“I have never meddled with the dispute between him (Mr Deane) and Mr Lee, but the suspicion of having a good will to him has drawn upon me a great deal of ill will from his antagonist. The Congress have wisely enjoined the Ministers in Europe to agree with one another. I had always resolved to have no quarrel, and have, therefore, made it a constant rule to answer no angry, affronting, or abusive letters, of which I have received many and long ones from Mr Lee and Mr Izard, who, I understand, and see by the papers, have been writing liberally, or rather illiberally, against me, to prevent, as one of them says here, any impressions my writing against them might occasion to their prejudice. But I have never before mentioned them in any of my letters.”
[ [45] Missing.
[ [46] This letter was accompanied by another, dated April 23d, and entitled “A Memorial respecting the Conduct of Mr Williams,” which was afterwards printed under the title of “Observations on certain Commercial Transactions in France, laid before Congress. By Arthur Lee. Philadelphia, 1780.” To these observations is prefixed a preface, which is not attached to the Memorial first transmitted to Congress.
[ [47] On the 25th of June, Mr Lee wrote to the Count de Florida Blanca, as follows.
“I do not press your Excellency about my coming to Madrid. I know your Excellency’s wisdom, and the maturity of judgment with which his Majesty’s councils are conducted. I therefore trust, that when such a step is thought to be proper, you will have the goodness to signify it to me through his Majesty’s Minister at this Court.”
I have the honor, &c.
ARTHUR LEE.
[ [48] Journal of Congress, April 30th and May 3d, 1779.
[ [49] Journal of Congress, June 10th, 1779.
[ [50] “In Congress, October 13th, 1779. A letter of the 31st of May last, from A. Lee, was read, whereupon,