if they were not restrained by the tyranny of those who have got the
powers of government. These are the Assemblies, Senates, Governors,
and Congress. Now what power have any of these, but what the people
please to allow them? By what engine is this tyranny exercised? Is it
by the militia? In order to judge of this, let us consider the
constitution of the militia. The militia, is in fact the whole people,
for by the laws of every State, every man from sixteen to sixty years
of age, belongs to the militia, is obliged to be armed, to train and
march upon occasion, or find a substitute. The officers are chosen by
the men, except the General officers, who are appointed by the
Assemblies. It is this very militia which forms the body of voters,
who annually choose the members of the Assembly, and the senators, and
governors. Is it possible these men should tyrannise over men upon
whom they are so entirely dependent? As well might it be reproached to
his Lordship and his colleagues in administration, that they
tyrannised over their royal master, who can displace them at his
pleasure. The Assemblies thus annually chosen by the people, or
militia, annually choose the delegates in Congress, and have power to
recall them at pleasure. Will the militia then obey either Assemblies
or Congress in the execution of tyrannical orders, or any orders that
are not generally agreeable to them? The thing speaks for itself. Is
it the Continental army then, that is the instrument of their own
servitude and that of their country? Every officer holds his
commission at the pleasure of Congress. But his Lordship and his
colleagues often represent the Continental army as so small and
feeble, as to be unable to make head against the British troops, and
it is true that they are constantly employed in that service, and it
is true that they are nothing in comparison with the militia. What
would become of them then, if the militia or any considerable number
of them were to join the British troops?
There has never been any part of the Continental army in more than
three or four of the thirteen States at a time, watching the motions
of the British army and confining them to the protection of their
men-of-war. What has there been then in the remaining nine or ten
States for an instrument of tyranny? This is too ridiculous to need
many words.
His Lordship concludes, with a distinction, if possible, less grounded
than his assertions. He says, that Congress will never treat, but that
the people and the Assemblies will. Where does his Lordship find the
ground of his difference between the Congress and the Assemblies? Are
not the members of Congress made of the same clay? Are they not
themselves members of the Assemblies? Are they not the creatures of
the Assemblies? Are they not annually created? Are they not dependent
every moment upon the Assemblies for their existence? Have not the
Assemblies a right to recall them when they please, and appoint others
by law and the constitution? Have not the Assemblies a right to
instruct them how to act? If they do not obey these instructions,
cannot the Assemblies displace them and appoint others who will be
more obedient? If the Assemblies desired a reconciliation with
England, would not they appoint a Congress who desired it too? If the
people desired it, could not they appoint Assemblies who would soon
make a Congress suitable for their purpose? But I have been too long;
his Lordship betrays such misinformation of facts, such an inattention
to those obvious marks of the feelings of a people, as are infallible
indications of their designs, and such a want of knowledge of the laws
and constitution of the United States, as excite astonishment in an
impartial examiner, and a real commiseration for the unhappy nation,
who are devoted to destruction from his errors and delusions.[4]
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
[4] _Barriers between Great Britain and the United States of America
to a Reconciliation, Alliance, or even Peace._
1. The malice, revenge, pride, obstinacy, and absurdity of the King
and royal family.
2. The guilt and danger of the Ministry, danger to their lives and
present safety, as well as of ruin to their fortunes, characters, and
reputations.
3. The ambition and avarice of the Ministry, whose chiefs have the
same hunger for the loaves and fishes as the Ministers; as little
attention to, and affection for the public as they; and, therefore,
dare not displease the King, and so give up their hopes of his favor,
by adopting any principles, or espousing any system, that could lead
to reconciliation, or to peace.
4. The general prevalence of profligacy.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Paris, June 4th, 1780.
Sir,
We learn from the Hague, the 30th of May, that their Noble and Grand
Mightinesses have resolved since the offer of the Commerce, to take
for the equipment of the vessels of war put into commission a certain
portion of the crews of merchant ships.
