Kemp. Ce dernier peut à l'avenir être de grande utilité pour le congrès. Il a beaucoup de connoissances, de la droiture, et une intrepidité que l'on ne chercheroit pas chez un prédicateur mennonite.

Du reste, monsieur, si je puis vous servir dans ma petite sphère, soyez persuadé que c'est avec un dévouement parfait à la cause Américaine et la plus haute considération pour votre personne, que j'ai l'honneur d'être,

Monsieur, votre très humble, très obéissant serviteur,

J. D. VAN DER CAPELLEN.1

ป

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TO JOHN ADAMS.

Passy, 20 October, 1780.

SIR, — Understanding that in case of Mr. Laurens's absence you are charged with the affair of procuring a loan in Holland, I think it right to acquaint you, that by a letter from Mr. Jay of the 12th instant, from Madrid, we are informed that the King of Spain has been so good as to offer his guaranty for the payment of the interest and principal of a loan of money for the use of the United States. Mr. Grand thinks that no considerable use can be made here of that guaranty, on account of the considerable loan Mr. Necker is about to make; but that possibly it may have weight in Holland. Orders will be sent to the Spanish ambassador here, by the next post, respecting this matter. I regret much the taking of Mr. Laurens. His son, I understand, sailed a fortnight after him for France, but has not yet arrived.

The Ariel has been at sea, but meeting with a terrible storm which carried away all her masts, has returned into port to refit. I have the honor to be, &c. &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

P. S. By a former letter from Mr. Jay, I find the sum to be one hundred and fifty thousand dollars, for which the King of Spain would be answerable, payable in the space of three years.

1 Of Baron Van der Capellen, see an account in the note to page 270 of the Diary, in vol. iii. of the present work.

TO BARON VAN DER CAPELLEN.

Amsterdam, 22 October, 1780.

SIR, I have this day received the letter which you did me the honor to write me on the 16th instant. I beg you, sir, to accept of my sincere thanks for this instance of your attention to the United States of America. I have long desired the honor of an acquaintance with the Baron Van der Capellen, whose virtuous attachment to the rights of mankind and to the cause of America, as founded in the clearest principles, has been long long known and admired in America.

I beg leave to communicate to you in confidence, as I have done to a very few as yet in this place, that, although Mr. Laurens was destined to this country on an important negotiation for the United States, yet the congress, lest an accident might happen to Mr. Laurens, have been pleased to send to me a commission in part at least of the same import, although I had before a commission for another service. I have kept my commission secret in hopes of Mr. Laurens's arrival. But all hopes of this, by the barbarous severity of the English, are now at an end; and I must set myself in earnest about the business of my commission.

I have not yet settled the conditions, nor determined upon a house. I should be happy, sir, to have your advice in respect to

both.

You give me great pleasure, by informing me that a relation of yours has discovered an inclination to place twenty thousand florins in the American funds. As soon as a house is chosen, and the terms fixed, I shall with pleasure accept the offer.

I shall give great attention, sir, to the gentlemen you are so good as to recommend to me.

Mr. Trumbull is, as I believe, in London. He will doubtless pay his respects to you when he comes this way.

I have the honor to be, &c. &c.

JOHN ADAMS.

TO B. FRANKLIN.

Amsterdam, 24 October, 1780.

SIR, I have this moment the honor of your letter of the 20th of this month, and it is as cold water to a thirsty soul. I have been busily employed in making inquiries, in forming acquaintances, and in taking advice. In hopes of Mr. Laurens's arrival, and wishing him to judge for himself, I have not decided upon some questions that necessarily arise. I am not able to promise any thing, but I am led to hope for something. The contents of Mr. Jay's letter will certainly be of great weight and use. I am assured of the good-will of a number of very worthy and considerable people, and that they will endeavor to assist a loan.

Let me entreat your Excellency to communicate to me every thing you may further learn respecting the benevolent intentions of the Court of Madrid, respecting this matter. I will do myself the honor to acquaint you with the progress I make. I was before in hopes of assisting you somewhat, and your letter has raised these hopes a great deal, for the English credit certainly staggers here a little.

The treatment of Mr. Laurens is truly affecting. It will make a deep and lasting impression on the minds of the Americans; but this will not be a present relief to him. You are, no doubt, minutely informed of his ill usage. Can any thing be done in Europe for his comfort or relief?

I have the honor to be, &c.

JOHN ADAMS.

SIR,

то THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Amsterdam, 27 October, 1780.

It seems to be now certain, that some of Mr. Laurens's papers were taken with him.

There have been sent to His Most Serene Highness, the Prince of Orange, copies of letters from M. de Neufville, Mr. Gillon, Mr. Stockton, and Colonel Derrick, and a copy of the plan of a treaty projected between the city of Amsterdam and Mr. William Lee.

