- ..
i
VV :
V
8fe
V
\
D^V^^B^xffSB -^ ~* ~'t
^ r -'Ki
*
.t^
1
M
^m
r
gBHBj
<
REMARKS
O N
Governor JOHNSTONE'S Speech
IN PARLIAMENT}
WITH
A COLLECTION
OF ALL THE
Letters and Authentic Papers,
RELATIVE TO
His Propofition to engage the Intereft of one of
the DELEGATES of the State of PENNSYLVA-
NIA, in the CONGRESS of the States of AME-
RICA, to promote the Views of the BRITISH
COMMISSIONERS.
PHILADELPHIA:
PRINTED by FRANCIS BAILEY.
M. DCC.LXXIX,
E X
R A
T
-FROM THE
PARLIAMENTARY REGISTER,
No. LXI. PAGE 38, 39.
GOVERNOR JQHNSTONE's SPEECH,
On the 26th of NOVEMBER, 1778.
T
H E accufation ftated againft me with re-
fpedt to General Jofeph Reed, as far as
" the tranfadlion pretends having any authority from
me to make the offer, is falfe and injurious -, it is
" indeed very cautioufly worded, and only implies
being done by my authority. This I deny, and
* I have perfeft proof in my pofleflion, that Mr.
B < Reed
[6 ]
" Reed never understood any meffage or writing of
" mine as liable to that conftruftion. While I fay
" this, I do not mean to difavow I have had tranf-
" adtions, where other means befides perfuafion
" have been ufed. It was necefTary ; in my fitua-
" tion it can be no reproach. This of Mr. Reed I
" deny, and I can prove by indifputable evidence in
" my pofleffion, that Mr. Reed never underftood any
" meflage from me in that light at the time, nor
" long fubfequent. The converfation is faid to have
" pafled on the twenty-firft of June. The mutilat-
" eel letters that are to help out this lame tranfadlion,
" were before Congrefs. The matter had been pub-
" lifhed in news-papers at that time, but not figned
" by Mr. Reed nor William Henry Drayton. The
" Congrefs take no notice of the bufinefs till the
" nth of Auguft 3 then the indignation of that vir-
" tuous Affembly rifes. At the very moment they
" are about to evade a folemn engagement, and tranf-
" mit their names with infamy to future ages, they
have the affurance to talk of liberty and virtue."---
" You, Sir, are well acquainted with the forms of
" public proceedings ; you know, that any declara-
.' tion
[ 7 3
" tion of Mr. Reed, of what a woman unknown had
*' faid to him, could not affeft me. The Congrefs,
* in this cafe, were bound to have obliged Mr.
" Reed to have named the Lady, and next to have
" brought that Lady before them, to have heard her
*< own ftory, with time, place, and circumftance ;
" this (hould have been fent for my anfwer, and then
" they might have pronounced their folemn judg-
" ment : But they knew full well, that no Lady
" whatfoever could avow any authority from me,
< { and therefore they wifely concealed her name.' 1
TH E above Extract contains fo explicit a denial
of the tranfa<flion charged upon Governor John-
ftone, and arraigns in fuch pointed terms, the honour
and virtue of Congrefs, as well as the faith and ve-
racity of individuals, that it cannot be deemed im-
proper to colledt the fcattered parts of this tranfac-
tion, and prefent the whole in one entire view, from
which the impartial world may form its own judg-
ment, without refting upon the unfupported aflerti-
ons of any of the parties. It is beneath the dignity
of
/-#[;.: A.J- [ 8 ]
of Congrefs, to make any reply to the fuggeftions of
difappointmen t and petulance, which mark thisfpeech
of the Britiih Commifiioncr. To demonftrate the
purity of the principles, and the truth of the fads,
on which they founded their declaration, " Not to
" treat with Governor Johnftone, on affairs wherein
*' the interefts of Liberty and Virtue are concerned,"
will fufficiently refute his groundlefs cenfure.
As I obferved in a narrative of a part of this tranf-
adlion, publifhed on the 24th of February laft, I ne-
ver faw Governor Johnflone in my life. From his
fpeeches in Parliament, he appeared to be a friend So
America. As fuch I efteemed him. When he came
to this country in a public character, he fent to me, at
the camp at Valley- Forge, feveral pamphlets, and a
letter from my brother-in-law Mr. De Berdt, men-
tioning him in very advantageous terms, and accom-
panied with the following letter from himfelf, which,
to obviate the charge of mutilation, is here given
entire.
To
[ 9 -J
ToGENERAL JOSEPH REED,
" S I R,
" XT' OUR near and worthy relation Mr. Dennis
" A De Berdt, has made me happy by favouring
" me with a letter to you. I havebeen informed by
" General Robertfon of your great worth andconfe-
" quence in the unhappy difputes that have fubfifted
" between Great-Britain and her defendants. Your
" pen and your fword have both been ufed^with glo-
" ry and advantage in vindicating the rights of man-
" kind, and of that community of which you was a
" part. Such a condud: as the firft, and fuperior of all
" human duties, muft ever command my warmefl
" friendship and veneration. In the midft of thefe
" affecting fcenes my feeble voice has not been want-
" ing to flop the evils in their progrefs, and to remove,
" on a large and liberal footing, the ~caufes of all jea-
" loufy, that every fubjed: of the empire might live
" equally free and fecure in the enjoyment of the
" bleffings of life ; not one part dependent on the
" will of another, with oppofite interefts, but a ge-
*' neral union, on terms of pe'rfedt fecurity and mu-
C " tual
" tual advantage. During the conteft, I am free to
" confefs, my wiihes have ever been, that America
" might fo far prevail, as to oblige this country to iee
" their error, and to refled and reafon fairly in the
" cafe of others, heirs to the fame privileges with
" themfelves. It has pleafed God, in hisjuftice, fo to
" difpofe of events, that this kingdom is at length
" convinced of her folly and her faults. A commiffion
" under Parliamentary authority, is now iffued for
" fettling, in a manner confiftent with that union of
" force, on which the fafety of both parties depend,
" all the differences which have, or can fubfift be-
" tween Great-Britain and America, (hort of a total
" feparation ofinterefts. In this commifiion I am an
*' unworthy aflbciate. Though no man can feel the
*'* defire of cementing in peace and friendfhip every
" member of what was called the Britifh empire,
" ftronger than myfelf ; yet I am fenfible it might
" have fallen to the lot of many perfons better quali-
" fied to attain the end propofed. All I can claim is,
" ardent zeal and upright intentions : And, when I
" refledl, that this negotiation muft depend much
'" more upon perfedt integrity, than refinement of un-
" derftanding ; where a fenfible, magnanimous peo-
" pie
" pie will fee their own intereft, and carefully guard
" their own honour in every transaction, I am more
" inclined to hope from the good- will I have always
" borne them, I am not altogether unqualified for the
" tafk. If it be ? (as I hope it is) the difpofition of
" good men in the provinces, to prefer freedom in
" conjunction with Great-Britain, to an union with
"the ancient enemy of both. If it is their generous
" inclination to forget recent injuries, and recal to
" their remembrance former benefits, I am in hopes
we may yet be great and happy. I am fure the
people in America will find in my brother Com-
miffioners and myfelf, a fair and cheerful concur-
' rence in adjufting every point to their utmoft wifh,
" not inconfiftent, (as I faid before) with a beneficial
" union of interefts, which is the objec"l of our com-
c< miflion. Nothing could furpafs the glory you have
" acquired in arms, except the generous magnanimi-
<c ty of meeting on the terms of juftice and equality,
" after demonftrating to the world, that the fear of
" force could have no influence in that decifion. The
" man who can be inftrumental in bringing us all to
" aft once more in harmony, and to unite together
the
[ .2 ]
" the various powers which this conteft has drawn
" forth, will deferve more from the King and the
" people, from patriotifm, humanity, friendfhip, and
" all the tender ties that are affeded by the quarrel,
" and reconciliation, than ever was yet beftowed on
" human kind.