As I wish to inform Congress at some time or other of all the
conspicuous characters in Europe, who have penetrated enough of the
system of events, that compose the present great epoch, and have had
sufficient firmness to resist the unnatural efforts and solicitations,
which Great Britain has made to disturb it, I think it is proper to
take notice, that the Count de Panin, who has been very ill of a
chronical disorder, was on the 2d of May much better, and made his
appearance at the Court of St Petersburg. This Minister, I fancy, will
have great merit with posterity, for the part he has acted for several
years in the politics of Europe.
Extract of a letter from Cadiz, 2d of May. "The convoy under the
escort of Messrs de Thomasco and de Solano, continued in sight all
day, the 28th of April; the 29th it went off with a fair wind, which
continues to this time. We expect the division of Toulon in fifteen
days. Then Don Gaston will go out with a squadron of twelve ships, and
all the French vessels, which may be collected in Cadiz. If the
thirteen vessels, which are ready at Ferrol, join this commander, his
fleet will be very respectable, and will not fear that the enemy
should oppose his junction with that of Brest."
_Toulon, 10th of May._ "The order, which the King's ships, the Zélé
and the Marseillois, of seventyfour guns, have received unexpectedly
to sail, gives place to several conjectures. The most probable is,
that they are to join the division of French vessels, which are in the
bay of Cadiz; and that after they shall be united, they will go in
concert with a Spanish squadron to Brest, to form a part of the fleet
destined to cruise in the English Channel. There have been taken up in
our port, several merchant vessels on account of the King, to the end
to go and carry to Cadiz the provisions of the French division,
commanded by the Chevalier Beausset. It is confirmed, that the
Experiment, commanded by M. de Martelly Chautard, is arrived at
Marseilles, to escort from thence in concert with the frigate the
Graciente, and the cutter the Naiade, a considerable convoy of
vessels, bound for the islands in America."
_Brest, 15th of May._ "The convoy, which was coming here from
Bordeaux, to form the second division of the expedition under the
command of Messrs de Ternay and de Rochambeau, escaped the gale of
wind by taking shelter in L'Orient. The Magnanime, which was coming
here from Rochfort, having lost an anchor, was obliged to return
thither."
_Paris, 25th of May._ "Letters from Cadiz, dated the 5th of this
month, announce the departure of the French squadron, which was in the
Road, under the command of M. de Beausset. It was furnished with
provisions for six months, and before it put to sea it took in more,
for six weeks; it was to have sailed the 6th. We are absolutely
ignorant of the object of his expedition. M. Beausset has despatches,
which he is not to open until he arrives at a certain latitude. This
squadron, composed of five ships of the line, and loaded with
provisions for seven and a half months, is it bound to the Indies? We
do not believe that it is. But to combine with M. de Ternay at a
certain latitude? Some persons presume so. Others maintain, that this
squadron is to make part of the fleet of observation in the Channel,
and that the circumstance of seven and a half months' provision is a
falsity, which ought not to be believed."
They write from Rochfort, that the Invincible, a new ship, of one
hundred and four guns, is actually in the Road. The command of this
vessel has been given to M. de la Cary. The following article shows,
that some foreign merchants are enterprising a trade towards America.
_Ostend, 23d of May._ "The ship, the City of Brussels, Captain Peter
Voughen, of five hundred tons, belonging to merchants of Brussels, who
had loaded her for St Eustatia, has had the misfortune to strike, the
20th of this month, in going out of the basin. In spite of the
alacrity with which they labor to get her afloat, and repair the
damage she has sustained on the occasion, we think she cannot again be
put in a condition to proceed to her destination."
_Leyden, 30th of May, 1780._ "The convoy of troops, which has arrived
so apropos, at Barbadoes, and from thence to St Lucia, at the very
instant that the Count de Guichen conducted to the Antilles a
considerable reinforcement for the French troops, is that which sailed
from Portsmouth the 27th, and from Plymouth the 30th of January,
under convoy of the Intrepid, of sixtyfour guns, with some frigates,
and which was dispersed upon the coast of Ireland. An officer of the
sixtyeighth regiment, (one of the four regiments embarked upon this
convoy,) writes from Antigua, the 19th of March. 'We have been arrived
here two days; we sailed from Plymouth the 30th of January, in concert
with the eightyseventh, ninetieth, and ninetyfirst regiments, under
convoy of the Intrepid, of sixtyfour guns. The next day we were
separated from the convoy by a great storm, which lasted six days, and
we saw nothing more of any vessel. Having no orders concerning our
destination, as we were not to receive them till we had doubled Cape
Lizard, we were in great pain concerning the part we should take.