The Prince was much affected at the sight of these papers,

and laid them before their Noble and Grand Mightinesses, the States of Holland and West Friesland. One gentleman, at least, was present, who was concerned in the transaction with Mr. Lee, who handsomely avowed the measure.1 The Regency of Amsterdam have since given in writing a unanimous avowal of it, and of their determination to support it. The letters of M. de Neufville and Mr. Gillon are said to be decent and well guarded. So that upon the whole it seems to be rather a fortunate event, that these papers have been publicly produced. I wish I could say the same of Mr. Laurens's captivity, but I cannot. The rigor of his imprisonment, and the severity of their behavior towards him, are not at all abated. I have the honor to be, &c. JOHN ADAMS.

THE COMMITTEE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO JOHN ADAMS.

28 October, 1780.

DEAR SIR,I shall endeavor to write largely to you, en ami, but I will not risk the sailing of the vessel for that purpose at this moment. It is reported Mr. Searle is taken. Our affairs in Holland must, in such case, be very bad, as you will not have received any powers for acting instead of Mr. Laurens, who is too probably taken and carried to England from Newfoundland; and I also know of other fatalities to my letters.

Your friend and humble servant,

JAMES LOVELL, Committee of Foreign Affairs.

1 Upon this occasion I ought to observe that although M. Van Berckel, with all that honor, integrity, and fortitude, which marked his character through the whole course of his life, frankly avowed the measure, and although the Regency of Amsterdam resolved to support it, yet it is certain, the discovery of it spread a universal consternation throughout the seven Provinces. I do not remember to have found one person who pretended to see the wisdom of it, though no man doubted the purity of the design. It was irregular. Mr. Lee had no authority. The city could scarcely be said to have authority to bind itself to a man who had none. The city could not pledge the faith of the nation. The utmost amount of it could be no more than an invitation to congress to send an ambassador to the Hague. I have always believed that the regency was importuned into this measure by M. de Neufville, who was then a very busy and a very popular man upon the exchange of Amsterdam. Letters to the Boston Patriot, 1809.

M. DUMAS TO JOHN ADAMS.

La Haie, 1 Novembre, 1780.

MONSIEUR,Quoique j'aie eu l'honneur de vous écrire depuis la faveur de votre lettre du 4e, je dois néanmoins me souvenir que je n'y ai proprement pas répondu. Je n'ai pu me procurer une copie de la dépêche de Petersbourg, parceque les plénipotentiaires ont exigé qu'elle ne fût point communiquée. Mais elle porte en substance,- 10. Une convention proposée par l'Impératrice de Russie, où, aux cinq articles connus entre les cours du nord, cette princesse dans deux ou trois articles de plus, sans vouloir proprement rien garantir à la république, lui assure néanmoins son secours au cas qu'elle soit attaquée en haine de la dite convention. 20. Que l'envoyé d'Angleterre à Petersbourg a déclaré a l'Impératrice, que la Grande Bretagne respectera la navigation de la neutralité armée, pourvu que cette république ici en soit exclue. 3°. Que l'envoyé de Prusse les a assurés que le roi son maître accédera à la neutralité armée. 40. Un article séparé de la convention, que, lorsque la neutralité armée aura pris toute sa consistance, elle pourra procurer la paix en offrant sa médiation aux puissances belligérantes.

Au reste, il n'y a pas encore de congrès formé à Petersbourg; mais il n'est pas impossible qu'il s'y en forme un, lorsque les choses seront parvenues à une certaine maturité; et dans ce cas il seroit certainement nécessaire qu'il y eût, comme vous dites, un ministre Américain, dès qu'il s'y agiroit d'une pacification générale, c'est-à-dire, de l'ancien et du nouveau monde. Mais, encore une fois, il n'y a pas encore de congrès a Petersbourg, et jusqu'ici il n'en a pas même été question. Je vous ai seulement marqué, dans celle de mes lettres qui a occasioné la vôtre, qu'il regne un concert (ou une intelligence) manifeste entre les ministres étrangers (excepté celui d'Angleterre) et le Cabinet de Petersbourg, pour parvenir au grand but de l'impératrice, qui est d'affranchir toutes les mers de la prétention de toute puissance qui voudroit dominer seule, et inquiéter la navigation des neutres toutes les fois qu'elle seroit en guerre.

J'apprendrai avec bien du plaisir, monsieur, que vous jouissez d'une parfaite santé ; et j'espère d'en être témoin oculaire, dès que l'assemblée d'Hollande ici se sera séparée; ce qui vraisem. blablement aura lieu dans peu de jours.