" THIS letter from Mr. De Berdt I fhall confider
" as an introdudion to you, which line of commu-
" nication I fhall endeavour by every means to im-
" prove by public demonftration of refped, or pri-
" vate friendfhip, as your anfwer may enable me.
" I am, with great refped, Sir,
" Your moft obedient and moft humble fervt.
" GEO. JOHNSTONE."
London, April u, 1778,
AFTER reading this letter, I gave it into the hands
of General Wafhington,and two or three other Gen-
tlemen at Head-Quarters, who returned it to me
without any remark. In a few days after, I wrote
an anfwer, which I communicated to Mr, Morris,
one of the Delegates for Pennfylvania, then at camp,
who
who returned it to me with a general approbation.
I afterwards fhewed it to General Wafliington, afk-
ing his friendly opinion of it, which he gave, by
telling me, he thought Tome of the complimentary'
part might be fpared. Upon which I abridged it,
and having fhewn it to the General, he approved it,
and I left it at Head-Quarters to be forwarded with
other letters. Whether this letter ever reached Go-
vernor Johnftone, I do not know, but I rather be-
lieve that it failed by fome accident. It was in the
following terms :
TOTHEHON GEORGE JOHNSTONE, Eso.
One of the COMMISSIONERS, &c. &c.
"SIR,
" T T A K E the earlieft opportunity to acknow-
" * ledge your favour of the nth of April, and to
" thank you for your obliging care in forwarding
" the packet which accompanied it. The partiality of
" my friends in England has greatly over-rated my
" fervices and confequence in the prefent difpute ;
" I claim little other beyond that of zeal for the
" interefts of my country, and entertaining a very
D high
((
((
[ 14 I
*' high veneration for thofe illuftrious characters,
" who have long, though unfuccefsfully patronized
" her rights and thofe of mankind. America, Sir,
" has feen and admired your feafonable, though una-
vailing efforts to prevent the difrrlemberment of
the Britifh empire, and place us on the great and
generous fcale of equal freedom with yourfelves.
" This muft be your confolation, as it is your glory,
" while the event affords a moft inftructive leflbn to
" other'nations and fenates, how to treat in future
" their Joh rift ones, their Burkes, their Barrys, their
" Chathams and their Cambdens. If it is within the
" line of human events, to reconcile the people of
" this country to a fubmiffion to the fovereignty of
" Britain, the Miniftry have in this appointment
" (really honoured by your acceptance) {hewn fome
" degree of wifdom, as it may refcue them from the
u imputation of repeating an infidious manoeuvre, to
< c divide, difarm and enflave us. But you will fo
" foon receive the fenfe of Congrefs on this impor-
" tant point, that any opinion from me would be
" equally ufelefs and improper. I fhall only fay, that
" after the unparalleled injuries andinfults this coun-
"' try
[ is J
try has received from the men who now diredt
the affairs of Britain, a negociation under their au-
e fpices has much to ftruggle with. I ipeak from no
authority, but can eafily conceive, that America
would willingly exchange the calamities of war
" for the bleffings of peace, and prove as faithful
" in alliance as (he has been great in arms. If, there -
" fore, the refolution of Congrefsfhould be unfriend-
" ly to yourprefent views'; if they fhould fuppofe,
" that all confidence and affedion, the only grounds
" of harmony, and fureft fupport of all government,
" are fo erafed, as to leave no hope of a happy re-
" union, I cannot but flatter myfelf, that men of vir-
" tue and enlarged views, on both fides of this great
" queftion, will endeavour to clofe the fcene of blood
" on the only terms now practicable, and that Great-
" Britain will give up her vifionary fchemes of con-
" queft and empire, for the folid benefits (he may
"yet derive from our amity and commerce. I will
" even hope, Sir, for your aid in fo good a work.
" Should the fame fatal influence which blafted
" your former falutary counfels, again fruftrate your
" humane and generous purpofe, come to America,
" the
[ i6 ]
" the future afylum of the brave and virtuous from
" every quarter of the world. She will think her-
" felf honoured, to receive into her bofom fo illuftri-
" ous a citizen ; his eloquence will not then be
" fpent in vain, nor his eminent worth pafs unre-
" warded. My defire to make the earlieft acknow-
" ledgments of the honour you have done me, has
" prevented my troubling you with a few lines for
" my friends in England, who are interefted in the
" welfare of my family. My brother's letter, and the
" politenefs of your's, encourage me to take this li-
" berty, which I fhall d$ by fome early opportunity.
" Too many cannot prefent to fhew the very
" great perfonal refpeft and efteem with which
* I am, Sir,
" Your moft obedient and very humble fervt.
" J O S. RE ED."
Camp at Valley-Forge, June 14, 1778.
ON the i8th of June, the city of Philadelphia
was evacuated by the Britifh troops, and I came to
town the fame day, having fent Governor John/tone's
letter
- [ i7 ]
letter to me to the Congrefs, then fitting at York-
Town. On Sunday the 2ift of June, at General Ar-
nold's quarters, I received the following letter from .
Mrs. Fergufon, a Lady of family and reputation, and
who had before the war, married a Gentleman, at-
tached to the Britiih interefts, and then a Commif-
fary of prifoners in their army.
To GENERAL REED.
S I R, , -
TT A V I N G occafion, on particular bufinefs,
" JLJL to go to Lancafter, I purpofe fetting off on
" Monday morning from this place. It would afford
" me confiderable fatisfaction, could I be favoured
" with an hour's converfation with you, Sir, previ-
" ous to my being at Lancafter. In order to effedT:
" this, I propofe going near the camp, where,
" if you will be good enough to meet me at any
" place you will name, within a mile or two of Val-
<c ley-Forge, it would vaftly oblige me. I fhould
" have been at Lancafter laft week, but being in the
" city to take leave of my hufband, I was refufed a
" pafs on the day I purpofed leaving the town. I
E " enclofe
" enclofe a letter Col. Boudinot had from General
" Roberdeau, pointing out the neceffity of being foon
*' at Lancaster. I alfo enclofe a letter Mr. Stock-
" ton has wrote, relative to Mr. Fergufon's pro-
" fcription, which I muft beg the favour of you to
" confider, and give your advice on when we meet.
" At all events, I would wifh much to fee you before
" I go. If one day would fuit you better than an-
other, I would poftpone or forward a day, in order
to fee you, though Monday is the time propofed.
The Valley-Forge is about twenty-four miles
" from this, fo that if I fet off from this in the morn-
" ing, I (hall be able to fee you in the afternoon. Be
" fo obliging as to appoint the place; but I would
" wifh to avoid paffing through the camp ; but any
" little cottage or farm-houfe would be agreeable to
" me to fee you in. However it may affeft my own
" private concerns, I cannot avoid fincerely congra-
" tulating you, Sir, on the profpedl of your entering
" once more your own houfe in the city, where, that
" you may enjoy every kind of domeflic peace and
" comfort, is the fincere wifh of, Sir,
" Your moft obedient humble fervant,
ELIZABETH FERGUSON."
" P. S. Since
[ '9 ]
"P. S. Since writing the above, I hear the camp
" is moved ; therefore, if this fhould reach you, I
" beg you will be fo good as to point out where I
" fhall fee you, as writing will not do."
