Part 33

I had the honor of writing to you on the 28th of January, and have since received your letter of the 28th of October, informing me of the appointment of Dr Franklin to be Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of France, and enclosing a resolution of Congress of the 22d of the same month. The respect, which I owe to the Representatives of my country in Congress, would make me follow any advice which I might receive from them. I am most perfectly convinced, that the cultivation of harmony and good understanding between the Ministers, Commissioners, and Representatives of Congress, is necessary for the honor and interest of the United States, and I have acted to the utmost of my power in conformity to that opinion.

Congress will be enabled to judge how far their other servants have done so, from the papers which have already been, and will be, laid before them. I beg leave to repeat again the high sense I have of the honor that Congress did me, in appointing me one of their Representatives in Europe, and to request that you will be so good as to obtain their leave for me to return to America, as I see no prospect of my having it in my power to render them any service in this part of the world. I should embrace the opportunity of going under the convoy of the Alliance frigate, but do not think myself at liberty to leave Europe without the permission of Congress.

I have the honor to be, &c.

RALPH IZARD.

THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO RALPH IZARD.

Philadelphia, July 17th, 1779.

Sir,

Your letter of March 4th was read in Congress three days ago, being then only first received by the Committee of Foreign Affairs. We should have been very happy to have received it before the 8th of June,[69] as it would, undoubtedly, have founded a resolve of Congress more agreeable to us to communicate officially, than that to which we must now refer you in their journals, printed authoritatively by David C. Claypole, and which are in the hands of Doctor Franklin, or Doctor Arthur Lee, at Paris.

We have till now omitted to forward to you that resolve for your recall from the Court of Tuscany, as we daily expected a settlement of a definite recompense for your services to these United States. But the modes of doing business in such an assembly as Congress will not warrant our detaining, until such settlement, some important papers committed to us to be sent to the Court of France.

I am, with sincere regard, &c.

JAMES LOVELL, _For the Committee of Foreign Affairs_.

[69] _In Congress, June 8th, 1779._ “According to the order of the day, Congress proceeded to the consideration of the report of the Committee of thirteen on Foreign Affairs; and on the question, shall Mr Izard be recalled?--resolved in the affirmative.

“A motion was then made, that Mr Izard be informed, that it is the sense of Congress that he need not return to America;--resolved in the affirmative.”

TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Paris, September 29th, 1779.

Gentlemen,

I have lately been favored with your letter of the 17th of July, referring me to a resolution of Congress of the 8th of June, by which I find that they have been pleased to recall me. It has long been my wish to resign a commission, which did not put it in my power to be of any service to America; and, therefore, if Congress had had the goodness to have expressed their resolution in such a manner as not to have conveyed a censure, which my conscience tells me I have not deserved, it would have given me a great deal of pleasure.

You say that if my letter, of the 4th of March, had been received before the 8th of June, it would have founded a resolve of Congress more agreeable to you to communicate than the one referred to. I have received, likewise, the resolution of Congress of the 6th of August, respecting the allowance to be made to the Commissioners. Upon my applying to Dr Franklin to know if he had received any directions from Congress to pay me any money, and whether he thought himself authorised by that resolution to do it, he answered me, that he had received no orders about it. “On the other hand, (said he) there is a part of it which directs, that every Commissioner, who has been intrusted with public money, shall transmit without delay his accounts and vouchers to the Board of Treasury in order for settlement. Till such settlement is made, I conceive it cannot be known what, or whether anything, is due to you.” I was in hopes, that after what I had already written to Congress on this subject, it would have been unnecessary to trouble them any more about it. Their resolution of the 7th of May, 1778, directs, “that the Commissioners appointed for the Courts of Spain, Tuscany, Vienna, and Berlin, should live in such style and manner at their respective Courts, as they may find suitable and necessary to support the dignity of their public character, keeping an account of their expenses, which shall be reimbursed by the Congress of the United States of America.” I have repeatedly informed Congress of my reasons for not going into Italy. Had those reasons not been satisfactory, they would doubtless have signified their pleasure to me on the subject, which should have been the rule of my conduct.

I do not conceive that the resolution of the 6th of August, which directs that those who have been intrusted with public money shall transmit their accounts and vouchers to the Board of Treasury to be settled, can have any reference to me. I have received two thousand five hundred louis d’ors of the public money, exclusive of the clothes and education of my children. This latter circumstance I should not have mentioned, had not Dr Franklin told me, that he saw no reason why Congress should maintain my family. I cannot believe, that Congress intended any such distinction when they sent me a commission, nor when they entered into the resolution of the 7th of May, 1778; neither can I think, that, by calling for the accounts and vouchers of those who have been intrusted with public money, their intention is to enter into an examination of my butcher’s, baker’s, or apothecary’s bills. I hope they will be satisfied with being informed, that my expenses during the two years, that I have had the honor of being in their service, have amounted to sixteen hundred louis d’ors a year. The resolution of the 6th of August set forth, that the _reasonable expenses_ of the Commissioners shall be paid. It is impossible for me to tell what ideas may be affixed to those words; but I am sure, that whatever Congress may think reasonable will be perfectly satisfactory to me, let the sum be what it will. All I desire is, that I may not be subjected to be ill treated by a man, who is become my enemy, because I have done my duty to the public.

