out, they may be made to bear a different Construction from what was
intended, and answer the Purpose of interrested & designing Men. When
the Recommendations of Congress in Pursuance of the 5th Article of the
Treaty were receivd here, they were treated with great Decency & very
seriously considerd. They were construed differently by Men of Sense,
who were above the Influence of old Prejudices or of Party or Family
Connections. This Difference, I supposed, was owing to certain
Ambiguities in the Treaty, which I afterwards found had been
acknowledgd in a joynt Letter to Congress of the 18th July, in which it
appeard that our Negociators had studiously avoided any Expressions in
the Articles of the Treaty which shd amount to absolute Stipulations in
Favor of the Tories. From the first Sight I had of the Articles, I have
been of opinion that no such Construction could fairly be put upon
them, but that it would finally lie with the several Legislatures of
the States, how far it would be proper to show Lenity to them, and I
was happy in being confirmd in this Opinion by an Expression in your
joynt Letter to Congress Septr 10th--"it is much to be wishd that the
Legislators may not involve all the Tories in Banishment and Ruin, but
that such Discrimination may be made as to intitle the Decisions to the
Approbation of disinterested Men and dispassionate Posterity." In this
View I early inculcated Moderation and Liberality towards them, as far
as could be consistent with that leading Principle of Nature which
ought to govern Nations as it does Individuals, Self Preservation. I
cannot think that all can be admitted consistently with the Safety of
the Commonwealth. I gave you my Reasons in my Letter of Nov. 4th. Nor
can I believe you intended to be understood universally in your private
Letter above referrd to. Some of them would be useful & good Citizens;
others, I believe highly dangerous. Our Act passed in the late Session
of the General Court declares them all Aliens, and excludes those of
them who in a former Act were called Conspirators from residing among