Lot 7 email save

7. (THOMSON, CHARLES)

CORRECTION: This piece is neither in the hand of, nor is it signed by Charles Thompson, the piece is a contemporary (18th. Century) copy in another hand. 7. (CHARLES THOMSON) (1729 - 1824) Irish born American patriot, unanimously elected first Secretary of the Continental Congress in 1774 and held the post until 1789, chosen to notify Washington of his election to the Presidency. Important and historic content document 1p. 4to., [n.p., n.d., Philadelphia, Sept. 3, 1776], a copy of the message of Gen. John Sullivan conveying British General Howe's message seeking a peace conference! The letter reads in full: "General Sullivans Message To Congress from Lord Howe -- That Though he Could not at Present Treat With Them as Congress Yet was Very Desirous of having a Conference with Some of The Members Whom he Would Consider as Private Gentlemen and Meet them him self as Such at Such Place as They Should Appoint. That he In Conjunction With General Howe had full Power to Compromise the Distance Between Great Brittain [sic] and America Upon Terms Advantageous to Both. The Obtaining of Which Delayed him at this Place before the Declaration of Independency Took place -- That he Wished a compact might be Settled at This Time when no Defensive Blow was struck and neither party could Say They Were Compelled To Enter into Such Agreement -- That In Case Congress Were Disposed To treat many things be Granted Them And that If Upon the Conference They found any Probable Ground of an Accommodation The Authority of Congress Must be Afterwards Acknowledged Otherwise a compact could not be Completed [sic] Charles Thomson Secy". Gen. John Sullivan, who had been captured by the British during the Battle of Long Island on August 27, convinced his captors to allow him to deliver a message to Congress in Philadelphia to arrange a meeting between the Howe brothers and representatives of Congress. Sullivan, convinced that the Howes had more authority to negotiate terms than originally perceived by the Americans. According to Tryer Anderson in his 1936 work on the Howe brothers noted that they "...thought it important to dispel the idea that their powers were limited to granting pardons after unconditional surrender, since the continuance of such an impression would only make the Americans desperate and destroy any possibility of negotiation." This message was read in Congress on September 3rd and on the 6th, Congress resolved to send Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Edward Rutledge as commissioners. Congress also sent Sullivan back to Howe's headquarters to deliver the resolve of Congress. To the Howes' disappointment, the commissioners were not empowered to negotiate, but to merely secure more accurate information. The Howes decided to proceed and they met with Franklin, Adams and Rutledge on Sept. 11, 1776 at a house in Staten Island opposite Amboy. The discussions, though amiable, went nowhere as Howe later wrote to Lord Germain: "For very obvious reasons, we could not enter into any treaty with their Congress, and much less proceed in any conference of negotiation upon the inadmissible ground of independency." Howe had received his instructions to grant pardons in May of 1776, but the ensuing events, including The Declaration of Independence, complicated things dramatically. On the verso of the letter Thompson has added "For Mr. James Mott". This was likely James Mott of New Jersey (1739-1823) who was a member of the New Jersey Assembly in 1776. For what reason this copy was forwarded to Mott, we do not know. At the top margin there is evidence that this was once a larger sheet as there are several bottom loops from letters present. Whether Thompson was merely conserving paper, or Mott removed the top is unclear, but could be a clue as to why Mott received this in the first place. Partial fold separations repaired on verso, mounting strip on verso of left margin, margins chipped, otherwise very good condition.$3,000-5,000

View Alexander Autographs, Inc. next auction.

Similar lots up for auction