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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from Hugh Williamson and William Blount to Alexander Martin [Extract]
Williamson, Hugh, 1735-1819; Blount, William, 1749-1800
August 19, 1782
Volume 16, Page 863

[From Executive Letter Book.]

Extract.


Philadelphia, 19th August, 1783.

Sir:

“It is our duty to inform your Excellency that the sending our prisoners to America at this Juncture is not by any means a clear proof of benevolence, it may with equal probability be passed to the Acct. of cunning: for the enemy wish and expect to get regular Soldiers in exchange for those people, many of whom are neither Soldiers nor Sailors. There is certainly a disposition in the present English Ministry to excite among the people of America some desire of a Separate peace. And we apprehend that nothing but vigorous and persevering exertions on our part to convince the enemy of our ability to continue the leaden argument will compel them to make those offers of peace seriously which ’tis probable they are now making insidiously.”

We have the honor to be &c.,
HU. WILLIAMSON,
WM. BLOUNT.



Additional Notes for Electronic Version: According to the Letters of Delegates to Congress, this letter was written by Williamson and Blount in 1782.