Papers of John Adams, volume 13
Will you be so good as to inclose the inclosed to your Friend B and tell him that your humble servant is not the ill natured Mortal that Anonimous Gentry represent him.1
Pray what is the News about Peace? You know I presume the whole History of it. I know nothing. Is Mr Jay arrived at Paris? Is, the U. S. of America a belligerent Power? Where is the combined Fleet? Is Gibraltar to be relieved? Is common sense ever to return to G. B.? Is the Pope about to abolish the Inquisition? The Celibacy of the Clergy? &c dont the Emperor make another Journey this summer?
The States of Holland are assembled and next Wednesday go upon my Treaty—and they Say We shall soon agree.2 The Dutch Fleet too they say is going out. What a Scourge to his Country is that Rodney? His Countrymen, as soon as ever they begin to come to their senses, have their Heads turned again by some of his Feats? But it cannot be always so—a few more thirty Millions, will drain the Fountain.
Pray have you any certain Intelligence that Mr A. Lee is in Congress. I see by the Papers Mr Izzard is chosen?3
Adieu
See the anonymous letter attacking JA that Jenings received from his friend Edward Bridgen and then enclosed with his letter of 6 June to JA, above.
That is, on 10 July. A printed copy of the report on the treaty that the Provincial States of Holland and West Friesland adopted on 18 July is in the Adams Papers. There it is accompanied by a partial French translation in Dumas' hand. The focus of the report was on the revision or omission of Arts. 22 and 23 of the draft treaty, for which see The Negotiation of the Dutch-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce, 22 Aug. – 8 Oct., below.
Arthur Lee had been elected to Congress in Dec. 1781 and reelected in June 1782. He served for lengthy periods in 1782, and in July he was in attendance in Philadelphia. Ralph Izard was elected to Congress in Jan. 1782 and served through much of 1782 into 1783 (Smith, Letters of Delegates
, 18:xxiii, xxii; 19:xxv, xxiv).
Soon after my publick Reception by their High Mightinesses The Body of Merchants of the City of Schiedam, were pleased to send a 158very respectable Deputation from among their Members, to the Hague, to pay their Respects to Congress and to me as their Representative, with a very polite Invitation to a publick Entertainment in their City, to be made upon the occasion.1 As I had Several other Invitations from various Places and Provinces about the Same Time, and had two many Affairs upon my Hands to be able to accept of them, I prevailed upon all to excuse me, for Such Reasons as ought to be and I Suppose were Satisfactory. The Deputies from Schiedam requested me to transmit from them to Congress, the inclosed Compliment, which I promised to do. I was much affected with the Zeal and ardour of these worthy Gentlemen and their Constituents, which with many other Things of a Similar Kind, convinced me, that there is in this Nation a strong Affection for America and a Kind of religious Veneration for her just Cause.2
With great Respect, I have the Honour to be sir, your most obedient & most humble sert
See C. W. F. Dumas to JA, 30 April, note 1 (vol. 12:474–475), and JA to Dumas, 2 May, and Dumas' Address to the City of Schiedam,
The enclosed “compliment” was addressed to JA, dated 24 April, and signed by six deputies appointed by the merchants and traders of Schiedam. Therein was recounted the Dutch struggle for independence against Spanish tyranny, the remembrance of which required Dutch support for the American cause. The merchants congratulated JA on being the representative of “l'Illustre Congrès Américain” and celebrated that “Jour Glorieux” when the Netherlands recognized the United States and cemented a lasting relationship between the two nations. The address ended with the merchants' expressing their hope that the products of Schiedam could be imported into the United States without being subjected to heavy duties. For an English translation of the address, see Wharton, Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev.
, 5:596–597.