I ENQUIRED of the fervant who delivered me the
letter where Mrs. Fergufon was, and was informed
fhe had come to town that morning ; upon which I
wrote a fhort billet, mentioning, that being engaged
to dinner, I could not come fo early as fhe feemed to
wifh, but would certainly wait on her in the even-
ing, when I left the company with whom I dined. I
accordingly did fo, and found her in all appearance
waiting for me. She opened the converfation, by
relating the difficulties and perplexities in which fhe
found herfelf, what advice had been given her re-
fpeding Mr. Fergufon, and what her intentions had
been. The particulars I did not recoiled when I
firfl committed this tranfadtion to writing, nor have
I fince, as it feemed to be only introductory ; or,
perhaps, the fubfequent converfation being more in-
terefting, the other did not make the ufual impref-
fion. From this fubjedl, we imperceptibly flid into
that of the Britifh Commiffioners, their bufinefs and
[characters,
r 2 o ]
characters, when Mrs. Fergufun mentioned Gover-
nor Johnflone's lodging in that very houfe with her,
and that fhe had frequently converfed with him on
public affairs : She defcribed him as a Gentlemen of
great abilities and addrefs, and poffcfled of many a-
miable qualities : That he had fketched out a plan
of fettlement of our difputes, on his pafTage, which
he had permitted her to fee, and that fhe had made
fome extracts from it, which fhe gave me expedtati-
ons fhe would communicate to me on another occafi-
on : She then added, that he had exprefled the moft
favourable fentiments of me, and the part I had aded
in this great conteft. Upon which I mentioned my
having received a letter from him at the Valley-
Forge, and acknowledged his civility in fending my
, packets with unbroken feals. Mrs. Fergufon then
went on to fay, that Governor Johnftone exprefled
great anxiety to fee me, and particularly wifhed to
engage my intereft to promote the objedt of their
commiflion, viz. A re-union between the two coun-
tries, if it was confiftent with my principles and
judgment ; and in fuch cafe, it could not be deemed
improper or unbecoming in Government to take a
favourable
[ 21 ]
favourable notice of fuch condudt j and in this in-
ftance I might have . 10,000 Sterling, and any of-
fice in the colonies in his Majefty's gift, I found an
anfwer was expeded, and gave one, " That I was not
" worth purchafing, but fuch as I was, the King of
" Great-Britain was not rich enough to do it." By
this time the evening was pretty far advanced, and
no reply being made, I rofe to take my leave, which
I did, after expreffing my concern for her private
misfortunes, and left the houfe, with a mind much
agitated with this new and unexpected fcene.
AT this time I had not feen Governor Johnftone's
letters to Mr. Morris and Mr, Dana, which would
probably have determined me fooner as to the part I
ought to adl : Befides which, the Congrefs was yet
at York-Town, the Executive Council at Lancafter,
I was about to join the army again ; the battle of
Monrnouth, and other important events fucceeded,
which engrofTed the public attention and my own,
and prevented my return to Congrefs till the month
of July. In the mean time I was deliberating what
fteps I ought to purfue : On the one hand, the duty
I owed to my country feemed to demand a full dif-
clofure; on the other, a reludtance to expofe the La-
F dy
dy to a criminal profecution, or popular refentment,
and myfelf to the imputation of vanity and oftentati-
ous integrity, kept me filent, except to General Wafh-
ington, and two or three other Gentlemen. But the
more I reflected upon the nature of the propofition,
and the. danger of negotiation^ fuch hands, private
confiderations gave way to public duty, and on the
i8th of July I made a full difclofure of the whole
tranfadtion to Congrefs, only concealing the name of
the Lady. On the iQth, William Henry Drayton,
Efq; requefteda fhort narrative of it in writing, which
Igave him, figned with my name, and which he pub-
lifhed in an addrefs, figned by himfelf, and directed
to the Britifh Commiffioners,in Mr. Dunlap's paper
of the 2 i ft of July, 1778; in which fame paper are
alfo publifhed the addrefs oftheCommiflioners to Con-
grefs, dated the nth of July, and Governor John-
flone's letters to Mr. Dana and Mr. Morris. Upon
what ground, therefore, Governor Johnftone could
aflert, that though it had appeared in the news-pa-
pers, it had not been figned by me or Mr. Drayton,
is difficult to imagine, and can only be accounted for
by a total delinquency of memory> or a lefs honour-
able reafon.
SOON
[ 23 1
SOON after this publication, a perfon of my ac-
quaintance going to ^New-York, (by permifiion of
Gen. Arnold) I wrote her a billet r requefting her to
enquire there for any letters which Mr". De Berdt
might have wrote to his mother, fitter, or myfelf ;
and if fhe met with any difficulties there, on this ac-
count, or any other, to apply to Governor Johnftone ;
for, whatever my opinion of him was, the fervice was
fb trifling, that I had no fcruple to make ufe of him, or
any other perfon on the occafion, if irfhould be ne-
ceflary -, but I at the fame time accompanied it with
a ftrong verbal injunction, not to do fo but in cafe of
necefiity. As this note was not addrefled to Gover-
nor Johnftone, nor did I think it of any confequence,
I kept no copy; but it contained no more than the
above, and an information that I had received and
anfwered his letter of the i ith of April. Governor
Johnftone, by fome means became informed of thefe
enquiries, and came to her, when having obtained
a fight of this note to her, he infifted upon keeping it.
A circumftance for which (he made many apologies,
and expreffed great concern afterwards, when fhe
fufpected the ufe Governorjohnftone propofed tomake
of it. I declare, upon my honour, I never wrote a line
to
to Governor Johnftone, but the letter dated the i^th
of June, which was before I had feen Mrs. Fergufon ;
nor have I ever fent him any meflage, verbal or writ*
ten, or had any kind of intercourfe with him, except
lie has conftrued the note to this perfon as fuch ; and
am therefore obliged to afcribe his aflertion, " Of
" being poflefled of perfedt proof, that I never un-
" derftood any meflage or writing of his, as liable to
" the conflrudion of corruption," to the fame caufe
as his denial of the fignature of Mr. Drayton and my-
ielf, to the publication of the aift of July *.
THE multiplicity and importance of bufmefs
which prefled on Congrefs, in confequence of
the alliance with France, and the arrival of Mon-
fieur Gerard, was the true reafon why no public
adt of Congrefs pafled thereon until the iithof
Auguft, and not an infidious delay, to ground an
excufe for their refufal to gratify the Commiflioners
in their demand of the Convention troops, as Gover-
nor
* ABOUT this time I received the letter from Mrs. Fergnlon, dated
26th July, (inferred hereafter, page 55), which, though miftaken
in many refpetfs, I never anfwered, left il might lead 10 the
difcovery of the perfon, a fecret which at that time I intended
and hoped would have been kept inviolate.
[ 15 1
nor Johnftone has fuggefted 5 for, it is extremely
obvious, that there being three CommifTioners un-
tainted, or at leaft uncharged with corruption, fuch
a reafon could afford no folid pretext to refufe a ne-
gotiation with all. But what muft be fully convin-
cing on this point is, that thefe Commiffioners did
not addrefs Congrels on this fubjedt until the 26th
of Auguft, which was fifteen days after the declara-
tion of Congrefs, that they would do no bufinefs
with Governor Johnftone ; he muft therefore have
prefumed greatly on the diftance between England
and America, when he afferted, " That at that ve-
" ry moment they were about to evade a folemn en-
" gagement, and tranfmit their names with infamy
" to future ages/' And what is- farther worthy of
remark ; on that fame day, viz. the 26th of Auguft,
that the Commiffioners made their demand of the
prifoners of Saratoga, Governor Johnftone anfwered
the declaration of Congrefs, againff which he has
declaimed with fo much bitternefs. On the 4th of
September, almoft a month after their declaration,
Congrefs anfwered this requifition ; and yet by a
ftrange inverfion of dates and circumftances, this de-
claration is fuppofed to have been founded on a de-
. G fign
fign to elude a demand not then made, and which
Congrefs could not know ever would be made by
thofe Commiffioners. This declaration was made
by Congrefs on the i ith of Auguft ; but on whofe
motion, or under what other circumftances, I cannot
fay, as I was not prefent ; but it was in thefe words :
A .DECLARATION.
