1778 ALS Signed Blaquiere Discussing Revolutionary War, Carlisle Conference
Revolutionary War Letter 1778 – Sir John Blaquiere – Philadelphia, Congress, New York, French Alliance
Original Revolutionary War-era autograph letter dated September 9, 1778, docketed on verso "From S. John Blacquin rec'd Oct. 4th 1778."
Written during the period of the Carlisle Peace Commission (1778), with apparent references to the British peace commissioners operating in America.
This is a very interesting Revolutionary War-period letter. Based on the docketing on the reverse ("From St. John Blacquin rec'd Oct. 4th 1778") and the contents, this appears to be a letter written by Sir John Blaquiere (often spelled Blaquiere/Blaquière), the Irish-born diplomat and political agent who was heavily involved in American and British affairs during the Revolutionary era.
Identification
Writer: Likely Sir John Blaquiere (spelled "St. John Blacquin" in the contemporary docketing)
Date: September 9, 1778 ("P.P.S. Sept. 9, 1778")
Recipient: Not fully identified from the surviving pages, but apparently a close friend or political associate.
Historical Context:
Written only months after the French alliance with the United States.
Discusses American politics, Philadelphia, New York, English commissioners, and military affairs.
Contains an extended French-language political commentary.
Reflects contemporary reaction to the changing course of the American Revolution in 1778.
Translation of the French Portion
The French text is partly obscured and difficult, but the meaning is substantially clear:
Translation
"My dear friend, I scarcely know what to write to you. This country produces strange things. I must send you the extract of a letter which I received yesterday from a man of sound judgment and spirit, which is very odd and seems too wild to be invented.
But let us leave that. Here one sees every day strange events and many signs of upheaval.
You know that a new war council has been established; if the general had wished to create an engine, it could not have served the purposes of the party better.
The result, according to my information, is that the English commissioners are very pleased with it.
For an English parliamentarian, and even more for an American congressman, it is too absurd to require explanation.
The executioner of Philadelphia may soon have himself carried to New York.
Your favorite will find himself abandoned.
Nevertheless fortune is on your side; three considerable fleets, loaded with supplies and troops, are entering your ports, and this will sustain commerce, I believe."
The phrase "executioner of Philadelphia" is probably a political nickname or sarcastic reference to a leading Revolutionary figure. It may have been understood by the recipient but is difficult to identify with certainty today.
Historical Significance
This letter has significance because it was written during one of the most critical years of the American Revolution:
What makes it important
Dated 1778
One of the pivotal years of the war.
Follows the American victory at Saratoga and the French alliance.
Contemporary Political Commentary
Discusses:
Congress
Philadelphia
New York
British peace commissioners
Military organization
Foreign aid and fleets
Blaquiere Connection
Sir John Blaquiere was a notable diplomatic and political figure.
Letters from individuals operating near the highest levels of British and Irish politics are actively collected.
Bilingual Revolutionary-War Content
English and French in the same letter.
Reflects the international nature of Revolutionary politics after France entered the war.
Original Docketing
The reverse endorsement identifying the writer and receipt date substantially strengthens authenticity and provenance.
strong possibility that it is referring to the Carlisle Peace Commission, although the reference is indirect rather than explicit.
Several clues point in that direction:
Key Passage
In the French section Blaquiere writes something close to:
"...le résultat, d'après mes informations, donné aux commissaires anglais..."
"...the result, according to my information, has given satisfaction to the English commissioners..."
The phrase "English commissioners" in September 1778 is highly suggestive because the principal British commissioners then active in America were the members of the Carlisle Commission, formally the British Peace Commission sent to negotiate with Congress.
Timing Fits Perfectly
The letter is dated:
September 9, 1778
The Carlisle Commission had arrived in America in June 1778 and throughout the summer was attempting to negotiate a settlement after the French alliance transformed the war.
By September:
The Commission had already failed to persuade Congress.
Philadelphia had been evacuated by the British.
The commissioners were corresponding with Congress and issuing public appeals.
Their efforts were becoming increasingly desperate.
This is exactly the political environment reflected in the letter.
Additional Clues
The letter mentions:
Philadelphia
New York
Congress
English commissioners
political factions
military councils
arrival of fleets
Those were all subjects dominating discussion surrounding the Carlisle Commission in mid-to-late 1778.
Who Was the "Executioner of Philadelphia"?
One particularly interesting phrase appears to read:
"l'exécuteur de Philadelphie..."
("the executioner of Philadelphia")
That could be a sarcastic reference to:
a Revolutionary leader,
a British official,
or even someone associated with the political struggle surrounding the peace negotiations.
If the handwriting could be deciphered more completely, that phrase might reveal an even stronger Carlisle connection.
Blaquiere's Perspective
If the writer is indeed Sir John Blaquiere, this becomes especially interesting. Blaquiere was:
connected to British political circles,
well informed on imperial affairs,
the sort of person who would receive inside reports regarding the Commission's prospects.
The sentence about the new military council benefiting a faction and pleasing "the English commissioners" sounds exactly like the kind of insider political commentary one would expect regarding the Carlisle mission.
