The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1779-09-21 00:00:00, page 1

TUESDAY, September 21, i,„:
Meffi'rs PRINTERS,
AS a writer in your paper of the 7th
instant, subscribes himfelf ^ Friend
io Fair Play ;— I wish ycu,would give
him a specimen of it, by publishing the fol
lowing piece from the New-York Journal,
which will throw some light on the affair
heJeems to be hurt about ; he never will
persuade the honest part of the communi
ty that there is not a junto in Congress,
till he can persuade them not to fee with
their eyes, and hear with their ears. His
piece was very seasonable, as our choice of
delegates is at hand, and it may answer
the purpose he designed it for ; but a cri
tical and honest investigation of the matter
contained in the letter he winces at, will
soon begin, and many others neceffarv to
be known to the freemen of the United
States, and this State in particular. In the
course of which the gentleman may be as
sured of " fair play," and the public rest
assured they will have nothing offered them
but truth, and " freedom of thought," nor
will the author defend to feurrility or pro
pose to any writer who may oppose him,
to turn hangman to the junto—tho' it has
sometimes happened that one criminal has
been pardoned on condition of his hanging
the rest.
Dodor Franklin's knowledge in electri
city, does not prove him to be acquainted
with the politics of the coutts of Europe ;
nor does his leading the lightening with a
thread, prove he has lean us into any se
crets of the Bririfh court. Members of
Congress know the truth of this matter and
some have dared to tell it : One ofthe N.
England delegates being afk©d why the ex
tract of a letter from Philadelphia printed
in Baltimore, (the fame now in question)
was not answered, replied, becaule it had
too much truth in it.
Q
From the New-York Journal.
The undersigned Membersof the Congress
of the United States of North- America
have the honor to inform the said Con
gress,
THAT upon good grounds, having
been led to believe that the conduct
of Arthur Lee, Esq; late one of the Com
missioners representing these United States
at the Court of Versailles, and now sole
Commissioner to represent the said States
at the Court of Madrid, .was dilguftful
to these Courts, unconciliatory to their
fubjeas, and prejudicial to the honor and
interest of the said States.
They were astonished to hear an assertion
made in Congress, on the fifteenth instant,
by an honorable member from Maffachu
fetts-Bhy, as from the highest authority in
America, that the said Commissioner is
poffift of the highest confidence of the
Court of Versailles , and since, another as-
CONNECTICUT COURANT,
AND THE
WEEKLY IN TELL IG ENCER.
HERTFORD: Printed by H UDS ON and GOODWIN, near the Great-Bridge.
fertion, by anothet honorable member from
the fame State, that the said Commissioner
is the most proper person to represent the
said States at the Court of Madrid, asser
tions which, being made in the debates on
foreign affairs, were made to influence
Congress to continue the said Arther Lee,
Esq; as the public minister of the said
United States to the Court of Madrid at
the expected negociations for a general pa
cification, under the mediation of that
Court.
That the underfig,ed, impressed with a
tonvidlion in such an important conjunc
ture, the minister to represent the said States
at the Court of Madrid ought not to be
dVagreeable to that Court, nor the Court
of Veilaillefa in faithful alliance with these
States : and th?t the interest of the said
States demanded that it should be precise
ly ascertained, whether or not the said
commissioner was dih greeable to the said
Courts, for certain information upon the
point they have from the necessity of the
case, been compelled to apply to the Mi
nister Plenipotentiary of France, reading
near Congress, as rhe bigheft source ofin
formariem in Am< ic? bat in cons quence
cf such application, the Minifler Plenipo
tentiary produced to the undersigned an
original letter to him from the Count D'-
Vergennes, minifler for foreign affairs at
the Court of Versailles, dated the 29th of
October, 1778, in which after having Ra
ted the intelligence, which has been com
municated to Congress, by the Minister
Plenipotentiary, in February last, and af
ter having assigned some reason for not
having communicated that intelligence to
the American commissioners in Paris, the
Count D'Vergennes concludes in these terms
" je vous avouerai d'ailleurs je craindre
" Mr. Lee et fe autour, besides I confefs
" to you, that I fear Mr. Lee and all those
“ about him."---That the Minister Ple
nipotentiary added that this confideratiori
induced the Court of Versailles to keep
secret from the said Commissioner the in
tended failing of the Count D'Eftaing, for
America, until his fleet was ready to put
to sea, that the said Commissioner, by his
conduct on several occasions, created the
hip heft disgust in the Court of Versailles a
gainst him. That the Court of Madrid,
in the closest connexion with that of Ver
sailles, entertained the fame sentiments ref
peding the said Commissioner, not only
on account of his conduct on those occasi
ons, but because of his imprudent condu&
in Spain; and in a word, the Minister
Plenipotentiary expressly declared, that
he has every reafon'to think, that neither
of those courts, have that confidence in the
said Commissioner, which is necessary to
give success to the negociations of a foreign
minister. The underfilled having recei
T H E
TO BE SOLD
At the NORTH DOOR
Under the Printing Office ;
SUGAR of d.ffere^t Qj,lciet, by the Barrel,
Hundred or fiogle pound Coffee Pepper, Snu ff,
Pigtail Tobacco Writing Paper, Pref, Paper, W ap
ping-Paper, Psalters, Teftamenta, Spelling Book,,
Primers, Pocket Books, &c. &c. &c.
