Note 27 — Chapter XIII

In the year 1780, Mr. Henry Laurens, formerly President of Congress, was sent as ambassador to Holland. The ship was captured off Newfoundland, after a chase of five hours. The unfortunate man was thrown into the Tower, where he was imprisoned fifteen months, “where” he wrote to Mr. Burke, “I suffered under a degree of rigor, almost if not altogether unexampled in modern British history.”