Kingston 30th January 1778.
Sir:
About the 28th of December last a vessel arrived in Cape Fear from France, (Havre de Grace I think) in which came one John Folger passenger, who said he was express from the Commissioners of the United States at Paris to Congress, and who informed me he had showed you a paper which he suggested was from Mr. Dean to himself tho' not signed by him which on that account you disregarded. The Capt. of that vessel who was a Frenchman, came to Newbern to see me about the sale of his Goods and I advised Mr. Craike to purchase from him, which he did not on account of the exorbitant prices the Frenchman asked for his
goods. I mention these circumstances in order to ascertain the person of Mr. Folger, who I fear has been guilty of a breach of trust, and in order to a discovery Congress have desired all the information in my power to collect from the Master and Passengers of the vessel in which Mr. Folger came from France, concerning despatches which they may have seen or heard from him, were in his possession, from the Coms. at Paris to Congress or any of the members of that Body. I therefore take the liberty of sending this by Express to you, requesting you will be pleased to obtain all the information in your power from those persons and have the same adduced to written Affidavits made by the said persons, before a Justice of the peace, in which shall be contained every circumstance within their memory respecting these matters, and if you recollect any particular circumstances relating to Folger's behaviour, when you saw him, I must beg the favor of your Affidavit also. If Mr. Craike has returned and can recollect the particulars of this man's odd behaviour at Colliers where we met him, please to obtain his deposition. Let these affidavits be drawn in such manner as not to disgrace us in Congress, where I am requested to transmit them.Mr. Brice will excuse this and other trouble I am and shall be obliged to give him in public matters, and in case of his absence from Wilmington, I beg the favor of Mr. Dunbibin to execute this business in which he will greatly oblige me.