letter, may be his secret but powerful supporters; I do not pretend to affirm it. These men most certainly, should preserve their minds free from prejudice in disputes of this kind. They should stand totally unconnected with any party, as they would avoid doing injury to the joint cause of France and America, and lessening that strong attachment and mutual confidence between the two nations, which every true friend and subject of both wishes may long subsist. Your letter to the editor of the Leyden Gazette, written upon your seeing Mr.....'s first publication, fell into my hands a fortnight ago. I published it with a few loose observations in one of our newspapers. I have since had the pleasure of being informed, that you have sent to congress a reply to Deane's accusations, which has given great satisfaction to impartial men. I foresaw soon after his arrival, that your lot would be to suffer persecution for a while. This is frequently the portion of good men, but they are never substantially injured by it. Our friend and your late colleague, in his letter to me, has mentioned you in the most honourable as well as the most friendly terms. I should have written to him by this opportunity, but I am led by yours to believe that my letter would not reach him. But if he should be in France when you receive this letter, pray mention my friendly regards to him, and let him know that his lady and family are in health. The young gentleman who carries this letter is Mr. William Knox, brother to the general, and has the character of an honest friend to the liberties of his country; your kind notice of him as such will oblige me. I have many things to say to you; but the short notice I have had of the sailing of this packet, leaves me no time to add more than to assure you that I am, with perfect sentiments of friendship, yours, &c. 1 President of the Council of New Hampshire. TO SOLOMON LOVELL.1 [MS., Massachusetts Archives.] August 6th 1779 SIR/ The Council not having receivd any Intelligence of the State of the Army under your Command since your Departure from Boston, are apprehensive that it must have been unluckily intercepted. They have therefore orderd the Dispatch of an Express to you for the Purpose of being informd from you with the utmost precision of your Scituation & Circumstances, the Information to be forwarded to this Board without Delay. There is no News of the Movements of the Enemy that may be depended upon. You are fully sensible of the Necessity of compleating the Design of this Expedition with all that Speed as well as prudence & Discretion which characterizes you as an officer vested with so important a Command. 1 Brigadier General of the Suffolk County militia. TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS. [MS., Massachusetts Archives; a text, with modifications, is in W. V. Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, vol. iii., p. 73.] PROVIDENCE Augt 10th 1779 SIR