Putnam’s son, to be forwarded to New-York, five hundred barrels of powder, five hundred carbines, and all the other articles which were written for. The remaining three hundred carbines, to complete the eight hundred, I shall forward as soon as possible. All the remainder of the ordnance stores taken in the Hope were deposited and secured, in the manner you recommended, as soon as possible after their arrival.

Yesterday, a ship from Scotland was taken, and brought into Marblehead, by the Continental armed schooners Warren and Lee. She had on board a company of Highlanders, consisting of near a hundred privates, one Captain, three subalterns, and two volunteers. They inform that thirty-two sail of transports came out with them, under convoy of a frigate of thirty-two guns, with three thousand Highlanders on board, all bound to Boston. They brought no papers nor letters of any consequence, and can give no intelligence of importance. The transport is said to be a very good ship, of one hundred and thirty tons burden; had on board four carriage-guns, the arms and baggage belonging to the company, some tents and clothing, and provisions. The Captain’s name is Maxwell who commands the company, and is brother to the Dutchess of Gordon.

As my health declines more and more daily, I must request to be relieved as soon as possible.

I am your Excellency’s obedient, humble servant,

ARTEMAS WARD.

To General Washington.

BARBUE DUBOURG TO DOCTOR FRANKLIN.*

A Paris, ce 10 Juin, 1776.

MON CHER MAITRE: Après une longue privation j’eus enfin le plaisir de recevoir de vos nouvelles directes le 4 May, par Monsieur Penet, arrivant de Philadelphie. Il me dit que vous l’aviez chargé d’une lettre et de quelques papiers à me remettre, mais qu’il avoit laissé tous ses paquets à Roterdam dans la crainte qu’ils ne fussent interceptés en passant de Hollande en France. Cela me donna d’abord quelque inquietude; j’osois à peine m’ouvrir à lui; cependant toutes ses reponses à mes diverses questions me parurent si satisfaisantes que je n’hesitai plus à lui parler à cœur ouvert.

Il m’etonna beaucoup lorsqu’il me dit que non seulement le peuple des Treize Colonies Unies, mais encore le Congres, et vous même doutiez beaucoup des dispositions de la Cour de France à votre egard, et que vous apprehendiez ses liaisons avec la Cour de Londres. Lorsque je l’assurai que tous les vœux de notre nation en general, et plus specialement encore ceux du Ministere actuel etoient en faveur des insurgens, je vis sur son visage un epanouissement de joie si naturel qu’il acheva de me convaincre que je pouvois me confier à lui.

Le lendemain, 5 May, je le conduisis à Versailles, à fin de le convaincre à son tour que je ne m’etois pas fait illusion à moi même sur un objet aussi important. Je le fis parler à notre ami Du Pont, qui étoit comme vous pouvez le savoir, le plus intime confident de M. Turgot alors Controlleur-General des Finances, et qui nous dit entre autres choses que l’une de leurs plus grands inquiétudes étoit que le Congrès n’echouât dans ses operations faute d’argent, il nous ajouta même qu’ils avoient revé ensemble par quels moyens ils pourroient sans se compromettre faire trouver du credit à ce peuple si malheureux et si interessant-cette seule conversation acheva de dissiper toutes les allarmes de M. Penet.

En consequence il eut bientôt pris son partie qui fut de continuer sa route jusqu’a Nantes, sans repasser même par Paris, si je voulois me charger du soin des affaires de l’ Amerique tant à Paris qu’à la Cour, tandis qu’en correspondance avec moi, il se porteroit successivement dans tous les ports et les manufactures differentes où le bien du même service l’appelleroit.

Il m’avoit assuré dès le moment de son arrivée que vous lui aviez recommandé sur toutes choses de s’addresser à moi, de ne prendre confiance que dans les persones dont je lui repondrois, et de concerter autant qu’il lui seroit possible, toutes ses operations avec moi.

J’etois bien disposé sans doute à le seconder en tout ce qui seroit de mon pouvoir, dans une cause à la quelle j’ai toujours pris un si vif interêt qu’il m’a attire dans ce cy pays une espece de soubriquet dont je ne me tiens point pour offensé. Mais votre envoyé exigeois de moi bien plus que je ne croyois pouvoir lui promettre, puisqu’il vouloit me laisser seul chargé de toute la besogne en cette ville ainsi la conjoncture me paroissoit tres delicate.

