Physical description: ALS to Delair "Negt. a Charleston, Carolina du Sud," 3 p. 23.5 cm. Integral address. Skilfully repaired at folds.

Item note: "Dear Sir, I had the honor, a few days ago, of receiving your obliging Letter... accompanied with another from Mons: de Grasse, complaining, with great reason, of a paragraph in my printed account of Sto. Domingo, reflecting on his character and conduct..."Edward admits misstatements regarding Auguste de Grasse in his Historical survey of the French colony in the island of St. Domingo, London, 1797, and promises revisions in the new edition.With contemporary translation into French of Edwards' letter, p. 3-4."James Delaire, a draughtsman and mathematician, had been in the employ of William Gerard DeBrahm, his Majesty's Surveyor General, in East Florida, but Delaire had departed the province by 1771" (George C. Rogers, Jr., ed., The Papers of Henry Laurens IX:312, note 6). Laurens' letter to Jacques Delaire dated 25 Feb. 1774 (ibid.) says, in part, "Undoubtedly, Sir, you may do extremely well in South Carolina, with a tolerable Capital of Money, either in planting or Commerce. You were a Stranger in East Florida, not fortunately Connected, and for want of experience, no wonder you Succeeded badly. But even in that Country the Planters have made pretty good Crops the last Year and perhaps a Second pursuit may be attended by a more favorable event to you. ...Laurens writes with an order to "Delaire and Richmond, a Rochelle firm composed in part of [Laurens'] acquaintance Jacques DeLaire" (ibid., XI:303 note) in 1777. James Delaire and Co., merchants, trading at Nichols's wharf in Charleston, 1801-1802

James Delair was listed as still living in Charleston in 1806.

Original digital object name: bei-m409

This digital resource is provided by the Special Collections department, Hamilton College, Clinton, New York, United States.