H E R E A s Geor e J<> hnftone > Ef q> ne f
the Britifh Commiffioners for reftoring peace
" in America, on the 1 1 th day of April laft, did write
" and fend a letter to Jofeph Reed, Efq; a member of
" Congrefs, containing this paragraph : " The man
( who can be inftrumental in bringing us all to adl
" once more in harmony, and to unite together the
" various powers which this conteft has drawn forth,
c will deferve more from the King and the people,
" from patriotifm, humanity, and all the tender ties
<f that are affedted by the quarrel and reconciliation,
" than ever was yet beftowed on human kind."
" And whereas the faid George Johnftone, on the
" i6th day of June laft, wrote and fent a letter to
" Robert Morris, Efq; another Member of Congrefs,
<c containing
" containing the following paragraph, viz. " I be-
" lieve the men who have conducted the affairs of
" America, incapabk of being influenced by impro-
" per motives. But in all fuch tranfadlions there is
" rifque, and I think, that whoever ventures fhould be
" fecured -> at the fame time, that honours and emo-
" luments fhould naturally follow the fortune of
" thofe who have fleered the veflel in theflorm, and
" brought her fafely into port. I think Wafhington
" and the Prefident have a right to every favour
" which grateful nations can beftow, if they could
" once more unite our interefts, and fpare the mife-
" ries and devaftations of war :" Which letters were
" laid before Congrefs. And whereas, the faid Jo-
" feph Reed, Efq; hath, in his place in Congrefs,
" declared, " That on Sunday the 2ift of June laft, a
*' few days after the evacuation of the city of Phila-
" delphia by the Britifh troops, he received a written
" meffage from a married Lady of charafter, -expref-
" fing a defire of feeing him on bufmefs which could
" not be committed to writing : That attending the
" Lady, agreeable to her appointment, in the even-
' ing, after fome previous converfatiOn refpedling
r- her
r 28 3
" her particular connections, the bufmefs and cha-
" radters of the Britifli Commiffioners, and particu-
" larly of Governor Johnftone, (meaning the faid
" George Johnftone, Efqj) were the fubjedls of gene-
" ral converfation, which being more confined, the
" Lady expatiated on the great talents and amiable
" qualities of that Gentleman ; and added, that in
" feveral converfations with her, he, (Governor
*' Johnflone) had expreffed the moft favourable fen-
" timents of him, (Mr. Reed) and that it was parti-
" cularly wi(hed to engage his, (Mr. Reed's) intereft,
" to promote the objedl of their commiffion, viz. A
'* a re-union between the two countries, if confiflent
" with his principles and judgment ; and that in fuch
" cafe, it could not be deemed unbecoming or im-
" proper in Government (meaning the Britifh) to
" take a favourable notice of fuch conduft, and that
*' in this inftance, he, (Mr. Reed) might have
" >C* IO >G Sterling, and any office in the colonies,
" (meaning thefe United States) in his Majefty's
" gift, (meaning his Britannic Majefty). To which
" finding an anfwer was expefted, he, (Mr. Reed)
" replied, " He was not worth purchafing, but fuch
" as
[ 29 ]
" as he was, the King of Great-Britain was not rich
" enough to do it." And whereas the faid paragraph,
" written and fent, as aforefaid, by George John-
" Hone, Efq; and the faid declaration made by Jofeph
" Reed, Efqj call loudly on Congrefs to exprefs their
" fenfe thereon." Therefore,
" Refofoed, That the faid paragraphs, and the par-
" ticulars in the faid declaration, in the opinion of
Congrefs, cannot but be confidered as diredt at-
tempts to corrupt and bribe the Congrefs of the
United States of America.
" Refohed, That as Congrefs feel, fo they ought to
demonftrate the higheft and moft pointed indigna-
tion againft fuch daring and atrocious attempts to
corrupt their integrity.
"
<c
" Refohed, That it is incompatible with the ho-
" nour of Congrefs, to hold any manner of corre
" fpondence or intercourfe with the faid George
" Johnftone, Efq; efpecially to negotiate with him
" on affairs in which the caufe of Liberty and Vir-
" tue is interefted : And, for the propriety of fuch
H " condud,
[ 3 ]
" conduft, we make and publifh to the world this
" declaration.
" DONE in Congrefs, in Philadelphia, the ele-
" venth day of Auguft, Anno Domini 1778,
" and in the third year of the Independence
** of America.
" By order,
HENRY LAUREN S, Preftdent."
To which GOVERNOR JOHNSTON E gave the fol-
lowing ANSWER :
New-Tork, Auguft 26, 1778.
GEORGE JOHNSTON E, one of the
Commiffioners appointed by his Majefty to
carry into execution the gracious purpofes of his
" Majefty and his Parliament, for quieting the dif-
" orders now fubfifting in North-America, and for
" maintaining the people of thefe provinces in the
" clear and perfed: enjoyment of their liberties and
" rights, having feen a Declaration of the American
" Congrefs, figned by Henry Laurens, their Prefi-
" dent,
r 3* ]
" dent, dated I ith of Auguft, to which, for certain
" affumed reafons therein fpecified, is fubjoined the
" following refolution :
" That it is incompatible with the honour of Congrefs
" to hold any manner of correspondence or inter courfe
" with the laid George Jobnjione, E/q-, efpecially to nego-
" tiate with him upon affairs in which the cau/e of Li-
" berty and Virtue is inter ejted.
" The faid Ge6rge Johnflone for himfelf fays, That
" he is far from confidering the faid refolution of the
" Congrefs as offenfive to him : That he rather re-
" ceives it as a mark of diftindtion, to which he is
" by no means entitled, either by his exertions in the
" caufe in which he is employed, or by his abilities
" for improving any future circumftances that may
" occur towards fulfilling the purpofes of the com-
s miffion under which he is appointed.
" That he fhall be happy to find when this excep-
" tion as to him fhall be removed, that the Congrefs
" are inclined to retradl: their former declaration,
" and to negotiate with others upon terms equally
" conducive
[ 32 ]
" conducive to the happinefs of both countries : At
" the fame time he is inclined to believe, that the
" faid refolution of Congrefs has been iffiied upon fi-
" milar motives with thofe refolutions refpefting
" the cartouch boxes of General Burgoyne's army,
" and calculated as an excufe to a deluded people for
" not fending an explicit ahfwer to a plain requifi-
" tion that was made to the Congrefs from his Maje-
" fly's Commiffioners, with regard to the unfortu-
" nate foldiers who are detained at Bofton under e-
" very indignity, contrary to the public faith of a
" folemn convention fignecl at Saratoga, and alfo to
" ferve as a pretext to the unhappy conftituents of
' the Congrefs, who are fuffering under the various
" calamities of war, for difappointing the good ef-
" feels of the commiffion, which the real friends of
" America had fo long requefted by the moft folemn
" petitions, refolutions and public declarations, and
" which fomany of the inhabitants of this continent
" now defire to fee carried into full effect.
