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The Committee continued to coordinate communication between Congress and diplomats in Europe and sent more representatives to other European courts to encourage their assistance to the American cause. However, by 1780, an overworked Congress had many more duties, and members of the Committee for Foreign Affairs had begun to neglect their duties. Committee member James Lovell wrote to Arthur Lee and John Jay suggesting that Congress establish a Department of Foreign Affairs to handle the day-to-day business of foreign diplomacy. Congressman James Duane also agreed. The committee members brought the suggestion before Congress, and Congress ultimately decided to create a committee for the establishment of executive departments. Congress finally agreed to establish departments on February 6, 1781, but it was not until August 10 that the new Confederation Congress elected Robert Livingston as Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
* Republished from [https://history.state.gov/| Office of the Historian, United States Department of State] and [https://www.cia.gov/news-information| CIA News and & Information]* Article: [https://history.state.gov/milestones/1776-1783/secret-committee| Secret Committee of Correspondence/ Committee for Foreign Affairs, 1775–1777] and [https://www.cia.gov/news-information/featured-story-archive/2011-featured-story-archive/intelligence-and-the-committee-of-secret-correspondence.html| A Look Back ... Intelligence and the Committee of Secret Correspondence] * Article: [https://history.state.gov/milestones/1776-1783/secret-committee| Secret Committee of Correspondence/ Committee for Foreign Affairs, 1775–1777]
[[Category:US State Department]] [[Category:Wikis]][[Category:United States History]] [[Category:Colonial American History]] [[Category:18th Century History]] [[Category:Political History]]
