Papers of John Adams, volume 14
efevr. 1783.
Le Baron Dedem a échoué. Mr. Van Berkel le Bourguemaître de Rotterdam, frere du Pensionaire d’Amst. s’est présente subitement, & l’a emporté venit & vicit. C’est donc lui qui sera Minre de la Rep. en Amérique. Je viens de l’en féliciter cordialement. Vous avez ses respects. Il sera charmé de vous avoir pour compagnon de Voyage.1 J’ai les respectées votres des 18,2 22 & 23. Je fais de mon mieux pour Mr. Weelock. Nous aurons bien soin de Mr. Votre fils. C’est tout ce que je puis Sans manquer la poste, ajouter aujourdhui au respect avec lequel je suis Monsieur / V. t. h. & t. o. servit,
Translation
Baron Dedem lost. Mr. Van Berckel, Burgomaster of Rotterdam and brother of the pensionary from Amsterdam, presented his candidacy unexpectedly and was chosen: venit and vicit. It is therefore he who will be the 306republic's minister to America. I have just given him my hearty congratulations. He sends you his respects. He will be delighted to have you as a traveling companion.1 I have your esteemed letters of the 18th,2 22d, and 23d. I am doing my best for Mr. Wheelock. We shall take good care of your son. Lest I miss the post, this is all I can add for now to the respect with which I am, sir, your very humble and very obedient servant
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Paris à Son Exce. Mr. Adams.”
The Gazette d’Amsterdam of 4 March reported the selection of Pieter Johan van Berckel, noting that he was the brother of Engelbert François van Berckel, who was renowned for his role in the negotiation of the 1778 Lee-Neufville Treaty (“Traité Préparatoire avec l’Amérique”). It then expressed the hope that a new American minister to the Netherlands would be appointed in place of JA, then actually at Paris, who was expected shortly to take his leave at The Hague and return to America on a Dutch warship in company with the new Dutch minister. It was from that notice, quoted in his letter of [23 March], below, that Francis Dana learned of JA's plans to return to America.
JA's 18 Feb. letter introduced Dr. John Wheelock, president of Dartmouth College (LbC, APM Reel 108). See JA to François Adriaan Van der Kemp, 18 Feb., and note 2, and JA to the Trustees of Dartmouth College, 25 Feb., both above.