Commanding eighty soldiers on board this vessel, it fell to me to
direct their route. I ordered the master to conduct us to the first of
our West India Islands, which we could gain, and in consequence we
arrived here safe and sound. God knows what is become of the rest of
the convoy; I hope that it will join us soon.'"
The following article I add, from the Mercury of France, of the 3d of
June. I cannot answer for the truth of it, nor do I know that it is
false.
"They write from London the 11th of May, that a courier despatched
from the Hague, by Sir Joseph Yorke, had arrived with the following
news. In consequence of the permission granted by the States-General
for the passage of the recruits from Brunswick, Hesse, Hanau, &c. in
the pay of Great Britain, through the territory of the Republic, and
for their embarkation in one of their ports, one ship of war and
transports have sailed from England, to take on board these recruits
destined for the army in Canada. But scarcely were the troops and
their baggage embarked, when there arrived an order of the
States-General to stop their departure. They attribute this conduct of
the States-General to the formal demand, which they have made upon
Great Britain, of the restitution of the Dutch vessels taken by
Commodore Fielding. In consequence, the transports and recruits would
remain in Holland, until entire satisfaction should be given to the
States-General upon this object."
_Brussels, 30th of May._ "The arrival of extraordinary couriers
continually from Versailles and Madrid to Lisbon, gives rise to
conjectures, that the good intelligence, which reigns between this
Court and that of London, may very well change in part, and that at
least his Most Faithful Majesty is not far from adopting the system of
Holland and the Northern powers, the effect of which must be the
maintenance of the liberty of the navigation and of the commerce of
their respective subjects, against the continual depredations of
privateers."
_Paris, 30th of May._ "We learn by letters from Ferrol, that the
Intendant of the Marine in that port had received orders to send out
without delay, eight ships of the line and four frigates, and to
deliver them packets, which are sent him, not to be opened but in a
certain latitude. They write from Brest, that they continue to work at
the armament of the vessels intended for the fleet; there are several
of them already in the Road. The Actif of seventyfour guns came in on
the 17th. They expected in that port the fleet from Bordeaux, loaded
with stores, provisions, and wine. Their arrival is necessary to equip
completely the squadron destined to transport a second division of
troops of four or five thousand men. The convoy, which sailed from St
Malo on Good Friday, was still at Cherbourg. It is so much the more
valuable, as it consists partly of cast cannons, and other pieces of
artillery, brought in wagons from the arsenals, for the descent which
was to have been made last year. The English who know its value, do
not lose sight of it, as they say. And it is said, if they were not
restrained by a calculation of the expense, they would bombard
Cherbourg, if they could not come at the vessels in port to burn them.
It is believed that a few ships of the line may soon go out of Brest,
to give chase to the English and scatter them from Cherbourg.
_London, 20th of May._ "The despatches, which the Court has received
from its Ministers in the Northern Courts, confirm the plan of
confederation of the powers of this part of Europe to protect the
commerce of their subjects against the attacks of the belligerent
powers, and we cannot dissemble that more moderation on our part would
have hindered this event, which is about to strike the last blow to
our maritime supremacy, and snatch from us forever the empire of the
seas, which are about to become again free as they ought to be."
