requested
those powers might be recalled. An answer was prepared to
this letter and shown to me; it expressed a willingness to
recall* those powers and to vest them in Mr. Lee alone, with
very strong expressions against Mr. Morris. I objected what
was obvious, that this would destroy the harmony recom
mended, and without which the public business could not go
on ; that the right answer seemed to me plain and simple, which
was to recall the powers complained of, without saying any
thing for or against either of the gentlemen, which it was mani
fest would be productive of bad consequences. My opinion
was not approved. Neither that nor any other answer was
* The sincerity of this profession will appear from the following extract of a
letter in the handwriting of Mr. Williams, dated Nantz, 21st August, 1777, and
which also shows the private traffic they were carrying on.
" To the Honorable Silas Deane, Esq. — ¦
"I have received your favor of the 18th inst., and observe that matters rela
tive to the ships of war and prizes are to remain as they were. The Lion goes
on as fast as possible. I have been on board the prize brig, and do not think
she is so very fine as was at first supposed ; she is a very good merchant vessel,
but is not well fitted for a fighting one, though capable of carrying about twelve
guns, for a small defence, but they must all fight exposed. Mr. Ross tells me
he has written to you on the subject, and the matter rests whether according to
his letter you will undertake or not; if we take her on private account she must
be passed at 13,000 Uvres, because that has been offered for her, and I believe
that is the extent she would sell for without guarantee.
Signed "JONATHAN WILLIAMS."
True extract. H. Ford, Secretary.

MR, lee's NARRATIVE, 173
ever sent to this or to any of the letters written to us by the
agents, jointly or separately.
My brother returned to Paris in October, and then received
his commissions. On the 13th, the Commissioners met by his
desire (and Mr. Izard attended), when he gave them an account
of the situation of the commercial affairs at Nantz, and stated,
that in consequence of the powers given to Mr. Williams, a
quarrel had been produced, which made it impossible to con
duct the public business with effect till these were recalled and
the Commissioners gave their support openly to the agents ap
pointed by the Committee. He said, people in general could
not determine who was Commercial Agent, and others took
advantage of their mutual pretensions and endeavored to play
one against the other. There was a prize or prizes lying
stripped, plundered, and rotting ; no one choosing to become
purchaser, under an uncertainty of who had the true authority
to sell. He therefore begged to know whether they would
recall this order from Mr. Williams, and support him in the
execution of his office. The two eldest Commissioners professed
a willingness to recall the order, but positively refused to give
them any support. Thus the meeting ended ineffectually, the
order being not only not recalled, but soon after confirmed and
extended.* Congress will therefore judge with what propriety
and truth Mr. Lee is accused of having "declined to regulate
these affairs when lo-adly called upon." The addition that he
* Extract of a letter from Nantz to Dr. Pranklin, 18th April, 1778.
"Dear and Honored Sir —
" As I never had any recall of the power the Commissioners gave me, I was in
duty bound to signify to M. Schweighauser that T should oppose those of his
powers from Mr. Lee that should interfere with mine. Mr. A. Lee is informed
of this, and demands of me copies of the powers I hold from the Commissioners,
which I have accordingly made out; but as I do not choose to give your signa
ture without your knowledge, I inclose the copies to you and beg you will give
them to Mr. Lee, if you see no objection. "JONATHAN WILLIAMS."
This letter is in the handwriting of Mr. Williams. H. Ford.

174 MR. lee's narrative,
declined it, "lest his property in England should be affected,"
is a surmise and a calumny entirely worthy of Mr, Deane, A
letter had long before that been written from Paris to London,
and published in the newspapers, giving his name at large, with
information of his being at Paris, and having accepted of the
commercial agency,* His wife, children, and fortune, were in
the power of the enemy, to whom this information was given,
I am not the only person who had it from a gentleman much in
their secrets, that this letter was written by persons under Mr,
Deane's roof, and known to be under his direction.
Mr. Deane proceeds : " He returned to Paris, and there re
ceived his appointment of Commissioner to the Courts of Vienna
and Berlin; he continued, nevertheless, inactive at Paris until
the month of December, carefully concealing his appointment,
which might indeed have militated against his q^ce of Alderman
of London, which he did then and probably does still retain.
When the news of General Burgoyne^ s defeat and surrender arrived,
it produced a revolution in the minds of many, and among
others, inspired your Commercial Agent and political Commissioner,
the Honorable Wm. Lee, Esq., with some degree of activity in your
favor" This infamous aspersion comes from the man who knew that
my brother had come from London, had openly taken upon
him the agency, went down to Nantz where every one saw him
* "Dr. Lee's brother, the Alderman of London, is arrived here; he hath ac
cepted of the employment of Commercial Agent to Congress — the Alderman is so
much of a courtier that he places all virtue in economy." The preceding is an
extract of a letter dated Paris, 12th July, 1777, and inserted in the PubUc
Ledger of 22d July.
Extract of another letter taken from the Public Ledger, and dated Paris, 25th
August, 1777.
"What doth the court ot Aldermen say to Lee's departure? He lives [in] the
Rue Jacob, in as sparing a manner as American frugality will permit, and yet I
am told his allowance from the Congress as their Commercial Agent is considera
ble. His brother, Dr. Lee, hath dropped Sayre in Germany."
True extract. H. Ford, Secretary.

MR. lee's narrative. 175
act as agent, had written a number of letters as such to the
Commissioners, and of whose acceptance of the place public
notice had long been given in the English papers. His ap
pointments as Commissioner were received by us, and given to
him by us, as appears by our common letter to the Committee.*
From whom did he carefully conceal them? Does this man
mean that he did not proclaim them to the world? He charges
me with not concealing mine, and my brother with concealing
his. Charges equally false and equally foolish.
On the 13th November, as I was in correspondence with the
Prussian Secretary of State, I wrote to him by my brother's
desire, as follows: —
" Since I had the honor of receiving your Excellency's favor of the 8th, a com
mission has been received appointing Wm. Lee, Esq., deputy of Congress to the
Court of BerUn, with powers to negotiate a treaty of amity and commerce with
the King of Prussia. Your Excellency will have the goodness to communicate to
us His Majesty's pleasure relative to this Commissioner's coming to BerUn, in
which he will entirely conform himself to the king's sentiments."
To this, I received the following answer, dated 28th of No
vember: —
"Quant a la commission du Sieur Guillaume Lee, le Roi ayant declare, plu-
sieurs fois, ses sentiments sur les difficult6s actuelles d'une liason de commerce
avec I'Amerique, malgre sa bonne volenti constante pour le Colonies, ne sauroit
prevoir comment, les circumstances n'aient point changes le Sieur Lee, pourroit
faire i sa Majesty des propositions plus acceptables, ni par consequent qu'il
pourroit 6tre le but ou le succfes de sa mission."!
On the 23d of December he wrote me again: — t
" Je ne manquerai pas d'averter M. Guillaume Lee, dis qui le Roi jugera que
son arriv^e ^ Berlin pent etre d'une utUite mutuelle."}:
The death of the Elector of Bavaria, as I mentioned before,(l)
* See the authenticated copy, No. XXIII.
f See the authenticated extracts. No. XXIV.
J See the authenticated extracts, No. XXIV.

