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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. rata lelure, id H 32X ;: t 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 :p^ K PIIPPHW ' \ A ^f A D B Ft .E S it j''.> TO THE UNITED STATES Q ^ H 6 it t ti' aM e iit(> •"#■ \ ^Q which is added]^ ' ,jM- . »»' '.■ilr»,/-'i- ' ■•■ ' ■>■' ' l^^j^gtcr ta the Hotii ROBERT UJdiL'RtpJ *ii»^ E((j. with Notes Mt 6Btefvaffi)nS^ '^ ' ' ^* ■ -f iSy SILAS D E A N E, Esq.' Hate one of the Commiffioners Plenipotentiary from the Unixeb States, to the Court of Versailles, ?: OND OK$ tinted for J, Debrftt. oppofite Burlington-Houres w- ^ t-.r-' AB VERTISMENT. f~rynF MUvwff Addrefs was f^nt to America ■A within a few days after its date, with order? to have it ppbliO,, d, but for reafons, which the crcumftaricc., and temper of the times fugoefted the pul iicatlon was deferred, and I know no> .f It h,v., ,; yet been made public in the Inited Stat« . ,.ut my filence, on this fubjed, has been conOricd fo much to my difadvantage. that I cannot in jufi.ce to myfelf, any longer deJay that vn,d,cat.on of my conduft, whilft in the fervice of my country, which has been fo long exo.Ued from me, f ' ■Ml T O T H E Free and Independant Citizens .r» "w ,. OF THE UNITED STATES O F NORTH AMERICA. Friends^ and Fellow Citizens^ THE happy period being arrived, in which we may, in peace, take a review of the fcenes through which we have paffed, and with calmnefs and impartiality examine and judge of pad tranfa6lions, I am encouraged to come for- ward, and to addrefs you on a fubjeft of infinite importance to myfelf, and of fo much to you, as to excufe me from the making any previous apo- logy on the occaiion ; — perhaps I ought rather to make one, for my having been fo long filent, under the many heavy charges brought againft me, in the public papers, in America. — Neither a want of fufficient means to refute them, or any indif- *- 1 ' B ferencc [ ^ ] fcrciice as to the opinion of my countrymen, occafioned my Clence ; but the refle6lion, that duri^ng the rage and violence of war, and whilfl party prejudices, heats and jealouCcs, were in their full foice, it was by no means the time for a cool and difpafTionate difcufTion of any fubjefl, on which, appearances had already prejudiced the minds of the public. I therefore refolved to wait, and to improve the fiift moment of public peace and tranquility, to appear, and to plead my caufc at your bar ; during near three years of misfortunes, and exile, I have impatiently looked for it ; I now flatter myfelf that it is arrived, and in tl^at confidence, venture to call your attention to my cafe. It is of fome impor- tance to you to know, if one, who formerly had your confidence to a great degree, a^ually betrayed, and defeited you, and was guilty of the frauds, peculation, and treachery, with which he has been charged ; or if artful, and deiigning men, inimical to him, have taken the advantage of his weaknefs, or imprudence, to charge him, with thofc enorinou* crimes, to excite a general clamour againft him^ and from his lilence^ to infer, in the ilrongigfl man- ner, his guilt. Though I may iblicit your ex- amination of the fabjefb at this time, under very great difadvantages, yet I am by no means thereby deterred, from doing it. As yet you have heard but one dde of the ^ueition, and that at a time when Ski: Vf 1 -M [ 3 ] when your fituation made you juRly apprehcnfive, and jealous of danger from every quarter, and ren» dered you, as it were, feelingly alive in every pore. At prefent, when we are happily freed from the alarms, and dangers of war, you will not rcfufe to hear the other part, and thereby become capable of judging on the whole with certainty, and with jullice, to the accufer, as well as to the accufcd, which is all I aOc, or wi(h for. Unwilling to take up more of your time, than what is abfolutely ne- celTary, I (hall not, in this addrefs, recapitulate the many furmifes, and inGnuations thrown out by my enemies, in the courfe of their perfecuting of me, but confine myfelf to their dircd charges, all of which, are comprehended under two heads : Firft, That I was guilty of fraud, and peculation, in the management of the public monies committed to my care ; and Secondly, That after my return to France, in 1781, I wrote thofe letters, which were intercepted, and publitbed in New- York, from in- terefted motives, and with a bale and treacherous defign, to injure my country, having previoufly en- gaged myfelf, in the intercft of her enemies. If on an impartial examination of fads, you Iball judge me guilty of thefe crimes, nothing that has hitherto been faid, or done againfl me, will be deemed un- juft, or too fevere; but if. on the other hand, you fhall, from the moft unqueftionable fafls and cir- cumllances, find thofe charges to be falfe and V. B at groundlefs. ir [ 4 1 groundlefs, whatever vveaknefs or imprudence you may find me juflly chargeable with, you will, at: lead, acquit me of any thing criminal, and pro- nounce mc to be, a man morejinnrd againfl than fin- ning. My conduft in the early part of the late con- ted, and until my leaving America in April, 1776, to go for France, in the charader of commercial and political agent, and commiflioner for the United States, is too well known, to require my referring to any part of it. The charges againlt me, originate, after that period ; previous to it, I had no charge of public monies. ' I arrived in France in June, 1776, and a8ed as fole commercial and political agent, for the United States until the month of December following, when I received a commiflion from Congrefs, ap- pointing Do6lor Franklin, Mr. Lee, and myfelf, their joint commiflioners plenipotentiary. And I continued to a6l in this laft chara6ler^ until the firfl: of April, 1778, when, in obedience to the orders of Congrefs, I left Paris On my return to America, and from that period to the prefent hour, have not been entrufted with the monies of the public, or with any public employ. It therefore follows, that if frauds, peculation, and embezzle- ment, were pradiled, and committed by me, they mu(l have been, in and during that period, that is betweer April, 1776, and April, 1778 ; — and that 1 muft have committed them, in my tranfadlions at ,f '■'-rrj'v-^ "■ '"'„' A Paris, r I. 5 ] Paris, where I conftantly rcfided. The liine anci place being alcertaincd, thejullicc or injuflice of this charge, will at once be fccn, by an examination of my receipts, and difburfements of public monies. On the 4th of March, 1778, I received a pufitive order from Congrefs, to return immediately to America, to acquaint them with the Jlaic of their i]^ Jainin Europe ; in the rciolution of Congrefs trnm- mitted, and in the letter accompanying of it, thi, appeared to be the only motive, and obje6l of wy recall, * ' ' •' Though the treaties with France, had been con- cluded and figncd on the 6th of February preced- ing, yet they had ftiil been kept fecrer, and, by agreement with the Court of France, were not to be made public in Europe, unti! intelligence IhouM be received of their being arrived, and publiffud in America -, but feveral circum (lances conciirrcd at that time, to induce the Court of France, to ch.inae their plan, and publicly to announce to the Court of London, tlieir having entered into treaiies of commerce, and alliance with the United States, and to dilpatch with all poffible fecjccy, and expedi- tion, the fleet then at 'Foulon to America, under the, command of the Count d'Eflaing; and the Count de Vcrgennes and Do6ior Franklin, joined in advifing me, to keep my recall, and my intention to return, fecret, uiitil the licet fhould fail, in which it was propoied that I fliould embark. At ffn* [ 6 ] At this time, mod of the contraa* for (lores, arms, cloathing, &c. and for ftiips to tranfport them to Ame ica, were compleated •, the execu- tion of thofe contradts had been principally under my dire6lion, but though monies had been ad- vanced on all of them, the accounts of the con- tra6lors, had not been brought in for fettlement, and it was impofTible for me, (if I literally com- plied with the order of Congrefs, and with the urgent requeft of the French Minifter, and of Dr. Franklin, to go out in the fleet ;) to do any thing previoufly, towards the caUing in and fettling the public, or even my private accounts ; any attempt that way, would have defeated the fecrccy, and difpatch enjoined n^.e. Though no- thing appeared in the order of Congrefs, or in any of their letters, which intimated the leafl dif- fatisfa£lion with my condu6l, or any fufpicion of the faithful man:igement, and application of the public monies, yet as 1 had, from the firft, the misfortune, to have in Mr. Lee, one of my col- leagues, a mofl; jealous, and artful enemy, and fcnhble that many ill offices, had been done me in i\merica, I was extremely defirous to put off my return, until all the tranfa6lions, in which I had had any concern, for the public, fliould be fettled andclofed : but finaily, I fubmitted, to the advice of Count De Vergennes, and of Do6lor Franklin, ?rid contented myfelf, \ich taking from Mr, Grand, "Si ■:•%;' f 7 ] GranJ, the Banker for Co'ngrefs, an accampt of art the monies received, or paid out, on accompt of the United Slates, up to that time, this was all that tfas in my power to do •, and as Mr. Grand, had irtentioned in this acconipt, the names of all tho perfons to whom he had paid the money, and as I carried out with me, the moft honorable tefti- raonials *, from hi« moft Chriftian Majefty, from his Minifter, and from my colleague and intimate friend. Dr. Franklin, of my zeal and integrity in the fervice of my country, I had no reafon to apprehend the being cenfured for not having fetded, and brought out with me all the public accowipts, and their vouchers, in detail ; but on my arrival in Philadelphia, I foon found that my enemies •, had been to a certain degree fuccefsful, in poifoning the minds of the public, by infinuat- ing that I had become immenfely rich, in their fervice, and confeqnently, that I muft have been guilty of undue, and diOioneft pradliccs ; and though I had be<^*n fent for, exprsfsly to inform Congrefs, of the ftate of their affairs in Europe, and notw'^.hftanding the ho- norable chara£kers I had fuftained, as their poli- tical and commercial Agent, and afterwards as one of their Commidioners Plenipoten- tiaries, I could not obtain an audience of that body, until after fix weeks attendance and foli- citation. ^ ■%. • See Appendix, No. i, 2, 3. I then 1 ff ir [ 8 ] I then gave them, verbally, a faithful detail of the (late of their aflFairs in Europe, and laid before them Mr. Grand's accompt, of the receipts and payments of monies, to the time of my leaving Paris; and requefted, that if there had been any charge, or infmuation againft me, for mifmanage- mcnt or negle6l, that I might be informed of it, and be |^rmitted to be heard in my defence. I was Lot told of any ; and though Congrefs ap- peared no ways diffatisfied with the account I then gave them of the ftate of their affairs in Europe, and of my own conduft in their fervice ; and though the fettlement of the public, as well as of my private accompts, prefled me to return as early as early as poQible to France, yet I could not obrain any refolution of Congrefs, either to approve, or to difapprove, of any part of my con- dur?c ; and though I almoft daily folicited for a fecond audience, I did not obtain one, until late in December following ; I then gave them a writ- ten narrative of my tranfadlions, from my leaving America, in their fervice, until my recall and return. ■-. : . . . , . f,;. ^^ ^, Congrefs then appeared difpofed, to take the matter up, and to examine it, and to come to feme determination on the fubje6l; a committee was appointed to examine the ftate of their foreign affairs, and into the conduct of their commillioners and agents, and for greater difpatch, the com- mittee { 9 1 mittec were ordered to meet every evening, Saturday and Sunday evenings excepted ; yet that , committee never condefcended, to admit me to an audience, or to afk me a (ingle queftion on the fubjedl of their enquiry ; and though I had been > fent for exprefsly to inform the Congrefs of the Hate of their affairs in Europe, yet their com*; mittee (ludiouily evaded, the giving me an op« portuntty of laying before them, any information ; on the Xubje6l, or of explaining any part of my own conduct whilfl; in their fervice. During more than fourteen months attendance in Philadelphia, I obtained but two audiences fron) Congrefs, and ! none from their committee, whole proceedings and report (if indeed they made any) were kept fecret from me. — In December, 1778, having waited five months in Philadelphia, almoft daily foliciting Congrefs to examine my tranfadlions whilil in their fervice, I found that a party, dcf. termined on my ruin, had fufHcient intereft to ^ prevent all examination, and to bear me down, by the moft mewtifying delay, and negleft ; I there- , fore refolved to lay my cafe before my coun- - trymen, and fellow-citizens, but on my firfl addrefs, Congrefs refolved to give rae aa u audience, and afterwards appointed a commit^b tee, as I have before mentioned. —As 1 then '^ flattered myfelf, that Congrefs had refolved .:> to examine i^^to the (late of their foreign affairs, ^'"^^ C and • --■*> V"* i" l!i< I i 1 ! .A I I ililli V [ lo I and of thofe tranfa^lions in which I had been a: principal a6lor, and to come to fonie determina- tion on the fubjeft, I could not confider myfelf at liberty to proceed, in publifhing the (late of my cafe ; irk the mean time I was attacked, andabufed, in* the moft bafe and oatrageous manner, in the public papers. I made no reply to the many calumnies, and falfehoods publifhed by a noted fcribbkr, and by his alTociates, and patrons, but carneftly requefted of Congrefs, and their commit- tee, to, grant me a hearing, and to do me joftice ; but my folicitations were itiefFe6lual ; though from December 1778, to Augull 1779, ^ wrote more ^ than thirty letters to Congrefs, humbly petitioning j for a public exantflaaji^, and trial, yet they never > condefcended 'io^'MKeWtt; lead natfce, of my re- quells. In private converfation with the mem- . bcrs, I was told, that the only difficulty lay in ; tny accpunts not bein^^^iettled. To obviate this, • 1 jfeifttrned to France, on afiiirances from Congrefs, that they had appointed, and empowered a gentleman in France, to audit^ and fettle all their public accorints ; but on ray arrival in France, in Jn^y^ 1780, and application to him, 1 found that his power was fa limitted, that he declined a61;ing under it. I wrote immediately to Congrefe, fuliciting for more ample powers to him, or to fome other perfon, and fet myfelf to put not only my accounts, but thofe of my colleagues^ and rf f II ] and of -every one, with whom I had trania^ed any bufinefs on account of the pubHc, in a ftat^ for being audited, and fettled; and I pafTed more 4han twelve months at Paris, at a heavy expence, flattering myfelf, that as Congrefs had made no .objeftion whatever, to any part of my condu£l in their fervice, except my not having fettled my accounts, and as my enemies, both in Congrefs and out of it, profeffed to believe th»t I wa« a defaulter, they would not, after tlie prodigious expence of time, and money, which 1 had been put (o, delay the appointment of an auditor to examine my accounts, and to rjcertain the only |X)int in quedion with regard to ,me ; hut \ heard nothing on the fubje^l, until November, 1781, when I received a refolve of Congrefs, informing me, that by the appointment of a conful, pro- vifion was -made for the lettlement of my accounts ; tut in a few days after, I me: with Mr. Barclay, the conful, who, to my extreme furprize, and dif- appoijatment, affured me, that he had no inftruc- tions on the fubjeft; and a few days after, ithis { had the mortification of learning, that my letters of May, and June preceding, l;ad been intercept- ed, and pubHfhed at New-York, and that the moft unfavourable .conflrudion had been put upon them, both in America and in Fr.nrce. This 4>lacedme in fuch a fituation, as I believe, hut few- men havft ever been fo unfortunate as to experi- C 2 ' encc. '■fi F /. \l I " 1 ence, Profcribed in my own country and in France, and obnoxious to this government, I jTubmitted to a tedious exile in Flanders, where I remained, until the treaty of peace was concluded ; but, in the mean time, 1 tranfmitted my accounts to Congrefs, and folicited a fet dement and the payment of the balance due to me : I alfo fent duplicates of them to Dr. Frankhn. It is now more than eighteen months, (ince Congrefs have been in poOeQion of my accounts ; it is more than five years, (ince I had either the money, or any employment for the public, entrufted to my .management. ■■ (•!