Delegates to Congress . Letters of delegates to Congress, 1774-1789, Volume 10, June 1 1778-Septmeber 30 1778
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Joseph Reed to To: George Johnstone


Sir
Head Quarters June 13 [i.e. 15], 1778

   I take the earliest Oppy. to acknowledge your Favour of the 30 April (1) & to thank you for your obliging Care in forwarding the Packets which accompanied it. The Partiality of my Friends in England has greatly overrated my Services & Consequence in the present Dispute; (2) I claim little other Merit beyond that of Zeal for the Interests of my Country & entertaining a very high Veneration for those illustrious Characters who have long tho unsuccessfully patronized her Rights & those of Mankind. America, Sir, has seen & admired your seasonable tho' unavailing Efforts to prevent the Dismemberment of the British Empire & place us on the great & generous Scale of equal Freedom with yourselves. (3) This must be your Consolation as it is your Glory, while the Event affords a most instructive Lesson to other Nations & Senates how to treat in future their Johnstone's & their Barry's, their Chathams & their Camden's. If it is within the Line of human Events to reconcile the People of this Country to a Submission to the Sovereignty of Brittain (4) the Ministry has in this Appointment (really honoured by Your Acceptance) shewn some Degree of Wisdom, as it may rescue them from the Imputation of repeating an insiduous Manuevre to divide, disarm, & enslave us. (5) But you will so soon receive the Sense of Congress on this important Point that any Opinion from me would be equally useless & improper. I will only say that after the unparallel'd Injuries & Insults this Country has received from the Men who now direct the Affairs of Brittain, a Negotiation under their Auspices has much to struggle with. I speak from no Authority but I can easily conceive that America would willingly exchange the Calamities of War for the Blessings of Peace & prove as faithful in Alliance as she has been great in Arms. If therefore the Resolution of Congress should be unfriendly to your present Views, if they should suppose


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that all Confidence & Affection the only Grounds of Harmony & surest Support of all Government are so erased as to leave no Hope of a happy Reunion, I cannot but Hatter myself that Men of Virtue & enlarged Views on both Sides of this great Question will endeavour to close the Scene of Blood on the only Terms now practicable & that Great Brittain will give up her visionary Schemes of Conquest & Empire for the solid Benefits she may yet derive from our Amity & Commerce. I will even hope, Sir, for your Aid in so good a Work. Should the same fatal Influences which blasted your firm salutary Counsils again frustrate your humane & generous Purpose, come to America, the future Asylum of the brave & virtuous from every Quarter of the Globe. She will think herself honoured to receive unto her Bosom so illustrous a Citizen, his Eloquence will not then be spent in vain nor his eminent Worth pass unrewarded.

   My Desire to make the earliest Acknowledgment of the Honour you have done me has prevented my troubling you with a few Lines for my Friends in England who are interested in the Welfare of my Family. My Brothers Letter (6) & the Politeness of yours encourages me to take this Liberty which I shall do by some early Oppy. Too many cannot present themselves to shew the very great Respect & Esteem with which I am Sir, Your Sincere Admirer & most Obed. Hbble Servt.


Jos. Reed


Note: FC (DLC). In the hand of Joseph Reed and addressed: "The Honorable George Johnstone Esqr., One of the Commissioners &c. &c. &c." Now located in the Washington Papers, this copy is apparently the final draft of Reed's reply to Johnstone that Washington requested from Reed on June 15. It is virtually identical to the text of the reply to Johnstone that Reed published in a 1779 pamphlet except that therein he rendered the dateline "Camp at Valley-Forge, June 14, 1778." Joseph Reed, Remarks on Governor Johnstone's Speech in Parliament . . . (Philadelphia: Francis Bailey, 1779), pp. 13-16. The first draft of this letter, sharper in tone and much longer than the final draft, is in the Reed Papers, NHi. Major variations between the two are set forth in the notes below.

   Reed apparently sent copies of a slightly revised version of his first draft to Robert Morris and to Washington for their evaluation. One of these, in a clerical hand and signed by Reed, may be the copy that is in the Sol Feinstone Collection, DLC microfilm. It varies only slightly from Reed's first draft-except for the addition of a single sentence inserted in braces in the excerpt quoted in note 5 below. It is easy to imagine that Reed recopied his original draft (now in NHi), for either Morris or Washington, making slight revisions and adding a sentence in the process, and then employed a clerk to transcribe this copy for the other intended recipient. Morris suggested no revisions, but Washington clearly did, and Reed subsequently produced the text printed here for Washington's second perusal. See Reed to Robert Morris, June 14; Morris to Reed, June 15, 1778; and Washington, Writings (Fitzpatrick), 12:59.

