Papers of John Adams, volume 16
The inclosed Letters from Mr Dumas will communicate to Congress, the present State of affairs, between their High Mightinesses and the Government general of the Austrian Low Countries.1 Those, who have negotiated for the Emperor, appear to have presumed too much upon the Fears and Divisions of the Dutch, and to have compromised too hastely his Authority and Dignity. The Dutch, neither terrified nor dejected, are arming, for the defense of their Country with Unanimity, and are labouring to accomplish a Coalition of Parties among themselves, which, if it can be effected, will be much for the Honour, Happiness and Prosperity of the Nation
If the Words of the Comte de Belgioso, were to be taken litterally, the War is already commenced as Guns have been fired, and Austrian Vessells Stopped:2 But Winter approaches too fast, for Forces to take the Field, and before the Season for opening a Campain will arrive, there will be room for much Negotiation. France will endeavour to reconcile, but if She cannot Succeed in this, She must take the Part of Holland. Besides her general Interest in the Independance of that Republick and her particular Interest in their Friendship, which She lately found Usefull both to her Finances and her Possessions in the two Indies. She is not less interested than Holland itself, in preventing Brabant and Flanders from becoming rich commercial Countries in the Hands of the House of Austria, and in preventing their Trade to the East and West Indies. How the English will act, is a Problem. But if they can find an Interest, in opening the Commerce of that Country, they have more Sagacity than their Ancestors, or than any but themselves now living
Upon the whole, there is still room to hope that the Peace will be preserved. if it is not there is great Reason to fear that the War will 344 be very general. The Object the Emperor has in View would be usefull to America, as it would open to Us some good Ports and noble Marketts, and thereby compell both France England and Holland to be more complaisant. But We need not wish Such an Advantage to ourselves at the Expence of so general a Calamity to Mankind, as We have already commercial Advantages enough to Satisfy a reasonable People. France and Holland are sensible of the Advantage We should have. Whether England is I know not. a Youth of Five and Twenty, although very promising and very virtuous, appears to have an Object in his Hands too great For his Forces.3 He does not appear to enter into the true system of his Country, nor to comprehend at all her situation relative to foreign Powers.—
With the greatest Respect I have the / Honour to be Sir your most / obedient and most humble / servant
RC (PCC, No. 84, V, f. 347–350); internal address: “His Excellency Thomas Mifflin Esqr. / President of Congress.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 107.
Exactly which letters from C. W. F. Dumas to the president of Congress accompanied this one from JA is not known, but Dumas reported at length on the negotiations between the States General and the Dutch plenipotentiaries at Brussels on the one side and the Comte de Barbiano-Belgiojoso on the other in his letters to Congress of 18 Aug. and 3 Sept., for which see, respectively, JA’s 25 Aug. letter to Dumas, and note 2, and Dumas’ 3 Sept. letter to JA , and note 1, both above.
The final substantive point conveyed by Barbiano-Belgiojoso in his 23 Aug. memorial to the Dutch plenipotentiaries was that Joseph II would consider any insult to the Austrian flag by the Dutch Republic to be a declaration of war. On 8 Oct. the Louis, a brig from Ostend in the Austrian Netherlands, attempted to sail from Antwerp to Dunkerque by way of the Scheldt but was intercepted near Lillo by the Dutch warship Dolfijn, fired upon, and forced to strike its colors (PCC, No. 115B, f. 44–45;
Dipl. Corr., 1783–1789
, 3:508; Gazette d’Amsterdam, 12, 15 Oct.). For more on Barbiano-Belgiojoso’s memorial, see JA’s 25 Aug. letter to Dumas, and note 2, above.
In belittling William Pitt for his youth, JA echoed the opposition press in Britain, which throughout 1784 and beyond routinely framed its criticisms of Pitt in terms of his supposed lack of years and adolescent faults such as inexperience, rashness, naïveté, and puerility. For examples, see the London Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser and the London Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser.
e.Oct. 1784
Mardi 19 au soir Leurs H. P. dépecherent un Exprès à Paris, avec l’acceptation unanime de la part des 7 provinces des points réservés en blanc dans le Traité défensif adopté de part & d’autre; & pouvoir à leurs plénipo: de signer ce Traité &c.1
J’attends l’adresse demandée à Londres, non seulement pour les Lettres que je pourrai écrire à V. E. par cette route, com̃e la plus 345 sure dorénavant pour parler Sans gêne; mais aussi pour avoir dans la suite cette occasion de plus pour acheminer mes paquets, surtout en hiver.
Je me rappelle, Monsieur, que vous m’avez dit que cette Rep. a besoin d’une guerre pour se relever entierement. Je m’aperçois que vous aviez raison. Celle dont elle est menacée a déjà produit plusieurs bons effets: par exemple de connoître toutes ses ressources; & elle en a beaucoup; & je ne serois pas surpris de voir son armée en peu de mois doublée: d’engager les Partis à se réunir tout de bon pour la défense com̃une; & je les vois s’acheminer à grands pas vers cette réunion.
