those who participate in the public government, and really take to
heart the true interests of their country, a redoubled zeal to set
immediately at work, and in proportion to the danger, all the means of
defence imaginable, and to employ them to protect, in the most
effectual manner, their country, her commerce and possessions, and to
annoy the enemy; the venerable Regency, seeing on the contrary, that
the indolence, the inactivity, and even the continual indifference,
are only increasing more and more, and that public affairs are
administered in a manner, which cannot be reconciled with the danger
to which the Republic is exposed, judge, in consequence, that the
Lords, the States of this Province, will not be able longer to see,
without speaking out, a situation so perilous; but that they ought to
examine seriously the true causes and reasons of all this, to the end,
that when we have obtained the explanations which we have a right to
require, we may take, with the most serious zeal, the resolutions
proper to maintain the excellent prerogatives, which we yet possess,
and to guard against such misfortunes.
"That the venerable Regency, having learnt with a great deal of
satisfaction that similar observations have been made by other members
of the body politic, hope that the deliberations concerning an object
of this importance will be no longer delayed; but they trust that the
affair, for which the advice of the gentlemen of Middleburg carried on
the 15th of May to the Assembly of the States has been sent back, will
be discussed as soon as possible, and without delay. The venerable
Regency declaring, that they shall be always disposed to co-operate in
taking every measure proper to obtain an end so salutary."
Thus we see, that two cities of Zealand, Middleburg and Zieriksee, are
co-operating with Amsterdam, Haerlem, Dort, Delft, &c. in order to
arouse the Republic to action; how many months or years may roll away
before they succeed, it is impossible for me to say, because it will
depend upon events of war, reports of peace, and the councils of other
sovereigns in Europe, as yet inscrutable, but it will depend upon
nothing more than the fate of Clinton and Cornwallis in America.
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Amsterdam, June 26th, 1781.
Sir,
The Emperor appears to be more intent at present upon taking a fair
advantage of the present circumstances, to introduce a flourishing
commerce into the Austrian Flanders, than upon making treaties with
England, or waging war in its favor. His Imperial, Royal, and
Apostolical Majesty, has condescended to take off and break the
shackles, which restrained the commerce and the communication of the
port of Nieuport, in the interior of the country, and to discharge by
his gracious decree, the commerce from the charges and impositions
which were raised on the lands bordering upon the said port, under the
denomination of Vate, Geld, Hast-Geld, Myle-Geld, &c. The
frequentation of the port of Nieuport presents all the facilities
which the merchants can require. Thus the city of Nieuport enjoys the
most extensive privileges, both for storage and transportation to
foreigners.
We find there good magazines, merchants, factors, and commissioners,
who will all serve punctually. The communications, both to the
interior parts of the country and to foreigners, are free and easy,
both by land, by means of the new causeway of Nieuport, which
communicates with all the roads, and by water by means of the direct
canals of Nieuport, to Bruges, to Ostend, to Ypres, to Dixmuide, to
Furnes, and to Dunkirk, and from thence further on. One passes by the
canal from Nieuport to Bruges, nearly in the same space of time, that
we pass by the canal from Ostend to Bruges. All these canals have
daily barks ready, easy and convenient for travellers, merchandises,
and effects. The fishery of the sea, both of fresh fish, and of all
sorts of herring and cod, is at Nieuport, in the most flourishing
state, and enjoys there every privilege and exemption. The distillery
of gin in the Dutch way, established at Nieuport, makes excellent gin,
the transportation and expedition of which enjoys the greatest
facilities. And the government of his Imperial Majesty, in the Low
Countries, does not cease to grant all the privileges and facilities,
which can tend to the well-being of the inhabitants, and of the
commerce of the city and port of Nieuport. I should rejoice at these
measures, for the benefit which American commerce would receive from
them, provided the Emperor could oblige Americans to take their goods
from Germany and not from England; but immense quantities of British
manufactures will go to America from Nieuport, Ostend, and Bruges.