I have the honor to be, &c.

RALPH IZARD.

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Philadelphia, August 6th, 1780.

Sir,

In several letters which I wrote to Congress from Paris, I acquainted them with my reasons for not going into Italy. It will give me great pleasure to be informed, that those reasons and my conduct have been approved of by the Representatives of my country. Permit me, Sir, to request, that you will be pleased to inform Congress of my arrival in this city, and that I shall be ready, whenever it is their pleasure, to give them any information in my power respecting their affairs in Europe.

I have the honor to be, &c.

RALPH IZARD.

THE CORRESPONDENCE OF HENRY LAURENS, COMMISSIONER FOR NEGOTIATING A TREATY OF AMITY AND COMMERCE WITH HOLLAND.

Henry Laurens was a native of Charleston, South Carolina, and born in the year 1724. He was among the foremost in embracing the cause of the Revolution, which he maintained to the end with extraordinary integrity, zeal, and firmness. As President of the first provincial Congress of Carolina, which assembled in 1775, he showed a determined spirit, that never forsook him afterwards, even in times of severe trial and suffering. He was a prominent member of the Continental Congress, and chosen President of that body on the resignation of Hancock. In the year 1779, the finances of the United States became so low, that it was found necessary to use every effort to procure foreign loans, and Mr Laurens was appointed a Commissioner to negotiate a loan in Holland. On the first of November following, there was joined to this commission another, which authorised him to negotiate a treaty of amity and commerce with the United Provinces.

Various reasons prevented his leaving the country, till the last of August, 1780. Meantime the Commission for a loan had been assigned to John Adams, and Mr Laurens was exclusively charged with the negotiation of a treaty. A few days after he sailed, the vessel was taken by a British man of war, and carried into St John’s, Newfoundland. From this place Mr Laurens wrote to Congress, but he was immediately sent to England, where he was closely imprisoned in the Tower for nearly fifteen months. He was at length released, in exchange for Lord Cornwallis. His papers were thrown overboard when the vessel was taken, but they did not sink before they were secured by the enemy. Being forwarded to London, their contents became the chief cause of a war between England and Holland.

After his release from the Tower, Mr Laurens went over to Holland, where he met Mr Adams, and proposed to engage in the business of his mission, but did not find by Mr Adams’s instructions, that he was authorised to proceed in such a measure. In reply to his request for a recall, Congress informed him, that his services were still needed in Europe, and directed him to join Messrs Franklin, Adams, and Jay at Paris, to assist in the negotiations for a general peace. This duty he performed, as far as the precarious state of his health would admit. Between the signing of the preliminary and definitive articles he spent much time in London, and rendered essential service by the intelligence he communicated to the British Ministry, and leading men of the government party, respecting the feelings of the people in the United States, particularly in regard to matters of trade, and a commercial treaty, which were then agitated in the British councils. He had several interviews on American affairs with Mr Fox, to whom he expressed his mind freely, as he had formerly done to Lord Shelburne.

Mr Laurens returned to the United States in the summer of 1784, and retired to his native State. No solicitations could induce him afterwards to accept any public office. He died on the 8th of December, 1792, at the age of sixtynine.

THE CORRESPONDENCE OF HENRY LAURENS.

INSTRUCTIONS TO HENRY LAURENS.

In Congress, October 26th, 1779.

Congress took into consideration the report of the Committee on Instructions to the person appointed to negotiate a loan in Holland; whereupon

_Resolved_, That he be instructed to borrow a sum not exceeding ten millions of dollars, at the lowest rate possible, not exceeding six per cent per annum.

_Resolved_, That he be empowered to employ, on the best terms in his power, some proper mercantile or banking house in the city of Amsterdam, or elsewhere, in the United Provinces of the Low Countries, to assist in the procuring of loans, to receive and pay the money borrowed, to keep the accounts, and to pay the interest.

That he be also empowered to pledge the faith of the United States, by executing such securities or obligations for the payment of the money, as he may think proper; and also that the interest shall not be reduced, nor the principal paid, during the term for which the same shall have been borrowed, without the consent of the lenders or their representatives.

