Sir, your very humble, and very obedient servant,
NOAILLES DE LAFAYETTE.”
[ [74] I have been often assured, that this declaration had a very great effect upon the minds of the people in England in favor of American independence.—Note by Mr Laurens.
[ [75] I might assign various reasons, all valid, for this determination. The following single consideration, I trust, will be satisfactory to Congress. Five persons are nominated in the commission, not conjunctly, but severally and respectively, fully empowered. Whence it evidently appears, that Congress had not in view or expectation that the whole would act; therefore, as there are three of those persons besides myself, and all of superior abilities upon the spot, were I to thrust myself in, merely to make a fourth figure, I should feel guilty of a species of peculation by putting the public to unnecessary expense, without any well grounded hope of rendering public service.—Note by Mr Laurens.
[ [76] I have replied to my friend, who wrote to me on this subject, as follows; “As to the peace bill, let them shape it as they please, Wisdom is justified of her children; if they will act foolishly, be the consequences to themselves. I have said and done all that became me.”—Note by Mr Laurens.
[ [77] In his letter of May 30th, ([see above, p. 464]) Mr Laurens insinuates, that Dr Franklin had neglected him while he was in the Tower. The following letter and extract, written by Dr Franklin, will show that this suspicion was groundless.
“TO SIR GREY COOPER, BARONET,
SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY OF GREAT BRITAIN.
Passy, November 7th, 1780.
“Sir,
“I understand that Mr Laurens, an American gentleman, for whom I have a great esteem, is a prisoner in the Tower, and that his health suffers by the closeness and rigor of his confinement. As I do not think that your affairs receive any advantage from the harshness of this proceeding, I take the freedom of requesting your kind interposition, to obtain for him such a degree of air and liberty, on his parole, or otherwise, as may be necessary for his health and comfort. The fortune of war, which is daily changing, may possibly put it in my power to do the like good office for some friend of yours, which I shall perform with much pleasure, not only for the sake of humanity, but in respect to the ashes of our former friendship.