   Whether this revision or another version was ever sent to Johnstone is open to question. In the postscript of his June 15 letter to President Laurens, Reed obviously had not yet made up his mind on how to respond, deciding at the time to send only "a bare complimentary Letter of Acknowledgment which is not worth troubling you with." And in his 1779 summary of the incident he wrote: "After reading [Johnstone's] letter, I gave it into the hands of General Washington, and


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two or three other Gentlemen at Head-Quarters, who returned it to me without any remark. In a few days after, I wrote an answer, which I communicated to Mr. Morris, one of the Delegates for Pennsylvania, then at camp, who returned it to me with a general approbation. I afterwards shewed it to General Washington, asking his friendly opinion of it, which he gave, by telling me, he thought some of the complimentary part might be spared. Upon which I abridged it, and having shewn it to the General, he approved it, and I left it at Head-Quarters to be forwarded with other letters. Whether this letter ever reached Governor Johnstone, I do not know, but I rather believe that it failed by some accident." Reed, Remarks on Governor Johnstone's Speech, pp. 12-13.




1 Actually Reed was responding to a letter from Johnstone dated April 11, 1778, the original of which is in the Peter Force Collection, DLC. His letter to Reed was one of several he had written to prominent Americans in his attempt to marshall support privately for the overtures being made simultaneously and officially by the Carlisle commissioners. "Your near & worthy relation Mr. Dennis De Berdt," Johnstone had written to Reed, "has made me happy by favoring me with a Letter to you. I had been informed by General Robertson of your great worth & Consequence in the unhappy disputes that have subsisted between Great Britain & her dependants. Your Pen & your Sword have both been used with glory & advantage in Vindicating the Rights of Mankind & of that community of which you was a Part. Such a Conduct as the first & Superior of all Human dutys must ever Command my Warmest Freindship & Veneration.

   "In the midst of those affecting Scenes my feeble Voice has not been wanting to stop the Evils in their Progress & to remove on a large and Liberal footing the Causes of all Jealousy That every Subject of the Empire might live Equally free & Secure in the Enjoyments of the blessings of Life Not one Part dependant on the Will of another with opposite Interests But a general Union on Terms of perfect Security & mutual Advantage. During the Contest I am free to Confess my wishes have ever been that America might so far Prevail as to oblige this Country to See their Error & to reflect & reason fairly in the Case of others, Heirs to the Same Privileges with themselves. It has pleased God in his Justice so to dispose of Events that this Kingdom is at length convinced of her folly & her Faults. A Commission under Parliamentary Authority is now Issued for Settling in a Manner Consistent with that Union of Force on which the Safety of both Parties Depend all the differences that have or can Subsist between Great Britain & America Short of a total Seperation of Interests. In this Commission I am an unworthy Associate, tho' no man can feel the desire of cementing in Peace & Freindship every member of what was called the British Empire Stronger than myself. Yet I am sensible it might have fallen to the Lot of many Persons better Qualified to Attain the End Proposed. All I can claim is Ardent Zeal & upright Intentions. And when I reflect that this negotiation must depend much more upon perfect Integrity than refinement of understanding where a Sensible magnanimous People will See their own Interest & carefully Guard their own honour in every Transaction I am more Inclined to hope from the good will I have always born them I am not altogether Unqualified for the Task.

   "If it be (as I hope it is) the disposition of Good Men in the Provinces to Prefer freedom in Conjuction with Great Britain to an Union with the ancient Enemy of both, If it is their generous inclination to forget recent Injurys & recall to their remembrance former Benefits I am in hopes we may Yet be greatly Happy. I am Sure the People in America will find in my Brother Commissioners & myself a fair & Chearfull Concurrence in adjusting every Point to their utmost wish not inconsistent as I said before of Interests wch. is the object of our commiss[ion].

   "Nothing could Surpass the glory you have acquired in Arms except the generous Magnanimity of meeting on the Terms of Justice & Equality after demonstrating to the World that the fear of Force could have no Influence in that decision .



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   "The Man who can be instrumental in bringing us all to act once more in Harmony & to unite together the Various Powers which this Contest has drawn forth will deserve more from the King & the People from Patriotism, Humanity, Friendship and all the Tender ties that are reflected by the Quarrel & reconciliation that ever was Yet bestowed on human Kind.

   "This Letter from Mr. De Berdt I Shall consider as an Introduction to you, which Line of communication I shall Endeavor by Every means to Improve by Publick Demonstration of respect or Private Freindship as your Answer may enable me."