176 MR.
prevented this moment of mutual utility from arriving, and
consequently my brother's reception at Berlin.
In the meantime my brother himself communicated his com
mission for Vienna to Count Merci, the imperial ambassador,
who informed his court, from which still less encouragement
was received.
On the 4th of December Mr. Austin arrived with the news of
Burgoyne's defeat and surrender, and the battle of German-
town. The French court upon this approaching us to treat, it
was thought proper for him, especially as the King of Prussia
promised to follow their example, to wait the effect of the con
clusion of the treaty, and the declaration of our independency,
which we supposed would follow it. When these took place,
he departed for Frankfort, having first consulted both the
Commissioners here and the minister, on which court he should
apply to first. But Hanover, and its connections, having taken
part against the empress, Vienna seemed to promise the fairest
opening. The rest he will explain himself. It suffices that I
have opened enough to show the malice and untruth of Mr.
Deane's charges and insinuations; or, as he terras them, his
"stubborn and undeniable facts."
As to the aldermanship, my brother wrote soon after his first
arrival here, to his most patriotic common councilmen, that he
would send thera his resignation whenever they found it con
venient to make a new election as they liked. It appears by
the English papers, that it was not till last St. Thomas's day
that they requested his resignation, and this in consequence
of a second offer from him at Frankfort.
"He appointed," says Mr. Deane, "sundry commercial agents,
dismissed one who did the business at two per cent., and shares
five per cent, with the others for superintending, at Vienna, the
business done on your account a thousand miles off from his
place of residence."
His accuser is one who applied to the court here to give Mr.
William Lee, as surviving Commercial Agent, an order to re-

MR. lee's NARRATIVE. 177
ceive the papers of the deceased Mr. Thomas Morris. Of this
our joint letter of January informed Congress.* In Mr. Deane's
estimation, therefore, he continued competent to, and bound to
act in that office, notwithstanding his new appointment. To
discharge that trust until a new agent should be nominated,
my brother appointed three of the most unexceptionable men
in France, Messieurs Schweighauser, Bondfield, and Semosin.
All this he wrote to the Committee, desiring a new appointment,
and we both pressed the same to our private friends, as essen
tially necessary to the public good. It is now near a year since
Congress resolved, that the Commissioners here should appoint
an agent or two to supply his place. We answered Congress,
as they would probably appoint consuls agreeable to the treaty,
we should inform Congress if we found it necessary to make
any change in the agents Mr. William Lee had appointed. f
That he dismissed Mr. Williams is directly contrary to truth;
he neither appointed nor dismissed him. Dr. Franklin and Mr.
Deane appointed him. Dr. Franklin, Mr. Adams, and myself,
dismissed him.:}: I send proofs from Mr. Williams's own letter,§
and accounts,! that he has done the very thing, with regard to
sharing the five per cent., with which Mr. Deane charges my
brother. I also inclose evidence from the letters of Mr. Wil-
liams,T and Mr. Morris, that it was the latter who made this
agreement with him, without the knowledge or participation of
my brother, though they knew he was joint Commercial Agent,
and was at Paris ; where it was the intention of the Committee
that the agent should reside, and where Mr. Deane must ac
knowledge he stationed himself, when in that department. It
was by such little tricks as these that all order and decency
* See authenticated extracts, No. XXV.
j- See the authenticated extracts, No. XXIX.
J See the authenticated extracts. No. XXX.
I See authenticated extracts. No. XXVI.
II See authenticated extracts. No. XXVII.
^ See authenticated extracts, No. XXVI. and XXVIII.
23

178 MR. lee's narrative.
were banished from the conduct of our commercial affairs.
Either my brother must have acquiesced in this agreement,
whether he approved of it or not, or he must have quarrelled
^ith his colleagues; either of which, those who contrived it,
knew would equally answer their purpose.
When called into the public service, my brother quitted a
situation in London, at which few strangers ever arrive. He
came here in expectation of doing service, instead of which he
was treated with every kind of indignity by Mr. Deane, and
obliged to acquiesce under the usurpation of his place and
powers by one who, a year before, had been clerk to a sugar-
baker in that city, when he was one of the chief magistrates
and merchants.
As to the commission which Mr. Wm. Lee is said to have
shared, he neither stipulated for, nor shared any with those .he
appointed ;* and I am most sure that he made more in any one
week in London, than his commissions on the public business
amounted to in ten months. But how utterly void of every
sense of shame and decency must Mr. Deane be, who inveighs
so violently against my brother for bearing at once a political
and a commercial character, when he tells us in the same
breath, that he himself was the "political and comraercial agent
of America in Europe." He resided at Paris, had five per
cent, commission, and his sphere extended, not a thousand
only, but three times a thousand miles. He whose extent of
travelling had been bounded by Philadelphia, and whose former
life gave him as much opportunity of knowing the merchants
and politics, the commercial and political state of Europe, as
the ship that brought him. Besides, his total unacquaintance
with the language of Europe, rendered the acquisition of that
knowledge, for some time at least, utterly impracticable. I
* See Mr. Schweighauser's and Mr. Bondfield's certificates, that my brother
neither directly nor indirectly stipulated for, nor received any share in the com
missions, nor any gratuity whatsoever for his appointment. No. XXXIII.

MR. lee's narrative. 179
have sent Congress copies of Mr. Williams's accounts, from
which it will appear, that instead of having done your business
for two per cent, he has received two per cent, for not doing your
business, and as M. Peltier du Doyer, one per cent., besides
gratuities for doing it. To any other man but Mr. Deane, it
would be felt as worse than death, that among the multitude of
his charges and assertions, there is not one but what is refutable
by undeniable evidence.
After having thus exposed the malice and untruth of Mr.
Deane's accusations, the honor of every man in Congress must
feel for my situation, when I assure them that, since my return
from Spain, this assassination of my character, which is now
extended to America, has been practised without intermission
by a cabal of Mr. Deane's, both in Paris and London.* These
imputations were so artfully and industriously urged, that my
best friends were tainted by them for some time. But this is
not a subject which I shall now enter into.
In every accusation the character of the accuser ought to be
considered. Is Mr. Deane's character fair? Is he an unaccused
man, and has he answered by anything but his own assertions,
the accusations against him? Do not his own confessions ren
der him criminal, and are there not upon the records of Con-
* Extract of a letter published in the Public Ledger, and dated Paris, July
12, 1777.
" Dr. Lee is certainly joined in the Commission, but he understands the busi
ness of courts so ill, that not one of the ministers wiU negotiate with him. He is
the straight-laced image of awkward formality. To the preoiseness of a Presbyte
rian he endeavors to add the Jesuitism of a Quaker. The one renders him ridicu
lous, the other suspected. When he thinks he is imposing on mankind, they are
laughing at him."
Extract from another letter, printed in the Public Ledger, Paris, dated Sept.
2, 1777.
"Two of these Commissioners, for the third is a cipher, are protected in their
pubUc capacities by the Court of VersaiUes; the Court of London hath sent one
ambassador, the Congress of America have sent two, to France."
True copy. Attest, H. Ford, Secretary.

