Titus Ogden to the American Commissioners, [after] [6] July 1778
Titus Ogden to the American Commissioners6
ALS: American Philosophical Society
<Lorient, [after] July [6],7 1778: On arrival at the beginning of April I consigned my ship and cargo to Mr. Moylan, who showed me his authorization as your agent, and I conceived the highest opinion of his abilities. When the Boston and her prizes appeared, I was astonished to have a foreigner, Mr. Puchelberg, who speaks no English and is little known here, claim to be agent by Mr. Schweighauser’s appointment. He offered to make purchases for me; I enclose his bill to show that he knows how to charge. I should be glad for my country’s sake if trust were put in a man of Mr. Moylan’s character; we Americans are better served by a compatriot than by one who understands neither our language nor our ways.8>
6. Published in Taylor, Adams Papers, VI, 336–7. Ogden identifies himself as a New Bern, N.C., merchant and master of the Harmony Hall, which brought a cargo of tobacco.
7. When the Boston’s prizes, which he mentions, arrived in Lorient. He went to Paris and was back by Aug. 1; see Moylan to the commissioners of that date. He must therefore have been writing not long after the 6th.
8. See the note on Moylan’s letter to the commissioners, July 8.