2 Reads "in this unhappy Contest" in the NHi draft.


3 In the place of this sentence, Reed had written the following passage in the NHi draft: "But with these Sentiments I want your own elegant Pen & forcible Language to express how much I feel my Character enobled, & my Life dignified by the Approbation of a Man the Ornament of his own Country & the most endeared & approved Friend to this. America, Sir, has seen & felt with fervent Gratitude your early disinterested & unremitted Labours to avert the heavy Calamities which your enlightened Mind discerned & pointed out while at a distance; your seasonable tho unavailing Efforts to prevent the Dismemberment of the British Empire & place us on the great & generous Scale of equal Freedom with yourselves."


4 Reads "to a Reunion with Brittain" in the NHi draft.


5 At this point in the NHi draft Reed had written the two following long denunciatory paragraphs, which he only partially incorporated into the remainder of this paragraph in the final draft.

   "But whatever may be their Intentions the Day of Reconciliation & Dependance is past, & the Sovereignty of Brittain over this Country gone forever. The Voice of weeping Nature, true Policy & unspotted Honour bids us part-the inexorable Rigour with which our humble Petitions were treated, the cruel edicts which stain your parliamentary annals, the savage barbarities, Insults & outrages which have marked your military Proceedings & the merciless Treatment of our Prisoners, have so eradicated every Particle of ancient Affection & Respect, that there does not remain the smallest Point on which to raise the Superstructure of that Peace which is the Object of your Commission. A Series of Events in which he must be an Infidel indeed who does not discern the temper ofhim who governs all Nations, have so changed the Views and Inclinations of this Country that a Dependence on your Nation which was once our Glory, Happiness & our Pride would now be deemed our greatest Infamy, & deepest Misfortune. Our Engagements with other Nations who have generously assisted & inabled us to rise to our present Pitch of Respect & now on the Eve or most probably actually engaged in a War in which we are principals bind us by the most sacred Ties of Gratitude & Honour to support the Independance we have declared. It is a Principle of universal Extent (a few Parricides & contemptible Neutrals excepted) a Principle we are resolved to fight, bleed & die for & transmit with our expiring Breath to our Children after us. The Ground, Sir, is irrecoverably changed from Taxation to Empire & nothing remains but the hopeless Prospect of Conquest & unconditional Submission or a federal Union upon rational, fair & Independant Ground. That America would willingly exchange the Calamities of War for such a Peace & prove herself as faithful in Alliance as she has been brave in War, I think not to be questioned & that G. Brittain would derive great & essential Benefits from her Amity & Commerce appears to me equally clear. This perhaps may yet be attained under our present Engagements, if such a Disposition on her Part is manifested by an immediate withdraw of her Fleet & Armies; but how long even this Opportunity of stopping the Effusion of human Blood may continue is extremely uncertain, &, if lost by Delay, as those of Reunion have been, may never be retrieved-but the present Hostilities grow into inveterate Hatred & irreconcilable Enmity. {I flatter myself you will advocate this salutary measure


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from the sentiment that you have so politely and happily expressed that the decisions of a brave and magnanimous people ought not to be influenced by the fear of force.} I should be very undeserving of that Honour of your Attention & Friendship if I flattered you with the smallest Hope of Success in your Commission of reuniting America to the Crown of Great Brittain. I do not therefore animadvert upon the Acts of Parliament upon which your Powers must depend, nor am I curious to know their Extent; I shall only say that there appears no solid Security for those Privileges to which you have so long & ably contended as were justly intitled. All-All is to depend upon the future Fiat of a Parliament governed &-directed by a set of Men Authors of all the Calamities we have suffered &-whom I am at a Loss to determine whether they are most the Objects of our Hatred or Contempt. Pardon me if I say a Negotiation under such Auspices has much to struggle with. Every succeeding Day furnishes fresh Proofs with what frugal Caution a young & ignorant Country unskilled in the Arts of Treaty & Negotiation should bestow their Confidence: from authentick Documents received since your Arrival we find that the Proclamations of the former Commissioners are acknowledged by themselves to be as calculated to deceive S; betray. In their Proclamation of the 30th Novemb. 1776, Pardons were promised to all complying with its Terms without any Exception & yet in their Letter of the same Day & inclosing the same proclamation to Ld. George Germain there are these remarkable Words 'exceptions from his Majesty's Pardon as well as any Prolongation of the Time within which a Pardon may be obtained will be a Matter of future Consideration according to the Circumstances that may arise.' To the Man of Honor & Probity to whom I am now writing this Fact needs no Comment. And for the Safety & Interests of America it must be known to her remotest Shores. All Confidence, the only Ground of Harmony & sure Support of Government being lost, I cannot but hope Men of Virtue [&] enlarged Views on both Sides of this great Question will endeavour to close the bloody Scene on the only Terms now practicable & that Great Brittain will give up her visionary Schemes of Empire &-dependance for the solid Benefits she may yet derive from our Commerce."




6 See Reed to Dennis De Berdt, July 19, 1778.