180 MR. lee's narrative.
gress, or of the Committee, evidence from himself of his illegal
conduct, and of the malice and falsehood of many of his accu
sations against my brother and me?
" Mr. Lee," says this accuser, "was dragged into the treaty
with the utmost reluctance." The authenticated extracts which
I have the honor of sending from my private and public letters
from the first moment of the treaty's being taken up by this
court, till after its conclusion, prove that this charge too is, like
all the others, destitute of every color of truth.
No man, it will appear, could be more anxious for its con
clusion, nor any one more rejoiced or more sanguine in his ex
pectation from it than myself Every letter* will show how
strongly my sentiments were against England and in favor of
France. It was my hope and expectation as I wrote Mr. S.
Adams the 1st of March, "that the British Commissioners
would return as they came unless they had power and did
acknowledge, fully and clearly, the sovereignty and independ
ence of America as an indispensable preliminary ;t this hope
and this expectation were fully gratified by the proceedings of
Congress. I also gave immediate information of the intention
the British ministry discovered of endeavoring to succeed by
bribery.:}: Congress know whether Mr. Deane gave the sam.e
warning, for he certainly was also informed of it. The variety
of accusations which it hath pleased Mr. Deane to make against
my brother and me, has necessarily drawn this answer into a
tedious length. Congress I am sure will pardon me. When
I entered the public service, it was with a resolution of serving
at the hazard of everything but of my honor and reputation,
yet I feel it as a real misfortune that I am compelled to call
so much of your attention to what may be deemed the con-
* See authenticated extracts. No. XXXI.
f See extracts. No. XXXI. (E.)
J See No. XXXI. (D.) "But the ministry of England give out that they have
dispatched half a million of guineas to pave the way to a favorable reception of
their propositions."

MR. lee's narrative. 181
cerns of individuals, but in truth the public is highly interested
in the question. There is one observation on Mr. Deane's con
duct which I cannot omit.
He acknowledges his having been passed in both of his
suspicions, and what he grounds them upon when he left
France. He would induce us to believe that he considered his
recall, not to be for any misdemeanor, but to give Congress an
account of their affairs in Europe. For this purpose he had
two audiences of Congress. Now I appeal to every man living,
whether, if he had the least evidence to support his suspicions,
or had any sense of the duty he owed to his country, his first
word ought not to have been, "Gentlemen, I have a matter to
communicate of the last importance to these United States ; I
beg a secret committee may be immediately appointed, to whom
I may make it known, that upon their report you may take
such measures as you may think the welfare of the public re
quires." Could there be possibly anything more highly and iramedi-
ately interesting to the common weal, than the treachery of one
so highly trusted as I was, and possessed of such a knowledge
of your affairs, as to have it in my power to do infinite injury?
If he really believed what he pretends, could he have avoided
making this communication? Does he not know that if what
he mentions could be proved, and would fix treason upon me,
that his concealment of it so long is misprision of treason ?
From the 19th of August to the 5th of December, he left me to
do all the mischief to the public, which he could not but expect
I should do, if I were guilty of what he accuses me.
At length he publishes it to all the world, and, of conse
quence to me. It was therefore a warning to me, if guilty, to
go over to the enemy, with every coramunication that could be
injurious to your interests. The extremes of folly and unkind-
ness combined could not have dictated a conduct so opposite
to what he ought to have pursued.
The truth is that Mr. Deane expected, from the effect of a

182 MR. lee's narrative.
French fleet, of which he was to claim the sole merit, the bril
liancy of a diamond snuff-box, and complimentary letter, that
he should have nothing to do, but make his triumphal entry
into Philadelphia, and return immediately. ¦»****

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO
IN SUPPORT OF MR. LEE'S LETTER.

No. I.
FROM JAMES GARDOQUI, WITH A. LEE'S ANSWER.
Madrid, February 17, 1777.
Akthur Lee, Esq., Sir —
My person and house, in the commercial way, are well known to the American
colonies, not only on account of our long standing correspondence of thirty or
forty years, but also on that of the true affection with which we have endeavored
to serve them. I am lately arrived at Madrid on some particular affairs which
have occasioned my treating with the ministers of state who have honored me
with their especial favors and trust, and of course this has led me into the bottom
of the principal affairs of Europe, among which I have talked about your coming
from Paris to Spain, undoubtedly with the design of treating on the subject of
the colonies, as I judge they have already done and continue doing at said Paris ;
but having heard that in such a small place as Madrid it would be absolutely
impossible to remain incog, either by your own or any other name, and you
would of course be spied by the gentlemen here who have a real interest therein ;
and, consequently, you could not treat with the ministers without hurting the
colonies in the highest degree by your own doings, and besides you would set
this court at variance without success, I judge you will improve of the opportu
nity which offers by chance, and I think is an excellent one, and have therefore
no objections to hint it to you, being fully assured that it will cause no dis
pleasure here.
The Marquis of Grimaldi intends to set out soon for Biscay, and I propose to
do the same for my house at Bilboa, all which we shall so manage as to meet one
and the other at Vitoria, where we shall tarry under some good disguise until
our mutual arrival, and as this noble minister has had to this day the entire

184 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS,
direction of all affairs, and is, of course, fully acquainted with his Majesty's in
tentions, believe it is the only person with whom you might treat, either in said
place or some country-house that might be picked up for the purpose, and there
by avoid the inconveniences which must inevitably follow, by your coming to
Madrid. By the aforesaid, believe I have given you a proof of my attachment to
the colonies, and I must also add, with all truth, that the principal persons here
are of this same opinion, although the present state of affairs obliges them to
make no show thereof. In short, sir, I hope you will approve of my proposed
method, being the safest and most natural to carry out the views of both parties,
and beg you would give me an answer through the same hands as the present
will be delivered you, doubting not but you will tarry at said Vitoria until we
get there ; and you will also observe that you wUl be at full liberty to proceed to
Madrid, if you should judge proper, after you have talked over the matter with
nobleman, which being what occurs.
I have the honor to subscribe myself sincerely, sir.
Your most obedient humble servant,
JAMES GARDOQUI.
P. S, Having considered upon the properest place for our meeting, we have
settled it on that of Burgos, instead of Vitoria, which, pray note accordingly,
and hope to meet you there.
February 16, 1779. Copy of a letter with its P. S., signed James Gardoqui.
Compared by John Adams.
Received the 28th.

ANSWER. Burgos, February 28, 1777.
Sir— I have the honor of yours of the 17th, and, agreeable to your request, will
wait for you at this place. I have the honor to be, sir,
Your most obedient servant,
ARTHUR LEE.
Duplicate copy. H. Ford, Secretary.
February 16, 1779. Copy of a minute, in the handwriting of the Hon. Arthur
Lee, made on the above letter. Compared by John Adams.
On the Inside Cover. — "To Arthur Lee, Esq., at  "

Outside. — "To A. Dr. Arthur Lee, Caballero Ingles."