This is a subject, which deserves the serious consideration of every
American. British manufactures are going in vast quantities to
America, from Holland, the Austrian Flanders, France, and Sweden, as
well as by the way of New York and Charleston, &c. Whether it is
possible to check it, much less to put a stop to it, I know not; and
whether it would be good policy to put an end to it, if that were
practicable, is made a question by many. If the Germans, the Dutch,
the French, and Spaniards, or any other nations, would learn a little
commercial policy, and give a credit to Americans, as the British
merchants do, and encourage in their own countries manufactures,
adapted to the wants and tastes of our countrymen, it is certain that
in such a case, it would be our interest and duty to put an end to the
trade in British goods, because nothing would weaken and distress the
enemy so much, and therefore nothing would contribute more to bring
the war to a conclusion. At present manufactures flourish in England,
and the duties paid at the custom houses have been increasing these
two or three years, merely owing to their recovering more and more of
the American trade by neutral bottoms, and by other clandestine
channels.
Any American merchant by going over to London, obtains a credit. The
language of the London merchants to the American merchants is, "Let us
understand one another, and let the governments squabble." But
Americans ought to consider, if we can carry on the war forever, our
allies cannot, and without their assistance we should find it very
difficult to do it.
I wish the taste for British manufactures may not cost us more blood,
than the difference between them and others is worth.
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Amsterdam, June 26th, 1781.
Sir,
The rubicon is passed. A step has been at last taken by the Regency of
Amsterdam, which must decide the fate of the Republic. The city of
Amsterdam, finding that their proposition of the 18th of last month
was not sufficient to change the conduct of administration, have
ventured on another manoeuvre. On the 8th of this month, as soon as
the States of Holland were separated, two Burgomasters of Amsterdam,
M. Tenminck and M. Rendorp, accompanied with M. Vesser, the Pensionary
of the city, demanded an audience of the Prince Stadtholder, who
granted it, at his house in the grove. In this audience, they made to
the Prince, by word of mouth, a representation, which they repeated in
a memorial sent on the 14th, to the Counsellor Pensionary of the
Province, the substance of which is as follows. The gentlemen of
Amsterdam, said,
"That their proposition of the 18th of May last, founded perhaps upon
former examples, did not result from any suspicions with regard to the
good dispositions and intentions of his Most Serene Highness, which
they had no reason to distrust, although the Regency of the city of
Amsterdam had learned with the most profound grief, that evil minded
persons had endeavored to insinuate the contrary to his Most Serene
Highness; but that their distrust fell solely upon him, whose
influence over the mind of his Most Serene Highness was held for the
most immediate cause, of the sloth and weakness in the administration
of affairs, which as they could not but be extremely prejudicial to
the well-being of the public, they had a long time expected, but in
vain, that the dangerous circumstances in which the Republic found
itself involved, would have, in the end, given rise to serious
deliberations upon the means, which we ought to employ in their order
and with more vigor; but that these hopes had hitherto been fruitless,
and, that as the question now in agitation was concerning the safety
of their dear country, of her dear bought liberty, of that of his Most
Serene Highness and his house, in one word, of everything which is
dear to the inhabitants of the Republic, the Regency of Amsterdam had
judged, that they ought not any longer to render themselves guilty by
their silence, of a neglect of their duty.
"That, although with regret, they see themselves obliged to take this
step, and to represent to his Highness with all due respect, but at
the same time with all that frankness and freedom, which the
importance of the affair requires, and to declare to him openly, that,
according to the general opinion, the Field Marechal, the Duke Louis
of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel, is held for the primary cause of the
miserable and defective state in which this country finds itself, in
regard to its defence, of all the negligence of duty, which has taken
place with respect to this subject, and of all the perverse measures,
which have been taken for a long time, with all the fatal consequences
which have proceeded from them; and that they could assure his
Highness, that the hatred and aversion of the nation for the person
and administration of the Duke, were risen to such a height, that
there was reason to apprehend from them, events the most melancholy,
and the most disagreeable for the public prosperity and the general
tranquillity.
