excusd in April or May at farthest.  In doing this, I shall immediately make Room for an abler Man.  Such may easily be found, and, I hope, prevaild upon to come.  I shall also gratify those whose Hearts are bent upon my Removal, and shall save them Abundance of Pains in making their Interest to effect it.  These Men agree with me, if in Nothing else, in wishing most cordially for my Retirement from publick Business.  Perhaps they would chuse to have me recalled with Disgrace.  I hope this is not in their Power; though I think I could bear even that with becoming Fortitude, for I am conscious that I do not deserve to be disgracd by my Country, and can be happy in the Reflections of my own Mind.  The Arts they make use of are contemptible.  Last year, as you observe, I was an Enemy to General Washington.  This was said, to render me odious to the People.  The Man who fabricated the Charge did not believe it himself.  When he endeavord to make others believe it, he attempted to injure me by imposing upon them.  His own Heart must therefore reproach him with complicated Acts of Injustice, and if he has any Feeling he must despise himself.  If I indulgd the Spirit of Revenge, could I wish for more?  Now, you tell me, their Art is, to prejudice the People against the Lees, and propagate that I am a Friend to them.  How trifling is this?  Am I accountable to the People for my opinions of Men?  If I have found from long & intimate Acquaintance with those Gentlemen, that they are, and have been from the Beginning of this Contest, among the most able & zealous Defenders of the Rights of America and Mankind, shall I not be their Friend?  I will avow my Friendship to them in the Face of the World.  As an Inhabitant of Massachusetts Bay, I should think my self ungrateful, not to esteem Arthur Lee most highly, for his voluntary Services to that State, in Times of her greatest Necessity, to the Injury of his private Interest, and at the Risque of his Life.

Adieu my Friend.

March 24—­79

The Bearer of this Letter being prevented setting off by a Storm, I have had Time to transcribe the inclosd Extracts.  They were written to me, as you will observe, in Confidence.  I think I am warranted in communicating them to you, because I know the Writer has as much Confidence in your Prudence & Discretion as in mine, if not more.  And I do not see how I can better use them for the purpose he intended in sending them to me, than by sending them to you.  The Parts which are descriptive of the Weakness, or if you think more proper, the reserved Caution of Age, you will judge prudent to keep secret for the present.  There are some of our Friends, who, having so long habituated themselves to admire the Wisdom of the Philosopher cannot easily be perswaded to believe, that in the different Character of a Politician, he may be liable to human Frailties at the Age of more than three score and ten.  Those Parts which may serve to set Dr Lee in his true Character of an honest