<:■; ,':■ .r -/m/rnn-' ;, > Is it poITible, that any fraud or embezzlement committed by me fhould - remain undete6ied ? had I been guilty of any, would not my enemies, with all the particulars of "imy accounts in their power, have pointed them out and publifhed them, indead of charging me generally with being a defaulter for unaccounted millions ? '' , In March, 1778, Do£lor Franklin aflured Con- grefs, that he had been an eye witnefs of my con- duct in France, vvhilft his colleague, and that I had a6led the part, of an able, aSlive, and faithful mint/ler, and to his knowledge had, in various ways, rendered great and important fervice to my country, * In December, J 782, almoft five yeais after, . -M when. i»,.--i> ,f ,^' ''^i^^/i ) ■'- Appendix, No. 4. ■>j i ^ ■'# '^^ i [ ] when, from our difference in political principles, he was no way prejudiced in my favour, and when; had 1 been guilty of fraud, or embezzle- ment, it was impoflible but that it nmfl have come to his knowledge, he certified, th; t he had never kntmm, orfufft6led any caufe to charge me with any want of probity, in any pur chafe, or bargain what- ever, made by me, for the ufe or account of the United States, To charge me with being a defaulter, and with baving defrauded my country of large fums of money, and at the fame time to evade an ex- amination and feltlement of my accounts, by which only the juflice or injuftice of the charge could be afcertgined, is a condu6l which needs no comment, nor do 1 fear to reft my ca ufe on it, and on the teftimony, and cenificate of Doctor Pranklin; but clear and convincing as thtfe proofs are of ray innocence, I have a fufficiency of others, independent of the teftimonies, or certificates of any man, or of the condud of any fet of mdn, whether friendly, or inimical to me. '"/i^<^ , In January, 1776, 1 contra6led with the com- mercial committee of Congrefs to make a voyage to France, and to purchafe for the public, goods to the amount of forty thoufand pounds fterling. : Jhey engaged to furniOi me with that fum in calh or good bills, and to allow me a five per cent. commiOior on the purchafe. At the lame time, the fecret committee appointed me the commer- cial w I H 1 dal and political agent for the United States in Europe* and dirc6ted me to purchase for them one hundred pieces of brafs cannon, and arms, ' and cloaching for twenty-five thoufand men, and ' amjmunition in proportion, and to procure iliip«, m Europe, to tranfport the whole to America ; on theCe purchafes. they alfo flipuljted to give me five per C€nt. commifT'^n, and to make me a rca- ^ fonaWe and adequate ^dovvance for any political ferviccs I might render my country in France. * When we refleft on the fituation of our aflPairs ^ at that period, it mufl be acknawiid|(ed that no ' man vv^s €ver charged with ^ more important ^ comtniffion, and when the circumftance of my » being ignorant of the language, as well as of the; ' manners and politics of the country, in which ^»I was to execute it; without friend or patron to t advife, to countenance, or to introduce me, and Avithout that heft of all patrons, and fupporteis, . a fund adequate to the purpofe ; when thefe are taken into confideration, it muft aKb be allowed, that no cotnmiffion of this nature was ever attend- * <'d with more difficulties, and cmbarrafsments. I « left Philadelphia in the month of March, iyy6, * in a brig bound to Bourdeaux ; and fuch was the ' Htuation of our affairs at that time, that (he lailed with ballaft only, on accpiint of the want KHi '• •Ur ♦ Appendix, No. ■J' 'M r 15 ] i of any thing to make remittances with in a cargo. An accident at fea obliged her to return, and I reinibarked in a floop bound to Bermuda. The funds put into my hands, to enable me to execute niy commiffion, and to make the above-men- tioned purchafes, to the value of nearly 300,0001. fterling, amounted to little more, than three thou- f.vnd, in bills of exchange, about one third of which were protefted, and returned ; and of near five thoufand pounds afterwards remitted to me in bills, one fmall bill, of two hundred and thirty- pounds only, v/as accepted, and paid ; and from my leaving Philadelphia, in 1776, until my re- turn in 1778, no remittances were made of any importance lo enable me to execute this import- ant commiflion, which I undertook to execute, more from a certainty, that foreign aid was be- come abfolutely neceflary, and that it muft be ob- tained, or our country muft foon be obliged co give over the contefl, and to fubmit uncondi- tionally to the Britifti Parliament, than from any pecuniary or perfonal motives. On my arrival in France in June, 1776, 1 applied (agrcv'^able to my inftruflions from the fecret committee^ to the, Minifter, to obtain thcfe fupplies, on which the fate of the next year's campaign, and the iflue of the war depended, but received neither counte- nance, or encouragement from him, any farther than a general promife of perfonal protection, and •'- " ' - that, r I I I 11 ■ ! Ill ' ' .1 i: I'i [ ,6 ] : . that, providcdmy operations, in procuring the can- non, military (lores, <&c. from individuals, and (hipping them to America, (hould be carried on with fo much caution, and fecrecy, as to give no alarm to the Britifh Minillers, the court of France would wink at the proceeding, but otherways they could not, as the treaties with Great Britain, and the King's ordinances, would not permit us to pttrchafe and import military (lores from France, ^jy fimation was extremely critical and arduous; I had in the firft place to folicit a credit, from in- dividuals, and to induce them to give it, I could not advance any part of the large capital wanted. I had not money even to defray the contingent ex- pcnces, of the tranfportation of the (lores, to the ports, at which they mud be embarked, and I could give no other fecurity for the articles wanted, than my letter of inftrudlions from the fecret committee, authoriling me to make thofe purchafes, and their general ppomife, in behalf of Congrefs, that the fame (hould be paid for; but after I had obtained a credit, a dill greater obftacle prefented itfelf, for it was impoffiWe to purchafe a large train of artillery, and arms, cioath- ing, tents, and military (lores for an army of twenty -(ive thoufand men, and to tranfport the whole to the fea-ports, and embark them for America in fuch a fecret, an * private manner, as t > elude the vigilance of the iiriuQi MiniQer at the ..; . Couit ^k ited. : ex- ^ the ad 1 cles • the hoie :half for; eater At to oath- y of the for as t) t the ouit ± [ '7 ] Court of Vei failles, who, from my firft arrival in Paris, could have been at no lofs to conclude what the main objedt of my errand was. — In the month of July I obtained a credit for the whole of tho (lores wanted, and for the charter of (hips to tran* fport them to America ; and apprehenlive that fome part of them might be intercepted on their paffage, 1 ventured to exceed the orders given me, and inftead of one hundred, I purchafed upwards of two hundred pieces of brafs cannon, and mor- tars, and arms, cloathing, and (lores, for thirty thoufand men, though my in(lru6lions were but for twenty-five thoufand.— Befides thefe purchafes, for which I obtained a credit for twelve months, and a promife of a longer term on intereft, I pur- chafed other (tores, fuch as powder, faltpetre, &c. to the amount of about fifteen thoufand pounds, on three months credit : and relying on remit- tances, being on the way to me, I gave my notes, and bills for the money. — The cannon, arms, &c. were purchafed in diflPerent parts of France, a great part of the cannon were to be tranfported upwards of two hundred miles, part of the way hy land, to the fea ports ; this could not be done fecredy, and the tranfportation of fuch a quantity of cannon, and military (lores, at a time when France was in profound peace, nece(Iarily excited inquiries, and no one could remain at a lofs, as to their deftination; — the confequencc was, that ^^ : D the [ '8 ] li i ,1 the Britlfli ruiiiiflcr remonllrated, and orders were iflucd lo fufpcnd our operations ; in a few diiy«, ptriTjilljon was privately obtained to proceed; iVefli alarms were given, a*^d repeated counler or- ders ilFutd i whenever news unfavourable to us arrived from America, or the Britifli MiniQer re- monllrated in : high tone, all ivy operatioui* were inllantl/ fufpended ; a few anecdotes, and extra6ls of letters favourable to us, (whether authentic or not; v\ith proper management, and a judiciuus application of douceiiis, let the afiair again in mo- tion ; and thefe permifiions, and counter orders, fucceedcd each other every few weeks, and fre- quently oftencr, until the (lores were embarked ; nor did the court quit this fluctuating mode of condu6l, or give the leafl encouragement, of finally a£ling d<^cifively in our favour, until the news of the furrcnder of General Burgoyne's army, ar- rived in France ; — in a word, our fuccefs or mif- fortunes, and the remonftrances of the Britifli Mi- niflcr, gave the tone, and ftile of the French Mi- iiiflers, from my arrival in France, to the receipt of the above-mentioned intelligence, and even un- til the figning of the treaties of the 6th of Fe- bruary, 177S. — It would require a volume, to give but a general hiftory of thefe mancEuvres, and of the embarraflments, and expences which attended them ; unfortunately for me, as well as for the creditor of thofe fupplics, a great part of the ex- I I.I' s wortf ' day*, occcd ; tcr or- to us Icr re- li were ;xtra6ls ntic or diciuus in mo- oidcrs, nd fie- barkcd ; node of f finally news of ny, ar- or mif- tiOiMi- )ch Mi- receipt ven un- of Fe- , to give and of itterded for the the ex- pences f 19 ) peaces were of fuch a nviiiire, t!iat no vouchers Cm ever he pro'luccl for thotn — ^Vhen it v fS knou'n, th.it orders \v-:rr goin* to bo ilFiied, to lU- fpcnd t!ic tranfpoiiarion, or the embar!:afion of the r.uinon and ;Tores, or to forbid l!ic fliips lo.idivd, m l)a^inflr with them, from failing the do- ceurs ri en to delav fuch orders, or the execution 1.) of thcin; f )r a few d lys, or for a few hours only, as was fjinctirncs the cafe; — he extra funis given to wajTfToncrs, to boatmen and others to exert themfch'fj; on fucli occafions, can never be iup- ported by vouchers. What I have already faid, is fuflficirnt to give a genera! idea of my fituation at that time, and of the obdacles and cmbanair- mcnts which I had to encounter with ; — and it is well known, that I fo far furmountcd them, as to have upw irds of two hundred pieces of brafs can- no i, and mortars, with thirty tlioufand fuhls, with ammunition, cloathingand tents for an army of thirty thoufand men at the pcjrts, and ready to be embarked, and ihips to receive them, in the month of November, within the fhort fpacc of fix months after my arrival in France. — It ought to be equally well known, that after the molt po- fitive orders were given by the Cpurt, forbidding" the embarkation of them, and the failing of the fhips, means were devifed, and praflifed, fo far to elude them, that two (hips, the Amphitrite and Mcrcure, with near one hundred of. the cannon;. D 2 , tweqty ill' i\y it- III I'li I I ! ii! i; f !' i Plii ! * nil [ 20 t J twenty thoufand fufils, and other (lores, under pretence of failing for St. Domingo, were got to fea, and fortunately arrived at Portfrnouth, in New-Hampfhire, in April, 1777; and that when General Burgoyne capitulated at Saratoga, his army was furrounded by men, armed with thofe fufils, and fupported by that train of artillery, purchafed and fent cut, as I have already men- tioned ; and is that event alone, brought Franqe to conclude a treaty with us, and enter into a war with England^ the purchafe, and fending out thofe cannon, arms, and (lores, in a great degree decided the fate, or the independance of t^e United States. — To fhew that I do not over-rate the importance of thefe fupplies, or my fervice jr. procuring of them, I mu(l refer to Monf. Beau- marchais' letter of the 23d of March, 1778, to Congrefs, and to the letter from the Prefident of Congrefs to him, of the 15th of January, 1779. Monf. Beaumarchais fays, *' / ojjiirtyou^ that ifwy *' zeal, my advances of money ^ my cargoes ofjiores and ** merchaiidize have been of fervice to the Honcurable *' Cpngrcfs, their gratitude on this occafiqn^ is due to the ** indefatigable pains which Mr, Deanehas taken through fa5lion" > . .^ • ' V nfa n •( If I )■ Congrefs, on the 15th of January, 1779, fay, The Congrfs of the United' States of America, fen-^ fible of your exertion in their favour » prefent you with thfir ihanhj and affure ^m of their regard jr-^hs^ ** lament \.:^.. mder ;ot to ii, in when I, his thofe illery, r tnen- inqe to a war ig out degree )f t'^e er-rate vice ir. Beau- 78, to ent of 1779- t ifwy res dnd urahk to the thrcm^h ic le 9. %» ca, fen* ^ou with '■S •?