refused to grant them a
protection in that manner, and was about to treat the person
who had applied to him as a spy, but was prevented by the
entreaties of the said Robert Lennox, and some other
gentlemen.

_Philadelphia, 17th March, 1783._ FRANCIS NICHOLS.

Here, then, it fully appears, that the testimony contained in the above
certificates, all point to the same object, and to the same period
mentioned by me, supporting and confirming each other. They likewise
clearly prove the whole progress of your meditated defection; they prove
that you deceived me by those professions, by which I had been induced to
trust to your appearances of fidelity, as you absolutely made an
application for a protection to Count Donop, in which an intimate friend of
yours was included.

But what opinion must the world form of your veracity, when you are
detected in falsely asserting, that you had not mentioned such sentiments
to your most intimate friends and relations. "Is it not utterly
incredible," you say, "that I should hold such communication or sentiments
from my most intimate friends and relations, and make it to a person with
whom I had held no friendship for many years; who had received me with
coldness." Mr. Pettit is your relation, and Col. Bayard your most intimate
friend, with whom, at that time, you had the freest intercourse. To these
you communicated your sentiments, as appears by the certificates of Col.
Bradford, Col. Ellis, and Mr. Davenport; but your friend, hinted at in
Major Lennox's certificate, had consented to accompany you in your intended
desertion. The height of your iniquity does not end here; you endeavoured,
by your influence, to spread general disaffection, in order to lessen your
share of the infamy, by dividing it among many. Had you conferred with men
whose principles were in every instance like your own, you might have
succeeded, as every person concerned might have carried off his particular
friend with him.

If all the evidence which now appears against you, had been produced at
that time, what would have been your fate, as you then, (being
_Adjutant-General_ of the army,) was subject to the Continental articles of
war?

In the 10th page you say, you can "truly declare, that the subject of the
present slander was not known to you, till its appearance in the
newspaper." Having mentioned it at the Coffee House, (as appears by Mr.
Pryor's certifiate[TN],) in the pre