" As the great purpofe Mr. Johnftone had in view
" in coming to North- America was to promote a re-
" conciliation between Great-Britain and her colo-
" nies,
I 33 J
" nies, with a fall determination to do nothing that
" could have a tendency to prevent it. In order,
" therefore, to defeat the purpofes intended by this
" refolution of Congrefs, the fubfcriber, George
" Johnftone, thinks proper to decline adting as a
" Commiflioner, or otherwife interfering in any mef-
" fage, anfwer, agreement,negotiation, matter or thing
" that may regard the faid Congrefs, which he does
" with fo much the more pleafure, as he is perfedtly
" fatisfied the bufmefs will be left in more able and
" fufficient hands; referving tohimfelf the liberty, if
" he mould judge proper, of publishing, before he
" leaves North-America, a juftification of his con-
" dud: againft the afperfions thrown on his charac-
" ter.
" WHEN the Congrefs were contending for eflen-
" tial privileges neceflary to the prefervation of
" their liberty, under folemn declarations, that their
" refiftance was calculated merely to obtain redrefs
" upon thofe points, Mr. Johnftone mould have
" been forry to have incurred their cenfure, though
" unheard in his defence, and upon a chain of evi-
" dence fo totally inconclufive as to him.
I " AT
L 34 ]
" AT prefent, when the Congrefs can remain deaf
" to the cries of fo many of their fellow- fubjedls,
" who are fuffering by the miferies of this war, and
" from motives of private ambition, can fo far fully
" the principles upon which their fir'ft refiftance was
" made, as to bow to a French Ambaffador, and
" league with the antient enemy of both our coun-
'* tries, from whofe hoftile defigns Great-Britain has
" fo often refcued the inhabitants of North- Aineri-
" ca, and this for the avowed purpofe of reducing
" the power of the parent flate, after all their juft
" claims are gratified, and thereby injuring their
" neareft and deareft friends and relations, forgetting
cc all the principles of virtue and liberty that ought
** to regulate the condud of men in fociety. Mr.
" Johnftone is not anxious about the good opinion
" of fuch a body, notwithftanding the regard he
*' fhall always bear to many of the individuals who
" compofe it, from a juft allowance to be made for
" men adling under the heats incident to civil com-
" motions, and from a certain knowledge they did
" entertain, and a perfuafion that they now entertain,
".different fentiments.
" WITH
r 35 i
," WITH refpeft to the people of America at large,
" the fubfcriber fincerely wifties to avoid every fub-
" jedl of offence, which defigning men may poffibly
" intend to create, by exciting angry paffions in re-
" turn to perfonal provocations, and thereby defeat
" any effedls of good-will towards Mr. Johnftone,
" which the remembrance of former good offices he
" has rendered them, might occafion.
" GEORGE JOHNSTONE."
IT is very remarkable, that in this performance
Governor Johnftone does not venture to deny the
charge, bat evades it by a feries of unmeaning pro-
feflions and complaints, though he muft at this
time have been poffefled of every information and
evidence he now is : But, when he was about to
leave the country, and therefore in lefs danger of con-
tradiction, he fteps a little farther, by leaving with
his friend, Mr. Secretary Fergufon, the following
letter, which that Gentleman publifhed in the New-
York Gazette, October 5, 1778.
New-Fork,
[ 36 I
New-Tor k, 28^ September, 1778*^
" TT AVING received the following letter from
" JL A Governor Johnftone at his departure for
" England, I think it my duty to fulfil his intention,
<c by publifhing it, for the fatisfaftion of thofe who
" may defire to know the reafons that have induced
" him to fufpend any particular difcuffion of the
" charge on which a late refolution of the Congrefs,
" refpefting himfelf, is founded. The intimation
" contained in this letter will, in the mind of every
" perfon in any degree acquainted with his charac-
" ter, have its proper effedls ; although I am, both
" by his injunctions, and by the consideration he
*' mentions, reftrained, at prefent, from giving any
" particular account of the evidence entrusted to me.
" AD AM FERGUSON."
" Dear Sir,
" T LEAVE in your pofleffion, complete, indif-
" -* putable evidence, that no aft of mine, byword,
" writing, mefTage or cohverfation with any perfon
" whatfoever, could have been conceived by the
" Member
[ 37 3
" Member of Congrefs, Jofeph Reed, Efq; previous
" to the i c;th of July laft, as an attempt, or as hav-
" ing a tendency, in any manner whatfoever to cor-
" rupt his integrity.
" A REGARD to the faith of private communicati-
" ons, and an attention to the peace and fafety of in-
" nocent individuals, under the horrid cruelties that
" are daily exercifed to maintain the prefent fyftem
" of government by the Congrefs and Committees,
" reflrain me from making this and other evidence
" public. But when the time {hall arrive, that may
" render fuch communications proper, I am perfuad-
" ed the world will applaud my felf-denial, in re-
" fufing myfelf the fatisfaction of publifliing fo com-
" plete a refutation of the afperfions attempted to be
" thrown on my character by the refolutions of the
" Congrefs, founded on a fpecies of teftimony that
" could not affect me, -upon any rule of evidence, or
" any fair conftruction of language*
" ANOTHER matter I wiih the world to know, is,
" that I do not return to England on account of that
" proceeding of Congrefs. The other Commiffion-
K ers,
[ s3 r
" ers, as well as you, and all perfons with whom I
" have lived in any degree of intimacy here, and all
" my correfpondents in England, are fufficiently ao
" quainted, that I had determined to return to Lon-
" don by the meeting of Parliament, to give my voice
" and opinion againft yielding to the claim of inde-
" pendency, long before any fuch refolves of the
" Congrefs had pafled.
" I am, with efteem and affedtion,
" Your fincere friend,
"GEORGE JOHNSTO^IE."
New-York, zzd September, 1778.
ADAM FERGUSON.
GOVERNOR Johnftone ventured in his fpeech in Par-
liament, to confirm and even improve upon his own
declaration,which, at length, by a courfe of events and
local difputes, not neceflary here to enumerate, produ-
ced the followingNarrative,on oath, unfought by public
demand or private felicitation; and though there are
many circumftances in it which do not particularly
relate
[ 39 3 ,
relate to Governor Johnftone, it is thought beft to
publifh it entire, to obviate every fuggeftion of fup-
preffion or mutilation.
To THE PUBLIC.
< A S all appeals and narratives offered to the
-t\ public, relative to things merely of a private
" nature, generally appear in thefe recitals rather
"tedious and unimportant. Had the fubjeft in dif-
" pute only affedted individuals in their domeftic ca-
" pacities,the writer of this would not have taken a
" pen in hand, to* have inveftigated the matter. But
" it is humbly apprehended, that the point in quef-
" tion is looked upon as of confequence enough to
" claim fome degree of attention. Sincerely forry is
" the fubfcriber, that it has fallen to the lot of fo in-
<' fignificant a perfon as herfelf, to develope the affair
" in debate 3 but, in order to avoid any ambiguity of
" expreffions, fhe means now to drop writing in the
" third perfon, and fpeak plainly in her own charac-
" ter. v
" MUCH has it been canvaffed of late I underftand
<c in this State, whether Governor Johnftone ever
" had
[ 40 ]
" had any convcrfation with a Lady about politics
x
" in, general, and General Reed in particular : Much
" has it been doubted by feme, whether a Lady ever
" had airy converfation with General Reed, as relate
" ed in Town's Evening Foil in July : And, much
" has it been difputed who the Lady was, and if
" there really was fuch a perfon. All thefe doubts
" have been fuggefted and enforced, according to the
" political fentiments of the perfons who hinted
" them, as the inclination too often gives a bias to
" thejudgment.