Comment m’ingerer dans une longue suite d’affaires majeures et de negociations importantes sur la simple parole d’un inconnu, soi disant porteur de lettres qu’il ne sauroit representer? Comment m’annoncer moi même à quantité de gens en place, connus et inconnus, pour traiter avec eux des affaires d’un peuple etranger, sans la moindre lettre de croyance de sa part? Et en supposant même la necessité de m’abandonner au torrent des circonstances aussi essentielles que critiques; en supposant la possibilité de trouver par tout un accès favorable, et d’être même ecouté avec confiance de tous ceux avec qui j’aurois à traiter, quoique en m’y presentant sans titre et sans mission, comment remplir cet objet de surerogation sans negliger les devoirs que ma profession m’impose, et m’exposerà perdre entierement l’etat du quel je tire principalement ma subsistence? Ces

*The following translation from this letter was transmitted to General Washington:

PARIS, June 10, 1776.

MY DEAR MASTER: After being long deprived of it, I had at length the pleasure of receiving news on the 4th of May, directly from you, by Mr. Penet’s arriving from Philadelphia. He told me you had intrusted him with a letter and some papers to be delivered to me; but that he had left all his packets at Rotterdam, fearing they might be intercepted in the passage from Holland to France. This, at first, gave me some inquietude. I hardly dared open myself to him; however, all his answers to my different questions appeared so satisfactory, that I did not longer hesitate to converse with him in the most unreserved manner.

He astonished me much when he told me that not only the people of the Thirteen United Colonies, but even the Congress, and you yourself, doubted much of the disposition of the Court of France in regard to you, and that you had apprehensions from its connections with the Court of London. When I assured him that all the wishes of our nation in general, and more especially of the Ministry, were in favour of the insurgents, I saw upon his countenance such a natural diffusion of joy as completely determined me that I might confide in him.

The next day, the 5th of May, I conducted him to Versailles, that I might convince him, in turn, that I was not under an illusion myself in regard to an object so important. I led him to converse with our friend Du Pont, who was, as you may have known, the most confidential intimate of Mr. Turgot, then Comptroller-General of Finances, and who told us, among other things, that one of their most anxious thoughts was that the Congress might not fail in its operations through want of money. He even added, that they had considered together by what means they might, without entering into the quarrel, procure credit for so unhappy and interesting a people. That conversation alone quite sufficed to dissipate all the fears of Mr. Penet. In consequence, he suddenly took his determination, which was to continue his route as far as Nantes, without even going back to Paris, if I would undertake the care of American affairs, as well at Paris as at Court, while, in correspondence with me, he should go into all the ports, and among the different manufactures, where the advantage of the same service might call him.

He had assured me, from the instant of his arrival, that you had recommended to him to apply to me upon all occasions, and not to confide in any but such persons as I would answer for, and, as much as possible, to concert all his operations with me. I was disposed, you may well think, to second him in everything within my power, in a cause in which I have always been so sanguine as to draw upon me in this country a sort of nickname, at which I do not hold myself offended. But your envoy demanded of me more than I thought myself able to promise him, since he wanted to leave me alone charged with all the business in this city. Moreover, the conjuncture appeared to me very delicate.

How should I undertake a long train of weighty affairs and important negotiations upon the simple word of a stranger, though calling himself the bearer of letters, which he could not produce? How should I announce myself to numbers of men, in places known and unknown, to treat about the affairs of a distant people, without being furnished with credentials? And supposing even the necessity of plunging myself into a torrent of circumstances, as essential as they are critical; supposing the possibility of finding everywhere a favourable access, and of being even listened to with confidence by all those with whom I should have to treat, although presenting myself without title and without mission; yet how should I acquit myself, in this work of supererogation, without neglecting the duties which my profession lays upon me, and without exposing myself to lose entirely the state from which I principally gain my living?

These reflections threw me into a dilemma. But my attachment to you and your respectable friends; my gratitude for the sentiments of kindness with which you have inspired your countrymen towards me; my zeal for the cause of justice, of liberty, and of humanity; in fine, the very necessity of the conjunctures, wherein Providence seemed to have specially intended me, in default of others, for so honourable and indispensable a service, carried my mind above all private considerations, and made me regard it as a sacred duty to devote myself, without reserve, to what was demanded of me in your name. And from that instant I have looked upon myself as the eventual depository of the confidence of the United Colonies of America. I have striven to go through all the functions of a faithful and zealous agent, and I shall thus proceed till their true Representatives disavow me. I compare my situation to that of one who, having perceived himself the only person at hand to collect precious effects after a shipwreck or a fire, watches more scrupulously over that