La Com̃ission des 6 provinces, pour aller ajuster le Différent au sujet des votes entre les Villes & la Noblesse de la province enrouée d’Overyssel, est complete. J’ignore les dispositions de celui de la Gueldre, frere de Mr. Linde de Hem̃e. Les 5 autres sont bons patriotes.2
Mr. L’Envoyé de Linde, ayant pris congé de L. H. P., est parti pour la Zélande, d’où il ira dans la huitaine se rendre par Calais à Londres.3
Mr. Brush, est revenu fort content de son voyage à Berlin. Il présente ses respects à V. E. Le Roi lui a fait un très bon accueil, & a témoigné recevoir avec plaisir les lumieres que Mr. Brush, selon le desir du Roi, a données à ses ministres sur les avantages d’un Com̃erce direct entre les Etats-Unis & ceux du roi.4
Le Baron de Groothous est grandement dans la faveur du Roi, à qui il a Si bien ouvert les yeux sur les tracasseries internes de ce pays, que le roi a déclaré qu’il ne s’en mêleroit & d’un autre côté ce Monarque a parlé avec estime de la conduite des Pays-bas unis dans ces derniers temps.5
Je suis avec grand respect, / De Votre Excellence / Le très-humble & très / obéissant serviteur
Je dois supprimer dans cette Lettre diverses choses concernant cette rep., à cause du danger de la route.
Mes respects à Made. Adams, & à Mess. vos Collegues.
On the evening of Tuesday the 19th, Their High Mightinesses dispatched an express to Paris with the unanimous acceptance by the seven 346 provinces of the points kept blank in the defense treaty adopted by either side and power granted to their plenipotentiaries to sign the treaty, etc.1
I await the requested address in London not only for the letters that I will be able to write to your excellency by that route, as the most secure for speaking without constraint, but also for the packets that I will be able to send on, especially in winter.
I remember, sir, that you said to me that this republic needs a war in order to rise up completely. I realize that you are right. The one with which it is threatened has already had several good effects, for example, to know all its resources, and it has a lot, and I would not be surprised to see its army double in only a few months; and to engage the parties to join together in earnest for their common defense, and I see them making great strides toward this union.
The commission of the six provinces to adjust the dispute over the vote between the cities and the nobility of Overijssel, which has rendered the province voiceless, is complete. I do not know the mindset of the commissioner from Gelderland, brother of Mr. Lynden van Hemmen. The five others are good Patriots.2
The envoy, Mr. Lynden van Blitterswyck, having taken leave of Their High Mightinesses, departed for Zeeland, from where he will go in the course of the week by way of Calais to London.3
Mr. Brush returned from his trip to Berlin very pleased. He sends his respects to your excellency. The king gave him a very warm reception and claimed to receive with pleasure the insights that Mr. Brush gave to his ministers, at the king’s request, into the benefits of direct commerce between the United States and his dominions.4
The Baron von Grothaus is greatly in the favor of the king, whose eyes he so opened to the internal bickerings of this country that he declared that he will not interfere in it. On the other hand the king has spoken with esteem of the conduct of the United Netherlands of late.5
I am with great respect your excellency’s very humble and very obedient servant
I have to suppress in this letter several things concerning this republic because of the danger of this route.
My respects to Mrs. Adams and to your esteemed colleagues.
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “A. S. E. Mr. Adams”; endorsed: “Mr Dumas / 12. Oct. 1784.”
The Gazette d’Amsterdam of 26 Oct. reported that the States General had received dispatches from Paris a week earlier and had responded with alacrity. The newspaper did not know the contents of the dispatches, but its sources assured that they were of the utmost importance. France and the Netherlands did not sign a treaty of alliance until 10 Nov. 1785, two days after Austria and the Netherlands signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau. For both treaties see JA’s second 13 May 1784 letter to the president of Congress, and note 1, above.
Overijssel went unrepresented in the States General during the summer of 1784 because the provincial assembly was paralyzed by a dispute between the nobility and the bourgeoisie over legislative voting requirements. To resolve the conflict, the other six provinces each appointed an individual to
347
a commission charged with mediating a reconciliation (Gazette d’Amsterdam, 3 Aug., 14 Sept., 5 Oct.).
Baron Dirk Wolter Lynden van Blitterswyck, the new Dutch minister to Britain, took leave of the States General on 17 October. He arrived in London on 4 Nov. and presented his credentials to George III on the 10th (Gazette d’Amsterdam, 19 Oct., 16 Nov.;
Repertorium
, 3:264).
Presumably the New York merchant Eliphalet Brush. Nothing further is known of his visit to Berlin, but he would have been there at approximately the time that the Prussians decided to renew treaty negotiations with the United States. See Brush’s 4 Feb. 1785 letter regarding trade with Tuscany, below.
Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Ludwig von Grothaus was a retired Prussian lieutenant colonel who in the summer of 1784 traveled to the Netherlands, apparently on his own account. While he was there, Engelbert François van Berckel and Cornelis de Gyselaar, pensionaries, respectively, of Amsterdam and Dordrecht, considered asking him to mediate between the Patriot Party and Princess Wilhelmina of Orange, the Prussian-born niece of Frederick II, but decided not to do so. In the meantime, Grothaus came to side with the Patriots (Ulrich Joost, “Der abenteuerliche Grothaus: Eine Schattenbeschwörung,” Lichtenberg-Jahrbuch, p. 105–106, 109–110, 117 [1990]; P. J. Blok, Verslag aangaande een onderzoek in Duitschland naar archivalia belangrijk voor de geschiedenis van Nederland, 2 vols., The Hague, 1886–1889, 2:19, 20).