headquarters, July 10, 1782.
My Dear Sir:
The post brought me your letter on the 19th of May. I must confess that I am
not at all astonished at the failure of your plan. The spirit of Freedom,
which, at the commencement of this contest, would gladly have sacrificed
everything to the attainment of its object, has long since subsided, and every
selfish passion has taken its place. It is not the public, but private interest
which influences the generality of mankind; nor can the Americans any longer
boast an exception. Under these circumstances, it would rather have been
surprising if you had succeeded; nor will you, I fear, have better success in
Georgia.*
At the present moment, there is very little prospect of the campaign being much more active in this quarter than in yours. However, little can, be positively determined, till we have some advices from Europe, which I am anxiously waiting for. When they arrive, I shall be better able to tell you what we may expect. Sir Guy Carleton is using every art to soothe and lull our people into a state of security. Admiral Digby is capturing all our vessels, and suffocating as fast as possible in prison-ships all our seamen, who will not enlist into the service of his Britannic Majesty; and Haldimand, with his savage allies, is scalping and burning on the frontiers. Such is the line of conduct pursued by the different commanders, and such their politics. You have my best wishes, being always sincerely yours.
At the present moment, there is very little prospect of the campaign being much more active in this quarter than in yours. However, little can, be positively determined, till we have some advices from Europe, which I am anxiously waiting for. When they arrive, I shall be better able to tell you what we may expect. Sir Guy Carleton is using every art to soothe and lull our people into a state of security. Admiral Digby is capturing all our vessels, and suffocating as fast as possible in prison-ships all our seamen, who will not enlist into the service of his Britannic Majesty; and Haldimand, with his savage allies, is scalping and burning on the frontiers. Such is the line of conduct pursued by the different commanders, and such their politics. You have my best wishes, being always sincerely yours.
________________
* The plan here mentioned, which Colonel Laurens was
extremely anxious to carry into effect, was to raise a regiment of black levies
in South Carolina. He brought the subject before the legislature of the State,
and pursued it with all his zeal and influence, but the measure was not
approved.
SOURCES: Gamaliel Bailey, Editor, Facts for the People, Volume 1, No. 5, September 1, 1855, p. 69; Daniel
Reaves Goodloe, The Southern Platform,
p. 6-7; Jared Sparks, The Writings of George Washington, Volume 8, p. 322-3
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