" THE many parties which it is but too notorious
and melancholy a truth, prevail at this time in this
city, render it neceflary for the fubfcriber moft fe-
rioufly to declare, that fhe is not influenced or di-
" reded by any perfon or perfons in office, or ex-
" pedting to be in office, in the free and independent
" States of America, or in the kingdom of Great-
" Britain. And this prefent account, now humbly
" prefented to the public, has never one line of it
" been feen by, or read to an individual of either fex.
" Had it been fubmitted to the perufal of two or
" three judicious friends, who honour her with their
* " countenance,
[ 4' ]
" countenance, it doubtlefs would not have appear-
" ed fo deftitute of every ornament of ftyle and po-
" lifh of the pen, as it does at prefent : But as it was
" meant as a plain detail of fads, me chofe rather to
J* wave all thefe little embellishments, as to the man-
" ner, in order to have it in her power, confiftent
" with truth, to make the above declaration.
! As the houfe of a very particular friend of mine,
" Mr. Charles Stedman, happened to be the place
" appointed for Governor Johnftone's refidence dur-
" ing his flay in this city, I was in it the greateft part
" of the time the Commiffioners were here. I came
*' to town to take leave of my hufband, in confe-
u quence of a pafs granted me by the Commander
" in Chief of our army.
." THREE times I was in company with Governor
" Johnftone ; he exprefled great delire to have been
' admitted to have pafled the lines, or that his Secre-
" tary {hould have had fome intercourfe of a liberal
" kind (as he termed it) with people in power. I
" own, that I did at that time look on Governor
" Johnftone as a friend to America, who wiflied fome
L " perfon
[ 42 ]
" perfon would ftep forth and ad: a mediatorial part,
" and fuggeft fomething to flop the effufion of blood
" which was like to enfue, if the war was carried on
" in its full vigour. The two former times of the
" three that I talked with Governor Johriftone, the
" converfation was fo genera!, and his declaration fo
" warm in favour of the interefls of America, that I
regarded him as an eflimable character, and moft
finceiely wifhed he could have had a free inter-
courfe with fome of the fenfible Whigs without
" the lines : But from firfl to laft of thele converfa-
" tic ns, I uniformly told him, that I thought he che-
" rifhed a delufive idea, namely, that the Congrefs
* f kept the true fenfe of the people from the public,
" and that if that was fairly to be come at, indepen-
" dence would lofe ground.
" I AM fure I can fay, fpeaking within bounds, I
" repeated half a dozen times to him, that I believed,
" if the votes of the people were or could be impar-
" tially taken, they would give the decifion in fa-
" vour of independency y but this fentiment he ne-
" ver coincided in.
AT
I 43 ]
" AT this time, my mind was much engaged with
" the thoughts of prefenting a memorial to the Su-
" preme Executive Council, then at Lancafter, as I
" thought it of fome confequence to get it laid befoie
" that Honorable Body, previous to the time my
" huftand was cited to appear, June the 24th, he
" was there fummoned as guilty of High Treafon,
" on the idea of his being a fubjedt of the States :
" Now as he was by birth a Briton, and left this near
" a year before the declaration of Independency, I
" was encouraged by fome Gentlemen, learned in
" the law, to point out, that he could not with pro-
" priety come under the defcription of the bulk of
" the.profcribed. But I beg pardon for wandering
" from my fubjeftin this fecming digreflion.
" GOVERNOR Johnftone heard me fay I was going
" on this errand; and the converfation Mr. Reed
" more particularly refers to in his recital, pafled be-
" tween Governor Johnftone and myfelf, about a
" quarter of an hour before Governor Johnftone left
" Mr. Stedman's houfe. In Mr. Stedman's tea-room,
' to the beft of my memory, on the i6th of June,
' between the hours of ten and eleven in the morn-
" ing,
r 44 i
" ing, Governor Johnftone fent me a manufcript
" book to read the morning he went off, but in fo
" hafly a way, that he afked three or four times for
" it, before it was poffible to have read it a quarter
" thro' ; the general vein that prevailed in it was,
" pointing out the many, advantages arifing from a
" re-union with Britain, and a commercial inter-
" courfe, and feveral good things I believe were in
" it, but I thought it much too prolix to be of ge-
" neral utility. I returned the book to him in Mr.
" Stedman's tea-room and was going out; he refum-
" ed the thread of politics.
" MRS. Fergufon, fays Governor Johnftone, this
'* is a moft unhappy difpute ; can nothing be fallen
" upon to mitigate matters. God grant there
" could, Governor Johnftone, returned I ; you are a
" perfon in power ; you know how ardently I wifti
" for peace : For, I before that had faid to Governor
" Johnftone, that if he would beinftrumental by his
" reprefentations at home to effetf: peace, it would
" give him comfort in his dying hour, when all
" earthly honours and views of ambition would be
" light in the balance. And I again repeated, " I
" am
C 45 3
*' am certain nothing fhort of Independence will be
" accepted." I am told, replied he, that Morris and
" Reed have a great deal to fay in your politics. lan-
" fwered, I believe they have -, they are both Gentle-
" men of diftinguifhed characters, for good fen fe and
" patriotic principles. I knowfomethingof Reed, lays
Johnftone; I forwarded letters to him of Mr. De
" Berdt's ; I knew Mr. De Berdt well ; I wifli I
'* could fee Mr. Reed and Mr, Morris, but particu-
" larly Mr. Reed; I think I could fay many things
c< to him that would be for the advantage of fettling
" this conteft. I wifh you could, Sir ; I dare fay
" that if you were to converfe with either of thofe
" Gentlemen, it would be to your mutual fatisfadli-
** on, and I think it is a great pity that you have not
" an opportunity. I heard, fays he, that Reed has a
" great deal to fay with Wafhington. I believe, Sir,
"returned, I, that General Reed ftands very well
** with General Wafhington, (for I always made it a
" point to give our officers their titles immediately,
" when, any of the Britifh Gentlemen omitted them.)
" I had thoughts, fays Johnftone, of applying to both
" thefe Gentlemen, (meaning Mr. Reed and Mr.
" Morris) for their good offices, but the fewer peo-
M " pie
[ 46 ]
" pie one applies to the better : But, I fhould be par-
" ticularly glad of Mr. Reed's influence in this af-
" fair; Mrs. Fergufon, fays he, and I think he look-
" ed a little confufed, if this affair fhould be fettled
" in thje way we wifli, we fhall have many pretty
" things in our power, and if Mr. Reed, after well
" confidering the nature of the difpute, can, con-
<c formable to his confcience and view of things, ex-
" ert his influence to fettk the conteft, he may com-
" mand ten thoufand guineas and the belt port in the
" government, and if you fhould fee him, I could
" wifh you would convey that idea to him. I own
" I felt hurt and fhocked, for I regarded the hint as
" indelicate, and from that moment Mr. Johnflone
" appeared to me in a different point of light. He
t( then was turning_out of the room, the Commo-
" dore had fent for him and General Clinton two or
" three times that morning, while we were together*
" If he read countenances as well as I believe he
" did, he muft immediately have feen difguft ftrongly
" painted on mine. I defired him to ftay a moment.
" Sir, fays I, fince you have opened your mind fo
" freely to me, allow me to fuggeft a few hints with
" the fame freedom. By all means, Madam. Do
" not
[ 47 ]
" not you think, Sir, that Mr. Reed will look upon
" fuch a mode of obtaining his influence as a bribe ?