_Cadiz, 5th of May._ "The fleet which sailed from this port the 28th
of last month, has been met in the latitude of Lagos, by a vessel
which arrived yesterday. Since that time, the progress of it has not
been retarded. The wind is changed, and is favorable. It is composed
of twelve ships of the line, five frigates, seven privateers armed by
the trade, sixtyfour transport vessels, with twelve thousand land
forces, artillery, and warlike stores, and fiftynine merchant vessels,
three of which are French and three American. There remain in this
port fifteen ships of the line, whereof ten are ready to go to sea,
the five others will be immediately. There are eight at Corunna, five
frigates and one cutter, in condition to sail at the first orders. The
convoy which sailed from Brest on the 14th is arrived there with the
frigate, the Leocadia. We have seen come to anchor in this bay, the
flag of truce, the Sartine, which brings from the Indies M. de
Bellecombe, formerly governor of Pondicherry, and the other officers.
This vessel being off St Vincent, had the misfortune to meet the
squadron of Commodore Johnstone. He made the signals of a flag of
truce, and seeking to fly, when in contempt of the law of nations,
Commodore Johnstone who was in the Romney, sent him two broadsides,
which killed and wounded twentyfive persons on board the Sartine. The
Captain and two officers are in the number of the slain. They expected
so little such an attack, that the people were all upon the tillace,
and one bullet fell dead at the feet of M. de Bellecombe. Johnstone,
knowing his error, or at least pretending to have been mistaken,
ceased firing, and wrote a letter of excuse. One would think he should
not come off so easily, and that his nation should not even content
herself to disavow his conduct.
"M. de Beausset set sail yesterday with his five vessels; he goes to
cruise in the latitude of Lisbon, and he may very well combine himself
with the seven vessels, which were to go out of Ferrol. It is believed
he will return here as soon as the squadron of Toulon shall arrive."
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Paris, June 5th, 1780.
Sir,
The fleets of Graves and Walsingham are real objects of humor. All
Europe was amused with Walsingham's squadron, and assured that it was
to sail as long ago as last January or February. There has scarcely a
newspaper appeared in Europe since that time but has had some article
respecting it, all tending to show that it was ready, or nearly ready,
to sail. This is in order to keep up the spirits of friends, and at
the same time play upon the fears of enemies. The last Courier de
l'Europe has the following article.
_Torbay, 20th of May._ "Although the wind had been favorable for ten
days past, Walsingham's fleet could not have taken advantage of them,
the Commodore having received, on the 10th, orders from the Admiralty
to wait for the rest of the transports bound to Quebec, and the East
India ships, which now lie at Portsmouth. He will escort them without
altering his course as far as Madeira."
_Plymouth, 9th of May._ "The squadron of Admiral Graves, sailed from
hence this morning, is destined for Jamaica. It consists of four ships
of the line, two frigates, and transports, having on board three
thousand land forces. This fleet is the reinforcement which the
armament, which was in preparation at Jamaica for an expedition,
waited for the sixth of April last, when the packet boat sailed. The
passage of such a fleet cannot take less than two months; so that it
cannot arrive at Jamaica until the end of July. Never was there such
confusion and timidity, and irresolution and unsteadiness in the naval
and maritime affairs of England. Witness the following paragraph."
_Portsmouth, 22d of May._ "The following vessels of war had come to
sail with their respective convoys, but they have returned here again.
The Endymion, of fortyfour guns, Captain Cartaret; the Beaver's prize
of sixteen, Captain Drummond, and the Zephyr, of fourteen, Captain
Inglis, for the coast of Guinea. The frigate Aurora for Plymouth, the
sloops Swallow and Wasp.
_May 25th._ "It is said, the regiment of Colonel Rainsford passed
through London to go to Portsmouth, destined to Jamaica. It will be
escorted out of the Channel by the Grand Fleet, then it will make a
common course up to a certain latitude, with the fleet destined for
the East Indies."
_Petersburg, 9th of May._ "Our fleet, destined to maintain the
neutrality at sea, is ready to sail from Cronstadt. They say, that
after having passed the Sound, it will clear off all cruisers
whatsoever, not only in the Baltic Sea, but those which are in the
neighborhood of Norway, as far as Archangel. The report prevails, even
that we shall equip immediately a second squadron, destined to
reinforce the first."