« r 21 ] ** lament the inconveniencesyou have f/ffered, iy the great " advances made in fupport of thefe States \ circum* *'Jlances have prevented a compliance with their wijhes^ *' biU they will take the mojl efftBual meafures, in their " power to dif charge the debt due to you^^ — the liberal *' fentiments, and extenfive views which alone could die-* *' tale a conduB like your s^ are confpicuous in your ac- *' tionSy and adorn your charaBer ; while with great " talents you ferved your Prince, you have gained the ** eJletDi of this infant republic, and will receive the *' merited applaufc of a new world" I need not re- mind you of the treatment, which I met with, and that Congrefs, whilrt: they voted the thanks of the, United States to Monf. Beaumarchais, and de- clared that his fervices, meritei theapplaufe of a new world, refuufed me an audience, or to take any notice of my petitions to them, for an examination of my condufb, whilft in the fervice of my country ; although they at the fame time knew, that but for me, the meritorious fervices, of that gentleman, v/ould never have been performed. — Dr. Franklin arrived at Paris in December, 1776, but lie brought no funds of any importance with him, . from the Congrefs, and I found by his account of the ilate of affairs in America, that I could rot depend on any remittances from thence. My iituation wa:. extremely diftreffing, the fmall fum which I brought out with me was expended, and - my notes and bills above-mentioned were within ^ - ' ' , , a fe\^ ;;''ii m- ;: m liiiiiiii If lliiil ■ r\ ft [ iji; ■ iii'i I (' ' [ 22 ] a few weeks of becoming due; in this crifis thd Court of France fecretly interpoTcd, and ordered Mr. Grand to pay us 500,000 livres quarterly, during the year eiifuing ; and tiie Fanneis Gene- ral advanced one million of livres on a contract for tobacco. (The two millions from the Court was then faid to be a free gift, and I knuvv not, but Iiavc heard, that it has lately been chargeu in the accompt of France, againft the United States.) By thefe fums I was enabled, to make good my pcrfonal engagements, and the commillioners put in a flate to make further purchafes of (lores for our army, by advancing part of the purchafe money. In the mean time, Congre fs, inftead of making re- mittances, began to draw on their Commiflioners for large fums, and in October, W3 found our funds fo far exhauaed, that c* ir engagements ex- ceeded what we could command, or depend on, by near two millions of livres. The Court was then at Fountainblcau, and, from the unfavourable ac- counts from America, appeared lels difpofed to affift us, than at any preceding period ; but on iTiy going to Fountainbleau, and informing the Minifter of our fituation, and that without an . immediate "advance of money, vvc could not exe- cute the contraQs we had entered into, for cloath- ing, &c. and muft give over any further attempts to furnifli our countrymen, with ftore for profe- cuting the war, I obtained a promife from him, that i 12 the tloath- that Mr. Grand fliould pay us, three million of livres in the courfe of the year then cnfuing, in quarterly payments; this enabled us to make good our engagements. At the time of my leaving France to return to America, the firfl; quarter, or 750,000 livies had become due, and Mr. Grand had given the United States credit for that fura, which with the fums buforc-mentioned, amounted to 3,750x00 livres, which was the total of the mo- nies, received by Mr. Grand on our account to that time, and his accounts which I gave to Congrefs in Auguft, 177S, fiiew to whom, and on what account he paid it out; and that he paid me 69,225 hvres 7s, 6d. for my private expences ; I have charged Congrefs with the fum of 100,947 hvres J for the whole amount of them, from my engaging in the public fervice in January, 1776, -to my return to France, in July, 1780, to fettle the public accounts. — Mr. Arthur Lee, in his let- ter to Congrefs, dated June i, 1778, fays, *' / ^' find that ihe expence cf living in charui.. ,r, cannot he. *' kfs than three thoufand pounds Jlcr ling per annum '• and adds, if left to tktmjelves, I conceive that mojl " perjons will exceed that fum •" that is 6857 ' Jivres. I was (as Mr. Lee expreifes itj left to myfelf, but I did not exceed that fum. From June, 1776, to April, 1778, almoft two years, I advanced nearly the whole of the monies paid out for the relief of priforiers ; the {\j,m of 6406 Hvres 5s. ^d. only a\i^ti WM i i ! ■■ A !!!■■(! i!ll!>'''< ''"!l!l!' I i fiii iiiiillli r.. ^ , 24 j was paid by the banker ; my charges for this Je- partment amount to 19,225 livres 7s. lod. but ia eleven months from my recal, Congrefs arc charged by the Commiffioners, with the fum of 33,782 livres 19s. advanced to prifoners; from fuch fadls, a judgment may be formed of my ceconomy, or diffipation whilfl in the fer\'iee of my country. — The amount of mycharges to Congrefs, cxclufive of my commifFion account, is- 258, 194 livres 9s.2d. of which my expences already mentioned, amount to 100,947 livres », the remainder was for my time, and dilburfements of various kinds, fpecified in xny account, long fmcc before Congrefs, on this account theballance is 175,107 livres Jin my fa^ vour. — Mr. William Lee made one journey to Vienna, on account of the public, and Mr. Izard who was at Paris for the education of his childreti, received whilfl; there a commiflion from Congrefs to the Court of Tufcany, but never went out of Paris or quitted his family on the bufinefs of the public ; the fomner of thefe gentlemen received 72,000 livres, and the latter 60,000 for their pri- vate expences ; yet thefe men are among the loudeft againll me for an extravagant wafte of public money. — And permit me here, my countrymen and feiiow-citizens, to rcqueft, that you rvill exa- mine for yourfelves, or that if your diflance from Congrefs, will not permit you to do it, that you wiii demand of your delegates an account of all the ►*. . monies y^m dc- it in rged ,782 Fa£ls, ^, or y.— veof id. of ant to time, ed ill n this ny fa- ley to Izard Idreti, ngrefs out of of the ceived ir pri- oudeft public rymen ill exa- e from at you all the lonies f 25 ] tt^onies ever remitted to me by CongreGj, or that I ever received on their accompt ; by this yoii ivill be able to form a judgment, with fufEcicnt prc- cifion, if I am a defaulter for millions, as has been Aflerted by my enemiies, or one of the public creditors. v But exflufive of the above ballance due to me after accounting for all the monies, received by me, I am entitled to a commifTion ot five per cent, oil goods and militiry (lores purchafed by me, to the amount of 4,7 56,3 9 3 livres, 17 fols, which makes the fum of 238,445 livres, expences of poftage,&c^ included. Thefe goods and military ftores I pur- chafed, previous to the arrival of my colleagues, in confequence of thfc order given me by the fecrct (Committee bf Cotigrefs, and on which I was pro- iTiifed the fame commiflion, as was then given to other agents and purchafers, which was uniformly five per cent — For thepurchafes made jointly with rtiy colleagues, 1 have not charged any thing, being then iti a different capacity, as joint commiflioner plenipotentiary, with them. Thus it appears, that inflead of being a defaulter, I am one of the pub- lic creditors, and to a large amount; and of all the public creditors , perhaps no one has fuffered fo much in point of intereft, certainly no one fo much" in point of charadter ; but of this I may take no- itice, on fome future occafion. I need not take up any more of your time at prefent on the fubjedl of • '■ £ - . .. ■ . - mv '4 I' i I, i< I ii'lr > J 111 I my accounts, tfiey have long fince been before Coh- gre(s, attd to them I appeal, to juftify the general Hate, which I have given of my money tranfaCliona for the public. 1 have (hewn, and it will appear from them, that from my arrival in France in. June, 1776, to the December following, when joined by Do6lor Franklin and Mr. Lee, I had had no money, or next to none of the public's, at any lime in my hands ; but, on the contrary, was atthattime, in advance for my employers ; and that afterwards, until my return to America, I did not receive a fum, any way equal to my expences and difburfements ; and from that period to the prefent, I have not had any public employment. The fe- cond charge againft me is, on account of my having in May and June, 1781, wrote my opinion ©f our public affairs to my friends in America, and advifed peace, and an accommodation with Great- Britain. ■ , ' 1 confcfs that the letters publiihed by Rivington hi New York, as mine, do not materially differ from thofe which 1 a£lually wrote at that time and vvhiehj unfortunately for me, were intercepted ; and that they contain the undifguifed fentiments of my heart, on the then apparent fituation of our affair ; but I never yet J>eard of its being, a crime in any free ftate, for the citizens of it to give their opinion^ and advice on public affairs, and meafures. To fuppofe me to have been in the intered of the • " '. inmiUers •e Coti- general fadlions appear ince ia , when i had flic's, at iry, was and that did not nccs and prefent. The fe- : of my ' opinion rica, and :h Great- livington \\y differ :hat time crcepted *, entiments m of our g, a crime give their raeafures. eft of the minifters f 27 ] mitiiTlcrs of tliis country, and to have wrote thofo letters to promote their views, is as abfurd as to fuppofe, that I amalfed an immenfe fortune in the fe. vice of my country ; yet, although my well known circumftances, and connedljons, at that pe- riod, and previous to it, as well as fince, demon- ftrare the abfurdity, and faifehood of fuch fup^ poFitioni, yet both the one, and the other have been liot only fiig^ejled, but poiitively afferted, by cer- tain writers in America, who dick at nothing, how- ever extravagant, I can hardly imagine, notwiihdanding the late, and prefent profperous ftate of our affairs, thaC 9ny one cari have forgot the fituation, in which they were in 1781, when I wrote thcftr letters, and pre- vious to the furrender of Lord Cornwallis, and of Jiis army at York. In May, and in June, 1781, the BritiQi force* were in poileflion, of the whole of ^ur fea coajl, from the Chefapcak fouthward ; and whilft the)' ravaged, and diftreffed the inte- rior country, their (hips of war and cruizers inter* cepted almoft the whole of our trade, and of our fupplies. We had no naval force, to oppofe tp theirs, nor any probability at tfeat time, that our ally would fend to«iur ^flidancc, a naval force fuperior to that of the enemy. The army under General Walhington, was too weak of itfeJT, for any offen- five operations ; and Congrefs had neither money, or credit, to put it on a more refpc^abte footing. E z General pi; liii' ': * i li! c; * llfttit' ! f il it €1 [ 28 ] . General Wafliington did not fcr^ple at that-period to declare, " that without a Jepid^dly f^peri9r fleet to that of Great-Britain in Am^^^ca, all op- poGtion totheBritifh forces in Aniepca, wpu|d ** foon be at an end." All th^ letters from America were in the fame flilc ; mz^py circv^mftance? at that time, my o\vn pbfervations, and the information I was then in the way of, led me to Concli^de, that there was not the lead probability, of there b^ing a French fleet on our coaft that campaign, ft^peripr to the Britiih. Accidents, and circumftances, un- forefeen at that time, arjd thofe extremely impro. bable ones, gave the French fleet that fuperiority, which alone decided the fate of Lord Corn- wallis, and of his army at York. Had not this event happened, of which when I wrote there was not the moft diflant probability, the war mufl have terminated againft us in that campaign j— 1^ this I was fupported by the unanimous opinion, of the beft judges on the fub]e£l, then in America : was it a crime in me, to write to America in the fame ftile, in whiqh our Generals, and leading men, wrote to their friends in Europe ? My letters have been publiflied, theirs have not ; this is the fole difference, except the cruel circumftance of mine having been publifhed by the enemy, at a time when our danger was ovfr, and when the publi- <:ation could ferve no other purpofe, but to ruin me in the opinion of my country men. At t 29 1 At the time of my writing, every thing confpired to convince me, that France had only her own in- tereft, and that of Spain in view, in the war; and that however it might terminate, (lie would he very far from confulting our interell in the peace ; per- (uaded of this, I wrote it to be my opinion, and for this 1 have been deemed an ^nemy and traitqr tg France, as well as to the United States. . , But have net events, in part already juflified this opinion of mine ? You befl know by what intrigues the French Court prevailed with Congrefs, to order our commiflioners, not to fign any treaty with Great- Britain, without the knowledge and confent of tlje Court of Vei failles ; and thus to put our future peaccy liberty t and Jnjety^ abfolutely into their power : nor can you, I prefume, be ignorant, that the Court of France, having thus bound us, began to take off the mafic, and to take mealures with, and to propofe terms to, the other powtrs for excluding us from the fiiheries, .^nd for fupporting the extravagant claims of Spain to E«j{l Loui- siana; and that our commiflioners, alarmed at thi^, wifely ventured to fign the preliminary arti- cles, without either the knotyledge or conltnt of the minifters at Verfailles. Are not thefe well known fa6ls, abundantly fufficient to juflify me, for having in 178 1, entertained fufpicions of France, in her profeffions of difinterefted friendlhip to the ynited States ? By our treaty with Great-Britain . ' ' • wc \w,l:. Ill 11 ill' iffil-' (30 ) we are entitled to a right in her fliare of the Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia fisheries ; but has not PVance wholly excluded us from any in hers ? Does not France at this time encourage and fupr port Spain, in her claims to the lichefl and moft extenfive part of the territory allowed by Great- Britain, in the late treaty, to belong to us ? Thef^ attempts are not marks of friendlhip, but are the pioft unequivocal charafleriOics, of' that infidious, interefled policy, which I pointed out in my let- ters, and warned my frieyds to be on their guarcj •againlh ^^'^ " , ^u: .,r,.^ -M.^-.-Mt^fth.-^n:/- -m;.» • In my letter to Mr. Morris, I gave him my 'opinion, with refpcd to the future (late of our com- merce, under independent fovereignty, and the 'grounds on which 1 was led to form it ; and I Ihall be happy, if experience, (which alone can de- cide in fuch cafes j proves that my opinion and rei?- foning on that fubjeft, were erroneous and ill-found- "ed. Apprehenljve at the time, and diftrelTed by the thought, that we mufl either fail in the conteft, and in fuch cafe fubmit to the laws of our conquerors, rendered imperious, and fevere,from their fuccefs ; Gr, that if fucccfsful curfelves, that in the fitUatioii in which our country muft be, on the peace; bur- thened with heavy tajges on account of the public debts contra 61ed by the war, and ft ill heavier for the future fupport of independanc fovereignty, and at the fame time expofed to the evils arifing from interna! I I 3» } internal fafllorls, and divifions, and from our jarring and incompatible interefts •, that ou»* democratic governments, which we had cflablilhcd in Con- grefs, and in our feveral States, would not be found to have fufficient energy, and coercion, to eftabliOi and maintain fuch a degree of order, and of due fubordination, as muft ever be indefpenlibly ne- ccflary, in all governments, to prevent anarchy and confufion; And that in fuch a fituation, indej>en- dant fovcrcignty, inllead of proving a bleffing, muft become the heavieft misfortune, which could befall us; — Strongly impreffed by this opinion, I judged it to be my duty, to urge and prefs my countrymen, by every argument in my power, to improve that important crifis, and by an accom- modation, and re-union with Great-Britain, on equal, fafe, and honourable terfns, to fecure our future peace, fafety and liberty, both internal, and external. # . . .: .. 1 then thought that a re-union, not fimply On th6 condition of being replaced in the ftate, in which we were, previous to 1763 ; (for which alone, Con- grefs in 1774, and afterwards in 1775, petitio :ed,). buton conditions, and terms, every way preferable ; viz. Thofe of being governed, folely by laVvs of our own enabling, and of being taxed only by our affem- blies,and of enjoying the fame commercial privileges, and proteftions, as other fubjeds of the Britifti Em- pire were, or might be entitled to ; 1 fay that it was then my opinion, that an accommodation and re- union w^ I ii!i!::(ii!lii !