The  jealous,  querulous  Arthur  Lee,  who  be-
came associated  with  him  and  Franklin,  soon
made  trouble. He  wrote  letters  to  his  brother
in  Congress  (Bichard  Henry  Lee),  in  which  he
made  many  insinuatiouH  against  the  probity  of
both  his  colleagnes. Ealpli  Izard,  commission-
er to  the  Tu.scau  court,  offended  because  he  was
not  consulted  about  the  treaty  with  France,  had
written  home  similar  lettere ;  and  William  Car-
michael,  a  secretary  of  the  commissioners,  who
bad  returned  to  America,  insiuuat«d  in  Con-
gress that  Deane  bad  appropriated  the  public
money  to  his  own  use. Deane  was  recalled,
and  out  of  this  affair  sprang  two  vi<dent  par-
ties, Robert  Morris  and  other  members  of  Con-
gress who  were  commercial  experts  taking  the
side  of  Deane,  and  Richard  Henry  Lee,  then
chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Afl'airs,
being  against  him. Deane  published  in  the
Philadelphia  Gazette  an  "Addi-ess  to  the  People
of  the  United  States,"  in  which  he  referred  to
the  brothers  Lee  with  much  severity,  and  claim-
ing for  himself  the  credit  of  obtaining  supplies
from  France  through  Beaumarcbais. Thomas
Paine,  then  secretary  of  the  Committee  on  For-
eign Afiairs,  replied  to  Deane  (Jan. 2,  1779),
availing  himself  of  public  documents  in  his
charge. In  that  reply  be  declared  that  the  ar-
rangement had  been  made  by  Arthur  Lee,  in
London,  and  revealed  the  secret  that  the  sup-
plies, though  nominally  furnished  by  a  com-
mercial house  (see  Beanmarchais'),  really  came
from  the  French  government. This  statement
called  out  loud  complaints  from  the  French
minister  (Gerard),  for  it  exposed  the  duidicity
of  his  government,  and  to  soothe  the  feelings  of
their  allies,  Congress,  by  resolntion,  expressly
denied  that  any  gratuity  bad  been  received
from  the  French  court  previous  to  the  treaty  of ,
alliance. This  resolution  gave  Beaumarchais
a  valid  claim  upon  Congress  for  payment  for
supplies  which  he,  under  the  firm  name  of  Hor-
tales  &  Co.,  had  sent  to  America. (See  Beau-
marchais.) Paiue's  indiscretion  cost  him  bis
place. He  was  compelled  to  re.sign  bis  secre-
taryship. The  discussion  among  diplomatic
agents  soon  led  to  the  recall  of  all  of  them  ex-
cepting Dr. Franklin,  who  remained  sole  minis-
ter at  the  French  court. 