"That there was no doubt that the same assertion had been made to his
Highness from other quarters; but that in case this had not been, it
ought to be attributed solely to the fear of the effects of the
resentment of the Duke, while, at the same time, they dared to appeal
in this respect, with the firmest confidence, to the testimony of all
the members of government, gentlemen of honor and frankness, that his
Serene Highness would interrogate upon this subject, after having
assured them of the necessary liberty of speaking without reserve, and
after having exhorted them to tell him the truth, according to their
duty and their conscience.
"That the Regents of Amsterdam, had learned more than once with grief,
that the Counsellor Pensionary of the Province had complained, in
presence of divers members of the Regency of Holland, of the
misunderstanding which took place between him, the Counsellor
Pensionary, and the Duke, as also of the influence which the Duke has
upon the spirit of his Highness, and by which his efforts for the good
of the country had often been rendered fruitless.
"That this discord, and this difference of views and sentiments between
the principal Counsellor of his Serene Highness and the first Minister
of this Province, might not only have consequences the most
prejudicial, but that it furnished also a motive sufficient to make
the strongest instances, to the end, to remove the source of this
distrust and discord, while that, without the previous re-establishment
of confidence and unanimity, there remained no longer any means of
saving the Republic.
"That nothing was more necessary for the well-being of the illustrious
House of his Highness, to maintain his authority, to preserve to him
the esteem and the attachment of the nation, and for his own
reputation with the neighboring powers, since they could assure, and
they ought to advertise his Highness, that it is possible he may
become one day the object of the indifference and distrust of the
public, instead of being and continuing always the worthy object of
the love and esteem of the people; and the Regencies, as they made the
sincerest wishes, that his Highness and his illustrious posterity
might constantly enjoy them, considering, that thereon depended in a
great measure, the conservation of the well-being of their country,
and of the House of Orange.
"That although they know very well, that the members of the
sovereignty have always a right, and that their duty requires them
even to expose their sentiments to his Highness and their co-regents,
concerning the state and administration of public affairs, they
should, however, have now voluntarily spared the present measure, if
there had been only the smallest hope of amendment or alteration, but
that from the aforesaid reasons, they dared not longer flatter
themselves, and that the necessity having arisen to the highest point,
it appeared that there was no other part to take, but to lay open in
this manner to his Highness the real situation of affairs, praying him
most earnestly to take it into serious consideration, and no longer
listen to the counsels and insinuations of a man, upon whom the hatred
of the great and the little was accumulated, and whom they regard as a
stranger, not having a sufficient knowledge of our form of government,
and not having a sincere affection for the Republic.
"That the Regents of Amsterdam were very far from desiring to accuse
this nobleman of that of which, however, he was too publicly charged;
or to consider as well founded, the suspicions of an excessive
attachment to the Court of London, of bad faith and of corruption,
that they assure themselves, that a person of so illustrious a birth
and so high rank, is incapable of such baseness; but that they judge,
that the unfortunate ideas, which have been unhappily conceived with
regard to him, and which have caused a general distrust, have rendered
him absolutely useless and hurtful to the service of the country, and
of his Highness.
"That thus it was convenient to dismiss him from the direction of
affairs, from the person and Court of his Highness, as being a
perpetual obstacle to the re-establishment of that good harmony, so
highly necessary between his Highness and the principal members of the
State, while his continuance would but too much occasion the distrust
conceived of his counsels, to fall, whether with or without reason,
upon the person, and the administration of his Highness himself.
"That these representations did not proceed from a principle of
personal hatred or private rancor against the Duke, who, in former
times, has had reason to value himself on the benevolence and real
proofs of the affection of the Regency of Amsterdam; but that they
ought to protest before God and the world, that the conservation of
their country, and of the illustrious House of his Highness, and the
desire to prevent their approaching ruin, had been the only motives of
these representations.