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 185

No. IV.
EXTRACTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS' LETTERS TO THE
COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS.
(B.) Paris, 2Sth April, 1777.
"As the minister from Prussia may not soon arrive, and that court has shown
a disposition to treat, by entering into a correspondence with us, we have thought
it might be well that one of us should visit it immediately, to improve its present
good dispositions, and obtain, if possible, the privilege of their ports to trade
and fit ships in, and to sell our prizes. Mr. Lee has readily undertaken this
journey." Copy of a paper in the handwriting of M. GiUee, said to be a copy. Compared
by John Adams. (C.) Paris, Sth September, 1777.
"Spain not having yet resolved to receive a minister from Congress, Mr.
Franklin stUl remains here. She has, however, afforded the aids we formerly
mentioned, and supplies of various articles have continued till lately to be sent,
consigned to M. Gerry, much of which we hear have safely arived."
February 19, 1772. Copy of extract from a copy attested by W. T. Franklin.
Compared by John Adams.

No. VIII.
VERGENNES TO M. GRAND.
Sir— Your idea has been thought to be good, but as it can produce only a small
effect without a frequent repetition of it, it is judged best to defer the execution
until the moment arrives proper to render the sensation more durable. The
news received from Holland from the envoy of certain personages in America, is
not confirmed from any other quarter. There is no longer any doubt of England's
desire of peace ; the minister himself wishes it, but I do not believe it is upon
America's terms. Your friends are neither just nor honest, if they complain of
the bounds which must be set to the enterprise of their privateers. They have
24

186 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
been informed of what can be granted ; they have been entreated to conform
themselves to our obUgations. We have exercised a patience which they ought
not to have counted on. But when matters are carried to excess, it is necessary
to let them see that we are not insensible. We cannot suffer the privateers of
any nation whatever to come in and go out of our ports as they would in and out
of their own ; our treaties will not permit it. In like manner we cannot admit
the sale of prizes. As to everything else we have been easy, as we have been
heretofore, in whatever could be expected. It is with regret that in some few
cases, although we have had frequent occasion, we have urged some severity ;
however, if I have a letter written to me couched in proper terms, I shaU take
order for returning an answer. But with regard to what you tell me of the dis
position of your friends, I see that the sentiment of friendship is not deeply en
graved in them. M. De Chaumont hath spoken to me of the intention they now
have to sell their privateers here. If they had rather send them away let them
explain themselves. I will readily undertake to procure for them the earUest
permission, provided it be on conditions clearly expressed, not to return again.
As to Hodge, you know what engagement he had made. I cannot tell whether
in America it is allowable to use such insincerity, but in France and in Europe it
is a very serious offence to lie to a king, which he hath done, when he declared
and gave bond that the vessel upon leaving Dunkerque should not make a cruise.
Signed DE VERGENNES.
August 21, 1777.

No. IX.
FROM BARON SCHULENBEEG TO A. LEE.
Berlin, January 16, 1778.
Sir— In answer to the letter which you did me the honor to write to me the 28th of
December last year, I begin by remarking to you, sir, that before this last I re
ceived two of your letters, viz., of the ith and of the llth of that same month ;
but as you assure me of having written two since the fourth of December, that
expression may leave some doubt whether the letter of the 4th of December is
counted among the two letters of which you speak to me, or not ; in the latter
case, one of your letters wiU have been lost. As to myself, sir, after my letter
of the 13th of December, the receipt of which you acknowledge, I have made
you two repUes, the 18th and 23d of the same month, which, I hope, you will
have received. I address this, as you wish, to M. Grand, in Montmartre Street;
and that you may be certain, in future, whether any of our letters miscarry, I

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 187
propose to you, sir, to number yours, as I do mine, beginning with this present
one. The reflections which you make, sir, upon the present state of affairs in
America are most just; and we do in fact perceive the situation of Gen. Howe to
be embarrassed and difScult. Time must show whether, and how, he will get
out of it, or whether, at least, he will take and maintain his quarters with more
prudence and success than the last year.
As the events of this war become, from day to day, more interesting, I repeat
my request, sir, that you will be pleased to communicate regularly to me the
intelUgence which you may receive. The king takes constantly much interest
therein. His Majesty wishes that your generous efforts may be followed with full
success; and, as I have already told you in my letter of the 15th of December,
he will not hesitate to acknowledge your independence as soon as France, who finds
herself more directly interested in the issue of this contest, shall set the example.
His Majesty would not make so much difficulty of receiving your vessels into his
ports if it was not that, being without any fleet to revenge the affronts that might
be given to your vessels in these ports, and Embden, fine and secure as it may
otherwise be, having no fort to defend it, he is unwilling to expose himself to
such an unpleasing contingency.
As to the muskets, and other arms of our manufacture, you are free, sir, to
purchase or command them ; and the bankers, Spittberger, who are the under
takers of the manufacture of arms, have received instructions to deliver whatever
may be demanded by you. I inclose a memorandum of the price, which is the
same as the king pays ; and I add that the muskets for the infantry may be
deUvered at a Uttle lower price, if you will be satisfied with the soundness of the
work without requiring that perfect equality which the king insists upon.
I have the honor to be, with the most distinguished consideration, sir.
Your very humble servant.
Signed THE BAEON OF SCHULENBEEG.
To Mr. Arthur Lee, at Paris.

No. X.
FEOM BAEON SCHULENBEEG TO MR. ARTHUR LEE.
Berlin, June 26, 1777.
After having testified to you, sir, in my letter of the 18th of this month, our
inclination to establish a direct commerce with the colonies of North America,
provided we can surmount the difficulties which are in the way of it, it remains

188 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS,
only for me to answer you concerning the free access of your privateers into our
ports, which you mention in your letter of the 20th. I can assure ypu, sir, that
the king is thoroughly disposed to give pleasure to your constituents ; but, on
the other hand, as you readily perceive, his Majesty, in the present circum
stances, would not wish to embroil himself with the Court of London. Besides,
our ports have not hitherto received any but merchantmen, and neither has a
man-of-war nor a privateer ever entered ; so that the officers in our ports would
be embarrassed by their conduct on such occasions, the customs which are ob
served in that respect being absolutely unknown to them. We must therefore
inform ourselves how the Courts of France and of Spain conduct ; we must learn
the formalities which they observe towards your armed vessels, and how it is
they give free access to these, consistent with the ties of friendship which they
preserve with Great Britain. The result of these inquiries will decide whether,
and on what conditions, the desired permission can be granted ; and I shaU do
myself the pleasure, sir, to let you know personally the intention which his Ma
jesty shall judge fit to make.
I have the honor to be, with the most perfect consideration, sir,
Your very humble and very obedient servant.
Signed THE BARON DE SCHULENBERG.
To Mr. Arthur Lee, at Berlin.

No. XI.
FROM BARON SCHULENBERG TO ME. ARTHUR LEE.
Berlin, August 8.
I should not have so long omitted my answer to the two letters which you did
me the honor to write to me the 15th of August and 21st of September, if I had
been possessed of any intelUgence favorable to your wishes. But the king, not
withstanding his good will towards your nations, having not judged it suitable to
grant to your privateers », free entrance into his ports, at a time when even
France, though beginning to reap considerable profits from the trade of America,
gave way to the representations of the British minister. ******

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 189

No. XIL (A.)
FROM ARTHUR LEE TO DR. FRANKLIN.
Chaillot, November 16, 1777.
To Dr. Franklin.
Dear Sir —
I send you the inclosed letter in answer to mine on the proposed negotiation.
It contains the conversation he heard in the Cabinet. If you think it proper, I
shaU answer that there is no foundation for supposing any disagreement between
you and me ; that if they wait for propositions coming from us they deceive
themselves, as we are not solicitous about treating with them— and that their
honor and satisfaction is their affair, not ours. It seems to me, that treating
them cavalierly is most likely to do service by making them despair of their un
dertaking. I am satisfied that no principle but fear will ever operate upon them.
The two first Unes of this conversation, joined with a variety of information I
have received to the same purpose, have given me much uneasiness. Great in
dustry, I am sure, has been used to propagate this report during my absence in
Germany, and, it appears, with success. I beg and hope for your advice how
to discover the authors, and prevent the consequences both to the pubUc and
myself. I have the honor to be, dear sir,
ARTHUR LEE.
True copy (duplicate), from the Letter-Book. H. Ford, Secretary.

