In many cases, a gentleman may receive information from persons of indisputable character, which it may be highly proper for him to communicate, without discovering the informer; and I am convinced you will think with me, when you have been more conversant with the world, and read mankind more. Neither will such gentleman, when conscious of his own integrity, and of established character, regard the conjectures of those who are almost, or altogether, strangers to him.

I do not mean, by advancing these sentiments, to refuse you any aid in detecting the inventor of a calumny. Mr. Dana mentions his having the declaration, alluded to in his letter, from me. He communicated to me Colonel Brooks' letter to you, and yours to himself, and the substance of what he intended to write. I objected to nothing regarding myself, excepting its being said public coFFEE house, in which I supposed him mistaken. I understood it was a public house, but rather thought it was not the coffee house. That excepted, and the sentiment was as he hath represented, whether the words were identically the same or not.

I am glad to find, by what you have wrote, that you have lost all remembrance of it; as it serves to show, that it was the effect of a sudden transport, and not of a depraved judgment. You will infer from hence, that I suppose the sentiment to have been spoken. I do: upon the belief that

my informer was a person of veracity, and could not be mistaken. The reasons are these: His general character, and his declaring that it was uttered in his hearing. I saw him in his way from Philadelphia. He left the city sometime after the inhabitants had been inflamed and divided by Mr. Dean's imprudent address, in which he promised us great discoveries, though he hath made none; and by which he raised a jealousy of Congress, and put many upon clamouring against them. In this crisis, and I conjecture through conversation leading to it, you was betrayed into a speech tantamount to the representation made me. You was not the only one that spake unguardedly at this

Persons of equal, or even superior, rank, are known to have done it; and many in the military department, having been soured by the hardships they had undergone, and an apprehended neglect of their grievances, and, on the part of Congress, backwardness to redress them, seemingly took a part with Mr. Dean; and the unguarded expressions that fell from them, then and afterwards, proved alarming to weak but good minds. I was much hurt in my own feelings, because of the wrong, I am convinced, it led some to do His Excellency, in fearing that such sentiments were dropt in his presence without meeting with a proper check.

My informer told me, that he took notice to you

of the unsuitableness of such like expressions, with which you was rather displeased; but that he insisted further upon it, and that there it ended. I should infer from the representation given me, that there were others in company. I have not mentioned his name; but if you cannot possibly recollect having said anything like what he reported; continue to view it as a calumny; and insist upon knowing him; I do not imagine he would object to it. But, whether he doth or not, shall mention him; upon your assuring me, upon your honour, that you will neither give nor accept, cause to be given nor accepted, a challenge upon the occasion, nor engage in any rencounter that may produce a duel. For though duels do not, in general, produce more than the honourable settlement of a dispute; yet they may be the unhappy cause of the public's losing good and useful members: and upon the principles of religion I am totally averse to them. You must further assure me, that you will admit of the matter's being thoroughly examined into by Congress, or individuals of the first character. The oversights of individuals too often raise prejudices against a whole body. It is common, and yet commonly condemned. I am convinced, that notwithstanding the natural tendency of martial manners, there are as good citizens in the military line, as out of it: and I hope that the event will ever show, that by far the majority of our officers

love the liberties of citizens more than any earthly command whatsoever. I as earnestly wish, that the citizens of the United States may do justice to the army, and their own engagements, by keeping up to the spirit of them, wherein it is possible, that so our brave troops may not have any just cause of complaint, when affairs are brought to a settlement.

Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

WILLIAM

DANA TO HAMILTON.

Boston, August 25, 1779.

SIR:

I received your letter of the 10th instant, last Sunday evening, at Cambridge, by the hand of Colonel Henley, enclosing a copy of your letter of the 6th, to Lieutenant-Colonel Brooks, and his answer to the same. I should have earlier acknowledged the receipt of them, but I thought proper to accompany such acknowledgement with such evidence as I could collect from one of the company present with Colonels Marshall, Wesson, and Brooks, at the time the conversation alluded to was had. For, till the receipt of your last, I had not communicated the subject of our correspondence to any one, except to Doctor ******, being unwilling to name him as my author, before I had seen him, and ob

tained his consent, which he readily gave. The account given you in my first letter, was from my own memory, which I have not yet seen cause to believe hath failed me.

Your several letters, together with all their enclosures, and also my letter of the 25th ultimo, in answer, I have shown to General Ward, who has a good recollection of the conversation in question, and concurs with me in the representation I have made of it; and particularly remembers that what you distinguish as "the offensive observation," was not made by me; but that one in nearly similar terms was made by another gentleman in company. I have little doubt, but it is in my power to produce further evidence of the same sort from one other gentleman, who is now at a considerable distance from hence; and as soon as it can conveniently be done, I shall endeavour to obtain it, if it be only to balance this dispute in point of numbers at least. At present there are three to two: perhaps I may be able to throw the balance on the other side. I must be excused taking notice of any new matter thrown out by Colonel Brooks in his last letter, for the present. I am, Sir, &c., FRA. DANA.

P. S. Perhaps it may occur to Colonel Brooks, upon recollection, that we had some conversation respecting the army and some characters in it, on our passage over Charles' river, from Boston to Charlestown, which was occasioned by a report,