"" (I really made ufe of that plain term. ) Do you
" think fo, Mallam ? I really, Sir, mould apprehend
" fo. By no means, Madam ; this method of pro-
'* ceeding is cuflomary in all negotiations ; and one
" may very honourably make it a man's intereft to
" ftep forth in a caufe. I know little of negotiati-
" ons, returned I, but this appears to me, that if it is
<c Mr. Reed's judgment that America fhould give up
" the point of independence, he will fay fo, if he has
t any influence in her counfels, without fee or re-
" -ward > and if he is of a different opinion, no pe-
" cuniary emolument fliould lead him to give a con-
" trary vote. He faid, he did not fee the matter in
tf the fame point of light exadlly as I did, and abrupt-
" ly bade me farewell ; and I believe, if his heart
c had that moment been feen, he was vexed he had
" gone fo far.
" AND here ends afimple narrative of afacT:, as far
" as it relates to Governor Johnftone's converfation
* with me. The misfortune of all narration is, they
" unavoidably leadto prolixity, and many little points
" that
[ 43 ]
" that appear extremely interefting to the narrator,
" feern as tedious and non-eflential to the reader. I
" muft now, in vindication of my own character, be
" permitted to fay fomething in regard to the con-
" verfation I had with General Reed : Had he been
" as tender of my political reputation in his publi-
" cation, as I ever have been and am now of his, I
" mould at this time have been faved this difagree-
" able explanation. I have nothing to fay that can
" caft a made on his character as a patriot, or in-
" jure him with the public as to the capital point :
" For, wh$n I came to the moft interefting part of
" the converfation, he anfwered without hefitati-
" on, " My influence is ' but fmall, but was it as
" great as Governor Johnftone would infinuate, the
" King of Great-Britain has nothing in his gift that
" would tempt me." Immediately on feeing the
" account publiihed of this affair in Towne's Even-
" ing Poft, I fat down under the warmth of the firft
" impreffion of refentment, and wrote the letter that
" is fubjoined to this publication. The paper did not
" reach me till the a6th of July : I was at my own
" retired fpot at Graeme-Park 5 I had no creature to
" confult,
L 49 ]
" confult, and wrote it in four hours after feeing the
*' Evening Poft . I never had the leaft previous inti-
" mation from General Reed, or any of his friends,
" that he intended publifhing the account, nor the
" leaft hint of fuch a defign when I faw him that
" once, which is the only time I ever exchanged a
" word with him. In that letter I only anticipated
** the difagreeable confequence that his reprefentati-
** on would produce. I have (ince feverely felt and
" realized them. It is true, Mr. Reed, though pref-
" fed to it, has never given up the name of the Lady;
" but there was fuch a combination of circumftances
" joined to his account, as neyer left the public in
" doubt of the perfon. I was immediately pointed
" out, and my filence was a tacit confeflion.
" AND I received no one advantage from not ac-
" knowledging myfelf as the perfon ; unlefs thefe
" may be ranked as fuch, namely, not having it in
" my power to throw in one palliating or extenuating
" circumftance in my own behalf; and being oblig-
" ed to hear a hundred rude and impertinent things
" faid by people who had only the dark fide of my
" character. Finally, I might be compared, in fuch
N " a fituation,
C 5 1:
" a fituation, to a perfon in the open field, whofc
" enemy is hid in bufties, who darts forth poifoned
" arrows that fpread their venom. I own I am
" wounded where I am moil vulnerable ; I mean my
"reputation. Much could I fay with truth of my
" love to my country, but will here be filent, for two
" reafons ; as a female perhaps to enlarge on that
" fubjedl might be deemed an affeftation of mafcu-
" line virtue j and at this time it might appear as
" defigned to carry certain points now in fufpence.
*' Let this appeal to the public be taken in what
" light it may, I offer it with diffidence; but feel
" myfelf much more eafy in my mind, now I have
" given it, than I ever have done fince I had that un-
" lucky converfation with Governor Johnftone. A-
** mong the many mortifying infmuations that have
" been hinted on the fubjecft, none has fo fenfibly
" afFedled me, as an intimation, that fome thought I
" aded a part in confequence of certain expectations
" of a poft, or fome preferment from Mr. Johnftone
*' to be conferred on the perfon deareft to me on
" earth. j On that head I fhall fay no more, but leave
" it to any perfon of common fenfe to determine, if
" 1 had any views of that kind, whether I (hould, in
''fo
C 5' 1
" fo full and folemn a manner call in queftion what
" Mr. Johnftone has afferted in the Houfe of Com-
" mons : A proceeding of this kind muft totally ex-
" elude all avenues of favour from that quarter, were
" there ever any expedted, which I folemnly declare
<c never was the cafe. If this account {hould ever
" have the honour to be glanced over by the eye of
""Governor Johnftone, I know not in what medium
" he may view it : It is poffible that the multiplicity
" of ideas which may be fuppofed to pafs through
" the brain of a politician in the courfe of a few
< c months, may have joftled the whole tranfadion
" out of his memory. Should this be the cafe, in-
' %c fignificant and contemptible as I may appear to
" him, I believe there are two or 'three people in
" Britain, that will venture to tell him in all his pk-
" nitude of power, that they believe I would not fet
" my hand to an Untruth. The letter I wrote to
" Mr. Reed is a proof that I never intended to deny
" the converfation ; if I had ever views of that kind,
' I fhould not have been fo waak as to have pnt it
" out of my power to have even equivocated about
" it when called on by Mr. Reed. I do not pre-
" tend to aflfert that I asprecifely related to Mr. Reed
" every
4
r 5* ]
every word that paffed, how, when and where, as I
"do in this account, which I believe I fhall enforce
" by a depofition : But I now call on Mr. Reed, in
" the prefence of an all-feeing God to declare, whe-
" ther in the courfe of the converfation I had with
" him, I exprefled one fehtiment that breathed a wifh
" that he, or any perfon in power, fhould accept of
" any douceurs to preponderate in the fcale. I took
" no minutes of either of the converfations I had with
" the above-mentioned Gentlemen, therefore there
" may be feme trifling errors : But as to a fum and
" office being mentioned, which feems to be the
" moft eflential part of the affair, I am not miftaken
" in.
" I NEVER will write or fpeak more on the fubjedl,
" nor enter into any further explanations : If I have
erred I muft fuffer. With all poffible refpeft I
* 4 remain the candid reader's moft obedient humble
" fervant,
"ELIZABETH FERGUSON/'
/
Philadelphia, February 16, 1779.
Grame-
[ S3 1
Grceme-Park, "July 26, 1778.
S I R,
" T T is with no fmall degree of regret that I now
" -1 fit down to addrefs a few lines to you, on a
" fubjeft that is by no means agreeable to me to en-
" ter on : But I muft beg the favour of your atten-
" tion, with hopes of obtaining rather more candour,
" than I think has been fhewn me heretofore.
" I SAW to-day Towne's Evening Poft, in which
" Governor Johnftone's letter to you, Sir, is inferted,
" (that I have no bufmefs with) but the relation of a
" converfation which pafled between General Reed
" and a certain Lady, muft have been published with
" your confent ; and that is an affair I muft be per-
" mitted to touch upon,
" WELL acquainted as you are, Siiw with the me-
" thods which are made ufe of in courts of jadica-
" ture for the inveftigation of truth, it would be fu-
" perfluous in me to hint, that the fuppreffion of fome
" circumftances, and dwelling ftrongly on others
" give a colouring and complexion to things very
n " different
[ 54 ]
" different from their real and original meaning and
" fignification.
" THAT you, Sir, (bowed no difpofition to fall in
fr with any fchemes which Governor Johnftone
" might wifh you to adopt in favour of America's
" yielding her claim to independency, is certainly
" juftly ftated in your account. But furely General
" Reed could have pointed out his firmnefs to his
country's caufe, without fuffering an innocent, and
I may fay, almoft friendlefs womati, to be exhibit-
ed in a common news-paper, and that in a manner
" which conveys no other idea, but that of her being
" an emiflary of the Commiflioners ; and that fhe,
" by having fome of her friends gone off with the
" Britifh troops, was endeavouring to fhow her at-
<c tachment to their caufe in their abfence.