■!! t 3^ J Uhionon thofe terms. Was to be preferred, to ^ continuation oTthe war, to funning th^ rifque of itj/ uhccrtain ifluc, and Co hazatding the datigerous experiment of Independant Sovereignty. — This opinion of mine, has been deemed a crime little Ihort of that of high trcafon. — Hut ft oOght to be re- membered, that this was fimply my opinion, and that I communicated it to my friends, at a time, when our profpeds were gloomy, and difcouraging. It is proper here, to review the fentiments of the firft, atjd of the fecond Congrefs on this fubje6l ; the lirfl in their refolutions, and in their petition to the King complain of no grievances anterior to 1763 1 their words are, ** We prelent this petition, only to obtain redrefs of grievances, and relief from feari, and jealoufies, occafioned by the fyftem of flatutes, and regulations, adopted fmce the clofe of the late war, for raifing a revenue in America ; — extending the powers of the Courts of Admiralty, and Vice Admiralty ; — trying perfons in Great-Britain, for offences alledged to be comtnitted in America ; — affefling the Province of the Maflacurett's Bay ; — and alter^ ing the Government, ar.d extending the limits of Quebec." This is the lift of grievancces.then enumerated, and they add, " By the abolition of " which fyftem, the harmony between Great- •' Britain, and thefe Colonies, io neceflary to the ^ happinefs of both, and fo ardently dcfired by ** the a n M <( «* «( cc •( «( «( i< 4 M" «« •( (( c< (I t 33 1 •^ the latter, and the ufual intercourfcs will be im- mediately reftorcd ; — for, appealing to that Be- ing who fearches ilioroujrhly the hearts of his creatures, we folemnly profefs, that our councils have been influenced by no other motive, than a dread of impending deftru8ion." (That is from the above fyllemj. '* Permit us then, mod " gracious Sovereign, in the name of all your faithful people in America, with the utmoft humility to implore you, for the honor of Almighty God, whofe pure religion \our enemies are 'undermining, for }'our glory, which can be advanced only by , rendering your fubjefts happy, for the interefl of your family ; depend- ing on an adherence to the principles that en« ** throned it; for the fafety and welfare of your "kingdoms, and dominions, threatened with ** almoft unavoidable dangers, and didrefles, that your Majefty, as the loving father of your v/hole people, conne6lcd by the fame bonds, of law, loyalty, failh^ and bloody though dwelling in different countries, will not fufFer the tranfcen- ** dant relation formed by thefe ties to be farther violated, in uncertain expedlation of effe6ls that, if attained, never can compenfate for the cala- mities through which they mufl be gained, we " therefore, &c." — Thefe were the fentiments of the fir ft Congrefs 5— the fecond, though con- <( «c (( l# (t (( <( <( it {( (( t\ «( ,^mf vened ^ ■•-^.■■^:.«^•^" : "iD*i'w,W!WPi?i ;i| ■ I I m i .:if: I'.il I'll IHtl'.;,' w f||illi.i| [ 34 ] vetted after hodilities Lad been eomnfiencec}, and although their petition Was agreed to, after they had made an arrangement of the rrmy, had commifliioned the generais, had iffued money and f}ecx)me to all intents, de JaBo^ Independent ; yet they dill perfevered in the fame fentiments, as to their grievances, and the terms on which a recon- ciliation was defired ; they refer to the petition of the firft Congrefs, and folemnly ** declare, be* *' fore God and the world, that they had not raifed armies with the ambitious deigns, of fe* parating from Great-Britain, and eftablilhing Independent States," and that they fought, not for glory or ccnqueil ;" and add, *' attached to your Majefty's Perfon, Family, and Govern- ment, with all that devotion which principle^ ** or aflFeQion can Jnfpire, conne6led with Great-» •* Britain, by the ftropgeft ties which can unite ** focieties, our breafts k-etain too tender a regard for the kingdom frohi which we derive our origin, to requ^ft fubh a rcconcihation as, might in ai.\y manner be incondllent, with her dignity and welfare ; thefe, r^dated as we are to. her, honor and duty, as weU as inclination^ induce us to liipport and advance." Within a few days after figning of this petition, \ Doctor Franklin drew up feverai refolutions in fohn of propofals, to be made by Congrefs for a reconci- liation, which he introduced m the following words : «( (( « (I iC «c «6 C( «< i( <( m iced, after had \f and :; yc<: as to rccon- letition re, be* ad not - , of fe- bliihing fought, attached Oovern- rinciple. Great'' ,n unite regard |rive our ition as. Iwith her e are to. [hnation> V^ithin a . Dodor foitn of reconci- ^ollowing words ; I 35 J words ; " Forafrauch as the enemies of America, «• in the Parliament of Great Britain, to render *' us odious to the nation, and give an ill itn. «* predion of us in the minds of other European " Powers, have reprefented us unjuft and un- ** grateful m the highefl degree ; alk-rting on every " occafion, that the Colonies were fettled at the •* expence of Britain, &c. That they aim at indt^ *• pendency y that they intend an abolition of the Na^ ** vigation ABs, &^c, and as by /reguent repetition 0/ ** thefe groundlefs ajfertionsy and malicious calumnies^ *' may, if not contradicted and refuted, obtain farther ** credit, and he injurious throughout Europe to tht ** reputation^ and interejl of the confederated Colonies^ ** it feems proper, and neceflary to examine them ** in our own iu(l vindication," He then pro* Ceeds to fhew, that thefe char|r<;s were groundlefs, and then to make the following propofals : " That * on a reconciliation with Britain, we fhall not * only continue to grant aid in time of war, but ' whenever fhe (hall ihink fit to abolilh her mo- * nopoly, and give us the fame privileges in trade, ' as ScotlanJ received at the Union, and allots * us a free commerce with all the reft of the ' world, we fhall willingly agree to give and pay * into the finking fund, 100,000 1, (lerling an- ' nually, for the fpace of. one hundred years to ' come, which duty, faithfully and inviolably * applied to that purpofe, is dcmonftrably ' more than fufficient to extinguiQi all her prefent F 2 ** national 81 ' 'I r!!efe^\-yjVFV>'^Tvn^»f>.^meff*- k !! 1 I i It ■!' !■ I m ' It n ': ii f 1^':: I !;'• t 36 1 */ national d^bt, Sec. But if Britain does not *' think fit to accept this propofition, we, in ** order to remoye her groundlefs jea]ou(ie{f, *' that we aim at mdepefidtnce^ and an abolition *' of the Navigation A6l, whichj in iriith, has never *' heen our intention^ and to avoid all future •* difputes about the right o.f making that, and " other a6ls, for the regulating our commerce, do V hereby declare ouifelves ready, and willing to ** enter into a covenr^nt with Great-Britain, that Ihe Ihall fully poflefs, enjoy, and exercife that right for one hundred years to come." (See the Do61or's political, mifcellaneous and phiU ► fophical pieces, (ol. 357) His editor fays, This paper was drawn up in a commiUee of Con- ,** grefs, June 25, 1775, hut does not appear on their ,*' mimUes •, a fiver e aH of parliament which arrivtd ..*' about that time, having determined thern not to give ** ihe fum propofed in it*^ But the editor was mif- informed; the paper here referred to, was not ,dra\^n up in a comnrii^tee, npr by the dire£lion of Congrefs, or by the advice of a comrnittee.— -Doctor Franklin firfl committed h^s thoughts, on the terms for a reconciliation, to writing, and afterwards, in a committee, which wasappoimed for a very different purppfe, whilft their report v/as tranfcribing, he read the draught above- mentioned: Col. R. H. Lee, who was one of the committee, approved of it, and requeued the <( (t (( it il ''i^S r 37 1 Do6lor to lay it before Congrefs, or to permit him to do it, not as a report, for no committee had been appointed on the fubjeft, but in the ufual way of motion, by an individual member; Do6lor Franklin declined the taking of this, on himfelf, and gave the paper to Col, Lee, who the next day introduced, and read it in Congrefs, and moved that the twopropofals contained in it, (hould pafs into refolutions of the houfe ; the motion was feconded, and fupported by a delegate from one of the New England flates, fmce unjuflly charged, with having aimed at independence from the firfl of the difpute : the propofals appeared no way difagreeable to the houfe, but it was ob- ferved, that having but a few days before, in a petition to his MajeRy, requeued him to direH the ?iidde and forms " for a happy ^ and psrinamnt re- conciliation," it was proper to wait the eflFe£ls of that petition, and that, in the mean time, to make any fpecific propofals, would be premature, and f.o a certain degree inconliftent with cur own re- xuiells ; befides this objedion, a great part of the i: -embers, efpccially of thofe from the Southern Hates, were ftill confident, that the prayer of our petition would be granted, and a reconciliation take place on the terms, of our being rcflored to the Rate in which we were, at and previous to 1763. On ihtfe confiderations-the motion was vviihdrawn ; and the reafon why no entry \v^% ^i>.;t. , : '■'"- ■ made WW ,.;! 11 If .III in:! S lin! I'iii m m: III! [ 38 ] made of it, in the minutes or journals of Congrefs, was, lead after being reftorcd unconditionally to the Hate in which we were in 1763, future ad- vantage might be ^aken of thefe oflFers. As I was one of the committee, to whom the contents of this paper was firft communicated, and in Con- grefs during the tranfaQion, I cannot in jufticc to the wilhes, and difpofition of CongreCs, at that time for a reconciliation, omit giving this brief hi (lory of thofe propofals ; and in juftice to my- felf, I mud obferve, that the terms propofed by me in my Jt ' ' , are infinitely preferable, to thole pflFered, and pr^/ed for by the firft, and fecond Congrefs, as well as to thofe contained, in this^ paper drawn up by Doftor Frapklin. After the declaration of independence, Doftor Franklin, with the knowledge and approbation of Congrcfs, correfponded with Lord Howe ; in his letter of the 30th of July, 1776. (o his Lordfhip, he fays, *' Long did I endeavour with unfeigned and un- wearied zeal, to preferve from breaking that fine, and noble china vafe, the Britifh empire ; for I knew, that being once broken, the fepa- ratc parts could not retain, even iheir Jkare of the ilrcngth, and value, which exifted in the whole, and that a ptrjt^ re^umon of thofe parts could fcarce ever he hoped for," Was it a crime 111 me, in ; 78 1, to wifti for a perfeft re-union, and in pi i vale letters, to urge my friends to^o all in their (( t objeft of our independent fovereignty, has been obtained, and ratified by treaties, may be compared with the expreflions in my letters of 1781, on the fame fubjeft, and that my countrymen will then fay, if it was a criminal defcrtion of the caufe, of my country, or if it was an unpardonable weaknefs, and defpondency of mind in me at that time, to make a queftion of that, which now, when fuccefs and peace, have fecured our independent fovereignty. ,^'.i The great end of civil fociety is, to fecure to men united in it, the giCut bleflings of peace, of liberty and fafety, both in their perfons and in their property, and in deciding what form of go- vernment moll efFedually aniwers this great and beneficent fceneficent putpofe, experience, not theory, tliuft dircift us. -'This is not a fubjeft for rtdufe pliilolbphers, or fubtle metaphyficians, to decide on in their clofets ;— and whenever they have been referred to, they have given the preference to Utopian, or ideal and imaginary fyflems of their own, before thofe plain and fimple ones, which experience has (hewn to be ptadicaole and fafe.— But with- out looking abroad, to profit by the experience of other nations, our own mud now, with the ut- moft prccifion, and certainty, determine this great queftion, as )tt undecided, and bring convidiion, home to every one 5 either that our prefentjyftem of government is preferable, to that under which we and our anceflors, for more than one century and a half, were free, fafe, and happy, or that it is not. Our fituation, previous to the late revo- lution, mull be Hill frefli iii our memories, and our prefent, cannot long be difguifed or mifunder- flood by us, from our fenfes ; from what we fee and feel, we mufl: judge with certainty of it ; and by comparing the prefent with the pad, this important queftion miiff ultimately be decided. If happily for us, it be in favour of the prefent, no man will more fincerely rejoice than what I fliall on the ocCafion ; but if on a comparifon of Our prefent v/ith our paft fituation, the revolution Ihould, which General Wafhington, feems to ap- G prehend^ 'V 11 I 1,(1, ;i^i. !:^ , i 1 1 1 , n v apprehend, be found a curfc, in/lead of a Mtjjtng then indeed, I ihall be one of the moft unhappy of men, aiid the fole confohition which will be left 4 e, *v'i< he (the almoft only one which I now enjoy ) a confcioufnefft of my integrity, in the fer* vice of my country, and of the purity and rc6li- tude of my intentions, in the opinion and advice, which, in 1781, 1 gave in my letters to my friends irt America. — Having fiiewn, that inftead of being ft defaulter, I am a creditor of the public^s to a confiderable amount, and impartially ftated the contents, and objedl of my letters of 1781$ I Ihall take my leave for the pretent, and fubmit the whole, to your candid confideration, and whatever tfiy fate may be, if to be reftored to your good opinion and confidence, and to the bofom of my^ frictids, and country, or to remain far exiled from them, the firil and moft ardent wifh of my foul, will ever be, that my country's happinefs may be perpetual, in the full er>joyment of peace, liberty and lafety. ^ f^^j^r ^ - - - :- I am with great fincerity and refpcdl, , C • ' Your friend and fellow citizen, -"'', .>^ > ., & D E A N E. London^ Jhgvfl 10, 178 j.. > ' .?■- /■•v y P. S. I have avoided entering on the fubjedl of the numerous calumnies, which have been pro- .^4 [ 43 J ft pagated againft me, by anonymous writers, it would have been cndlefs, and quite unneceflary, fmce every thing which has either been faid, or fuggefled againft roe, may be reduced to two queftions only. Firft, if I a6led faithfully, and was an honeft fteward of the public money, whilft in the fervice of my country ; and fecondly, if the contents of my letters of May, and June, J 78 1, were of fuch a nature as to merit the harfh cenfures, paffed on me in America on their ac- count; In France, I can expe6l no other* . thaa to be condenmed, it is what every one muft ex- pert, who calls in queflion, the difintereflednefs of the motives of France in the late war, or who attempts to prevent our country, from becoming virtually dependant on that power. As to the re- ports circulated here, and which may probably reach America, of my being at the levees of the Minifters, and in frequent conference with them, and that I have adled an unfriendly part refpeding our commerce, and the like, I can with the greateft truth and fincerity declare, that there is not the leaft foundation for them, I have not fo much as feeri any of the Minifters, fmce my arrival in this coun- try. — And as to our commerce, I gave my opinion in 1781, in my letter to Mr, Morris, as to the reftridions, which I thought it would fall under on a peace ; if any part of what I then appre- hended has been realifed, I am not to blame ;f ' —^ -^ G2 Imoft 1 ' .1.,' i ':J I' '!'■■ ■ 11 i Hi! ■ . li - I 44 ] I mofl heartily wi(h that no part of it may ever be fo, but that experience may (hew me, to have been in an error in what I wrote on that fubjeft. '. : : tf .,^'fc,:-,*u :ij.iti- 'V '$ii .&im3n^ ^i^ ^xt;fUn- f; v/n. \ ■ ' r • > i-.'^ t ?^f|llj:i:>:> ►T.i *. > I 'K-y €^ ■ C't.- • ; I. .6 ai^ J. ^ 1 J ...f- •■J'-, 3q V-'i^' ^JH-^rU alt^^ .;;, tt . « .'•f :r 4« t ' f >• A* •J *-i;r •f ti?*)-?t:''fn: /a .l^i^ I Li i.4.i. r. 7-^ i-^ 'Hi h^:5^y,i-:. il^iilit' ^l^ iiw-i. J>.»| » .• •umfei^-i! m.-ion ttt^y t fl^^uit^vi ^SfT:v:^rff* ^r-v?ii^iv. !i w*v « lam I £ U A P P E N- !' ^ec. 1 J^l.' J;i'-.' •;■- i ' 'ft'.fe- ■«-: ■ 'f^l ■***"*'"'*''"' \4.'i^. ; *t- ^.^■*'^' ^ *« a ;,i^t. •> A P P E N D I X. i. ' ,.,iv ,, J . ' 4 ' 1^ * ' 'f ■ *'. vs ,, f' / ( '■ :ns^-t ir% >* IT I ' ■ ', ■ V - 1 . % f - • • r •-•¥•- *-. '^ r --i.