Kingston, 22d September, 1778.
Sir:—
Your favor of the 20th, current, I received, and agreeable thereto I send you letters to the President of Congress and 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 on communicating your scheme 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 serving 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 your expenditures on account of your regiment have been very great—much greater, I fear, than you will be reimbursed. However, you shall have every assistance I can give to obtain ample allowance from the public.
I have no printed commissions which would answer your purpose, but have been obliged to get some written, 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 Bonstillon, and recommending them to his favor. At the instance of Major Duvivier, I sent letters to him in hsi favor and Mr. Mountflorence 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 Gov. ernor of Virginia and the General.
The other officers you mentioned, such as Monseur Martin de Breteville, de Lamboeuf, de L’Abadie, Levan de Belvue, Surveau and de Caronet, I have composed in one general letter by way of introduction to them to the President and to the General. My small acquaintance with these gentlemen has been such as not to enable me to be particular or earnest in their 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,
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 testimonials. I cannot certify the copies. I can only certify the proper officer.