The Committee for Foreign Affairs to the American
Commissioners
ALS: American Philosophical Society; copies: National Archives (two),
Library of Congress, Harvard University Library
<York, Pennsylvania, June 21, 1778: The British commissioners
have arrived, sent their credentials to Congress, and received
the answer printed in the Pennsylvania Gazette of the
20th. General Clinton, now commanding the British army,
evacuated Philadelphia on the 18th and crossed into Jersey;
General Washington followed with his army. A Mr. Holker has
arrived from France and presented a paper to Congress,
couched as if he represented the court and asking to present a
verbal message about our negotiating with Great Britain; but
he had no credentials for his mission. Please tell us as definitely
as possible whether he is an authorized emissary.>
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