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS WROTE BY THE HON. ARTHUR LEE.
Paris, November 30, 1777.
To the Chairman of the
Committee of Foreign Correspondence —
"Yet, -with these circumstances to oppose it; the impracticability of obtaining
any adequate number of tk'oops, the lowness of their credit, the probability of an
European war, the carrying on of their commerce by the ships of their rivals, to
every common understanding the impossibility of success, and, I may add with
certainty, their o-^vn con-viction of it, I am clear in my opinion that they will at
tempt another campaign, and that every man and every shUling they can procure
wiU be devoted to the desolation of our country." A. LEE.

190 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
Paris, November 29, 1777.
Hon. E. H. Lee, Esq. — >
" Much ill humor is expected by this gentleman against the French court, and
he has endeavored much to make us and others hold the same language. But
our colleague and myself think very differently, and are of opinion that this
court has been compeUed to every step of severity by gross misconduct on our
part. The principal one was Cunningham's business at Dunkirk ; with the par
ticulars of this business I am to this moment unacquainted. He is unwise
enough to declare he did it to excite war. Such an attempt without our advice
and concurrence on the propriety of it, and the means, was highly criminal. He
is conscious of it ; and therefore seems as if he was searching for shelter under a
general discontent and disagreement, than which, if it operated upon our friends
here, nothing can be more injurious. For, though they do not all we wish,
they certainly do more than any other ; and, it would be both ingratitude and
folly to repay it with ill-humor and ill-will. They told us fairly and fully from
the beginning the line they meant to pursue, and entreated us repeatedly not to
transgress it, and involve them. It has been transgressed by this gentleman's
advice and by his agents, with strong circumstances of ill-faith, and with the
ridiculous idea of forcing them into a war. The consequence of this has fallen
upon our heads, and we have not the least pretence for complaint." A. LEE.

Paris, December 19, 1777.
Hon. S. Adams —
" The last ray of British splendor seems now passing away, and the American
sun emerging in full glory from the clouds that obscured it. His Most Christian
Majesty has assured us in the most explicit terms, that he wiU enter into a treaty
with us as soon as the courier returns from Spain, and maintain our independence
by arms, if necessary. The only stipulation he requires is, that we shaU not re
nounce our independence when we make peace, a condition to which, I believe,
we have no insuperable objection or reluctance. I have no reason to doubt the
good faith of this assurance, and the soUd vrisdom of it is manifest. They say
their object is to attach us to them, as long as human ties can endure, and cer
tainly the principles on which they mean to act are wisely calculated for this pur
pose. I doubt you wUl not drop a single tear upon the grave of G. B. That
perverse and fallen people seem now sensible of the shame and ruin that await
them. But I question whether they have spirit to avenge themselves upon the
royal villain who is the great author of aU their calamities. FareweU. A. LEE.

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 191
Paris, January 5, 1778.
Hon. E. H. Lee, Esq.—
" Though nothing is yet concluded, yet everything seems hasting to the de
claration we wish." A. LEE.

Paris, January 9, 1778.
Hon. E. H. Lee; Esq. —
"I hoped by this time to have informed you that something decisive was con
cluded. We remain, however, in the same state of inertitude. There is nothing
so necessary in poUtics and negotiations as patience." A. LEE.
True copies (duplicates), from the Letter-Book. H. Ford, Secretary.
February 16, 1779. I have compared the extracts on this sheet, with a Letter-
Book in the handwriting of the Hon. Arthur Lee, and find them true copies.
John Adams.

No. XVII. (Duplicate.) Letter-Book II., page 80.
A. LEE TO  IN LONDON. Paris, July 25, 1778.
Dear Sir —
Your friend received yours of the 2d. The ring is deUvered, Mr. T. called
upon you by my direction, but not for money, of which he had from me what I
thought sufficient, but he has since drawn on my banker for twenty guineas. I
doubt very much the truth of what Mr. W. tells you relative to him, having evi
dence in my possession of his being a false accuser. Nor is it true that he has
directly or indirectly communicated to me what he told you he had done ; on the
contrary, he and his brother have, by their agent here, been insinuating accu
sations secretly against me, which have come to my knowledge without their
intending it. I have had frequent information of those very men and their cor
respondent here having done aU in his power to calumniate me, and I am very
well persuaded from their own account of the matter that they have endeavored
to seduce my S  y. I have a great many other reasons for cautioning you
against any communications with those men, either in what concerns the public,
or me. At the same time as Mr. T  's conduct has appeared to you suspicious,
I shall be obliged to you for any information that may be relied upon relative to
his proceedings, which are the more to be watched, as he has staid a long time

192 APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS.
contrary to my orders, by aUeging sickness. « In our situation we are obliged to
employ persons of whom we cannot be altogether sure, and there are but too many
motives to tempt them to infidelity. You will be so good as to give me at all times
inteUigence of what reaches you relative to such persons, that both the pubUc
and myself may suffer as Uttle as possible by their treachery. You wiU certainly
find in the shops a print of the old gentleman, taken from a portrait in my pos
session, and which is the most like him of any I know ; as to the other, there is
no likeness of him to be got in Europe. Be so good as to convey the inclosed
letters, two for Mr. Ridley, and one for Mr. Downman, and -write to me as often
as you can. Byron's fleet was met the 9th July, lat. 47, Ion. 31, 33, standing
westward, with the wind S. S. W. The conciliatory bUls were received, but not
very graciously. Philadelphia was evacuated. No intelligence of the arrival of
the Commissioners, 14th June. Supplies going in fast, and every one in high
spirits. Adieu."
Trip. True copy from the Hon. A. Lee's Letter-Book. H. Ford, Secretary.
February 19, 1779. Copy from a Letter-Book in the handwriting of the Hon.
Arthur Lee. Compared by John Adams.
The letter, of which this is a true copy, is addressed to a respectable gentleman,
and who has always been a firm friend to America. Edm. Jennings. February
20, 1779.

No. XVIII. (Duplicate.)
I received yours of the 7th and the newspapers. The information it con
tains relative to inteUigence from hence, cannot be of any material use -without
the original papers or letters to prove it. **** of these, if not aU, you -will
therefore endeavor to procure. Learn how many months provisions the fleet has
on board, the number of men in each ship, as near as you can, and whether any
thing is intended against the Spanish flota. I mentioned to you the charges
against you here of stock-jobbing. You must avoid giving any foundation for
them. You know the quarter from which the accusation comes. It would be
doubly improper for any one employed by me to be doing that which in itself is
wrong, and which I am censuring in others. Those who accuse you I believe to
be people capable of any falsehood to cover their own proceedings and criminate
others. True copy. H. Ford, Secretary.
February 19, 1779. Copy from a Letter-Book in the handwriting of the Hon.
Arthur Lee. Compared by John Adams.

