several
European Courts towards the American confederates, and making
proposals of intercourse and alliance to those I should find inclined
to accept them; "recommending to my discretion, to proceed in this
affair with such caution, as to keep the same from the knowledge of
the English Ambassador, and prevent any public appearance, _at
present_, of my being employed in any such business, as thereby they
imagine many inconveniences may be avoided, and my means of rendering
service to America increased. They sent me, _for the present_,
enclosed a bill for one hundred pounds sterling to defray expenses,
and _desired me to be assured, that my services will be considered and
honorably rewarded by Congress_." By another letter of the 2d of
March, 1776, Dr Franklin "recommended to my correspondence, the
bearer, Mr Silas Deane."

In the meantime I had addressed myself to the Court of France, with a
deep interest in your concerns, and to the account I gave the
Committee of Foreign Affairs of my negotiation, Dr Franklin answered
in the following terms on the 1st of October;--"I have just time to
acknowledge the receipt of your two packets, with the pamphlets
enclosed, the contents of which are very satisfactory. You will hear
from me more fully in a little time." He soon after came over, and
brought me a letter from the same committee, signed Robert Morris,
Richard H. Lee, J. Witherspoon, W. Hooper, wherein they expressly
"_desire me to continue that correspondence_, which he had opened and
conducted, and they write me _on behalf of Congress, requesting to
hear from me frequently_, promising me the reimbursement of expenses,
and a reasonable _allowance_ for my time and trouble in _this
agency_." The committee wrote me two other letters, August 8th, 1777;
and May 14th, 1778, in the latter of which they "acknowledge that I
had so early and warmly espoused their cause, and aided it with such
judgment and resolution, that they shall write particularly to the
gentlemen at Paris, respecting the injuries I had received from their
enemies, and shall instruct them to pay the strictest attention to the
engagements made to me in behalf of Congress, at the commencement of
our correspondence."

By some dark manoeuvres of those enemies, who by intercepters and
spies had got at last some general knowledge of my operations, I had
been defrauded not only of the sum of six hundred pounds sterling due
to me, but also of a livelihood, which had r