April 30, 1779.\
(The reader will recollect, that thevote^
in Congress are estimated not by the num
ber of persons voting, but by the number
of States. So that though, in this case,
there was a majority of twenty two against
fourteen, who voted for the recal of Mr,
Lee, yet the number of States for and a
gainst him being equal, he was continued
in office]. The report of the Committee
having been made on the 13th of April,
as above mentioned, a copy delivered in
writing, and laid on the table (though it:
is remarkable that this report does not ap
pear on the journals of Congrefs]cn the
3d of May, the question by Mr. Smith be
ing put, " Shall Mr. Arther Lee be re
called," it was determined as follows, viz.
New-Harn^fh're no ; Mr. Whipple, no.. Haft
fachdfe ts By, no; Mr. S. Adami, no ; Mr. Ger
ry, aye ; Mr. Lovell, no; Mr. Hcl on, no.--Rbode^
Island, divided; Mr Blkry.no; Mr. Collins, a%e. --
Connsaicut, no ; Mr. Sherman, no; Mo Spencer,
no.- .New Yjrk,aye ; Mr. Jay, aye; Ms. Doane;
aye; Mr. Moms, aye ; Mr. Floyd, aye Nw-
Jersey, no; Mo witherfpoon, no ; Mr. Scudder,
no; Mr. Fell aye.-- Pennfylvenia, divided ; Mr,
Armstrong, no; Mr, Shippen, no; Mr A lee aye;
Mi. Searle, no; Mr.Muhlenburff. ays;M?.Wyr,k r ,„
aye. -Delaware, divided; Mr. Dick,Dfo% aye; Mr.
Van Dyke, no. - Maryland aye; Mr. Paca aye ;
M. Carmichael aye; Mr. Henry, aye; Mu Jeni
fer, aye.- -Virginia, aye; Mr Smith, aye ; Mu
R. H. Lee, excused ; Mr. Gr,ffin, aye; Mr. F ^
i% aye, --Njrth Carolina aye; Mr. P^nn, aye ;
M». Burke, aye; Mu Sharp, aye. South Carolina,
divided ; Mr. Laurras. no ; Mr. Dayton ayu
ved such decisive information from the
minister of France, with liberty to com
municate to Congress, think it their indif
penfible duty to the United States, and to
themselves, to lay the fame explicitly be
fore this Supreme Council of America ; to
the end, that they may not be milled to
continue the said Commissioner, as the re
presentative cf the United States, at a Court
in the highest manner disgusted at his con
du&, and at which, cf consequence, his
negociations muff be unfucct fsful. .-But
if unfortunately it shall be disregarded,
they will have the consolation to reflect,
that in giving this information, they dif
chafged their duty to the United States $
and that having given it, they cannot just
ly be held responsible for the cons quences
of a measure but too likely to prove un
conciliatory abroad, ruinous to the public
finances at home, and an impediment to a
speedy and honorable pacification, securing
the independence of the United States of
North- America. Signed by
(Copy) Two Menibers of Congress:
Laid on the table, and read in Congress,
NUMBER 765.