The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution Volume XI Part 19

TO GEORGE WAs.h.i.+NGTON.

Translation.

Philadelphia, November 12th, 1782.

Sir,

I hope you will not find it amiss, that I have sent directly to General Carleton the two letters, of which the enclosed are copies. M.

de la Touche wrote me, that he was yet detained at New York, and that he would probably have time to receive my answer if it came directly, which induced me to write him by way of Elizabethtown, rather than by Dobbs's Ferry. If there is any impropriety in the step I have taken, I hope your Excellency will excuse it in consideration of the object in view. I dare even to ask your Excellency to enforce my request.

I also take the liberty to request your Excellency to permit Captain Asgill to return to Europe. The situation of his mother has been so unhappy for some time past, that he has a sort of claim on your Excellency's goodness.

I have the honor to be, &c.

LUZERNE.

GEORGE WAs.h.i.+NGTON TO CAPTAIN ASGILL.[14]

Head Quarters, November 13th, 1782.

Sir,

It affords me singular pleasure to have it in my power to transmit you the enclosed copy of an act of Congress of the 7th instant, by which you are released from the disagreeable circ.u.mstances in which you have so long been. Supposing you would wish to go into New York as soon as possible, I also enclose a pa.s.sport for that purpose.

Your letter of the 18th of October came regularly to my hand. I beg you to believe, that my not answering it sooner did not proceed from inattention to you, or a want of feeling for your situation; I daily expected a determination of your case, and I thought it better to wait that, than to feed you with hopes that might in the end prove fruitless. You will attribute my detention of the enclosed letters, which have been in my hands about a fortnight, to the same cause.

I cannot take leave of you, Sir, without a.s.suring you, that in whatever light my agency in this unpleasing affair may be received, I never was influenced through the whole of it by sanguinary motives, but by what I conceived a sense of my duty, which loudly called upon me to take measures, however disagreeable, to prevent a repet.i.tion of those enormities, which have been the subject of discussion, and that this important end is likely to be answered, without the effusion of the blood of an innocent person, is not a greater relief to you, than it is to, Sir, your most obedient, and humble servant,

GEORGE WAs.h.i.+NGTON.

FOOTNOTES:

[14] See other letters respecting Captain Asgill's case, above, pp.

105, 107, 128, 129, 133, 135.

GEORGE WAs.h.i.+NGTON TO M. DE LA LUZERNE.

Head Quarters, November 13th, 1782.

Sir,

I am honored with your Excellency's letter of the 6th instant, on a subject not more distressing to you, Sir, than to myself. I have at various periods of the war written to Congress and to the States, endeavoring to convince them of the necessity of pa.s.sing the most vigorous laws, to prevent the inhabitants from furnis.h.i.+ng the enemy with provisions. I will write them again and will use every argument I am master of for that purpose. In all other nations, I believe, the persons guilty of that crime are punished with death, and unless the States on this continent will pa.s.s similar laws, I see no means of putting a stop to that destructive practice. Anything the military could do in that matter, would be in vain. To post as many guards as would be necessary, would be destructive to the army, as those guards would be continually liable to be cut off by the enemy; and, indeed, the whole army would not suffice to guard the extensive coasts where this illicit commerce is carried on.

I have the honor to be, &c.

GEORGE WAs.h.i.+NGTON.

GEORGE WAs.h.i.+NGTON TO COUNT DE VERGENNES.

Head Quarters, Newburgh, State of New York, } November 21st, 1782. }

Sir,

After I had the honor of receiving your Excellency's letter of the 29th of July, I lost not a moment in transmitting it to Congress, who had then under deliberation the proceedings of the British Court Martial upon Captain Lippincot for the murder of Captain Huddy, and the other doc.u.ments relative to that inhuman transaction. What would otherwise have been the determination of that honorable body, I will not undertake to say, but I think I may venture to a.s.sure your Excellency, that your generous interposition had no small degree of weight in procuring that decision in favor of Captain Asgill, which he had no right to expect from the very unsatisfactory measures, which had been taken by the British Commander in Chief to atone for a crime of the blackest dye, not to be justified by the practices of war, and unknown to this day amongst civilized nations. I flatter myself, however, that our enemies have been brought to see this transaction in its true light, and that we shall not experience a repet.i.tion of the like enormity.

Captain Asgill has been released and is at perfect liberty to return to the arms of an affectionate parent, whose pathetic address to your Excellency could not fail of interesting every feeling heart in her behalf.

I have no right to a.s.sume any particular merit from the lenient manner, in which this disagreeable affair has terminated. But I beg you to believe, Sir, that I most sincerely rejoice, not only because your humane intentions are gratified, but because the event accords with the wishes of his Most Christian Majesty and his royal and amiable consort, who, by their benevolence and munificence, have endeared themselves to every true American.

I have the honor to be, with profound respect, Sir, &c.

GEORGE WAs.h.i.+NGTON.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON TO M. DE LA LUZERNE.

Office of Foreign Affairs, November 26th, 1782.

Sir,

I have the honor to inform you, that Congress were pleased, on the 12th instant, to pa.s.s the enclosed resolution, by which they renew their appointment of Mr Jefferson, as Minister Plenipotentiary for negotiating a peace.

Mr Jefferson's established character, his abilities and the honorable offices he has sustained with reputation in this country, leave no room to doubt that this appointment will be highly acceptable to your Court, when you shall have placed them in that favorable point of view, in which, I persuade myself, you take a pleasure in representing them.

I have the honor to be, &c.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

TO ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON.

Translation.

Philadelphia, November 29th, 1782.

Sir,

I have received the letter, in which you inform me of the renewal of Mr Jefferson's commission, and the resolution of Congress, which accompanied it. I was sorry to see that Minister decline taking part in the negotiation for peace, and I learn with great pleasure, that he is making arrangements for joining the other Ministers to whom Congress has intrusted it. The ability of Mr Jefferson, and the important services, which he has rendered to the United States, are very well known in Europe, and you may be a.s.sured, Sir, that all, who are interested in the prosperity and welfare of this country, will approve of the choice made by Congress.

I have the honor to be, &c.