- * ii ft I ¥ I I:, / f 46 3 No. 1. . COPY OF A LETTER from the COUNT DE " VERGENNES to the PRESIDENT of the CONGRESS. ^ Monsieur, ^ A VcrfailleSt /<; 25 ^^rs, 1778. M, DEANE le difpofans a retourner en Arne-< riquc, je faife avec plaifir, cette, occalion pour lendre tcinoignage au zele, a TaQivite & a Tin- telljgence avec Ics quels il s'cfl occupe des intcrets des Elats unies ; c'e", a ccs difFc:ens litres qu'il a merite, IVftime du Roi mon Maitre, & que Sa Majen^ a bicn voulu lui donner de marques de fa fatisfadiron. Au refte M. Deane pourra rendre compte au Congres, des difpofitions ou eft le Roi \ regard des laats unies. Les liens qu'ils ont for- Hips, avec Sa Majcflc, doivent rcmplir leurs voeux le Roi, de fon c(.!c eft non feulment convaincu qu'ils font fondes lur des principes inalterables, mais auffi qu'ils contribueront au bonheur des deu;? peuples. f*ai riionneur d'etre, avec une trcs fincere at- tadjinent, , - < ^ . Monfiftur, Vptre tres, humble & tres obeiflans ferviteur, DE VERGENNES. T R A N- I 43t 4 No. I. .1 c. ^] I'n-'ij TRANSLATION op a LETTER from thb COUNT DE VERGENNES to thi PRE- ^ SIDENT OF THE CONGRESS. ,j'- Sir, yit VerfaiUes, 25M March^ ^71^^ Mr. DEANE being about to return to America, I embrace the occafion with pleafure, to give my tedimony to the zeal, adivity, and intelligence with which he has condu6led the intereds of the United States, by which he has merited the efteem of the King, my Mailer, and for which his Ma- jefly has been plcafed to give him marks of his fatisfa6lion. Mr. Deane will be able to inform Congrefs, of the difpolition of t e King toward the United States ; the engagements formed with his Majefty, will doubtlefs fatisfy their wi(hes. The King on his part, is not only convinced that they are founded on principles unalterable, but alfo that they will contribute to the happinefs of both nations. ^^si I have the honor to be with the moft fincerc attachment, ^^ Your moft humble and obedient fervant, (Copy,) (Signed.) DE VERGENENS, '- rv 1 L< No, 2, \ [ so } 1 i . i m .^ I I I I i Not 3. < • -P^j near Paris f March gi, C^Si S I R, •,'• - •;• ' ■ >^- • ' ' ' MY colleague, Mr. Deane, being recalled hy Congrefs, and no reafons given that have yet ap- peared here, it is apprehended to be the efFedt of fome mifreprefentations from an enemy or two at Paris, and at Nantes. I have no doubt that he will be able, clearly to juftify himfelf, but having lived intimately with him now fifteen months, the greateft part of the time in the fame houfe, and been a conflant witnefs of his public conduft, I cannot omit giving this teftimony, though un- alked, in his behalf, that I eileem him a faithful, a6live, and able minifter, who, to my knowledge, has done, in various ways, great and important fervices to his country, whofe interefts I wifH inay always be, by every one in her employ, as inuch, and as effedually promoted. With my dutiful refpeds to the Congrefs. I have the honour to be, SIR, your mod obedient, . and mofl humble fervant, : 3Ei>r. FRANKLIN, Hon, Henry Laurens, Frejident cf Ccm^rejs, ^^ [ 51 ] •1 't ic cc «« No. 4. CERTAIN" paragraphs having lately appeared ih the Englifh news-papers, importing, that Silas Deane, Efq. fornltrly Agent, and Commiflioner Plenipotentiary, of the United States of America, had fome time after his firft '* arrival in France, purchafed in that kingdom, for the ufe of his countrymen, 30,000 niufkets, &c. that he gave three livres for each of them, being old con- " derimed arms : ^hat he had them cleaned and *' vamped up, which cofl: near three litres more, •* and that for each of thefe, he charged and re- *' ceived a louis d*or.'* — And that he alfo com- mitted fimilar frauds, in the purchafe of other articles, for the ufe of his country ; and Mr.' Deane having reprefented* that the (aid para- graphs, are likely to injure him in the opinions of many perfons, unacquainted with his conduft, whilft in public fervice ; I think ii my duty, ia. compliance with his requcft, to certify, and de' lare, that the paragraphs in queftion, according to xay bell knowledge and belief, are entirely falfe, and that I have never known, or fufpe£led any caufe to charge the faid Silas Deane, with any want of probity, in any purchafe, or bargain whatever made by him for the ufe or account of the United States, Given at Pally, the 18th December, 1782, (Signed.) B. FRANKLIN, Minifter Plenipotentiary from the United States of America, at the Court of France* Ha Noi54 C 5^ I ^iW"l *■•'!-—-•-- . No. 5; ..-.. 7ftf •■•' Extract of instructions given Br ' THE Secret Committee of Conngress, March 2d, lyyb, '' To the Hon. SILAS *' DEANE, Es(>. Agent for the Thirteei* , •' United Colonies. ' ^' ii v -^ : ■ *' The fupply we at piefent want is cjoathing, and arms, for 25,000 men, with a fuitable quantity of ammunition, and 100 field pieces. If France (hould grant thefe fupplies, the whole will make a cargo which it might be well to fecure, by a convoy of two or three fhips of war. But if thefe fupplies on the credit of Congrefs fhould be refufed, (that is by the Court of Fiance) you are then to endeavor the obtaining permiffion, of purchafing thofe articles, or fo much of them as you can find credit for," (( • » i ' 7 fc i . i HE following letter, contains viie fubftancc of v.hat in lySi, I wrote to my friends, and corrc- fpondents in America, in thu(e letters, which were intercepted, and publifhed in New-York; where the publication by Rivington, differs fron\ the original, I have noted, and corrected it, in this, and therefore the prefent may be relied on, to be authentic. — The variations in this, or in any of thofc letteis, as publifhed, from the ori- ginals are not fo material, as to acquit me, of the cenfures, already paffed on me, by my country- men on account of their contents, if on an im- partial examination of the fentiments, exprefled in them, and on a review of the flate of public affairs, at the time, when I wrote, it. fhall be judged, that I merited thofe cenfures. — I have fele6lcd this letter, becaufe tliat it contains, more fully, than any one of the others, my fentiments, at the time, of the pall, and of thj then probable future fituation, of the commerce, of the United States, under independant fbvereignty. — The very unfavourable appearance of the war, on the part of my country, at the time, when I wrote, added to the treatment, which I had met with, by the prevalence of a fa6tion in America, and to a feries of private misfoitanes, may be fuppofed, to i: r 54 ] to have cafl a gloom, Over a mind, by nature, and habit, not either volatile, or fanguine, and to have turned iny view, to the unfavourable fide of the obje61s before me ; — with the candid, and generous, thefe circumftances, will apologize for jne, if indeed any apology can be thought necef- iary, for a free citizen's having communicated his fentiments, on rubje6ls of infinite importance to his country, in corifidential letters to his fellow- citizens, and intimate friends. If this be a crime, if by this I have merited the obloquy, and cen- fure, with which I have been loaded in America* I can only fay, that it is a newly difcovered crime^ and that a correfpondence, iimilar to that of mine, was never before deemed criminal, or reprehen- henfible, in any free (late, from the earlieft ages pf the world, to the prefent. From various circumftances, and accidents, un- forefeen, and improbable at the time, the ilTue of the war, with feme other, lefs important events, have been very different, from what I feared, and thought to be inevitable, when I wrote; — this has afforded a fubjcfl for triumph over me, to thofe, who judge of men, and of roeafures, only by events ; I do not repine at their triumph, on the contrary, I mofl; ardently pray, that it may be compleat, and that not one of the evils, which my gloomy imagination foreboded, in 1781, may tvcr be realized. — The fubftance of all my let- ters, I 55 ] ^f.rs, which were intercepted, apd publifhcdg tended in tlie lirll place, to fliew the extreme im- prob\biliry, of the final eflablifhnient, of the in- depcnclant foveicignty, of ihe United States; and fecondly, that if cflabh'nied, it would prove ra- ther a curfe, than a blelfing to us; the firfl point is already determiried, and contrary to the appear- ance of the war, in 1781, our indcpendancc, and fovercignty, arc acknowlcdgeil, and confirmed to us, by the treaty of peace ■, — but the fecond, and infinitely the moft important, is a queilion, which General Wafhington, in his circular letter, lays, h flili to be decided. At the date of my letters, ia May, and June, 1781, the ilFue of the war, was at bell doubtful ; but he wrote, after the war had been concluded, and the independant fovereignty of the United States, was confirmed, in the moll explicit, and favourable terms, yet he fays, *' It is a queJUon which rernains ftill to be decided, whe- ther the revolution muft ultimately be confidered, as •' a bkjfing, or a curfe ; — a blejjing, or a curfe, not ** to the prefent age alone ^ for with our fate, will the *' defliny of unborn millions, be involved.'*' In my letter of the 20th of Mayi 1781, to Mr. Root, af- ter a brief review, of the progrefs of the war, and of the flate oiF our affairs, at that time, I faid ; ** From thefe reflexions, combined with all the foBs, ** and informations, that I have been able to obtain, I J- have deduced two propofiUons, of the truth of which lam (( (C (56 ] II ,f.,. «t »c " I am/ill y convinced , hou'njer extraordinayyiheymayi appear in America :— - Tkefirjt of thtfc is, that thers is no prohahiity of otir being able, finally to cjtablijh *^ our ind' pendancy \ and the fccond, ihat if it were ** eftablifhcd, it would prove rather a curfe^ than a ** hlejfing to us." My views in publifliing this let- ter, with a Itw obfcivations on it, are, in the firll place, to obtain, a calm, and impartial rehearing, m which I flatter myfelf, that I fhall not be con- iJemned for having, in 1781, given it as my opi- nion, that independance, if obtained, would ** prove ralher a ciirfe, than a bkffing, to us, fince affif.vr its being eflablifhed, General Waftiington in his letter referred to above, declares it to be a qiieftion, Hill undecided : — Secondly, to (hew my countrymen, (who have been told that i am ini- mical to their commercial interefts) what my fenti- mcnts were in 1781, as to the cmbarraflments, and reftriftions, which our commerce muft necef- farily meet with, nnder independant fovereignty, and that if events, have hitherto tended, to juftify thofe fentiments, I cannot thence be culpable, for having foremen, what from the fir ft, to the prefent moment, I have done every thing in my power to prevent. And in the laft place, by again laying be- fore my countrymen, or reminding them, of the prmciplcs, and grounds, on which I formed my opinion, that our political, and commercial fitua- tk>n, wouldbc every way lefs favourable, under independency J . . . C 57 3 independency, than what it had been, previous to our reparation from Great-Britain, or that indepen- dency would prove rather a curfe, than a hkjfmg, I may excite them, to take proper, and reafonablc meafures, to avoid thofe evils, which I apprehend- ed, when I wrote thofe letters. If I fucceed in thcfe points, I IhaU be perfeftly fatisfie*', and if in the laft only, by much the moa important obje6\ in my view, will be obtained. , -,J .., ,.•7 f, 1': ' if-' 0^,*i..rf^»' .^:uM t;'; y-.^::* V/?t, nil t ■■•'' , i ,i^':t ■^r^J• ,) J I..*' > -I" r i-' n. * -?>A^r: : .,#•■ ■;, j_^- / .,''■■■, ., :. * '. . "'* > f « ' ^.r*^-' - f "■ Pom, #>: ?,•;•■•/;: [ 58 1 L\'.;; , P^^^'iy toth Jme^ 178 1. ;> •i;) ; : i , I. . u . . : :» . . '•;! : } ij u » i •'t , • 1 .- ; m * ;< '» .; » fTTAHE dangerous crifis* to which our affairs •i'JIi. T^^^ rapidly advancing afFedls me greatly— rl can fpeak of nothing elfe wiih attention when in .,;';;%., .i ,.;nt; .:: ^u^^.r-^r /'ii If- I ,K company, • At the date of this !etter, the Biiti/Ii forces were in poflcfiion of New- York, of Long Ifland, and Staten Ifland, of all the fea coaft, from the Capes of Virginia Southward, they had penetrated far, into the country, without meeting, with any material refiftance, and had fuch a decided fupe- riority, in the American feas, that full three- fourths, of all the veffels that put to fea, from the United States, were captured ;— ■ The paper of Congrefe could not be paffed at any rate, and General Waftiington, with other general officers, in their letters, to their friends in Europe, did not fcruple to fay, that, without aid from France, in money to pay the troops, and a fleet decidedly fuperior to the Britiih, all oppofition, would end with that campaign. The whole^ of the naval force, ordered by France to America, that fea- fon, (that is, to the Continent, and to the Weft-Indies) was not equal, to that of the Britiih, then on thofe feas j — the Count de Grafle, who commanded, was ordered firft to the Weft-Indies, and thence to the Continent, but as up- wards of four hundred fail of French merchant Ihips, would in the courfe of that Summer, be in want of a convoy from the Weft-Indies, to Europe, and it was given out, and ex- pected, that the Count, previous to his failing, to the Northward, would fend off th-*^ rich fleet of merchantmen, under a ftrong convoy, which would have rendered him, unable to do more, on the American coaft, than to give ibme temporary relief, and to a£l on the defenilve.— No .../ij?.-. one I 59 i company, It excludes every thing clfe from my thoughfs when alone, we have been de- ceived, and that principally by our felves, we have deceive ' others unintentionally I charitably believe. i» .*'• ■.*=vV J,* If, ---i '-f •^^ . one at that time, could forcfee, or rationally preAime^ Firft, That the Count dc Grafle, would leave, that im- menfely valuable fleet, to remain in port, for want of s con- voy, and take every French fliip of war in the Weft Indies, with him, to the Northward ; — Or, Secondly, That Lord Cornwallis, after having made himfelf mailer, of all the fea coaft, from the Capes of Virginia Southward, would fix on one of the moft unfavourable pofitions, in all that country, to encamp, and fortify himfelf on ; — Or, Thirdly, That Gen. Clinton would fufFer Gen. Walhington and Count Rocham- beau, to march without oppofition, to Virginia ; — Or, iailly. That when the Count de GrafTe, took his whole force to the Northward, feveral Britifh (hips of the line, would ftill remain in the Weft-Indies, and thereby give the French fleet, a fuperiority to the Britilh.* As no one of thefe events could be rationally expedled, or hoped for at that time, and, as without a concurrence of all of them. Lord Cornwallis's army would not have been captured, and the campain of 178 1, muft have terminat* d as much againft the United States, as by this Angular concurrence, of improbable events, it ended in our favour; it may with great juftice be faid, that the aff^airs of the United States, never were at any period, in a more critical, and dangerous fituation, and every ORC who reads the whole of thofe letters, will fee, that the mind of the writer, was deeply imprefled with a fenfe of the impeding dangers, and anxioufly folicitous, with his coun- trymen, totakefuch meafures, as appeared to him, the be^ calculated, to avoid them. I 2 The p . V ••:''. m m « The Britiih nation has fallen into errors equally ^eat ; would to God this great tragedy of errors, could have a happy cataftrophe ! It is in vain to blame our public managers, but it is wife in us to examine our prefent fituation, and to weigh the probability of future confequences. Expe- rience has ihewn us that France is either unable or unwilling to aflid us eSefluallyt fo as to drive the Britifh fprces out of our coun^ try ; judging from appearance^, here I might con- clude, that France is unwilling, as appearances warrant fuch a conclufion, but when the conduct of men, or of a nation is capable of two conflruc- tions, I would willingly adopt the mod favour- able — I know the inability of the nation, ^o afTid us eSedually, and they fay, they are not unwil- ling. I ought to believe them, though I know it is certainly inconfiftent with their interefts, and with the fafety of their foreign pofleffions, to re- move the war from our continent. But to which ever of thefe caufes we impute the continuance of the war in our country, the confequences will be Foand equally pernicious tp us. If Great Britain is determined in no circumftances to admit the in- dependency of America ; then fo long as both parties remain inflexible, we fhall continue to weaken, exhaufl and ruin each other, and who will eventually be the gainers ? It is, I think time time ) f 6i ] time for us to enquire how our account will flanrl on a clofe ; Let the conteft clofc, when and in what manner it may — Will independent Ibvc* reignty, in th e hands of a democracy, be a go- vernment under which our perfons and properties will be better fecured thai- they were h'-forc this unhappy conteft began '•' — Will our commerce flourifh more under independency, than it did ivhilfl we were conne6led with Great Britain ? Thig I know is generally believed, it is even relied on, as a principal fource from which we (hall rcimburfc our prefentexpences.