e certifies,
that he "has his Majesty's command to cause them to be printed and
dispersed, that the people at large may be acquainted with the
contents, and of the favorable disposition of Great Britain towards
the American Colonies." I will not attempt to lead your judgment upon
these proceedings of our enemies. I will only add one anecdote of
their late conduct, nearly allied to that of counterfeiting our
Continental currency. They have published, in all our forms, a forged
Resolve of Congress, purporting a consignment of power to General
Washington, to detain in his army, _during the war_, all militia men
who have enlisted or been draughted for nine months or a year; and to
treat as deserters such as attempt to leave him at the expiration of
their present agreement. Perhaps you will see this properly
stigmatized in some of our eastern papers conveyed in the vessel,
which may carry this assurance of my being, with much regard, sir,
your friend and humble servant,

JAMES LOVELL,
_For the Committee_.

* * * * *

FROM THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO THE COMMISSIONERS.

York, 30th April, 1778.

Gentlemen,

By the Gazettes, which accompany this letter, you will see, that the
enemy are entering upon a plan, which must shortly perplex us much,
unless we receive despatches from you, to enlighten us as to your
situation and transactions, of which we have had no information since
the latter end of May. As we have heard of the loss of Captain
Johnston and Captain Wickes, and know that John Folger was robbed, we
cannot charge our present want of letters to negligence in you; but we
think you should not rest satisfied without sending triplicates of all
your despatches. The Commercial Committee will transmit to you the
contract, which they have entered into with the agent of the house of
_Roderique Hortalez & Co._ the heads of which contract happening to be
at hand are enclosed.

We have read a letter written by a friend, dated House of Commons,
February 13th, in which we are told, that you had concluded a treaty
with France and Spain, which was on the water towards us. Imagine how
solicitous we are to know the truth of this, before we receive any
proposals from Britain, in consequence of the scheme in Lord North's
speech, and the two dr