Arthur Lee to John Jay, 17 March 1780
L–Orient March 17 th . 1780
Sir.
I had not the honor of receiving your favor dated Cadis, the 26 th . of Jany. –till this day & at this place, where I am to embark as soon as the Alliance is ready. Your Letter had a double Seal upon it, the undermost seeming to be a head, & the one above a Coat of Arms, but what I cannot clearly make out. I mention this that you may judge whether these Seals were of your applying.
Give me leave, Sir, to take this opportunity of expressing my concern for the dangers & sufferings you & your Family experienced in your passage; & to congratulate you & my Country on your safe arrival in Europe.
I waited some time in Paris, after I receivd notice of your appointment, in expectation of your arrival, that I might have communicated many things to you in a personal interview which cannot be commited to Paper. It would have given me very great pleasure to have obtained for you those recommendations to the confidence of some of the first persons at the Court of Madrid, that were promised me, & which I coud have done by making you personally acquainted with those who were to give them.
The Copies of Memoires & the Letters which I wrote to Congress containd in general what you do me the honor of asking. 1 I have reason to beleive that you will find a favorable disposition where you wish. There is no Court in Europe at which Secrecy will so much recommend a Negociator as that to which you are destind. Insomuch that as far as you can keep the capital parts of your Negotiation entirely to your own breast, you will have reason to think it prudent. 2 You are to negotiate with a People of honor & a Ministry of wisdom. They will propose fairly & perform faithfully. You will not be embarrassd by intrigue, at least none of spanish origin, nor will it be advantageous to employ any.
These considerations together with the good sense & great abilities for which you are distinguishd make one hope, Sir, that you will accomplish with facility the important purposes of your mission to the advantage of our Country & to your own honor.
The House of Gardoqui has executed what was entrusted to them with diligence, & as far as I can judge with fidelity. They therefore deserve your confidence. There is due to them from the Public 12000 Livres which they advancd for the freight of goods sent to Congress; & which, as it was done without my knowledge, I had made no provision for, & therefore coud not repay it. The part of the prise money due to the Public for the prises sent into the ports of Spain by Cap t . Conyngham 3 was not remitted to me, nor have the Accounts been settled to my knowlege. Lagoanere a la Corogne, 4 & a House at Cadis which, my Papers being packt up, I cannot recollect, had the sale of those Prises.
Accept my thanks, Sir, for your care of the Letters for me. As I shall certainly have quitted Europe, before they can reach me, I must beg the favor of you to enclose them to M r . Lovell, with the first Dispatches that you send to Congress.
If an entire Stranger may be permitted to offer his homage to your Lady, permit me to request your making mine acceptable to M rs . Jay. I have the honor to be Sir, Your most obed t Hum ble . Servant
Arthur Lee 5
The Hon ble John Jay Esq r .