Kingston, 22d Sept. 1778.
Sir:
Your favor of the 20th Current I received and agreeable thereto, I send you letters to the President of Congress, & General Washington, these are said to be favored by you. You must excuse me, in not sending one for the Minister of the Marine in France, as such a letter from me, could be of no service to you, and I have no ambition to correspond with great men beyond the Atlantic, communicating your L___;for the advantage of Congress to that Honorable Body—if they approve it no doubt you will obtain Letters from them which will prove of infinitely more service than any I can give you. It will always give me pleasure to hear from you you therefore not only have my permission to write me, but I take the liberty of enjoining you to do it, frequently—My family will be happy in seeing you at any time your business will permit you to visit them. I thank you Sir for your friendly and kind tender of services at present. I have no commands to the Northward, when I have I will take the liberty of recommending to you, I am truly sensible of your expenditures on account of your Regiment, they have been very great, much greater I fear than you will be reimbursed. However you shall have every assistance I can give you, to obtain only ample allowance from the public.
I have no printed commission which would answer your purpose, but have been obliged to get some wrote to which I have affixed the great seal, a list of them, will be enclosed to you.
I have also sent letters to General Washington and the President of Congress respecting the Baron de Bonstetien, and recommending to his favor at the instance of Major Duvivier, I sent letters to him in his favor, and Mr. Montflorence for the President and the General—and agreeable to your request by Mr. Oneil, (who is now ill of a fever at my house.) I have written in his favor to the Governor of Virginia and the General.
The other officers you mentioned, such as Monsr. Martin de Breteuil, de Sambeouf, de Labadie, Lavan de Belvieu, Sureau & de Carouet, I have comprised in one General Letter, by way of introduction to them, to the President and to the general, my small aquaintance with these Gentlemen has been such as not to enable me to be, particular or current in these recommendations. However these Letters will be an introduction to them and their future conduct, I hope will be such as to merit the attention of the Congress and the General.
I wish you an agreeable journey and every felicity a more Northern Clime affords, and am Sir, your mo. ob. & very huml. Servt.
P. S. The copies of the Resolution of Assembly you sent me were not authenticated by a certificate of the proper officer that is, one of the Clerks of the Assembly. I had by me one copy certified by Mr. Hunt, the Clerk of the House of Commons to which I have affixed a Testimonial under the Great Seal; if more are wanted you must get copies certified by Mr. John Sitgreaves Clerk of the Senate, and send them to me, in which case I shall furnish the Testimonial. I cannot certify the copies. I can only certify the proper officer. Yours, &c.