Virginia Gunston Hall March 4. 1779.
Inclosed you have a copy of my letter of the 8th of Octr. 1778 to which I beg leave to refer. I have lately receiv'd such information of the high freight & insurance from France to America, that I have now to desire you will not invest my money in Goods, as was directed in my said letter of the 8th of Octr. last; but that you will pay it, vizt. the sum of £L834. .10. .3 Sterg. (the Ballce. due to me by your own Acct.) together with the charges incurred by yr. protests in London & Paris to Messrs. Penet D'Acosta frerres & Compy Merchts. in Nantes, to whom I have given an order on you for that Purpose. Your Brother Col. Richard Henry Lee tells me that he imediatly gave you notice of my having refused to take the orders you sent me on Mr. Jno. Mills & Messrs. Thornton & Triplett & my having return'd them to him. I have since my above mention'd letter in Octr. last recd. your protests of my Bills both in London & Paris duly authenticated: that in Paris of a very curious nature, particularizing your denying yourself to be the person on whom the Bill was drawn & saying it must have been your Brother &c: & altho' your letter to me dated in London the 22d. of May 1777 mentions your having recd. advice of my Bills on you for £190 Sterg. favour Messrs. Jenefer & Hoe & retaining money in your hands to pay it, my letters from Mr. Richd. Harrison, to whom they were remitted on my account, either to purchase Goods for me in Martinique, or remit them for that purpose to France shew that the said Bills, with my Letters of advice, were at that time in his hands in Martinique undisposed of; & Mr. Harrison who is now in Virginia, say they remain'd so, 'till some time in June: but I forbear to enlarge on so disagreeable a subject; & am truely concern'd that I have cause to complain of yr. having treated me with so little candour, to say no more of it: I beg I may no longer be trifled with, & that my order on you to Messrs. Penet D'Acosta frerres & Compy. may be forthwith paid; otherwise I shall be under the necessity of sending to France a proper power of Attorney, with all the accounts Letters & Documents respecting this business, under the Seal of the Common Wealth & instituting a suit against you; which I do assure you, for the reasons I have before given you, will be extreamly disagreeable to me. I entreat you to let me hear from you soon & am Dr. Sir, Yr. most Obdt. Servt.