That he be directed to give notice to Congress of any loan made by him, or under his authority, and to direct the house by him employed to accept and pay the bills of exchange, which may be drawn under the authority of Congress.[70]

[70] For an account of the appointment of Henry Laurens to “negotiate a foreign loan,” and also as a “Commissioner to negotiate a treaty of amity and commerce with the United Provinces of the Low Countries,” see the _Secret Journal of Congress_, Vol. II. pp. 283, 285, 290, 314, 320.

COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO HENRY LAURENS.

Philadelphia, December 11th, 1779.

Sir,

By the enclosed resolves of Congress, you will find that we are become more dependent upon your vigorous exertions for the amelioration of our currency, than you perhaps expected when you left Philadelphia.[71] We think it of so much importance, that you should be early apprized of the measure determined upon respecting bills of exchange, that we do not choose to omit this good opportunity of conveying them, though unattended with a full explanation of the reasons which urge Congress to draw, more especially as you are so well enlightened by your late presence in that assembly.

We are, with every wish for your prosperity, &c.

JAMES LOVELL, ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON, WILLIAM HOUSTON.

[71] _In Congress, November 23d, 1779._ Committee reported, “that bills of exchange be drawn on John Jay to the amount of £100,000 sterling, and on Henry Laurens to the amount of £100,000 sterling, payable at six months sight, and that the same be sold at the current rate of exchange.”

_November 29th._ “Congress took into consideration the report of the Committee appointed to report the manner in which the resolution of the 23d instant, relative to the drawing bills of exchange on Mr Jay and Mr Laurens, shall be carried into execution; whereupon

“_Resolved_, That the bills be prepared under the direction of the Board of Treasury, and with such checks as they may devise to prevent counterfeits, and be signed by the Treasurer of Loans.

“That so many of the bills as the Treasury Board shall, from time to time think proper to issue, be put into the hands of the Continental Loan Officer in the State of Pennsylvania, or of any other State; and that the Board of Treasury direct the lowest rate of exchange at which the same may be sold.

“That the Board of Treasury may, at their discretion, suspend the sale of such bills, reporting to Congress their reasons for so doing, that they may receive directions thereon.

“That the Committee of Foreign Affairs be, and they are hereby directed to write to Mr Jay and Mr Laurens, informing them of the drafts that will be made upon them, and explaining fully the reasons that urge Congress to draw, directing them to keep up a mutual correspondence, and afford each other every assistance in procuring money to pay the bills.

“That 1.8 per cent on monies received in payment for the said bills shall be allowed to the persons intrusted with the sale thereof.

“That no bill be drawn for a less sum than the amount of £50 sterling.”

TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Charleston, January 24th, 1780.

Gentlemen,

On the 11th instant I had the honor of receiving your commands of the 11th ultimo, accompanied by two Acts of Congress, one of the 23d of November, 1779, for drawing bills of exchange “on Mr John Jay for one hundred thousand pounds sterling, and on Mr Henry Laurens for a like sum,” and for appointing a Committee to report, &c. the other of the 29th of November, for carrying the first Act into effect by modes therein specified. Neither of these Acts intimates where the intended drafts are to be paid, nor where Congress expects me to be at the presentation of the bills, which are to be assigned for my acceptance, nor directs me to funds for discharging them; nor do the contents of your said favor of the 11th of December elucidate these ambiguities.

Probably, however, it might have been expected, that although I am to cross the Atlantic single, and the bills in quadruplicate, and although I am not yet honored with the Act of Congress appointing me to negotiate a loan in Europe, which should have been lodged in my hands as the corner stone for my proceeding, nor with means for procuring or paying for a passage thither, nor with other necessary and promised acts and letters from Congress, I am to meet one bill of each set in some part of the United Netherlands.

Taking for granted, therefore, that the bills are not to be presented to me in any part of America, I shall embark for Europe by the first opportunity, and, if it please God, that I arrive in safety, I shall proceed to Paris and Amsterdam with all possible despatch, when I shall expect to receive further and more explicit commands from Congress for enabling me to make those vigorous exertions, on which you are pleased to say the credit of our paper currency, or which is the same thing, the credit of these United States depends. Had I been apprized in proper time, that this quick step in accommodation bills had been in embryo, I should not have had resolution to face them. Should there now be any failure, it will not be the result of delinquency in any respect on my part.

I entreat you, Gentlemen, to inform Congress that I have engaged for a passage to France on board the French frigate Chimere, commanded by the Chevalier Durumain, who, at the special request of this State, is gone on a short cruise on the coast, in company with three of the Continental frigates, with a prospect of intercepting some of the enemy’s transport ships and troops from New York, intended for Georgia. Immediately after the Chimere arrives at the bar of Charleston, whither she is to return for necessary stores for her voyage, I shall embark. If any accident shall prevent her return, I will embrace the very next earliest opportunity of proceeding, either direct for Europe, or by way of the West Indies, without regard to my own private interest or indulgence. No vessel has sailed from this port for Europe, since my arrival here.

I have the honor to be, &c.