Revolutionary War Letter 1778 – Sir John Blaquiere – Philadelphia, Congress, New York, French Alliance
Original Revolutionary War-era autograph letter dated September 9, 1778, docketed on verso "From S. John Blacquin rec'd Oct. 4th 1778."
Written during the period of the Carlisle Peace Commission (1778), with apparent references to the British peace commissioners operating in America.
This is a very interesting Revolutionary War-period letter. Based on the docketing on the reverse ("From St. John Blacquin rec'd Oct. 4th 1778") and the contents, this appears to be a letter written by Sir John Blaquiere (often spelled Blaquiere/Blaquière), the Irish-born diplomat and political agent who was heavily involved in American and British affairs during the Revolutionary era.
Identification
Writer: Likely Sir John Blaquiere (spelled "St. John Blacquin" in the contemporary docketing)
Date: September 9, 1778 ("P.P.S. Sept. 9, 1778")
Recipient: Not fully identified from the surviving pages, but apparently a close friend or political associate.
Historical Context:
Written only months after the French alliance with the United States.
Discusses American politics, Philadelphia, New York, English commissioners, and military affairs.
Contains an extended French-language political commentary.
Reflects contemporary reaction to the changing course of the American Revolution in 1778.
Translation of the French Portion
The French text is partly obscured and difficult, but the meaning is substantially clear:
Translation
"My dear friend, I scarcely know what to write to you. This country produces strange things. I must send you the extract of a letter which I received yesterday from a man of sound judgment and spirit, which is very odd and seems too wild to be invented.
But let us leave that. Here one sees every day strange events and many signs of upheaval.
You know that a new war council has been established; if the general had wished to create an engine, it could not have served the purposes of the party better.
The result, according to my information, is that the English commissioners are very pleased with it.
For an English parliamentarian, and even more for an American congressman, it is too absurd to require explanation.
The executioner of Philadelphia may soon have himself carried to New York.
Your favorite will find himself abandoned.
Nevertheless fortune is on your side; three considerable fleets, loaded with supplies and troops, are entering your ports, and this will sustain commerce, I believe."
The phrase "executioner of Philadelphia" is probably a political nickname or sarcastic reference to a leading Revolutionary figure. It may have been understood by the recipient but is difficult to identify with certainty today.
Historical Significance
This letter has significance because it was written during one of the most critical years of the American Revolution:
What makes it important
Dated 1778
One of the pivotal years of the war.
Follows the American victory at Saratoga and the French alliance.
Contemporary Political Commentary
Discusses:
Congress
Philadelphia
New York
British peace commissioners
Military organization
Foreign aid and fleets
Blaquiere Connection
Sir John Blaquiere was a notable diplomatic and political figure.
Letters from individuals operating near the highest levels of British and Irish politics are actively collected.
Bilingual Revolutionary-War Content
English and French in the same letter.
Reflects the international nature of Revolutionary politics after France entered the war.
Original Docketing
The reverse endorsement identifying the writer and receipt date substantially strengthens authenticity and provenance.
strong possibility that it is referring to the Carlisle Peace Commission, although the reference is indirect rather than explicit.
Several clues point in that direction:
Key Passage
In the French section Blaquiere writes something close to:
"...le résultat, d'après mes informations, donné aux commissaires anglais..."
"...the result, according to my information, has given satisfaction to the English commissioners..."
The phrase "English commissioners" in September 1778 is highly suggestive because the principal British commissioners then active in America were the members of the Carlisle Commission, formally the British Peace Commission sent to negotiate with Congress.
Timing Fits Perfectly
The letter is dated:
September 9, 1778
The Carlisle Commission had arrived in America in June 1778 and throughout the summer was attempting to negotiate a settlement after the French alliance transformed the war.
By September:
The Commission had already failed to persuade Congress.
Philadelphia had been evacuated by the British.
The commissioners were corresponding with Congress and issuing public appeals.
Their efforts were becoming increasingly desperate.
This is exactly the political environment reflected in the letter.
Additional Clues
The letter mentions:
Philadelphia
New York
Congress
English commissioners
political factions
military councils
arrival of fleets
Those were all subjects dominating discussion surrounding the Carlisle Commission in mid-to-late 1778.
Who Was the "Executioner of Philadelphia"?
One particularly interesting phrase appears to read:
"l'exécuteur de Philadelphie..."
("the executioner of Philadelphia")
That could be a sarcastic reference to:
a Revolutionary leader,
a British official,
or even someone associated with the political struggle surrounding the peace negotiations.
If the handwriting could be deciphered more completely, that phrase might reveal an even stronger Carlisle connection.
Blaquiere's Perspective
If the writer is indeed Sir John Blaquiere, this becomes especially interesting. Blaquiere was:
connected to British political circles,
well informed on imperial affairs,
the sort of person who would receive inside reports regarding the Commission's prospects.
The sentence about the new military council benefiting a faction and pleasing "the English commissioners" sounds exactly like the kind of insider political commentary one would expect regarding the Carlisle mission.
