MY DEAR BETSY
Yesterday your obliging Letter of the 3d of February was deliverd to me by Mr Hoskins. I thank you for the Concern you express for my Health, which through the Divine Favor I again enjoy as usual. The Advice you give me on this Head shall be duly regarded.
Your Wish that I would resign the Office of Secretary perfectly coincides with my own Inclination. I never sought for that or any other Place. Indeed I never was pleasd with it, for Reasons which you are not unacquainted with. I am very sorry for Mr —— that he should treat me with Unkindness. I never gave any just occasion for it; but if he was bid to do it, how could he disobey? I heartily forgive him, for I do verily believe it did not proceed from the Malevolence of his Heart. To do him Justice I must say he is a good naturd Man, and would do the Duties of that office better than I should. But if he depends upon the Interest of a certain popular Gentleman he may be disappointed; for he proposd last Summer to Mr L, who mentiond it to me with a generous Disdain. But a Change of Place oftentimes induces a Change of Opinion, and even a Promise made in York Town or Philadelphia, may be forgot in the Hurry of Affairs in Boston. I do not think Mr A. is my Enemy; or if he is, I am under no great Apprehensions from it. There are others who are of much more Consideration, at least in their own Estimation than he; and even these might upon certain Conditions be made my Friends. I mean as much my Friends as they are or can be to one another. A few flattering Speeches to this Man, and a Promise to that, of a Vote & Interest to keep him snug in the Possession of Places & Emoluments would effectually secure their gracious Smiles. But who would condescend to such Baseness for the Friendship of any Man? Let those who can do this, enjoy the Fruits of it. I do not covet them upon such Terms. I should become contemptible in my own Eyes; and you know that I had rather be despisd by all the World, hard as my Fate would be, than to be conscious to my self that I deservd Contempt.
I receivd a Letter a few Days ago from France dated the 7th of December, in which my patriotick Friend Arthur Lee is mentiond in Terms of the highest Confidence and Respect. I will give you the following Extracts.—" Your old Friend is a Man of Honor and Integrity "—" He has been of Opinion that the publick Money has been too freely issued here, and has often opposd it."—"Insinuations, I have been told, have been made at Court against him, that he was too friendly to the English, too much attachd to Lord Shelburne, and even that he corresponded with his Lordship and communicated Intelligence to him. This, whoever suggested it, I am perfectly confident was a cruel Calumny, and could not have made Impression, if his Colleagues had contradicted it in the Manner you and I should have done. You and I have had Opportunity to know his invariable Attachment to our Cause long before Hostilities commencd; and I have not a Colour of Ground for Suspicion that from that time to this he has deviated an Iota from the Cause of his Country, in Thought Word or Deed. When he left England, or soon after, he wrote a Letter of mere Compliment to his Lordship, a mere Card to bid him farewell, and receivd such another in Return; which he assures me are all the Letters that ever passd between them, and I have not a Doubt of the Truth of it"—"Some of the Gentlemen of Character who are now in America from this Country, particularly the —— and ——, it is to be feard, have had Prejudices insinuated into them against your old Correspondent. I am extremely sorry for this, because I think it is against a worthy Character, and because I think it will be likely to have unhappy Effects both with you and abroad."
You may show the foregoing Extracts to such of my Confidential Friends as you think proper. They are the Sentiments of one in whom they have great Confidence, and may serve to convince them that the Insinuations of Mr Dean though artfully made and designed to prejudice the Reputation of an honest Man, are groundless, and that Dr Lee, who took an early decided and active Part in this glorious Contest, continues the consistent Patriot.
Your Letters my dear, cannot come to me too frequently. Remember me to my Daughter, Sister Polly, Brother Tommy and other Friends, and be assured that I am
most affectionately
your
March 9th