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 193
No. XIX. (Duplicate.)
Passt, 22d December, 1777.
Dear Nephew —
You need be under no concern as to your orders from Mr. Deane ; as you have
always acted uprightly and ably for the pubUc service, you would be justified if
yoi» had no orders at all ; but, as he generally consulted me and had my appro
bation in the orders he gave, and I know they were for the best, and aimed at
the pubUo good. I hereby certify you that I approve and join these you have
received from him, and desire you to proceed in the execution of the same.
Signed B. PRANKLIN.
No. 4. Copy of extract.
February 16, 1778. Copy of a paper which I take to be in the handwriting of
Mr. WiUiams. Certified by John Adams.
Jonathan Williams, Esq.

No. XXII. (Duplicate.) Paris, ce Samedi, 8 Aoust, 1778.
J'ai beaucoup r^fl^chi. Monsieur, sur la conversation que nous eumes ensem
bles hier, et voici les observations simples auxquelles je dois m'arreter. J'avois
fait des conventions, il y a environ 18 mois, avec Messrs. FrankUn et Deane, qui
n'avoient pas quality ny autorit^ pour les faire. Et bomg de bonne foi, j'ai pay6
envers les Etats Unis de I'Amerique tons les services dont j'ai iti capable. J'ai
fait, comme vous savez, uu voyage en HoUande de 4 mois 72 pour faire executer
un vaisseau pour les Etats Unis, sur lequel je devois me transporter en Am^rique
pour y aUer 6tablir une marine militaire en execution des engagemens pris et
sign6s par Messrs. Franklin et Deane depuis mon r^tour en France. Vous savez
combien on en a mal agi avec moi, quoique je n'aye jamais mis aucun prix k, mes
services. II m'est afflig^ant de savoir que I'on m'avoit tromp^, puis qu'on n'avoit pas
quality suffisante pour traiter avec moi, et que par cela, on m'exposoit k avoir
Pair d'un avanturier en arrivant en Am^rique ; j'ai cela sur le coeur, et ne I'oubli-
erai de ma vie k cette faute eminemment grave, surtout pour un jeune peuple qui
ne doit montrer, et avoir que des vertues, on y a ajout^ le dernier trait de sc^l6ra-
tesse digne du peuple le plus corrompfi en m'escamotant I'^crit pass6 entre nous ;
ce n'est pas que j'en fisse, puis qu'il n'avoit point de valeur faute de quality
suffisante pour contractor ; mais la bonne foi auroit du revenir sur ses pas et
convenir qu'on avoit 6t6 trop loin, par le d^sir d'utilit^ de son pays, tout devenoit
alors nul et honngte,
25

194 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS,
Enfin, Monsieur, je ne me refuserois pas §, faire ce dont j'ai eu la volenti les
ann^es derniers ; mais je ne me prglerois et ne m'engagerois a rien que par des
propositions du Congr^s. Je n'ai point besoin de fortune. J'en ai une double
de mes besoins ; j'ai une reputation faite ici pour avoir 6ti professeur en marine
^ Versailles ; un vieux peuple tient k ces anciennes erreurs, ce n'est que les
jeunes assez sages pour profiter des fautes par oil Ton a pass^, qu'ils peuvent
retirer des fruits utUes achet^s par des si&cles et des mUUons. Le bien dans
votre patrie doit dans ce moment y etre facile ^ faire, car il ne pent y avoir a
vaincre que la difficulty des choses, et point des personnes des talens seuls suffi-
sent; pour cela, et tres volontiers, je donnerois quelque anndes de ma vie pour la
gloire d'un peuple que j'estime, quoique je tieime beaucoup a un repos que j'ai
achete par 32 ans de service dans la marine. A mdsure que le services que je
peux rendre a I'Amerique sont plus importans, puis qu'il s'agit de la creation
d'une marine militaire, dont le sagesse des principes dans son institution doit la
mettre de niveaux, tout au moins avec la puissance qui en a le plus sur les mers,
et avec surement une depense moindre de moitie, il est evident que je ne saurois
et ne pouvois faire le bien avec une quality subalteme.
Votre pays aurait-il le courage de confier k un etrangere I'autorit^ suffisante
d'une des plus grandes et importants partes de son administration? Voila ce
dont je doute, malgr^ qui cela soit indispensablement n^cessaire pour manor tout
a son entiere execution, et qu'il ne faille pas plus d'une stance au Congrfes as
semble pour examiner la constitution de toutes les parties legislative etde comp-
tabilite que comporte cet immense department dans toutes ces parties. J'au-
jonterois que cet ordre d'institution est tellement simple, qu'une heure d'examen
du Congres chaque mois seroit suffisant pour I'examen de toutes les parties sepa-
r^s, tant des hommes, des choses, que la depense des unes et des autres. C'est
de cet ordre clair et simple qui doit resulter une permanence d'^conomie, de force,
de sagesse, et de justice. Voila, Monsieur, en precis, le bien que je voulois faire
a votre pays, et que je doute que je lui fasse jamais.
Mon amiti^ pour vous me fit promettre hier de vous donner pour le Congres
trois tableaux qui font la substance du d^partement de la marine des Etat« Unis
de I'Amerique, que j'ai composees, il y a environ deux ans ; mais comme ces ne
sont que des resultats, et qu'il est necessaire d'expliquer les differents principes
auquels ils tiennent, et que pour cela il faudroit y joindre ma coUection entifere
de marine, vous trouverez, bon Monsieur, que je retire ma parole. Cet envoie
n'apperoit pas le bien que vous et moi desirous ; un memoire, ou un plan tres
compose, et toujours un mot, si son auteur n'y est pas pour I'expliquer.
Adieu, Monsieur; je vous embrasse detout mon coeur, et suis avecun trfes par-
fait attachement votre trfes humble et obeissant serviteur,
ROUX.
Vrai copie de I'original. Ludwell Lee.
Copy from the original. Compared by John Adams.

APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS. 195
No. XXXI. (Duplicate.) Letter-Book III., page 2.
EXTRACTS PROM LETTERS WEOTE BY THE HON. AETHUE LEE, ESQ.
(A)
Paris, January 24, 1778.
Hon. E. H. Lee, Esq 
"Our ultimate object here is in great forwardness, and I hope we shall soon
give you an account of its conclusion. A war seems every day more certain,
and I can assure you that this country is exceedingly well prepared for it."
Letter-Book III., page 22. (B.) February 5, 1778.
Hon. E. H. Lee, Esq. —
"The delay of our dispatches enables me to add this to my former, and to
assure you that the business has gone on with all possible dispatch, and that in
all human probability my next wiU inform you of its happy conclusion."
Letter-Book III., page 25. (C.) Paris, February 9, 1778.
Hon. P. L. Lee, Esq. —
"I congratulate you -with all my heart on the treaties which Congress will
receive by the frigate that brings this. According to the present appearance of
things, the event, which is to bring the second treaty into operation, wiU take
place before this reaches you."
Letter-Book III., page 32. February 17, 1778.
Hon. S. Adams, Esq. —
"Let me embrace you, my dear friend, on the accomplishment of the end of
all our labors by the treaties which will accompany this, in whioh the Uberty,
sovereignty, and independence of the United States are secured. I thought it
absolutely necessary that we should urge the insertion of sovereignty, that there
might not hereafter be any question on that head, as there long was in the case
of the United Provinces, and the Swiss Cantons. You may be assured that war
is resolved on here; and from the situation of things it cannot long be avoided."
Letter-Book III., page 71.

