be well to shorten your visit; request him to consider what you have proposed; acquaint him with your place of lodging; that you may yet stay some time at Paris; and that knowing how precious his time is, you do not presume to ask another audience; but that if he should have any commands for you, you will, upon the least notice, immediately wait upon him.

If at a future conference he should be more free, and you find a disposition to favour the Colonies, it may be proper to acquaint him, that they must necessarily be anxious to know the disposition of France on certain points, which, with his permission, you would mention—such as whether, if the Colonies should be forced to form themselves into an independent state, France would probably acknowledge them as such, receive their Ambassadors, enter into any treaty or alliance with them for commerce or defence, or both? If so, on what principal conditions? Intimating that you shall speedily have an opportunity of sending to America, if you do not immediately return, and that he maybe assured of your fidelity and secrecy in transmitting carefully anything he would wish conveyed to the Congress on that subject.

In subsequent conversations, you may, as you find it convenient, enlarge on those topicks that have been the subjects of our conferences with you; to which you may occasionally add the well-known substantial answers we usually give to the several calumnies thrown out against us.

If these supplies, on the credit of the Congress, should be refused, you are then to endeavour the obtaining a permission of purchasing those articles, or as much of them as you can find credit for.

You will keep a daily journal of all your material transactions, and particularly of what passes in your conversation with great personages; and you will, by every safe opportunity, furnish us with such information as may be important.

When your business in France admits of it, it may be well to go into Holland, and visit our agent there; Mons. Dumas, conferring with him on subjects that may promote our interest, and on the means of communication.

You will endeavour to procure a meeting with Mr. Bancroft, by writing a letter to him, under cover to Mr. Griffiths, at Turnham-Green, near London, and desiring him to come over to you, in France or Holland, on the score of old acquaintance. From him you may obtain a good deal of information of what is now going forward in England, and settle a mode of continuing a correspondence. It may be well to remit him a small bill to defray his expenses in coming to you, and avoid all political matters in your letter to him. You will also endeavour to correspond with Mr. Arthur Lee, Agent of the Colonies, in London. You will endeavour to obtain acquaintance with Mr. Garnier, late Charge des Affaires de France en Angleterre, if now in France —or, if returned to England, a correspondence with him as a person extremely intelligent and friendly to our cause. From him you may learn many particulars, occasionally, that will be useful to us.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,
BENJAMIN HARRISON,
JOHN DICKINSON,
ROBERT MORRIS,
JOHN JAY.

JOSEPH REED TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Philadelphia, March 3, 1776.

MY DEAR GENERAL: I have not been favoured with any thing from you since my two last; but that never makes any difference in my writing, as your claims of friendship and gratitude upon me are superior to all other.

The Congress have made an appointment of Generals, as by the enclosed paper. Armstrong is ordered to South-Carolina, Thompson to New-York; the others keep their present situations. General Lee’s destination is changed to Virginia, from undoubted authority that it will be a principal scene of action. The Congress have acceded to the proposition respecting myself: so that unless some new event, unforeseen and very important, should happen, I shall be with you this summer. I must beg your indulgence till I can get my family into some convenient situation, and settle my affairs. In the mean time I am forwarding your camp equipage, which I have extended, in many small particulars, beyond your order.

Arnold is to be intrusted with the affairs of Canada, Wooster having either resigned or been superseded, I know not which. Melchior is come from Quebeck in twelve days, where he left our little army, now strengthened to fifteen hundred men, in good spirits, and still pleasing themselves with the hopes of being masters of the town. I have not yet seen him, so that I can give you no further particulars; but I understand they are like to want battering-cannon and mortars. No arrivals of powder or arms since my last, or any account of our fleet, though, from their present cruising ground, we hope they will fall in with Lord Cornwallis and the transports.

Notwithstanding the act of Parliament for seizing our property, and a thousand other proofs of a bitter and irreconcilable spirit, there is a strange reluctance in the minds of many to cut the knot which ties us to Great Britain, particularly in this Colony and to the southward. Though no man of understanding expects any good from the Commissioners, yet they are for waiting to hear their proposals before they declare off. However, yesterday I was informed letters had been sent to France, to know what encouragement we might expect from that quarter.

Our coast is yet clear. It is a golden opportunity to make provision for the war, which I hope will not be lost. If the other Provinces had done anything like this, in the making of arms this winter, we should have been tolerably provided. We shall, by the 1st of April, have made four thousand stand since last October; every part done here. We are casting cannon, and there is more saltpetre made than in all the Provinces put together. Six powder-mills are erecting in different parts. The two near this city deliver two thousand five hundred pounds per week, and are now in very good order. Many, many attempts have been made to get a bounty for the New-England Troops, but without effect. The Congress are resolved that you shall abandon the lines, and give up their country to be ravaged, if they will not defend it upon the same terms as those inlisted here; such as march to Canada only excepted.

The Assembly have it under consideration to raise two thousand men for the defence of this Province, but I doubt its taking; perhaps there may be half the number. I am told we can easily raise two or three more battalions, if we had arms, &c., for them. I do not think I, shall bring any person with me when I come. Mr. Webb has long had an inclination to be in your family. If the post should be agreeable to him, and he is agreeable to you, I believe I should prefer him to any other.

The post is just going, so that I have only time to add, that I am, my dear sir, yours most affectionately,

JOSEPH REED.

To General Washington.

GENERAL LEE TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

New-York, March 3, 1776.

MY DEAR GENERAL: My destination is altered. Instead of going to Canada, I am appointed to command to the southward. There has been a great promotion of Brigadier-Generals: Armstrong, Thompson, Lewis, Moore, Stirling, and Howe, are the six. Four are to serve under my orders, viz: Armstrong, Lewis, Moore, and Howe. As I am the only General Officer, on the Continent, who can speak and think in French, I confess I think it would have been more prudent to have sent me to Canada; but I shall obey with alacrity, and hope, with success. Griffin has resigned, as he flatters himself he can do better in the commercial line. I have, in his room, appointed one of the sons of Lewis Morris, to whom I was under a sort of engagement. Lord Stirling will take the command until the arrival of Schuyler. His Lordship is active and discreet.

In my last, I gave you my plan of defence for this city and environs; but from want of men, shall be obliged to leave it in a poor condition. A regiment of Associators are, I am told, ordered from Philadelphia. I have likewise sent for a battalion from the Jerseys; but, on the other hand, Ward’s and Waterbury’s Regiments will, I suppose, according to their laudable custom, leave the place the moment their time is expired, which is the 12th of this month.