Papers of John Adams, volume 16
y:6
th:1784
I have now the Honor to forward you a letter from my friend Mr: Edward Browne of Ostend, which respects the business we had the Honor to converse on when you was last in London
Shoud the contents of his letter meet your Ideas, I am confident no Gentleman residing at Ostend more eligible for the purpose, & I beg leave to recommend the business to your particular attention1
My Brother Mr Reed is safe arrived in England, & shoud you return to this Place, ere he goes again to the Amn: Continent I shall hope for the pleasure of your company to dinner2
Mr Laurens is confined to his Room wth: the Gout in his Head, & very unwell
We have as yet no Ministry!! Mr Fox’s party has outvoted Mr Pitt & his friends, & the Lords & Commons are at variance in the arrangement of a New Ministerial Union—& God only knows what awaits this distracted Kingdom3
My earnest wish is, that while the Sun of Glory & greatness in this Country is setting it may be rising in the Western World, & shine More & More to a perfect Day—
I have the Honor to be / sir Your Most Obedt: Servt:
RC (DLC:Charles Thomson Papers); addressed: “The Honble: John Adams Esqr / American Minister / at the Hague”; internal address: “The Honble: John Adams”; endorsed: “M Dennis de Berdt / London Feby. 6th: 1784 / ansd 27 March.”
Edward Browne, about whom nothing else is known, wished to be appointed the American consul at Ostend. His letter of 27 Jan. has not been found, but JA indicated in his 27 March replies to Browne and DeBerdt that he was enclosing Browne’s letter and DeBerdt’s recommendation with his 27 March letter to Benjamin Franklin and John Jay (both LbC’s, APM Reel 107). There JA requested that his colleagues, if they approved, send the letters to Congress. Franklin replied on 16 April, below, that he would 18 do so, but there is no indication that Congress took any action regarding Browne’s request or DeBerdt’s recommendation.
For the mission of Joseph Reed, DeBerdt’s brother-in-law, to England in company with John Witherspoon, president of Princeton College, to raise money for the institution, see Reed’s 30 Jan. letter to JA, vol. 15:472–473, and JA’s 11 Feb. letter to Reed, below.
For the constitutional crisis to which DeBerdt refers, namely that while William Pitt had formed a ministry, forces allied with Charles James Fox retained a majority in the House of Commons, see John Stockdale’s letter of 20 Jan., note 3, vol. 15:466, and William Bingham’s letter of 19 Feb., and note 2, below. The crisis was resolved only with Parliament’s dissolution on 25 March and new elections that resulted in a majority for Pitt (
Parliamentary Hist.
, 24:774–775; Cannon, Fox-North Coalition
, p. 206–227).
DeBerdt was a London merchant and son of Dennys DeBerdt, the London colonial agent for Delaware and Massachusetts at the time of the Stamp Act (
DAB
).
Dr. Franklin informs me, that in your Passage from England to Holland, you experienced many more difficulties than are common even at this rigid Season. Mine from Dover to Calais, was far from being short or pleasant. Neptune however was less uncivil to me than to You— Neither of us have enjoyed much of his favor: but I will forgive him with all my Heart, if he will let me pass once more in Safety thro’ his Dominions— When my friend shall we find ourselves by our own fire Sides, enjoying the Liberty and Security, for which we have suffered so many anxious Hours!
I presume that the State of affairs in Holland are by this Time in as good a State as you can put them; and therefore I think the objects stated in the Papers you shewed me at Bath, render it proper that you should again give us the pleasure of your Company here—1
My best Compts. to your Son—with sincere Esteem & Regard / I am Dr Sir / your friend & Servnt
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Exy John Adams Esqr.”
JA visited Jay at Bath, England, from 24 to 27 Dec. 1783. The “Papers” shown to Jay were probably Congress’ 29 Oct. instructions to the commissioners, which JA received at London in early December. JA forwarded letters specifically for Jay or Henry Laurens, received at the same time, to the two men at Bath but retained the instructions as too important to entrust to the British mails (vol. 15:329, 331–334, 337, 339, 397, 414, 416).
Je N’ai pas l’honneur d’etre Connuë de Vous Mais la Cruelle inquiettude ou je Me trouve au Sujet de Mon fils M’enhardit a M’adresser a Vous Monsieur, Sauriez Vous Quelque Nouvelle du
19
Vaisseau de Guerre Le Erfprins Capne. Aberson a bord du Quel se trouve Mon Cher fils, Ce jeune homme auquel Vous accordates plus d’une audience au Mois de Mars passé—auquel Vous avez bien Voulu donner des letters de recommandation1 pour les Quelles marques de bonte de votre part Monsieur je Ne Suis pas Moins Sensible Que Si Mon Cher Enfant eut ete a Meme d’en faire Usage— Mais Helas Monsieur la Cruelle incertitude ou je Suis au sujet de Ce bon et brave Garcon de Ce digne fils Ne S’exprime pas, au Nom de Dieu Si Vous avez ou recevez Quelque Nouvelle relative a Ce Vaisseau faites Moi la Grace de Songer a Moi qui ai l’honneur d’etre avec Une estime tante particuliere / Monsieur / Votre tres humble / et affligée servante
Nee de Haren
I have not the honor of being known to you, but the cruel apprehension in which I find myself on the subject of my son emboldens me to write to you, sir. Would you have any news about the warship the Erfprins, Captain Aberson, on board which is my dear son, the young man to whom you granted more than one audience last March, and to whom you were so kind as to give letters of recommendation.1 For such kindnesses on your part, sir, I am no less grateful than if my dear child were able to make use of them. But, alas, sir, the cruel uncertainty that I am in regarding this good and brave boy, this worthy son, cannot be expressed. In the name of God, if you have or if you receive any news related to this vessel, please do me the favor of thinking of the one who has the honor of being with a very particular esteem, sir, your very humble and afflicted servant
Nee de Haren
RC (Adams Papers).
Gijsbeert Karel van Hogendorp, for whom JA had written letters of introduction to John Hancock and James Warren on 26 May 1783, had sailed for America on 26 June 1783 with the Dutch squadron carrying Pieter Johan van Berckel, Dutch minister to the United States. Van Berckel reached Philadelphia on 9 Oct. after an uneventful voyage, but Hogendorp’s experience was very different. On 21 Nov. the 56-gun Erfprins foundered off the coast of Massachusetts, and while Hogendorp and 39 others were saved, 303 members of the crew were lost (vol. 14:490, 497). For accounts of the tragedy, owing to damage sustained during the voyage, see the Boston Independent Chronicle, 27 Nov., and the Boston Gazette, 1 December. In his reply to Madame van Hogendorp of 9 Feb. 1784, JA wrote that he had no news of the Erfprins or the fate of her son but would inform her immediately if any information arrived (Nationaal Archief:Hogendorp Family). The Gazette d’Amsterdam first reported the warship’s loss on 17 Feb., with additional accounts in the issues of 20 Feb. and 2 March. Hogendorp’s survival was mentioned in the 17 Feb. and 2 March reports.