The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

APPENDIX.] DUCdHEI'S LETTER. 477
have the least good influence upon the hearts and actions of the
military freemen of America, or should add one more virtuous motive
to those, by which I trust they are already actuated, it will be the
best return I can receive from my fellow citizens for this labor of
love. I have long been an admirer of your amiable character, and
was glad of this opportunity of paying you my little tribute of respect." The whole tenor of his conduct proved the sincerity of these
professions, and his devotedness to the American cause.
It was with the greatest surprise, therefore, that, a few days after
the British took possession of Philadelphia, General Washington
received from him a long letter of a most extraordinary character. It
not only contained, in substance, an abjuration of all his former
opinions, but severe and illiberal animadversions on Congress, and
the leaders in the cause of freedom, censuring alike their motives
and conduct. Washington, he said, was the only person who had
power to stop the current, which was fast hurrying the country to
inevitable ruin; and on him he called, in the voice of entreaty and
almost of admonition, to " represent to Congress the indispensable
necessity of rescinding the hasty and ill-advised Declaration of Independency." Washington took no other notice of the letter, than to
enclose it in his despatches to Congress. Copies of it were speedily
taken and circulated, and it was soon printed in the newspapers.
The respectable character of Mr. Duche, and the remarkable tenor
of the letter, gave it notoriety at the time, and caused the particulars
to be recorded among the events of history.
Mr. Duche had married a sister of Mr. Francis Hopkinson, one
of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, who, when the
letter was written, was at Bordentown, as a member of the Continental Navy Board. A copy was forwarded to Mr. Hopkinson, and
he wrote a letter to Mr. Duch6 on the subject, which he enclosed to
General Washington, that it might be transmitted to him in Philadelphia through the regular conveyance of a flag.
GEORGE WASHINGTON TO FRANCIS HOPKINSON.
"Head-Qualters, 21 November, 1777.
" SIR,
" I am favored with yours of the 14th instant, inclosing a letter for
the Reverend Mr. Duche. I will endeavour to forward it to him,
but I imagine it will never be permitted to reach his hands. I
confess to you, that I was not more surprised than concerned, at
receiving so extraordinary a letter from Mr. Duche, of whom I had