In several Visits from Lord Drummond, who left England in Sepr. and came in the Roebuck to Hallifax & thence to Boston where he tarried only one Night and then set out in the Phoenix Man of War for New York & after some Days went with Mr. [Andrew] Elliot the Collector a Brother of Sir Gilbert Elliot the Minister to Philadelphia where he conversed with several of the Continental Delegates I learnt
That he had been intimate with several Persons now at the Head of the British Councils...
He denied that he had Credentials for Proposals of Peace but spoke in Terms of great Confidence that he knew those to be Sentiments of Administration ー confessed that he had communicated them to the Congress and asserted that if they would send Home Commissioners who would assure the Ministry of America's closing with them upon some such Agreement it would put an End to the War ー He expressed great Satisfaction in his Journey to Philadelphia, was happy in discovering that the Congress had more moderate Sentiments than People on either Side of the Water imagined and that he saw Nothing to discourage him...
I relied muc[h] upon these Hints from Lord Drummond because he was related to the Arch Bishop of York & Lord Mansfield & had been about the Ministers in Hopes of gaining a Part of the forfeited Estate of his uncle the attainted Duke of Perth and I thought that neither he nor Elliot would dare to intermix with the Delegates without authority from Administration, nor risk their Fortunes here by any Plan of Perfidy.
It was some confirmation that Lord Drummond expressed the greatest Uneasiness for Fear of a Rupture between the Town and the Captains of the Asia and Phoenix who he knew were under the old unrepealed Orders of June last to fire upon Towns were [sic] stores were seized Forts erected Officers imprisoned &c And he seemed to be anxious lest Mr. Tryon's Impatience in his disgraced Condition should put [Hyde] Parker and Vanderput to Difficulties who he said well knew the Admn. had changed their Sentiments greatly since Tryon left England in May.
Upon Advice that General [Charles] Lee had left Boston and was raising Troops in Connecticut to possess and fortify New York Lord Drummond required me to urge the [Provincial] Congress here to prevent his approach as it would imbarrass the Captains & might end in the burning of the City and render the expected Negotiations abortive ー I told him that I did not intermeddle in their Affairs nor seek their Confidence... Lord Drummond declared that the Captains knew Peace would take Place soon and that Admn. would not thank any servants of the Crown for irritating Men's Minds ー That General [William] Howe was also apprized of the amiable Desires of Government and that if Mischiefs ensued he was perswaded the Fault would be our's ー That Adml. Greaves (this in Answer to the Activity of the Navy) was a Fool seeking to prefer six Nephews & watching the Halting of others for that Purpose & that Lord Dunmore's Operations were neither authorized by Genl. Howe nor from Home but only countenanced by the Admiral.