" As yourfelf, Sir, and the Lady, were the only
" parties that know any thing of .the affair in qiief-
" tion, it is only you that can be appealed to. Be
"-pleafed, Sir, to recoiled: the ftyle, the manner, and
" the whole of that tete a tete \ and then, Sir, on the
" part of the Lady, can you determine that the con-
" verfation
I 55 1
verfation has- been kindly, friendly, or fairly dated:
" If it has, my memory has greatly failed me in al-
" moft every point.
" ANY perfon of common fenfc who read the anec-
" dote, as related in the Evening Poft, would con-
elude, a billet was fent to General Reed from the
" Lady, for no other purpofe than to aft folely OR
" Governor Johnftone's bufmefs. Affairs relative to
" a near friend occupied her mind much more, and
" fhe applied to General Reed for his advice; and
" fhe thought that at parting he offered it cordially
" and fincerely in her little concerns,
" ACCIDENT flung her into the fame houfe appro-
" priated to the ufeof Governor Johnftone; fhe men-
*' tioned him to you as one that feemed very defirous
" of fettling matters upon fome amicable footing.
" GENERAL Reed told her he had received a let-
*' ter from Governor Johnflone ; flie from thenc^
*' concluded he had opened his mind fully in that
" letter on the point of engaging Mr. Reed in his
" intereft ; and fhe then repeated what had pafled
" between
[ 56 ]
" between Governor Johnftone and herfelf with re-
" gard to politics in general, and Mr. Reed's influ-
<( ence in particular.
" BUT (he is certain, that flie repeated to General
" Reed what fhe faid to Mr. Johnftone, which was,
<{ that if General Reed, or any other perfon in power,
" looked upon it as beneficial for America that fhe
" fhould yield independency and be re-united to
" Great-Britain, he would fuggeft that idea with-
'* out reward ; and if he entertained oppofite fenti-
" ments, no offers, if he was an honeft man, could
" bias his judgment to give a contrary vote.
" BUT there was no convincing the Commiffion-
" ers that the voice of the Congrefs was the voice of
" the people ; and as their intercourfe for the mofl
" part lay with the friends of government, it was
" natural for them to imbibe their fentiments.
" I AM fenfible, Sir, that the political opinions of
" women are ridiculed among the generality of men,
" but I own I find it hard, very hard, (knowing the
" uncorruptnefs of my heart) to be held out to the
" public as a tool to the Commiffioners. Perhaps
" few
[ 57 1
*< few minds would more fenfibly feel fo humiliating
" and mortifying an idea. But theimpreffion is now
" made, and it is too late to recal it. How far, at
" this critical juncture of time, this affair may injure
" my property is uncertain ; that I affure you is but
" a fecondary thought.
" UNDER no very . agreeable fituation of mind, I beg
" leave to conclude myfelf,
" Your very humble fervant,
"ELIZABETH FERGUSON/'
"THE 1 6th day of February, 1779. Before
".me, John Ord, Efq; one of the Juftices of the
" Peace for the city and county of Philadelphia, came
" Elizabeth Fergufon, of Horfham townfliip, coun-
" ty of Philadelphia, Gent, and being fworn on the
" Holy Evangelifts of Almighty God, did depofe,
" declare and fay, that the declaration above-menti-
" oned is drawn up and wrote with her own hand-
P "'writing,
[ 58 ]
" writing, and is in every refpedl juft and true, to
the beft of her remembrance.
"ELIZABETH FERGUSON.
** Sworn at Philadelphia, before me, the
" day and year above faid.
"JOHN OR D."
THUS I have, with the pureft intentions, and I
hope with equal candour, traced the circumftances,
and collefted the fadls attending a tranfa&ion, which
has made fome noife in the political world. The
cloud which party attempted to raife, and to which
Mrs. Fergufon alludes, has long fince vanifhed. But
as an hiftorical fa<5t, as a fpecimen of that corruption
into which the Britifh nation is funk, and againft
which it behoves us to guard with unceafing vigi-
lance, it was worthy of elucidation. And, notwith-
ftanding Governor Johnftone's declaration, That be
ufed other means bejides perfuqfion, I hold the in-
tegrity and honour of my country too dear, to
* believe he fpoke of a fad ; though I can eafily
fuppofe he would wiih to weaken public confi-
dence,
I 59 ]
dence, and inflame thofe difTentions to which Re-
publican Governments are naturally fubjed:. I fir*-
cerely wifh we had nothing more to fear from the fe-
ducing influence of trade, land monopoly, or rivet-
ted party prejudice, on thofe who are or may be call-
ed to manage the public affairs of this rifing empire,
than we have from the dired: bribery of a Britifh
Minifter : But, I truft the virtue and wifdom of A-
merica will rife fuperior to thefe ; and where fhe
cannot prevent, punifh with exemplary rigour every
one, however other wife great or diftinguiflied he may
be, who fhall dare to proftitute his public character
to the fordid purpofes of private gain or party rage.
Much certainly depends upon fetting out right. If
men of eminent ftations adorn them with a difinte-
refted regard to the public welfare, we may exped:
the happy influence of example will extend to all
ranks, and fix a national charader of integrity and
honour. From a brave and generous people, it will
even in this world have its reward, and entitle us to
bleffings and fuccefs, which a depraved and corrupted
nation cannot expe<fl,
IN
r 60 ]
IN fimilar circumftances to the prefent, I believe
thoufands of my countrymen would have adled a fi-
milar part : They would have held the gold of Bri-
tain as drofs, compared with the affe&ion and efteem
of a free and magnanimous people. Thefe have been
my fupport under a moft unkind oppofition, to which,
either individually or collectively I have never given
caufe of offence, and which has tried its various in-
fluence upon the people, upon Congrefs, and upon
the Gentlemen of France, to diftrefs my adminiftra-
tion and leflen the eftimation in which an honeft en-
deavour to difcharge my public duty with fidelity,
has placed me. I afk not the favour of my country
one moment after I deviate from this path, and
fhould think myfelf happy, if thofe who remain dif-
fatisfied would defer their refentment, till the remov-
al of the enemy left them no other objects than their
own countrymen : But I fincerely affure them, that
while there is a Britifh foldier left in arms uT^thcfc
United States, not all the efforts of party, fecret or
f
open, poverty or danger, {hall induce me to relin-
quifli the ftation in which public confidence has
placed me, and in which I can beft oppofe the views
of the common enemy. When thefe dangers are
paffed
paffed away, I care not how foon I fall into the
rank of a private citizen -a ftation better fiuted to
my talents and inclination. -In every ftation, I hope,
the love of my country will be the predominant and
ruling principle of my life ; and, while I adt under
its influence, I fhall at leaft deferve, if I do not en-
joy the favour and efteem of every honeft man and
fincere patriot. Next to this, is the honour and dig-
nity of Congrefs, the vindication of which has been
one objedl of the prefent work : In which, plain
fa<3s muft fupply the place of elegant compofition
and harmonious periods, for which I have neither
time nor ability. My countrymen, I truft, will read
it with indulgence, and foreigners with candour.
Military purfuits have almoft extinguifhed the few
literary attainments I once poflefled; and what could
not be tolerated in the profeffed man of letters, will
be pardoned in the foldier and citizen, amidft the
tumult of civil war, and the revolution of a mighty
empire.
JOSEPH REED.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 8, 1779.
\
THE END.