-^The fubjed iiowevcr me- rits an examination. — If the relhaints formerly laidpn our trade were overbalanced by the protec. ti; n and encouragement given to it. If in a ftato of independence, iliat protc6lion and encourage- ment muft neceflarily be withdrawn and our com- merce with (^rcdt Britain and its polfef (ions, become fubjetl to all the duties and prohibitions laid on the commerce of other aliens and (Irangers. If our commerce with France and other foreign nations, muft be fubje6l to the conditions and redraints which they (hall fee ftt to irfpofe, (as mud be the cafe,) it defcrves enquiry whether we in our com- merce (hall become gainers or not, I have ex- amined th< quetlion as thoroughly as I am ca- pable, and am convinced we mu(l be lufers. W^e complained of England, for Includiiig* America in the t 62 1 the Navigation A61:, and other a8ts of trade, but if the naval force of that nation rofe in confequence of thofe a6ls, into a power fufficient to protcfl the trade of the whole empire; if the trade of Ame- rica was prote6led thereby, could it be unreafon- able that the trade of America fhould fubmit to thofe a6ls and regulations which were the fource of its protection and fccuiity ? We complained that afts ol Parliament! prohibited us from carrying cer- tain articles of oui produce to foreign markets, * o • and thereby gave England a rnonopiy advanta- geous to her and in lurious to us ; but it rnuft at the (ame time be acknowledged, that Britirti fub- je6ls were generally ren.rained from jfurchafing and importing the lame ai tides from other countries ; fo that if England made a monoply of certain ar- ticles of our produce, (Ire gave us in return a mo- noily of her market, and liberty of re-exporting our goods if a better market afforded elfe where ; in this, the advantag.^ lay evidendy with us; a greac part of the articles thus monopolized by England, were fuch as could have been, and were formerly fupplied by foreigners at as low or lower rate than we could afford them. But the fyftem of Great Britain being as you know to promote the commerce of her own empire in every part of it, not only rcOraints nid duties were laid cu foreign importations, but bounties given to en-, courage ' i i i r «3 3 rou rage the growth and impoHation of many of our produclions, which other wife would not have found their way to Europe; another complaint was, that we were prohibited the taking from fo- reigners, articles, which we wanted though not the growth or fabric of England ; but it is well known that thofe, articles concerning which fo much has been faid, formed but a very inconfiderable part of our commerce. Every one who has had an opportunity of comparing the manufadures of one nation in Europe with another, ofobferving the different modes and principles of tranfadling bufinefs, will at once give England and her mer- chants the preference. All the more folid, fub- llantial, and ufeful articles are made better, and af- forded cheaper there, than any where elfe, certain linens from Ruffia and SikTia excepted — and even thofe as well as the lefs important foreign articles, came to us, confidering the drawbacks in F.n*^iand on exportation, nearly, if not quite as cheap, as we could have imported them dire£lly. But it has been alfo jbjeded, that foreigners were not ad- mitted to bring their produce and merchandize into our ports, and trade with us ; of all the com- plaints made by us on the fubjecl of commerce, this appears to me the molt abfurd and groundiefs. The exclufion of foreigners from beincr the carriers for England i? the corner ftone on which its com- rnerce and maritime power a?of?, and the princi- pal pal caufe of the inci eafe of our commerce and tia- vigation ; iind if ever we Ihould be independent, and at peice and Ihould neglefl to pafs a£ls to ex- clude foreigners from being our carriers, we fliall never be either a maritime br commercial nation. The Parliamentary regulations, and reflridiorts on our commerce were a principal caufe of the un- happy contcfl between the two countries, and wc were impatient under them, becaufe we were ap- prehenfive, that they were part of a fyftem to en- ilavc us entirely, and thus thinking, it was natural that we fhouid exaggerate their hardfhips, and in all our deliberations on the fubje^i, tufn our atten- tion to the reftraints laid on our trade, without confidering the encouragement and prote6lion given to it ; I do not mean to call in qucflion the views or defigns of any one at that period. I be-*" lieve that others, as well as myfelf, had at that time but partially examined the fubjed, and in in truth we know that too many of our leading patriots had little or no knowledge of commerce, its inte- refts and dependencies. — I confefs that on a more extenfive view, and impartial examination of the fubjetl. I think it evident that the reftri6lions which were laid on our commerce previous to the prelent difpute, were over-balanced by the prote6lion, and various encouragements afforded to it by Great- Britain, but fuppofing that at the clofe of the war i^merica reniidu independent, what mull be the future \ f ' future fituation of our commerce I Will indepen- dency at the reftoration of of peace, give com-* merce fuch a fpring, procure for it fuch nevr fources and encouragements, as are neceffary, not only to revive it from the ruined ftatc in which it now is, but to raife it ftill higher than it has been at any former period ? Or will independency prove prejudicial to the commerce of America ? This is a ferious quedion, and the importance of it muft apologize for the length of my letter. I knovr that i am writihg to the firft commercial charac- ter in America, but I aMb know your candour and love of truth, and therefore I venture to commu- # nicate to you liiy thoughts on the fubjeft, which if juft you will approve, if '•rroneous youwill correfib. America left at liberty will, I am perfuaded, take, at the leaft, three-fourths of all the European ar- ticles fhe wants fiom Great- Britain. The fupe- riority of the Britifli manufadlures, their confor- mity to our tafte and habits ; the generofity and drift pundluality of her merchants, and above alt the credit which they can give, and which no other nation can, or will give, mufl fecure to that nation, as great a (hare of our trade as I have mentioned. But how are we to pay for ihofe pur- chafes ? Whilft we were part of the empire, Great- Britain gave a preference to our iron, naval (lores, pot alb, flax feed, timber, &c. &c. and encouraged the importation of them by the bounties and by K laying •[ ^6 1 laying heavy duties on the fame articles from fo- reign nations. This will no longer be the cife ; we have no reafon to expcfl to be even amongft the mod fi.voured foreign nations in the Britilh ports. We have imagine^^ that Great Britain could not fupport its commerce, and manufa£lures, without our produ61ions, and without our markets for a confumption of theirs; this has been aflerted, in harangues and publi- cations, many thoufands of times, within feven years pall, I confer:>, that 1 once believed it — • butobfervatioUjand experience have convinced me, that we have been greatly miftaken. — Of all the articles furnifhed by US to Great- Britain, I know but two, tobacco and rice, which cannot be ob- tained as good, and as cheap from other countries, the confumption of Rice in Great-Britain, is very inconfiderahle ; and that of tobacco does not ex- ceed twenty thoufand hogfheads anniially, on an average. — Other countries, indeed, can pioduce both thefe articles, at as low a piiceas America can, but the preference given to them, from America by Great Britain, has formerly prevented their being cultivated to any extent. — It is well known that the Ifland of Cuba, the Coaft of Brazil, and many other countries, produce tobacco of a quality fupe- rior to ours. — That the Ukraine is capable of fup. plying all Europe witl that article : its cultiva- tion, it is true, ia not yet carried to perfc6lion there, .. , * but [ 6? -] but as it is, Ruflia at this time exports large quan- tities of tobacco to France, and to other nations — The fame may be faid of many other coun- tries refpefting rice. Jndigo is produced in the Southern parts of America, and in the iflands, every way fuperior to ours. The produ£lions of Rulfia, Denmark and Sweden, &c. are the fame with ours, and in exchange for them, thofe king- doms take the fame kind of merchandize from England, as we formerly took ; at beft, therefore, we fhall meet with rivals in the Britifii markets on our arrival with our produce, and rivals in the purchafes we wifh to make there — But we are fuppofcd to be Independent, and can there- fore go where we pleafe, but we cannot find pur- chafers where we pleafe, and the nations among whom we find them may lay what impofitions they pleafe on our falcs — The Northern powers in Europe, cannot become purchafers, for they have the fame articles to fell — France wants but a very fmall part of our produ6lions ; it wants neither our iron, pot-afh, flax-feed, fifh, oil, or, in (hort, fcarcely any thing except about 24GOohogl])eadsof our tobacco annually — and fome of our timber, and naval (lores ; and for the two latter articles, we (hall find the fame rivals in the ports of France, as in England ; and in regard to the firft, the moft im- portant article of all, the cultivation of it, ad- vances fo rapidly in Flanders, and in the Ukraine, K 2 that .C .68 3 that thoTe countries may foon rival us in the qua- , Jity of their tobacco, and from the cheapnefs of labour, be able at all times to underfell us in France, and in all the Northern ports of Europe —We have no promife of a preference in the markets of France — nor the lea ft ground to ex* pe6l it — Spain and Portugal, it is true, may want i)ur flour and our fifh, if, contrary to all appear*^ ^nce, we (hould have any, of the latter, but they will want little or nothing elfe, and our trade, be it whatever it may, to the Southern parts of Eu- rope, and inlo the Mediterranean, muft at all times be expofed to the Corfairs of Barbary—- . Thofe piratical ftates, who pay little or no refpc6l to the flags of the firfl maritime nations in Europe, further than they are paid for it, will hardly pay 3ny to the flag of a nation, which they have fearcely fo much as heard of, and of which, if tl>ey come to know any thing, they will know that they can in no cafe, have any thing to hope or fear from— We have protcfled again ft the African trade, but if we relax, or refcind our rcfolutions on that fubjedl:, without a marine to ptotetlour com- merce there,and without either forts, or fa£lorieA on the coaft, we can have no ftiare of it — We cannot flatter ourfelves^ that we Ihall be able to reduce cither Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Canada, or the Floridas ; and if Great- Britain be obliged at the clofe of the war, to fubmit to the lofs of thir- teen [ 69 ] teen colonics, it is naturiti to fuppofe that fhc will ^xcrt herfelf, to make the mod of thofe which arc left her — We neither have nor wifli for pofleflions in the Weft-Indies —We formerly had a great and increafing trade there, but how much of it (hall we retain as an independent nation > If any part of tlie globe be dependent on us for our produce it muft be the Weft- Indies — Five years ago we rated our importance ib high, as to believe that from a fufpenfion of trade with us, all the manu- faduring towns in England would rife, or, at leaft, clamour loudly in our favour, through the want of employment ; that Ireland would be ruined only for the want of our flax- feed ; and that the Britilh Weft-Indiaillands, muft pcrilh by famine, from the want of our produflions — But the ex-^ peiience of fix years ought certainly to correal: fuch erroneous ideas of our own importance, or we muft have become incorrigible, even by expe* rience itfelf — Not one manufa£luring town in Great-Britain has complained for want of em- ploy ; It eland has has been fupplied with flax-feed at (nearly) as cheap or cheaper rate than for- merly, and has found fufficient markets for her linens — The Weft-Indies may have fufFered but little diminution. Thefe fa£ls ought to convince us, that the world is not To dependent on us, as we have imagined, and by purfuing our enquiries we ihali find that we are as much, or more dependent on [ 7° ] on our neighbours than they are on us — I am not writing to one that declaims againft luxury, with- out any conception of its efFeds, nor to one of thofe, who talk a great deal about commerce, and of Jts benefits, or of its diflTervices to a country, without having the lead idea of its nature, or of the extent of its influence, and power : I thereforft may, without reafoning on the fubjedl, venture to fay, tha: the produ6lions of the Weft-Indies, are effentially neceffary to us, and thai: we can do nc better without their fugar, rum, coffee, cocoa, cotton, &"c. &c. than they without our flour, beef, lumber, &^c, &c. Formerly as Britifli !ubje6ls, we had the rignt of fupplying the Britifli iflands with whatever they wanted, and taking in exchange whatever they had to difpofe of — We paid no more duties, than our other fellow fubje£ls paid, either upon importation, or exportation — We had a right of carrying to the French, Dutch, and other foreign poflefijons in the Weft-Indies, all our produclions, tobacco excepted, and of re- ceiving in exchange from them, whatever they could affxird, rum and a few other articles ex- cepted— The articles we received from them, were indeed fubje6t to a certain duty on importation into America. But how was it then, and how is jt now with the French, Dutch, and other fo- reigners, as to our commerce with their Weft- India Dofleirions? It iii true we were admitted into their 1 ■'^ [ 71 ] if their ports, bat our flour, was a prohibiteJ articlcy and only admitted openly, in times of fcarcity. Many principal articles of our produce were in the fame predicament : France, by prohibiting the free entry of ooi flour, into her iflands, (hews that flie was in nofear of their flarving without fupplies from us. But what articles of their produce were we per- mitted to purchafe and export openly in exchange ? Molafles, or the wretched liquor which they di- ftilled from it, only ; all others^ fuch as cofFee, cotton, fugar, indigo, &c. we brought away as by (lealth, and by the purchafed connivance of their oflice-s — Has France bound herfelf by treaty to give us more freedom of trade, with her iflands than formerly ? By no means — V\ e are to be treated as the moll favoured nation is treated ; and the lubje^lsof the moil favoured nation were never better treated, than in the manner I have de- fcribed — This favorite article of my countrymen, molafles, the only one of any importance, which we were at liberty to import from the French iflands, was taken care or by Congrcfs, in their fjift; propofal to France, for