Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-10-07
VIRGINIA ADVERTISERS
E.etters Of srtE,ur a.d Vim. lee, 1880.

t.etteEs of !srinslr AKA ri Ill, Lee IISU.
Tbs 10 wing ia copy Of one Of the crisinsi
letics o. tbs p1Iiod 0: our Revolutionary s!rug-
Gle rjsn tie collection kicdly loaned US by
Cas:ius i. IIsr, jr, esq, lbc cbcf subject Of
the following letter. the reception Of Arthur
Lee Of Z costly prcsert-a snuff box set with
bri;snts, from the King Of France, whilst act'
:og as Commissioner from America to that
Co7Tt, in ccT juIcou with Benjamin franklin
ard Slas DtaNa-Tss az incident 10 bis career
which subjected him to much aninadversion
on he part Of his political enemies.
Though his character az speedily vodcatad,
| sGd his course IS an earnest patriot proven IN
! in,paschabc long ero his death, tic letters nov
presented may be not without their Office in
cvidclcing the purity Of his motives in an ex-
trcmely delicate position, from lis very initial
lrtctcEioes, 10 which he Yves embarrassipgly
p!sc,d, aud which by the advice oi his friends,
pludcnsly sought constrained the course pur-
sued ~ him.
! The pcrsonsge mystcIiously alluded TO as
bai0g unIrenGly to himself and brother is rr.-
sumed to hava been Bet amin franklin, though
bis relations WITH Silas Deane were not moro
cordial.
paris, Jah's 90, 1850.
'Dtar Sr-Your friend as | wrote you was
ipteuded, took his Ieava of the kiug and Royal
family ca Tuesday last. He was presented with
all the foreign Ambassadors and Minister'S and
ai1ed with them afterwards ct Count dc Yer
geunes's The Count treated him With mark
attention and cordiairr. He presented him
from the king with Gold Snuff bcx, bearing
his MfjeSty'd picture set with Diamonds. Your
friend, IS you may imagine, was embarrassed
about receiving CT refusing it. Ha told the
Nliaiser thar he believed it was contrary to
the rules OF those he had represented to
that this was mark of his Maasty's
esteem aud wag never refused. Upon that
il Was accepted with resolution of leaving
it al The disposal of Congress after it had served
as proof to that body OF the u1truth of what
7 had been reported to them Of your friend
having given Cileucs ADD being odious to this
court. is SO good as TO communicate to Mr..
Jernlug5 and give pic your joint opinion
whether l ought not i'm [medatey to write an
account Of this 10 Congress AID desire them
to dispose OF the present as they think proper.
He would like to reap the advantage OF iL as
q rttuIaiOn Of his Eaemies 10 mot incurrng
the censurc If vain and mcrcenery motives Ia
receiving it. have rtceived yours oil the - th
and 9th. You ought to know the person of
whom you speak better iban to Imagine that
any human pru!euco or virtue could shield you
from lis hatred. You ought to know that
nothing but the absuIdity of our elemies sud
Cteld.d pll5e prevented him from being our
bsterest Enemy. know full well, and la.
mept II, that under the temporary attachment
ard friendship produced by the epur of the
u1meat aud immediate salGahucss these ran
k:es IN bis mind which easily takes and never
torgets or torgiyes in Gff1uoe, the most mortal
mapl and GnVU au.InGt II, 0nr hrc 10 Az
what Is tlpht, avoiding az much as possible
the adding to Bis hatred by expressions from
which he can extract Giferse, ut which he is
very adlo't. IL was something Of this kidd in
3 Lister tl yours to him, as be wrote me, that
OCCASION what you iDpute 10 ono [ sheW d
him. But the fact with him il, that when his
passion Is oLc1 kladIed. he will recapituae o
thousand subjects Of offence which lie ranking
at his heart aud Wch sou would not have mag
iued any human mind could have felt or 10.
membored moment We ale ali to) apt to
give and t,ke offence. Unless We osn overlook,
forgive ard forget VIC caIbOs expect either Ua-
ion, Amly or Success. Time tni f,rbear,
ancc tho it will not eradicate. will moderate |
his hatred, AID make hin reassume the APP
pearaEoe OF friendship. This is all NO can
hope for.
"fhc persona tinted at are Messrs COURTS
Cent for three months and for
believe they arc substantial, but it is not my
opinion that you will act prudently in trusting
Your money here yourself being ab:ent They
Rvo this Ioio payable at the time with tho 10.
tertS: added. The giving them mouths
notice whether you mean to renew the note or
rctoke your money will be very agreeable.
u know OF nothing you have not had relative
to lac Virginia business but Mr.. Sweiehhsua
ser's acc:ult tor the carriage and shipping Of
Cannon and "a and some monies advanced to
Nlrginlana on account of the State. | cannot
conceive it wcrh the trouble OF writing another
line On that subject, till wo know what the State
is mtacs 10 do. For my opinion is that they
viii have n0iilog to say to W, bus settle
With Congress aud the Crown Of France. They
long ago appointed MIR. Smith 10 your place
and have lately. a. Mr.. Pcnet writes, appointed
him, All this without ono line to you or me,
tho there have been Thousand opportunities.
"Wo rlse suspicion of being self interested
by Appearing anxious and excite iealouies BY
seeming too forward. They have the facts be-
fore them. They know their duty, if they will
pot DO 1t ,ls not now time for US to f1rcs them.
ltls prudent to wait tor the impression of their
misc1uGuc: before we complain No arrivals.
| shall not wait for Mr.. lizard before I d.,
termlne What vessel to so 10, or rather where
20 look for one. Our love to oil of you. Adieu."
Inc siguaturp)
Superseribcd: THE Hon5lo William LIE,
esq, at Brussels"
Labelled: "a LIE, Paris, % Jan. $780,
Reed IS, do. d.. Presented suuff box. A,sd,
20, do. do. "-Richmond Standard.