In the inclosd Newspaper you will see certain Queries calculated to impress on the Minds of the people the Idea of Dr Lee’s having held a criminal Correspondence with a Person known to be at the same time in the Service & under the Direction of the British Ministry.  I hope it will not be in the Power of this Querist to do essential Injury to so eminent a Patriot; who took the earliest & most decisive Part in opposition to the Measures of the British Court, and whose invariable Attachment to the Liberties of our Country never was, and I think cannot be justly suspected.  Yet it may be necessary to guard against it; for I plainly though silently saw when I was last in Boston a Malevolent Disposition towards Dr Lee, in a certain Gentleman, who, till he is better known, will have a great Influence in the Massachusetts State.  The Instance you may recollect, as you was knowing to it in the Time of it.  I then supposd it to proceed from his having strongly attachd himself, and for a Length of Time to a Circle of Men, and imbibd their Prejudices, who are far remote from the Connections of Dr Lee, and who differ widely from them in the Adoption of publick Measures regarding either Politicks or Morals.

You may remember that some time ago, in a Letter1 I informd you that I had much to say to you about Mr D; of whom I had long formd my Opinion & had not seen Reason to alter it.  I have hitherto said Nothing to you about him; because I knew it would lead me to Subjects of great Delicacy, which, if exposd to the Enemy, as they would be if my Letter should fall into their Hands, might disgrace, or otherwise be prejudicial to our publick Affairs.  This Caution prevents my communicating to you many things of which I wish to unburthen my Mind.

Mr D was originally taken up by a secret Committee of Congress appointed to procure from France the necessary Supplys for carrying on the War.  By them he was sent to that Country in the Character of a mere Merchant.  About that Time another Committee was; appointed, whose Business it was to form a Correspondence abroad, and particularly to feel the political Pulse of France in Hopes of forming a Connection with that powerful Nation.  This Committee also took up Mr D; and he carried Letters from Dr F to some Men of Eminence, which might enable him in some Measure to penetrate into the Disposition of the Court of France towards America.  With these Views Mr D was sent to France.  He was to be Agent to the secret Come of Commerce.  To the secret Come of Correspondence he was to be the Inquisitive Man or Intelligencer.  He had no political Powers whatever; and yet he sent us over, Majors, Colonels, Brigadiers & Majors General in Abundance & more than we knew what to do with, of his own creating, till at length Mr Du Coudray arrivd with the Commission (or an Agreement signd by Mr D in behalf of the United States, that he should have one) of a Major General, with the Command of our Artillery; together with his