a treaty. I faw the importance of it at that time, and flattered my (elf we had fecured it, without any real facrifice oix our part, but Congrcfs afterwards thought dif- ferently, and gave it up. We have not, there- fore, at this day, any fecurity even for this Hngle article — Every thing refts On the general and vague terms .f 7« ] terms of reriprocky, an-l of being irrated in the fame xvay^ avd in thefavie mnner, as any, even the mo/l favoured nation Jh all be treated. But it may be faid, that the necr (lity in which the iflands n-* It be, for our produce, will at all times bring, fhcm to our terms, or at leaft to juft and reafonable ones. Let u% examine the fubjef^ attentively —The French idands can be under no neceflity, of taking from us flour, or faired pi ovifions of any kind ; on the t-oiitrary, it is the policy of France, to prohibit them doing it, if fo difpofcd •, for by fupplying- her iflands, with flour of her own growth and ma- nafadure, and with all kinds of faltcd proviHons purclnfed in Europe, with her brandies, wines, &c. the encourages the agriculture am. ommerce of her fuhje(5ls in Europe, which is a prime ob» je6l of eveiy wife nation •, as to frefh provifions, her windward iflands only, can ever be in want of them, and at mofl, the demand is inconfiderable, and the bufinels of lupplying never was, i.i the beft of times, a profitable branch of commerce ; Great-Britain in po(Jeflif»n of Canada, Nova ''co- tia, and the Floridas, can from thofc colonies fupply her iflands with every thing tbey want, at as low or 5ower rate than we can ; wheat, lumber, fifli, horfes, and other articles, have for many years fince, and before the war, been cheaper in Canada than with us, and Weft- India goods of every kind have been dearer ; Great- Britain there* fore If 73 ] fore naturally mull, and will fhut her ports againft Us, as a foreign independent nation ; her iflandi will want nothing from us, which they Cannot be fupplied with, from her own colonics on the con- tinent, and thofc iflands produce n ^thing, which is hot wanted either in Glreat-Kritain, or in thofe co-» lonies ; good policy muft therefore lead her totally to exclude us from all trade with them. Out commerce in this moll important branch of it^ tnuft therefore be confined to the fupplying the French, Dutch, and other foreign iflands, and fet* tlements, with fuch articles as they will confent to take from us, and to receiving in return, molaOTes (openly fo long as they fhall think proper to afford it to us, free of duty) and fuch other produ6lions as they may be pleafed to connive at our fmug-» gling. — Thus in Europe, we Ihall be either cx-» eluded from dur ancient and certain markets, or at lead rivalled in them, and we (hall have no cer- tainty of new ones, nor any fecurity againfl he^yy duties, and impofitions in fuch, as we may be able to obtain. — New channels have been opened^ for fupplying Great«Britain, with the commodities tve formerly furnifhed to that nation, and for tonfuming the manufa£lures, we formerly took from her. It was the interefl; and policy of Great* Britain, to promote our commerce, arid filherics, whilft we were a part of the empire j accordingly Ih'e encouraged our fhip-building by the purchafe ' L of ' r 74 1 of our flilps, or by giving tlictn freight ; but bc- yig independimt, the reveiTc will become both licr intercft, and her pohcy towards us ; her ports will be entirely fhut againfl us, in the Weft- Indies, for the reafons already given, and our commerce jn that important branch confined, as I have fticwn, to the furnilhing the French, Dutch, and other foreign fcttlements, with fuch articles as they ftiall conlcnt to receive, and under fuch conditions as they (hall fee fit to impofe, and in return they will give us molaflcs, if they pleafcjfree of duty. But their fugar, coffee, cotton, Sec. will ever remain prohibited articles, fo long as thofe nations are in- tereftcd to make a monopoly of thefe articles in JEurope, both on account of commerce and re- venue, and it is impoffible they can be interefted to do otherwife ; when France was in poffeflion of Canada, Louifburg, Sec. the government did jiot permit thofe colonies to receive fugar, coffee, or any of the produ6lions of thofe iflands, diredtly from them, but obliged thofe colonies to take them from France, charged with double freights, duties, &c. and can we expedl that France will do for us what ihc ever refufed to do for her own fub- jedls ? That (he will grant us privileges which flie never granted to any other nation ? Can we ex- pert that Great-Britain, refentful on account of her loffes, and defirous of encouraging the colo- nies, which may remain to her in America, and >, , which [ Ji ] which will be able to fupply her iflands with every filing, can we cxpefl that (he will permit us, to trade with thofe illands on any terms ? It is re- pugnant to common fenfe to fuppofe it. Con- grcfs, you may remember, fpent fome months in debate about the fiflicrics, they a£led the parts of ^he hunters, who quarrelled about the bear-fkin — for England in the mean time drove our Allies, as well as U5, entirely out of them; nor can France regain ^-ly intcreft in the filheries, but by the facrifice of fome advantage which fhe has, or may hereafter gain. But how are we to come iu for any fhare in them ? It will be to nopurpofo to plead, that our local fituation gives us a natural right to participate, and that we enjoyed that right from our firft fettlement, &c. — I hat we en- joyed that right with others, as fubje6ls, and part of the Britifli empire, is true, but we have f°pa- rated from it, and appealed to the fword ; the fword has decided againd us on that fubjeQ, and fliall we at the peace, have any thing to give, or to reflo e toGreat-Britain,cqualtothe purchafe of what that nation is almoft as jealous of, as' Spain is of her mines ? Will France after having regained a fhare in the filheries for herfelf, go ftill farther to obtain an intereft for them in u.^ ? Look into the treaty between us, and you will f nd France and we a£led a little like the hunter I have referred to, in our divifion of Newfoundland, and the iilheries ; but L 2 it i 76 ] it was mafle on condition of a conquf R of them,J by either, cr both of us ; that faihng, France is ti^ider no obligation to guaranty any part of them ♦o IS ; and what puts the matter out of all quef- ti.>n if, that it is not for their interefl: that Ame- jrica have any fhare in the fifheries. — ^Deprived of thefe, and of almoff all the Well-India trade, wholJy excluded from that of Africa, as well as from the b;^ncfit of felling our iron, pot-afli, flax- fijed, timber, naval ftores, indigo, &c. advan- tageoufly in Great Britain and Ireland, with fevv or no markets opened for thofe commodities, what lefources will be left for our Commerce ?> ]!^o nation in Europe except Great-Britain, will give a price for our indigo, which will anfwer^^ Ireland can be fupplieJ with flax-leed, and lumber,, from fhe North, at neady as cheap a rate as we can atford thofe articles. Sweden and Ruflia can 3t all t'mes underfell us, in the article of iron, timber, Hiips, naval ftores of every kind, pot-a(h, &;c. The bounties on tar, turpentine, &c. being taken off, we cannot fend thofe articles to Eu- rope, v/ithout an infupportable lofs, and v/e cannot expeft that any nation ('like England) will give us bounties on thofe articles. In caking a view of the Welt- India commerce, I have faid nothing in particular of the Spanilh, Portu- gueie, or Danilb fettlements in America. I think you will agree with me, that as the two former have M) [ 77 ]• have ever been, and mofl: probably will remaia Ihut againft all flrangcrs, nothing can be expe£led from thence, and that as to the latter, they are oo inconfiderable to merit particular attention, even were they not nearly in the lame predica*? ment, with thofe of France and Holland, which you know them in truth to be. Thefe external difficulties, appear to me to be of themfelves infurmountable, but they are not all we Ihall have to encounter, if we fhould, con- trary to all probability, continue independent— W^ithout a marine force, our commerce would be pvery where expofed to impofition, and infult, and "we (hall not probably be able to fupport a marine. In truth, neither our friends, nor our foes, can wifh to fee us a maritime power, but there will ariie at the peace, and in a ftate of independency^ other embarraflfnients, and burdens on our com- merce. Our national debt, conGdering our abi- lity, will be immenfe, and we fhall not eafily agree in apportioni*^g of it, to the feveral dates. This, and a multitude of other cau fes for difpute, arc fo certain, and fo likely to be produdlive, that it will be miraculous, if we can avoid a civil war -with each other, as foon as we ihall be freed from foreign enemies. Heavy t,«xes mufl at Icafl be laid, to pay even the intereft of our public debts in the exhaufted fiate, in which the peace will find y», We cannot think of leflening the principal, until np until th6 Continent fhall have' had fome time to recover itfelf. But the intcreft of our public debt, and the expences of government in each ftate will (though they muft prove heavy) not be the whole of our burthens. The civil lift of Congrefs, in- cluding I he expences of their foreign minifters, confulsj the wifc(l and moft enlightened of American patriots, ad- vance that commerce is rather injurious, than beneficial, and that it would be better to have foreigners who want our produce, to come and purchafe it, than for us to carry it to them; That the whole attention of Atnerica as an independent nation, fhould be turned to agriculture, and the manufaduring of articles of the fiill neceflity. — When I hear fuch dodrines advanced, and by men whom America has been taught to look up to, and revere,[and reviewing at the fatne time, the other circumilances which I have touched on, I become doubtful, whether our commerce would not fuffer as greatly from internal checks, and em- barraffments, as from external ones — but, ray dear friend, we are very far from the peaceable eftablifhment of independency, fo far, that I can- didly [ So Ji Aidly tell you, that I think there is not any pfofea- bility of it^ ever taking place, at leafl; in our days, The nations of Europe, France excepted, arc all of them againft it, and none more fo than Spain. France becomes every day more indifiPerent to it, but fo long as we can be made their inftruments for humbling Great- Britain, Spain will temporize, and France will appear to be in earneft on thd lubjeft ; we are certainly the chcapell inftruments they cati find, to employ full one half of the forces of Great-Britain ; forces, which, if left at liberty to fall on their foreign poffeffions, would foon reduce them, to the Hate they were in in 1762. But how dearly do we pay, for the fervices we arei performing ? The powers of Europe, hitherto neuter, appear at this time f. r from being indifferent to the fate of Great- Britain, fhould any of them take part with her, the war will affume a different appear- ance, and our fate will become frOm that moment determined. I think there is a probability of fuch an event taking place foon, but my wiih and prayer is for peace, and the re-eftablifliment of America in her original rights. The prefent mo- ment is unqueftionably the mofl important, Ame- rica has ever feen, we are now of more weight in the general fcale, than we can pofTibly expedl to be hereafter, fhould the powers of Europe, once agree, on the terms of peace, our affent will hardly be alked, and we fhould find it necelTary , \ I , \ \ ( 8r ] to acquiefce in the terms impofed on us. The prefent opportunity ought therefore to be im- proved •, England, it is true, has a formidable league at this time againft her, but we find in ancient as well as modern times, that nations lefs able to refill, have been fuccefsful, againft leagues flill more formidable ; I do not, indeed, rccolleft any one league, that ever came off vi6lorious, over the fingle power leagued againft. The caufe is in the nature of men, and nations ; it muft therefore ftill exift in a certain degree, and I know not why it (hould not even in its full force. You will call this a political letter, againll which we have often protefted, 1 intended it only as a commercial one, but I could not examine the fu- ture probable ftate of our commerce under inde- pendency, without entering on politics, and I have tired you fo efFe6lually by this time, that I will take my leave with requefting, that will make my moft refpe6lful compliments o *vlrs. Morris, and by afluring you, that 1 am ever, with the moft lincere efteem, and attachment. Dear S IK, your moft obedierit, and very humble fervant, S. D E A N E. Hon, Robert Morris, Efq. Philadelphia. M A great ( 82 I A great part of the obfervations, contained i^ the foregoing letter, on the fituation, of the com- nierce of the United States, under independent fo- vereignty, have been, aheady verified by expc* Tience ; and it is worthy of remark, that as the firft uneafinefs in America, with the Government of Great-Britairi, arofe on account of the re- Ilri6lions, laid by Parliament on commerce; fo «Imofl: the only obHacIe, which at chi^ day remains, to prevent a reftoration of the moft perfe6i friend* iliip, between the fubjefis, of both countries, h their jealoufy, or different views of this objedt. — Neither party appears, as yet, fully to realize the Hate, in which their fcparation has aftually placed them, with relpe^ to each other ; nor indeed can k be expe6led, that men, fo lately conncBed by the fame bonds of law, loyalty ^ faith , and blood, Ihould at once bring themfelves, to regard each other, ia tSie light of ^iens, ftrangersy and foreigners, whofe future connexions, and intercourfe, are to be regulated, and governed by interefl: only ; and that they have no longer, any rightful claim oa each other^ for commercial privileges, or advan- tages of any kind, or nature whatfoever. — Hence k is, tjhat the proclamation,, rell riding the com- merce betweea the United States, and the BritiOi Weft Indies, ta Britrfh (ubjefls, and Britifli fliips, lias been regarded ki America, as an aft of par- tiality, and even of injuilice, tliough witliout thafr zdi, no cdmmerce could have taken place, between the txvo countricsjv in the (late, in which, their fmal reparation, neceCTarily left them; And in which, (like as with individuals, who are ftrarigers to, and unconne6led with each other,) their trade and intercourfe, muft originate, folely from tke wants, the fuperfluities, and the interefts of both parties — Several publications, have appeared within the lail twelvemonths, on the trade of Great-Britain, and her Weft-India Iflands, with the United States, and on the terms, and condi- tions, by which it ought to be regulated, and able writers hav€ taken oppolite fides, on the queftion, but it appears to me, that it has not been placed in its true point of light, or juftly, and impar- tially ftated, by any of them, though the public are indebted to their difcuffion, for much, and nfeful information, on this important fubjc6l ; the principal arguments of both parties, have been too much in this llile, we can better difpenfe, with your trade^ and commerce , than you can do without ours."