Attention of his Readers from the proper Point.
I will mention an Instance. After he had provd
to the Satisfaction of every one, that the Cannon
& Stores forwarded to America by Mr Deane, had been
negociated by Mary Johnson & Beaumarchais before his
Arrival in France, and consequently that the Merit
of the Negociation did not belong to Mr Dean, what
Necessity was there for Common Sense to mention them
as a Present? It was nothing to his purpose;
and it was too delicate a Subject for him to touch
upon, or to attempt to prove if it had been true.
His prudence therefore and even his Veracity was called
in Question by his Adversaries, and his Authority
& Influence as a Writer of facts lessend. The
faithful Historian however, will hereafter unfold
the secret Politicks of the present Day. The
Newspaper Writings of these two Men, have drawn not
only the Conduct but the Characters of others into
Dispute. Had Mr Dean been only called upon explicitly
to state his Charges, if he had any, against Dr Lee,
I believe he would not have attempted it, and a Scrutiny
of any Mans Character but his own would have been unnecessary.
Although he has insinuated many things against the
Doctor, & steppd aside from the Line of Propriety
& Decency to bring in Invective, yet I do not recollect
that he has explicitly criminated him in either, nor
do I believe it is in his Power. If no one steps
forward to accuse him, why should his Integrity be
doubted? Why should you, my Friend, express yourself
in so languid a Tone, “I cant yet but have a
great opinion of Dr Lee,” and “rather
than the Cause of America should be betrayd I would
give up the dearest Connections I have on Earth.”
Has Dr Lee forfeited the good opinion you “always
had” of him? Do you doubt his Integrity
& Attachment to the Cause of America? Has any
one chargd him with Mal Conduct? Shall the mere
Insinuations & angry Reflections of a disappointed
Man lessen your good opinion of one whom you know to
have been, early, decided, active, persevering and
inflexible in the Cause of America? If this should
be the prevailing Disposition, what honest Man will
be safe? The consistent Patriot, after having
endurd Fatigue & Danger for the Establishment of publick
Liberty, would find himself still in the greatest
Perils among his own Countrymen. I will say nothing
decisively of Mr Dean at present; but I would assure
you of one thing, that were I connected with Dr Lee
as a publick Man, and conscious of my own Tardiness,
I should think I had every thing to apprehend, not
from a peevish, fretful Temper with which interrested
Men have attempted to stigmatize him, but from his
stern Virtue and Republican Jealousy. I may be
partial to Dr Lee. I confess I feel the strongest
Obligation to him, for the eminent Services he renderd
to America when he was in England, and to the Massachusetts
Bay in particular. I hope my Countrymen are not
all ungrateful. Some of them, I have been taught
to believe are so; otherwise the publick Character