HENRY LAURENS.

TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Charleston, February 14th, 1780.

Gentlemen,

My last address went forward, under the 31st ult. by Mr Renshaw, one of the corps of escorts. The 10th instant, General Lincoln was on the point of ordering the Ranger frigate to conduct me to France. Governor Rutledge had given his consent, and I believe there would have been no opposition in Council, but on the 11th we received authentic intelligence of the arrival of the enemy’s troops from New York, at and near Tybee, and the next day of their having landed a large detachment on John’s Island, within sixteen miles of this capital. We heard yesterday, that another detachment had landed, and repossessed Beaufort, and we know that two ships of the line, two frigates, and several armed vessels, are cruising near the bar of this harbor. Thus environed an attack upon Charleston, very illy prepared for defence, may be every hour expected.

In these circumstances, were I to study my own private interests and desires, I should remain here, and stand or fall with my country. Whatever her fate may be, exceedingly heavy losses to me will be the consequence of my absence at this critical conjuncture, but the Governor and other judicious friends urge me to use every endeavor for obtaining a passage through some other channel. Duty dictates the same measure. I shall therefore proceed to North Carolina, where are four vessels belonging to this port, and embark immediately on board of one of them. In the mean time, I shall omit no opportunity of acquainting you with my circumstances.

I have the honor to be, &c.

HENRY LAURENS.

TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Charleston, February 24th, 1780.

Gentlemen,

I had the honor of intimating on the 14th instant, by a public messenger, my purpose of seeking a passage to Europe from North Carolina, but upon inquiry into the circumstances of the four vessels alluded to, I judged it best to embark at this port. General Lincoln has hired a swift sailing brigantine, the Adriana, Josiah Hill master, to conduct me to Martinique, and the government has relaxed the embargo on the vessel, and such cargo as she will be laden with, which will be no more than sufficient to ballast her. By agreement, this vessel should have sailed on the 20th instant, but bad weather and distracted times have been impediments. She will be ready for sea tomorrow. Nothing that I foresee will then detain her, unless the wind shall be unfavorable.

The General has contracted to insure the value of the vessel, with the condition of shipping such quantity of goods on Continental account, as I should judge proper, freight free; but I must pay for the use of the cabin, this being the perquisite of the master; and although it is small and very inconvenient, I suppose it will cost me forty or fifty guineas. I cannot yet bring Captain Hill to be explicit in his demand, but it shall be ascertained before I embark. Considering that the circuitous voyages, which I must make, will be attended with great expense; that Congress would have furnished me with means for defraying my expenses had it been in their power; that they had in contemplation when I left Philadelphia to raise a fund abroad, by the exportation of indigo; that I had an opportunity of shipping that and other articles free from freight, and at very moderate prices, compared with those of the staples of other States, I presumed that it would be pleasing to Congress that I should make such an export, on account of the United States, as will appear in the enclosed invoice and bill of lading. The indigo alone will probably yield upwards of £3200 sterling, at some market in Europe. The whole shall be faithfully accounted for, and I trust that Congress will enter into a resolution for indemnifying me, and order the amount of the invoice to be placed to my credit. If it please God to conduct me in safety, a part of the money arising from the sale of the goods may be very acceptable to Mr Jay, or other gentlemen in the service of these States abroad.

The vessel in which I am to embark is esteemed so good in this town, as to induce underwriters, notwithstanding she is to sail in the face of British men of war, to insure on her at 25 per cent; coming into this port she was pursued by those very men of war and their tender, but escaped them; she is now clean, and barely in ballast for sailing, and will go out in an evening. My long delay is a subject of grief to me, but Congress will be pleased to recollect, that I made my coming to Charleston, in order to present myself at the tribunal of my country, the _sine qua non_ of my acceptance of a new mission. The first opportunity that offered for Europe was the Chimere, Commodore Durumain. I have already informed you of the causes of my disappointment. I had not thought it possible, that the Commodore would have induced a junction of two Continental frigates with his little squadron of three ships, under an excellent plan for a ten days’ cruise, unless he had been fully determined to perform his part in the execution. A contrary proceeding exposed those frigates to imminent danger, which they narrowly escaped. What has happened since the Commodore’s departure, respecting my intended embarkation, Congress have been informed of.

I have the honor to be, &c.

HENRY LAURENS.

TO THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Vestal--British Frigate, } St. John’s, Newfoundland, September 14th, 1780.}

Gentlemen,

I had the honor of writing to the Board of Admiralty, from on board the Mercury packet, the 23d ult.[72] by Captain Young, at parting with the Saratoga. On the 3d instant, the Vestal came in view, and after a pursuit of some five or six hours, Captain George Keppel took possession of the packet. Mr. Young, Captain Pickles, and myself, were conducted on board this ship, and yesterday we arrived here.