196 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
(D.)
Paris, February 28, 1778.
The Chairman op the
Committee of Foreign Correspondence —
"Our joint dispatches will convey to you the bills as they are now passing in
the Parliament of Great Britain, for appointing Commissioners to negotiate with
their deluded subjects and declaring in what manner they will be graciously pleased to
exercise in future the right of taxing us. It would not be doing justice to their
bills to attempt any comment upon them. They speak for themselves, and
loudly too. But the ministry of England give out that they have dispatched half
a million of guineas to pave the way to a favorable reception of their proposi
tions ; and I know from the best authority here, that they have assured Count
Maurepas of their being sure of a majority in Congress. By sach base arts do
they endeavor to cover their nakedness, and sustain their desperate cause.
France has done us substantial benefits — Great Britain substantial injuries.
France offers to guarantee our sovereignty and universal freedom of commerce —
Great Britain condescends to accept of our submission, and to monopolize our
commerce. France demands of us to be independent — Great Britain tributary.
I do not comprehend how there can be a mind so debased, or an imderstanding
so perverted, as to balance between them."
Letter-Book III. , page 80. (E.) March 1, 1778.
Hon. Samuel Adams, Esq. —
"I was in hopes to day's post would have brought us news from England, and
the acts for negotiating with you. If we may judge of them from the biUs, they
will be an everlasting proof of the feebleness and folly of our enemies. I trust
their Commissioners will return as they came, unless they have power, and do
acknowledge clearly and fully the sovereignty and independence of America
as an indispensable preliminary."
Letter-Book III., page 93. (G.) Paris, March 19, 1778.
Hon. Henry Laurens, Esq., President —
"P.S. To-morrow we are to be presented to the King of France, and the
English Ambassador quits this court without taking leave. War must imme
diately be the consequence, as these movements have been determined on, from
the treaty of amity and commerce which we have concluded with this court.

APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS. 197
having been announced in form to that of London. The consequence of this, in
relieving our country from the chief weight of the war, cannot but foUow, and
therefore I congratulate you upon it most sincerely. In my judgment, a year or
two must reduce Great Britain to any terms the aUies may think proper to
demand." Letter-Book III., page 116. Paris, April 4, 1778.
Hon. Henry Laurens, Esq., President. —
" I trust he (Mons. Gerard) wiU conduct his negotiation agreeable to what
appears to me to be the disposition of the court and minister here— ,fairness and
generosity." True copies from the Letter-Book. H. Ford, Secretary.
No. 1, page 162. Paris, December 19, 1777.
Hon. E. H. Lee, Esq. —
"Our joint dispatches will inform you how near we are to a conclusion of what
must settle the question between Great Britain and the United States forever. I
see no reason to doubt the good faith of what they promise here, and much to
admire the substantial wisdom of it."
Letter-Book II., page 116. Paris, May 7, 1778.
His Excellency Gov. Henry, Virginia —
"The exhausted state of Great Britain has disenabled her to carry her menaces
into execution against France for concluding a, treaty with us. Before this
reaches you, a French fleet under Count d'Estaing, their best admiral, will have
arrive;! to your assistance. The enemy therefore is likely to be blocked up in
their turn, for the fleet they had prepared under Admiral Byron to reinforce
Lord Howe is stopped, and it is generally thought will not sail. This arises from
apprehensions for their safety at home. If they do not support ther naval supe
riority with you, I think we shall soon have the pleasure of seeing them driven
entirely out of America. A continuation of that spirit and vigor with which your
affairs have hitherto been conducted, must soon accompUsh our utmost wishes,
and secure us in peace, Uberty, and safety."

198 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
Paris, June 15, 1778.
His Excellency, Gov. Henry, Virginia —
"As our enemy appear unable to enforce their navy employed against you,
and Count d'Estaing's fieet is stronger, it is to be hoped your coast will soon be
cleared, by their ships being entirely driven away. They are equaUy unable to
avenge themselves upon our ally here, and will probably soon be forced to call
home all their forces for their defence. The diminution of their commerce, the
distress of their people, the imbecility and wickedness of their consuls, and the
rapacity of their officers, announce the inevitable downfaU of their domination,
and the ruin of their affairs."
Letter-Book IL, page 126.
True copies from the Letter-Books. H. Ford, Secretary.
1 No. 1, page 81.
COPY OF A LETTER FEOM THE HON. AETHUE LEE, ESQ., TO THE
HON, EICHAED HENRY LEE, DATED PARIS, OCTOBER 4, 1777,
I inclose you a copy of a late measure of the court here, which with others
seems unfavorable to us. The reasons they give for them are the proceedings
with respect to the arming Cunningham in their ports, and sending him to cruise
directly in the channel, contrary to their treaty, and to their repeated requests and
our promises. That fact is so, and it was done by Mr. Deane without consulting
or informing us. He has, therefore, thought it necessary to write an apology for it
to Mr. Morris, which I understand is to be shown about privately, and he seems
desirous of persuading us and others to be in ill humor with the court for taking
violent measures, to which they have been compelled by his unwarrantable con
duct. All I can say is, that it will be doing them great inj ustioe to form an
opinion of their disposition from steps which they assure us were taken from
necessity, and which we are conscious those proceedings forced on them.
These three leaves contain extracts from Letter-Books of the Hon. A. Lee.
Compared by John Adams.
EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE HON. A. LEE, ESQ., TO THE
HON. RICHARD HENRY LEE, DATED NOVEMBER 29, 1777.
Much ill humor is expressed by this gentleman against the French Court, and
he has endeavored much to make us and others hold the same language. But our
colleague and myself think very differently, and are of opinion that this court
has been compelled to every step of severity by gross misconduct on our part.
The principal one was Cunningham's business at Dunkirk ; with the particulars
of this business I am at this moment unacquainted. He is unwise enough to

APPENDIX OP DOCUMENTS. 199
declare he did it to excite a war. Such an attempt without our advice or con
currence in the propriety of it, and the means, was highly criminal. He is con
scious of it, and therefore seems as if he was searching for shelter under a gene
ral discontent and disagreement, than which if it operated upon our friends here
nothing can be more injurious. For though they do not do aU we wish, they
certainly do more than any other, and it would be both ingratitude and folly to
repay them with iU humor and ill wiU. They told us fairiy and fully from the
beginning the line they meant to pursue, and entreated us repeatedly not to
transgress it and involve them. It has been transgressed under this gentleman's
advice and by his agents, with strong circumstances of Ul faith, and with the
ridiculous idea of forcing them into a war. The consequences of this have fallen
upon our heads, and we have not the least pretence for complaint.
Extract. Compared by John Adams.