^ But commerce between individuals, or nations, is not to be regulated, by a principle, or motive, like this, but by apparent, or real mutual interefts. The principal queftions on this fubjeft, appear to me, to be ; How far it is for the interefts of (^reat- Britain, to indulge the United Skates, with their ' former privileges of trade, with the Britilh Weft- Indies, and to permit ftiips built, and owned in M z the t 84 ] the United States, to be purchafed or freighted, by Britifh fubjefls, in Britifli ports ; there are in- deed, feveral other points in quellion, but thefe two are the moft important, and on them, oppo- fite opinions, have ben advanced. On the one hand, the flrenuons lupporters, of the navigation a61;, fay, that no alteration, or repeal of any part of it, ought to take place, and confequently, that the fubjefls of the United States cannot, confifl- ently with the interefts of Great Britain, be per- mitted to trade, with her Wefl-India iflands, or with any of her foreign poUeflfions, in their own fhips; and that fliips built, or owned in the United States, ihall not be admitted for fale, or freight, in any of the BritiQi ports ; on the other, it is faid, by thofe, inte reded in the Wefl-India plan- tations, and in that trade, and by many who arq engaged in, or acquainted with, the commerce be- tween Great-Britain, and the United States, that the local fituation, and circumftances of the Weft- India iflands, are fuch, as to render it eirentiall)^ for their intereli, and ultimately, for the intereft of the whole empire, to grant to the United States, a free, and unrcftricled commerce with them ; and that to permit (hips, built, or owned in the United States, to be purchafed, or freighted, in Britifh ports, will not prejudice, but greatly promote, the commercial interefts of this nation. The fads ad- duced, and the arguments urged, in the ftjpport of [ S5 ] f oF their diflperent opinions, are before the public, and it is not my intention* to attempt, to an exa- mination of them, but only to make a few obfer- rations, which may lead to the adopting of a mean, between thefc two extremes. And it ought to be obferved, that in a negotiation, for regula- ting the commercial intercourfc, qf the two coun- tries, (the Britilh dominions, and the United States', one party, has no claim whatever, on the other, and that intereft alone, muH; difclate; and, therefore, that previous to the forming of any de- cifive opinion, or to the coming, to any final re- folution, on the fubjeft, the particular, as well as the general fituation, and interefls, of both, ought to be impariially examined, and ftatcd. It is well known, that th 3 United States, produce a furplus of provifions, of every kind, as alfo of horfes, lumber, and a variety of other articles, for which, no market can be found, equally near, and favor- able, with that, which the Weft India iflands af- ford, and that in return, the United States, are ia want of the production of the iflands, to the full amount of their exports to them, and in particular, of rum from the Britifli Weft-Indies, which ar- ticle is not to be had, at prcfent, in any quantity, and of a tolerable quality, from aiiy other quarter ; And although it has been alferted, that the Brifill;^ Weft-Indies, may be fupplied, with the articles, formerly furnilhed by the United States, froin Great- t 86 1 Great-Britain, Ireland, and the remaining Britifh colonics ; yet it has not been denied, by any writer on the fubjc6l, that the WefUIndia iflands l>y means of a free trade with the United St ices, for provifions, hurfes, cattle, lumber, Sec. will be much more regularly, and conllantly fuppjied, and at a cheaper rate, than what they can be, if that trade is prohibited, or too cloioly re- (Iridled ; nor has it been pretended by any one, that the Weft India iflands, can find in any other country, fo exlenfive, and advantageous a marlsct, for their rum, as in the United States.— Thus far, mutual wants, and mutual advantages, in fupplying the demands, of each other, are in-^ difputably in favour, of as free a commercial in- tercom le, betwet n the United States, and the Bri- tifh Weft-Indies, as can be permitted by Great- Britain, confiftent with the general intereft, of the nation. But befides the articles of the produce, of the United States, wanted in the iftands, they have aifo raw materials, to a large amount, whi.h in the prefent ftate, of the population, of the Continent, cannot be manufa6lured by them, to advantage ; a foreign market is therefore to be fought for, and this can be found, only in ma- nufaduring countiies ; — In return, the United gtates, arc in want, of the manuti6lures, of fo- reign countries, to a n uch larger amount, than the value of the raw materials, which they have to • fend 1^ 1 L 87 ] fend abroad; their demand is nearly for the value of two millions ftcrling annually, and this demand is increafing. Great-Britain, being the firft ma- il ufadluring, and commercial nation in the world, can give the United States, the bed market, for their raw materials, and fupply them on the bell terms, with the foreign merchandize, and manu- factures wanted by them ; and experience Ihews that the Americans prefer the Britifh markets, and manufaQures to all others ; and on the part of Great-Britain, every foreign market, for her manu- factures, is of importance, in proportion to its de- mand, and to the value of the raw materials re- ceived in return ; thefe circumftances naturally lead to the eflablifliing of a trade between the two couiitries, on the moll rational and permanent principle, that of mutual interell. It is undoubt- edly true, that Great Britain, and her Weft-India iflands may, by adopting of certain meafures, and fuiFe.ing fome tem^, rary nif^onveniencies, be fup- plied .*ith the articles foiPierly received from the United States, from other countries, and to per- mit the United States, to liipply th^^m with thofe. articJes, in their own fhips, and to enjoy a certain part of the commercial privilege s, formerly en- joyed by them, under the Britifh Government, will be a io don of the navigation a6t, and of fome other ^/:ts of Parliament ; — but it is equally certain, that without Come privileges of commercoy with ..^. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 I.I Jf 1^ IIIM «■ KiS 112.2 ^ b£ mil 2.0 L25 IIIIII.4 .8 1.6 P^ v^ '9; ?>\^/ ^ /A ^ ^ y Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET rrB«;Ts:3i, N.Y. useo {■ih) 872-4503 \ iV r^^ ^ \\ o\ -i-^ : Ibpply 4 I> ) [ 89 I jupply them, will take in exchange, that quan- tity of rum, formerly coniumed in the United States, it is evident, that the Weft-India planters, ^nd merchants, can have nothing to complain of on this fubjetfl ; but thefe are queftions not yet decided, and the fituation of the Weft-India eftates, is fuch, as to render the experiment ex- tremely hazardous. On the part of the United States, it is urged, that, as Britilh ihips are per- mittedi to enter their ports, with the produce, manufadures, and meichandize of Great-Britain, and of Ireland, their fhips have an equitable claim, to the fame privileges, in the Britifti, and that the fame intercourfe ought to be permitted between them, and the Britifti Weft-India iflands; — -the navigation aa dire611y, and wholly forbids this, but the late p' oclamations, fufpending in part, the operation of that a6i;, with refpeft to the United States, admits the firft part of this demand, in every article, except that of oil only, and rejeds the latter, by confining the trade, between the United States and the Britifti Weft-Indies, to Bri- tifti built fliips, owned, and navigated as the a6l prefcribes, by Britifti fubje6ls. — On the part of Great-Britain, the queftion appears to me, to be, if it is not more for the interelt, of her commerce, and manufadures, to permit the Americans, to be their own carriers, to and from the .Weft-India itlands, and every other pari of her European and N American t 90 J American dominions, and to fell their (hips, 6r to take freights, in Britilh ports, than by a rigid ad- herence, to he letter of the navrgation a6t, to 4fexpofe her Weft India fubje6ls to great in- Cx>nveniencies, and real lofTes, and deprive her Aierchants, and raanufafturers, of a great part Sit leaft of a large, and increafing demand, for their goods, it has been repeatedly demanded, what the United States can give, in return, to Great- Britain, for fuch a relaxation of the navigation a61:^ in their favor, an^ it muft be acknowledged, tha^ thef United States, by their treaties with franco, and Holland, cannot grant to Great- Britain, or to* any other nation, any exclufive privileges; But the fubjefls of the United States, being at liberty, to prefer the markets, and manufa6!ures, of owe country, to thofe of another, and as they nat jirally will give the preference^ to the Britilh, if they are not prevented by a61s. and }aws, from carrying their produce freely to thofe markets, and thereby become deprived of a great part of the means of paying fo|* thofe manufadures, the queflion then comes to this, if the relaxation uf the navigation a6t, or the privi- leges urged for, by the Americans, will not ultimately be, as much for the intereft of Great Britain, as for that of the United States, and if on examina- tion, this fhall, (as I think it will) be found to be the cafe, then it is clear, that Great-Britain car* have no demand, upon the Americans, for any thing, r S i 5 '/.-^ [ 91 1 ih'mg in return, for meafurcs, as mucli for her interefl; as for theirs. It would require a large volume to difcufs this fubjeft, as fully as it merits, I fhall therefore only obferve, that as in the manage- jnent and regulation of the trade, and commercial intercourfe of the two countries, with each other, motives of interefl: alone piuft govern, fo each of diern, ought to examine, with the utmofl attention, and impartiality, what on the whole is moll for iht general interell, of their refpeftivc countries, and not to confine themfeives, to particular branches, or to partial views, If on the enquiry, it appear to be inconfiftent with the general interelt of Great Britain to permit the Americans to purchafe, and export from her \\ ell Indies certain articles of their produce, for in (lance, fugar, or cotton, or indigo., they will be ,excepted, in the general permiilion, and the fame principle, mull neceflarily be adopted by the United States. — This can afford no juft grounds for complaint, on either fide. Sugar, ^otton, and indigo, arc almoft the only articles of Weft India produce, which Great Britain can wifl^ to make a monopoly of — the United States are in no want of indigo, and their confumption of cotton, has sever been inconfiderable, and it is agreed by all the writers, on this fubje6l, that the Americans c^n purchafe fugar much cheaper in the French, Lutck r ^: : ; -:- N 2 '" ' an4 E 92 1 and Danifh Iflands, than in thofe of the Eriglffh. The articles of falted, beef, butter, tallow, and can- dles, may be fent to che Weft Indfes, at a lower rate from Ireland, than from the United States ; Iience it appears to me, that if an entirely free, and un- limited commerce between the United States, and thofe Iflands cannot be permitted, confillent with the general interest of Great Britain, yet it is not a very difficult taflc to regulate it, in fuch a man- ner, as to be agreeable, and advantageous, to both countries. The principal objc6lion to fuch a fyflem, is, that hereby Great Britain, muft lode, and the United States gain, in the carrying bufinefii ; On this Lord Sheffield has forcibly argued, in his Obfervations , on the Commerce of the American States, Though I mud candidly declare, that, as far as my knowledge extends, the faCls advanced by his Lordihip, in that publication, relative to the im- ports, and exports of the United States, are jullly ftated, yet I can by no means fubfcribe to all the inferences, and conclufions, which he draws from them. But were I to enter on this fubje£l, I Ihould fwell, what is dcfigned to be but a fmall pam- phlet publifhed in my perfonal vindication, into a large volume; I fhall therefore only obferve generally here, what I have repeatedly urged in converfation with the noble Lord, that there \s not the leaft danger, of the United States, becom- f p- f C 93 ] ing the rivals, of Great Britain, in the carrying trade, or in a marine ; — That although building (hips for fale, and for carrying the goods of other countries, and for the fiftieries, was the principal refource of one, or two, (at moft,^ of the northern flatcs, yet the United States colIe£lively., never were their own carriers ; for though the New England States, carried their own produce, in lliips built and navigated by their own people, and in fome inllances, became carriers for other countries ; yet that was not the cafe, with any of the middle, or of the fouthern States. The tobacco, naval flores, rice, indigo, lumber, and other produ6lions of the middle, and fouthern States, required by three times more tons of fhipping, than was ever owned by them, or that could, at any period, have been put into thatbufiriels, by the northern States; and that it is not poflible, at lead in the natural couife of things, that the fouthern States, can for ages, if ever, Kecome carriers even of their own pro- duce ; and that it mud require fome fpaceof time, for the northern States, to have a fufficiency of fiiip- ping, even to anfwer this demand ; — farther I have urged, that, as every one, who has wares, or mer- chandize to be tranfported to market, will naturally prefer the moft cheap, and direft conveyance, and as the purchafers will attend only to the quality, and price of them, this branch of commerce, like all others, mull, and will, regulate itfelf by the infallible [ 94 ] infallible principle, of intered, rightly under- (lood ; and it may be worthy of obfervation, that if the United States are not permitted to be their own carriers between them, and the Weft-Indies, on the prefumption, that this would encourage Ithe carrying trade, and encreafe the piarine of the northern States, to the prejudice of that of Great-Britain ; The confequence will be, that the New England States, will turn their attention, to the carrying bufinefs of Maryland, Virginia, and of the other fouthern States, and by en- groffingofit, more than make thcmfelves amends, for their lofs of freight to, and froni the Britifli, Weft-Indies. I may be told, that my prefent obfervations, are in part of them, different from thofe con- tained in the foregoing letter, for chat I then gave it, as my opinion, that in confequence of the confirmation, of the independence of the United States, and of their final feparation from Great- Britain, Great- Britain would neceffarily exclude the ftiips of the United States from her Weft- India ports ; but it ought to be remembered, that at the date of that letter, it was univerfally expelled, that at the clofe of the war, the two Florida's, and Eaft Louifiana, would be confirmed to Great- Britain ; and that the refigning of thofe countries tp Spain, makes the cafe extremely different, from what it would have been, had Great-Britain re- ■ tained c mm i 9S 1 tained tliem ; and that I meant, in writing to Mr.- Morris, to lay before him, not only, what would be, for the interefl: of Great-Britain, but alfo what would be in her power to do, refpcflin'^ the commerce of the United States. ^- . ..f I r c f 1 N I S, % .%,; 1 ... ;« Sim .f BOOKS printed for j. DEBRETl*. ^hU Day is publi(heJ, Price is. 6d. the Thifty-fevcntli Edition, correded, [To this Edition is now firft added a fummary Account of the Duties of the Great Officers of State ; a Table of the Duration of th^ feveral Parliaments from Henry VII. to the prefent Time ; a Lift of tliofe Places which for- merly fent Members to Parliairtill||, and no^l d<|»not ; a Lift of the Deaths of the Principal Minifters, during the prefent Reign : with an Appendix, containing the Cafed of controverted Eledions as they lately apppeared before^ feveral Committees, with their Determinations thereupon j and a complete Index of Names.] A COMPANION to the ROYAL KALENDAR For the Year 1784 : Being a Lift of all the Changes in Adminiftration, frorti the Acceflion of the prefent Kin*j% in Oilober, lySo^ to the prefent Time. 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