University of Virginia Library

TO EDMUND RANDOLPH.[0]

Dear Sir,—Your favor of the sixteenth came duly
to hand yesterday. The hints which it gives with
regard to merchandizes imported in returning flags,
and the intrusion of obnoxious aliens through other
States, merit attention. The latter subject has, on
several occasions, been mentioned in Congress, but, I
believe, no committee has ever reported a remedy
for the abuse. A uniform rule of naturalization ought

certainly to be recommended to the States. Their
individual authority seems, if properly exerted, to be
competent to the case of their own citizens. * * *

We are still left without information concerning
negotiations in Europe. So long a silence of our
Ministers, at so interesting a crisis, grows equally
distressing and inexplicable. The French fleet has
gone into Boston harbour. The arrival of a British
fleet on this coast is reported, but disbelieved by
many. The French army is on its way northward
from Baltimore. It is to proceed in five divisions,
the first of which is to be here about Friday next.

Congress received yesterday a letter from General
Washington enclosing one to him from Carleton,
with the proceedings of the court-martial in the case
of Lippencot. It appears that this culprit did not
deny the fact charged upon him, but undertook to
justify it as a necessary retaliation, and as warranted
by verbal orders from the Board of Refugees. The
court decided this warrant to be insufficient, but acquitted
him on the pretext that no malicious intention
appeared. Carleton explicitly acknowledges and
reprobates the crime, and promises to pursue it in
other modes; complaining, at the same time, of irregularity
in the step taken by General Washington
of selecting and devoting to execution an innocent,
and even capitulant, officer, before satisfaction had
been formally demanded and refused. General
Washington seems to lean to the side of compassion,
but asks the direction of Congress. What that will
be, may, perhaps, be communicted in my next

The consideration of your territorial report has
been resumed. The expedient which was meant to
conciliate both sides proved, as often happens, a
means of widening the breach. The jealousies announced
on the side mentioned in my last were answered
with reciprocal jealousies from the other,
and the report between the two was falling to the
ground, when a commitment, as a lesser evil, was
proposed and agreed to.

Mr. Jones and his family arrived on Sunday at
Germantown, without halting in this city. Himself,
his lady, and little son, were all extremely sick during
the whole journey. Mrs. Jones is still very much
indisposed, and Mr. Jones considerably so. They do
not propose to come into the city till the salubrity of
Germantown shall have enabled them to encounter
its noise and polluted atmosphere.

I cannot, in any way, make you more sensible of
the importance of your kind attention to pecuniary
remittances for me, than by informing you that I
have for some time past been a pensioner on the favor
of Haym Salomon, a Jew broker. Will not the
agent of Mr. Morris give a draft, payable to me,
for notes payable to the bearer? Or may not the
notes be so endorsed as, in case of accident, to prevent
payment to another? In either of those cases,
a remittance of notes (if they can be procured for me)
by the post will be safe. But my present situation
renders such a conveyance preferable to delay, even
if neither of the foregoing expedients be practicable.
Show this paragraph to Mr. Ambler, if you please.