"That they had seen themselves obliged to them, both in quality of
citizens of the country, and as an integral member of its sovereign
Assembly, to the end to make by this step one last effort, and to
furnish yet, perhaps in time, a means of saving, under the blessing of
the Almighty, the vessel of the State from the most imminent dangers,
and conduct it to a good port, or at least, in every case, to acquit
themselves of their duty, and to satisfy their consciences, and to
place themselves in safety from all reproach from the present age, and
from posterity."
To this representation, the Duke has made an answer to their High
Mightinesses, in which he demands an inquiry and a vindication of his
honor, as dearer to him than his life. This answer will be transmitted
as soon as possible. The transaction will form a crisis, but what will
be the result of this, or any other measure taken in this country, I
cannot pretend to foretel.
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Amsterdam, June 27th, 1781.
Sir,
Major Jackson has been some time here, in pursuance of instructions
from Colonel Laurens, in order to despatch the purchase of the goods,
and the shipping of the goods and cash, for the United States, which
are to go by the South Carolina.
But when all things appeared to be ready, I received a letter from his
Excellency Dr Franklin, informing me that he feared his funds would
not admit of his accepting bills for more than fifteen thousand pounds
sterling, the accounts of the Indian and the goods amounted to more
than fifty thousand pounds, which showed that there had not been an
understanding sufficiently precise and explicit between the Doctor,
and the Colonel. There was, however, no remedy but a journey to Passy,
which Major Jackson undertook, despatched the whole business, and
returned to Amsterdam in seven days, so that I hope now there will be
no more delays.
Major Jackson has conducted, through the whole of his residence here,
as far as I have been able to observe, with great activity and
accuracy in business, and an exemplary zeal for the public service.
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Amsterdam, June 29th, 1781.
Sir,
On the 21st of this month, the Field Marechal, Duke Louis, of
Brunswick, presented to the States-General the following paper.
"High and Mighty Lords,
"It is not without the greatest reluctance, that I see myself forced
to interrupt the important deliberations of your High Mightinesses,
and to have recourse to you in an affair, which indeed regards me
personally, but the simple explanation of which, I assure myself, will
prove, that if I should neglect this step, I should be essentially
wanting to the dignity of character, with which your High Mightinesses
have clothed me.
"After having passed in 1750 into the service of the State, it pleased
your High Mightinesses, by your resolution of the 13th of November of
the same year, to create me Field Marechal of your troops. When,
afterwards, the arrangements for the tuition of the Stadtholder in his
minority were resolved on, by express resolutions of all the High
Confederates, and it was resolved, that his Highness should be
represented in the administration of his military employments, your
High Mightinesses then condescended, by honoring me with their
distinguished confidence, to confer upon me, by your resolution of the
13th of January, 1759, the title of the representative of the Prince
Stadtholder, as Captain-General during the time of his minority.
"I shall say nothing of the resolutions, which your High Mightinesses
and the respective Provinces took on the 8th of March, 1766, the day
of the majority of the Prince, and in the sequel, under different
dates, relative to the manner in which I had answered to the
confidence, which you had condescended to put in me. These resolutions
are too flattering to be recited here; they are, however, sure
pledges, that at that time, at least, I had the good fortune to see my
conduct and my services rendered to the State, approved by the high
government. In fine, your High Mightinesses continued to honor me with
your confidence, even after the time of the minority of the
Stadtholder. You took on the same 8th of March, 1766, the resolution
to cause to be solicited by your Envoy Extraordinary at the Court of
Vienna, the consent of her Imperial and Royal Majesty, in whose
service I was also engaged as Field Marechal, to continue me still in
the same quality in the service of your High Mightinesses. The
pleasure of her Majesty being obtained, I did not refuse this honor,
but continued vested with the character of Field Marechal of the
troops of the State, in the service of your High Mightinesses.
"Having thus filled for more than thirty years, under the eyes of
their High Mightinesses, and in a manner which is sufficiently known
to you, the employments which you had confided to me, could I have
expected that they would one day render my person the object of the
public hatred to such a degree, that I could be exposed to the step
which they have taken upon my subject; a step the most dishonorable to
the character, with which your High Mightinesses have condescended to
invest me, and which puts me in the absolute necessity of addressing
myself this day to you.