_Hague, 31st of May._ "The corn merchants living in Amsterdam,
presented last Friday two petitions, the first of which is of the
following tenor.
"To their High Mightinesses, our Lords the States-General of the
United Provinces.
"The subscribing merchants, trading chiefly in grain, at the Exchange
of the Corn Merchants of the city of Amsterdam, respectfully make
known, that the scarcity of grain among foreigners having been the
cause that they have been charged, for sometime, and from all parts
with very considerable commissions for sending off theirs, which
cannot but give a new activity to this important branch of commerce;
the difficulties, which in the present situation of affairs embarrass
navigation, have raised the price of freight to such a degree, that
several masters of ships have entirely refused to navigate towards the
south, considering that they could not expose themselves to execute
the commissions of the said merchants in grain, without running the
risk of being seized and taken, which became extremely prejudicial to
the corn, which is liable to take hurt and to corrupt; from whence it
must necessarily result, that for want of sales the petitioners see
themselves on one hand deprived of a reasonable profit, and on the
other find themselves forced to keep their grain in their magazines
for a longer space of time, while, moreover, the importation by the
Baltic, which diminishes by this means considerably, cannot fail also
to give to this branch of commerce, so interesting for the Republic, a
most sensible blow, to the great prejudice of the petitioners, as well
as to the agriculture of these provinces, the advantage of which
increases in proportion to the augmentation of the export of corn.
"For these causes, the petitioners address themselves in all humanity
to your High Mightinesses, respectfully praying, that according to
your known wisdom and foresight, it may please your High Mightinesses
to grant them a remedy, and grant them a protection as prompt as
convenient to commerce and to the navigation of the petitioners, to
the end, that their vessels loaded with corn may, without any
impediment, make sail toward all places that are free. The
petitioners, on their part, will be zealous to second vigorously all
the measures, which in this respect your High Mightinesses may judge
convenient and necessary."
The second of the petitions contains as follows.
"To their Noble and Grand Mightinesses, our Lords, the States of the
Province of Holland and of West Friesland,
"The undersigned, merchants dealing chiefly in grain, at the exchange
of the corn merchants of the city of Amsterdam, give respectfully to
understand, that to the end to preserve and maintain this branch of
commerce so important for them, they had found it of the last
necessity to address themselves by the way of a petition, to their
High Mightinesses the States-General of the United Provinces, tending
to request a prompt, convenient, and sufficient protection in favor of
their navigation, for the reasons more fully particularised in the
said petition, of which they take the liberty to annex a copy; humbly
requesting your Noble and Grand Mightinesses to cast a propitious eye
upon the address of the petitioners, and to be so good as to favor it
with your powerful protection, that they may be at length remedied
against the unjust vexations, and the ruinous seizure of their ships,
and against all the shackles, which have been put upon their commerce,
while the petitioners on their part offer to concur with all their
hearts, and with zeal, in all convenient measures, which, in this
respect your Noble and Grand Mightinesses shall judge to be necessary,
to come at the end proposed."
_Hamburg, 26th of May._ "They write from Stockholm, that the Court of
Sweden had positively accepted the plan of an armed neutrality,
proposed by Russia, and given orders to equip six more ships of the
line, so that at present the naval forces of Sweden, like those of
Denmark, consist in ten ships of the line and six frigates, whereof
six ships of the line are ready to make sail from the port of
Carslscroon.
"We learn from the Sound, that the 21st of this month the English
ship the Chatham, of fifty guns, commanded by Captain G. Altan, was
arrived there, as well as the frigates the Siren, the Lizard, and the
Lynx, under the command of the Captains Dodde, Parry, and Britton, of
twentyfour and twenty guns. The cutters, the Bussy, Captain Coaths, of
twelve guns, and the Frederick, C. Pasechall, of eight. These two last
have sustained in the North Sea a brisk action with two French
cutters, one of which was named the Alexander, of fourteen guns, which
they have conducted to the Sound. It is not known what is become of
the other prize, which they think is sunk, or carried to Norway."
I have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS.
* * * * *
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Paris, June 10th, 1780.
Sir,