The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1779-08-10 00:00:00, page 1

BALTIMORE, June 29.
Extras of a letter from Philadelphia, dated
June 24, 1779.
OU R present situation is truly alarm
ing, and is briefly as follows ;
A junto early formed in congress have, by
some means or other, contrived to keep
their principal leaders either actually in
tkehoufe, or in some of the most impor
tant departments; and by acting constant
ly in concert, have at last brought it about
that a minority, and a small one too, can
retard, delay, and even obftrud, every
proceeding. The foundation of this jun
to was laid during the fitting of the fiift
congress. At that period, there were ma
ny teal grounds, as well as some pretend
ed ones, for fufpeding New-York, and one
or two others of the middle ftaces. This
naturally led the northern and southern
ones to unite the more ftridly in the mea
sures then purfuing,to obtain the great ob
jects in view. It is not my intention to
give you the history of this junto at pre
lent, but will only inform you, that for up
wards of twelve months pall a club has
been formed of certain of the delegates
from New England, New Jersey, and this
state, and of two or three members from)
the southward—They meet regularly, de
bate upon, and adjust the manner of their
proceedings ; and congress at all times be
ing a fluctuating and changing body, these
men, anting in concert, are anle to keep
back or obftruft any measure whatever,
until, by the absence pf some members,
and the division of others, they can, with
a small majority, carry the vote as they
please.
“ By accident 1 have had a fight and
perulal ofmr. Qfgejs narrative, and I find
.that the firft thfig done by him, after hrs
return, was to inAj© congress that a foreign
'loan, if early ahd properly applied for,
'might be obtained} but that every day's
'delay rendered itWiore uncertain and dif
ficult.
“ The necessity of our procuring a fo
reign loan is generally acknowledged; and,
as we now experience paper currency to be
no real property, but only the representa
tive of money, it seems to be the desire cf
the people that this measure should be a
dopted ; but already a jealousy has arisen,
and the question is. Who shall have the
negotiating of it ?—1 his has produced al
ready much canvafiing in secret, relative
to the plenipotentiary to be font abroad on
this important business.
“ The character with which Mr. Deane
returned from the court of France, a^d
the reputation, it was apprehended, lie
would acquire from the treaties, and the
fleet solicited for and obtained by him, to
gether with the little attention (much too
little for his interest or peace) which ne
paid those who formed this cabal ? and who
T U E 5 D A Y, August le, 1779. , THE Number 759,
CONNECTICUT COURANT,
AND THE
WEEKLY I NTELLIGENCE R.
HARTFORD: Printed by HUDSON and G 6 ODW TN, near the Great-Bridge.
he knew had been fecfetly his enemies, set
these men to move every engine in their
power, to prevent his either receiving the
approbation of congress for what he had
done, or having any opportunity to'fefve
his country farther. Effectually todo this,
every artifice was made use of to delays
decision on his affairs, and to spread, in the
mean time, calumnious infinuatiohjs against
him among the people. Unjuft^an^d un
gratefully indeed he has been treated !• But
had he only fuffcred, if this had been all,
we might have been happy. : rM^ny ace
the evils the public have laboured; §ndgr
in consequence of this—the frlrtfes c end
factions railed on his and Ma Let's account,
have retarded and puteff mattefsofirifimte
ly greater importance ; and,infect,brought
us into our present disagreeable fituaticn.
It is certain that France does not wilh a
continuance of the war ; Spain has long
since been arming, and as early as in No
vember last, formally offered her mediati
on, and plainly declared She could no long
er remain an inactive fpeCtator cf the rum
of the commerce of France, if her medita
tion should be refuted. France, justly
supposing that England would on this in
cline to peace, and apprehensive that ap
plication might be made to congress, to
treat separately, immediately lent to their
minister here, to apply to congress, and to
urge them (if the, needed urging) to lose
no time in coming to resolutions on what
terms they would treat, and to appoint a
perlon or persons to repair to Europe with
ample powers for that purpose ; at the
fame time the strongest assurances were giv
en of thef ier,cfhip and assistance of France,
and even cf Spain, if their resolutions, as
to rhe term, if a treaty of peace, were luch
as ffiould be honorable and just.
“ The minister waited on congress ear
ly in Feb. with a mt ffage and information,
to this purpose ; and, in a long interview
withthem, pressed on them despatch, in the
me, ft forcible terms. This was really the
fubjeCt, which gave rile to the report of
great and good news, with which the whole
continent was for some time amused.
" England, on her part, rightly judging
that Spain would not take an active part
until the meditation fhpuld be refuted, and
that she could not, without knowing the
terms of America, have any grounds to go
on with certainty; and doubtless finding
other means to amuse ancLdelay Spain, de
termined to exert her whole -force, during
this interval, apd try the fortune of another
campaign, in which such events might ar,
rive as might enable them to treat with
more advantage on their fide. They were
farther induced to this by having the fup
plits chearfully voted in the houie of com,
mons ; and having no continental war in
Europe, they had no fear cf lefing any
thing, apd plight g^ much. In defcuf
sing what had been communicated and pro
poled by France to congress, two obje&%-
are laid to have been in view ; the firft what;
the terms should be, and then who should
be sent out charged with them. What and
how many terms congress have agreed up
on,! know not ; but though the minister
has been every week urging them to finilh,
they have, to this hour, delayed the giv
ing him any answer. The difficulty aj
-riles from the New England delegates in
-filing, as I am informed, on making out
fight to fifh on the banks of Newfound
. land, &c. a fine qua non. They are, as is
credibly whispered, joined in this by some
gentlemen from the other extremity of these
states, and who firmly stand by each other,
as they doubtless mean mutually to serve
and carryon each others purposes. Thus,
as far as I learn, the matter rests at present,
and thus have the people of these state been
deceived with the hopes of peace, whilst
by these measures, they will be exposed to
fuffer all the extremities of the reverse.
" You will justly be furprized, when
I tell you, that our commissioners at Paris
appear totally ignorant of what is doing
in either France, Spain or England; for it is
impossible- they should be informed, and
never write one syllable about it,
" But what mull be your furprize, when
I assure you that congress was informed,
and that by two of their members in writ
ing, that the French minister had express
ly declared, and wrote, that he could place
no confidence in Mr. Lee, for he feared or
fulpelted him, and those about him—What,
I lay, must be your furprize to find this
party able, after this, to counteract a large
majority of congress, and prevent his recal!
It is well known this gentlemen's former
private secretary was of a very suspicious
character; that after going several times
privately back and forth from Paris to
London, he took up his residence in Lon
don under the protection of the Britilh mi
nistry ; and that the man who succeeded
him, as mr. Lee's secretary, was one Ford,
a most infamous tory, and refugee parson,
from London, whether he had fled from
Virginia, to avoid the. vengeance of his
countrymen, and where he lived, like other
refugees, until he went over to Paris, and
enteredon his fecretarylhip under mr. Lee.
You will hardly credit this ; but they are
fads, and have long since been well attested
and laid before congress. By this one in
ffance, you will be able to judge of the
strength cf this minority, and to whac
lengths they will go in promoting private
views, and supporting of their paity, fa
mily connexions, and interest. Were !to
give you all the instances which have come
tomy Icnpwlcdge of tranfaClions ofafimixa<
complexion, and of the wretched deranged
state cf cur finances, and other depart
rcepts 1 and also of the trifling fobje^