"In effect, High and Mighty Lords, after having seen myself in
public, the object of accusations and calumnies the most atrocious,
(but which I have always despised as such, and of which I shall never
take notice, while no one presents himself to support them) after that
they had excited against me a general cry, as if my person could be no
longer endured, it was necessary for me still further to suffer, that
the gentlemen, the Deputies of the city of Amsterdam, and namely the
two reigning Burgomasters, Messieurs Temminck and Rendorp, accompanied
with the Pensionary Vischer, should have addressed themselves to my
Lord, the Prince of Orange, and in presence of the Counsellor
Pensionary of Holland, should have read to him a certain memorial, in
the name and by the order of their constituents, who are therein
throughout introduced as speaking in the name of the Regency of
Amsterdam, and in which I receive an affront the most sensible for an
upright heart. It is true, that the Deputies whom I have just named,
took back with them this memorial; but, since, changing their plan,
they have thought fit to transmit it, on the 14th of the month, by the
Burgomaster Rendorp, not indeed in the name of the Regency of
Amsterdam, but in that of the gentlemen the Burgomasters to the
Counsellor Pensionary, praying him to transmit it to the Prince, to
whom they left the liberty to make such use of it as should seem to
him convenient.
"Informed in this way, and by the communication which his Highness
made to me of it, of the contents of this memorial, I there found so
long a concatenation of expressions and reasonings, each more
insulting than the other, against my person, which I should be afraid
to abuse the attention of your High Mightinesses by inserting them
here; lest, however, I should represent them out of their order, and
the chain which connects them together, your High Mightinesses will
pardon me, I hope, if I transcribe from the memorial, the periods
which relate to me, and by which I am attacked.
"After having made several reflections, which in nowise concern me,
and which I ought, consequently, to leave to be answered by those who
are attacked by them, but which tend to justify the proposition, which
the gentlemen, the Deputies of the city of Amsterdam, made the 18th of
May last, in the Assembly of the States of Holland in particular, to
join to his Highness a privy council or committee, the gentlemen, the
Burgomasters, continue to address themselves to the Prince literally
in these terms."
[Here follows the substance of the representations of the
Burgomasters, contained in my letter to Congress, of the 26th of June,
1781.]
"In those pieces, which I have just now literally related, your High
Mightinesses will perceive, and probably not without indignation, that
after a train of reflections, each more injurious than the other, in
which there is no accusation against me as Field Marechal, and which,
moreover, are only grounded upon pretended public sentiments and
reports artfully circulated, that nevertheless the gentlemen, the
Burgomasters, have judged it necessary to insist that his Highness
would remove me from his person and Court, in a manner the most
disgraceful, and condemn me without further examination, as a criminal
attainted and convicted to dishonorable exile.
"I cannot then but consider a proceeding, accompanied with so many
odious and humiliating expressions, which is not made by simple
individuals, but a deputation of two reigning Burgomasters, with the
Pensionary of one of the most considerable cities of Holland, in the
name and by the order of the Regency of that city, (according to the
terms of the memorial, although according to the letter whereof I have
spoken of the Burgomaster Rendorp, it was only in the name of the
gentlemen, the Burgomasters of that city) and that in a formal manner,
after mature deliberation, and after having confirmed this action in
the most injurious manner, by taking back the memorial, and causing it
to be sent to his Highness, I cannot, I say, but consider this
proceeding as wounding, in the most violent manner, my character and
my person; and in this same writing, where they dare not specify any
crime to my charge, and where they are obliged to acknowledge the
falsity of the reports which have circulated against me, and of the
suspicions of an excessive and illicit attachment to the English
Court, of bad faith and of corruption, they appear, notwithstanding,
to give credit to these calumnies, and to be willing to cast upon me
the blame of the evils of the times, to the end, to exculpate those
who are the true causes of it. I should think myself unworthy of
bearing any longer the character that your High Mightinesses have
confided to me, if I testified upon this article an indifference or an
insensibility.