LAU'RENS, HENRY (1724-92). An American patriot of the Revolutionary period, descended from a family of Huguenots who fled to America after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Ile was horn in Charleston. S. C.. engaged in mer cantile pursuits in Charleston and London, and later established at Charleston a prosperous busi ness. He retired, however. in 1771 and traveled for some time in Europe. In the pre-Revolution ary controversies between the American Colonies and the British Government, he early identified himself with the Whigs or Patriots, although he asserted the constitutionality of the Stamp Act, and discountenanced forcible opposition to the exercise of authority under such statutes. He was one of about forty Americans who petitioned Parliament against the passage of the Boston Port Bill, most of the petitioners being South Carolinians. He was president of the Council of Safety of South Carolina, was sent as dele gate to the Continental Congress in 1776, and became its president November 1, 1777. which
office he resigned December 1, 1778. In I 779 he was sent to Holland, charged with the ne gotiation of a commercial treaty, but fell into the hands of the British. and was imprisoned in the Tower for fifteen mouths. He was bailed out by Richard Oswald. Congress appointed him in 1781 one of the peace commissioners, and on No vember 30, 1782, he signed the preliminary treaty in Paris, in company with Adants,Jay, and Frank lin. The collections of the South Carolina His torical Society contain many of his papers, which were collected after his death. His Correspond ence was edited by Frank Moore (New York, 1861) : and a narrative of his capture and con finement was published by the South Carolina Historical Society in 1857.