No. XXXII.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM THE HON. A. LEE, ESQ., TO THE
COMMITTEE OF SECEET COEEESPONDENCE, APEIL 4, 1778.
"I also send an accurate Ust of the actual and intended force of Great
Britain.'' True copy from the Letter-Book. H. Ford, Secretary.

No. XXXIII.

To whom these presents may concern : —
I, John Bonfield, at Bordeaux, in France, Merchant, do hereby certify that the
Hon. Wm. Lee, Esq., did not propose or demand to receive for himself, either
directly or indirectly, any part of the commissions that I might charge or receive
in consequence of his appointment of me to be Commercial Agent for the Secret
Committee of Congress ; and I further certify that the said William Lee never
did, either at the time of his making such appointment, or at any time before or
since, make or even hint at receiving any part of such commissions as aforesaid ;
and I further certify that the said William, nor any person for him, has ever re
ceived from me any reward, gratuity, or commission whatsoever, in consequence

200 APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS.
of his appointing me commercial agent as aforesaid. In testimony whereof, I
have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Bordeaux aforesaid, this 19th of Feb
ruary, 1779. '
Signed JOHN BONFIELD.

< SEAL, l

Copy from the original. Compared by John Adams.

I, John Schweighauser, Merchant, of this city of Nantes, in France, do hereby
certify to all whom it may concern, that when the Hon. William Lee, Esq., ap
pointed me Commercial Agent for the Secret Committee of Congress, he did not
then, nor at any time before or afterwards, propose, stipulate, or demand to re
ceive for himself, directly or indirectly, any part or share of such commissions as
I might charge or receive for doing the business of said committee ; and I do
further certify that neither the said William Lee, nor any person for him, has
heretofore received or is to receive from me or ou my account, any reward, gra
tuity, or commission whatsoever in consequence of his having appointed me com
mercial agent as aforesaid. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand
and seal at Nantes, in France, this day of 18th February, 1779.
Signed J. D. SCHWEIGHAUSEE.
Witnessed. J. A. Callabd.
J. J. SOHORNDOKFF.
True copy compared with the original. H. Ford, Secretary.

No. XXXIV. Paris, July 4, 1777.
Captain Weekes, Sir —
We have appointed Mr. WiUiams to take the direction of such affairs at Nantes
as are more particularly within our department, and accordingly advise you to
address yourself to him for any assistance you stand in want of in the disposi
tion of your prizes or your other concerns ; you will give directions to Captains
Johnson and Nicholson, whioh renders it unnecessary for us to write to each one
separately. We are yours, &c. &c..
Signed B. FEANKLIN.
SILAS DEANE.
True copy from a' letter in the handmiting of Mr. Jonathan WilUams. H.
Ford, Secretary.
Lambert Wiokes, Esq.

APPENDIX OF DOCUMENTS. 201
(Duplicate.)
Paris, July 4, 1777.
Mr. Jonathan Williams,
Dear Sir —
Yours of the 30th ult. and 1st inst. are before us. Mr. Morris, were he pro-
sent, has not the least right io any direction of Captain Weekes or his prizes, and
less so to Johnson or Nicholson; they are Continental property, and are immediately
under our direction, by the express orders of Congress and under no other persons.
Inclosed you have a letter to Captain Weekes, and to Captains Johnson and
Nicholson on this subject. Mr. Lee's arrival would make no odds in this business,
as it is distinct from anything contained in either of their appointments, and your
appointment from us is the only one at present that can be of any force ; we
therefore direct you not to give way to any pretensions of any one, but consult
ing with Mr. Eoss and Captain Weekes, proceed to dispose of the prizes, and to
settle their affairs in the best and most expeditious manner possible. Mr. Deane
has wrote to Captain Weekes to address to the house you mention.
Signed SILAS DEANE.
True copy from the extract in the handwriting of Mr. Jonathan WilUams,
H. Ford, Secretary.

CONSTITUTION

SEYENTY-SIX SOCIETY.

ARTICLE I.
This Society shall be called "The Seventy-Six Society," and its
object shall be the publication and republication of books and papers
relating to the American Revolution. ARTICLE IL
The officers of the Society shall be a President, a Secretary, a
Treasurer, and a Council. The Council shall consist of the above-
named officers, and of ten other members.
ARTICLE III.
It shall be the duty of the President to preside at the meetings of
the Society and the Council.
ARTICLE IV.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep minutes of the meet
ings of the Society and of the Council, and to conduct their corre
spondence. The minutes of this Council shall be at all times open to
the inspection of the members of the Society.
ARTICLE V.
It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to collect the subscriptions of
the members. He shall pay no money of the Society without the

written order of the Council, signed by the President and attested by
the Secretary. He shall present a report of the receipts and pay
ments of the preceding year, at the annual meeting of the Society.
ARTICLE VI.
The Council shall have the management of the business of the
Society ; they shall decide what publications shall be made, and pro
vide for their distribution among the members. They may enact such
by-laws for their own government, and appoint such committees as
they may think necessary. They shall make a report of their transac
tions for the preceding year, at the annual meeting of the Society.
ARTICLE VII.
The Society shall meet annually on the fifth day of September (the
anniversary of the meeting of the first Congress), or on the following
day when the fifth of September falls on Sunday. At this meeting
the election of officers for the ensuing year shall be held. Special
meetings of the Society may be held upon the written request of not
less than twenty members, addressed to the President, and specifying
the object of the meeting. No other business than that specified shall
be transacted at such special meeting.
ARTICLE VIII.
The Council shall meet on the third day after their election (on the
fourth, when such third day falls on Sunday), and at such other times
and at such place as they may from time to time appoint.
ARTICLE IX.
The annual subscription shall be Five Dollars, payable on or before
the first day of January. No member shall be entitled to receive any
of the publications of the Society, during any year for which his sub
scription is in arrears.
ARTICLE X.
The publications of the Society shall not be sold upon any pretence
whatever ; they shall be distributed among the members equally; and

persons joining the Society after the first year, shall pay the subscrip
tion of any previous year, to entitle them to the publications issued
during that year.
ARTICLE XL
The members of this Society shall consist of such persons as shall
sign this Constitution, or shall, if not residents of Philadelphia, ex
press in writing their desire of joining it. Resignations shall be
presented at the annual meeting.
ARTICLE XII.
This Constitution shall be altered only at the annual meeting of the
Society, and only by a vote of four-fifths of the members present.

OFFICEES
OF THE
SEVENTY-SIX SOCIETY,
ELECTED SEPTEMBER 5, 1854.

PRESIDENT.
HENRY J. WILLIAMS.
SECRETARY.
HENRY PENINGTON.
TEEASUEEE.
WILLIAM DUANE.
COUNCIL.
*E^ABD D. Ingraham, Townsend Ward,
Leonard R. Koecker, M. D., Aubrey H. Smith,
John Jordan, Jr., Joseph R. Paxson,
Edward Armstrong, Ferdinand J. Dreer,
Thomas Baloh, Charles F. Beck, M. D.
* Deceased.

Tli.i!'

lab ikavba., 'v

i*.

iiii

i,^''.'*''.':>i^.ii

ili^i;'

;i'; ;;;:ii'!^iib.

flWte -isfi