very stormy, not only on account of the proposition of Amsterdam, but also on that of a verbal remonstrance made by the same city to a great personage, desiring him to exclude from all political business the Duke of Brunswick, formerly his tutor, when a minor; a message which has exceedingly hurt them both.

June 22d. The great city persists in her late demand to the Prince of Orange concerning the desired exclusion of the aforesaid great man, having, since the verbal proposition, sent the same by writing to the great personage, and to the Grand Pensionary. Thus the fermentation rises, and draws to a very interesting crisis, which probably will decide itself within a fortnight, either into some catastrophe, or into a ridiculus mus. I learn just now that the Duke of Brunswick presented yesterday to their High Mightinesses a long letter to justify himself. Many, even unconcerned people, think it an improper step, because he is, in fact, not vested with any public. department, and therefore not answerable, nor to be brought to account. His position seems to me near akin to that of Lord Bute.*

July 4th. There has been made mention, in the Provincial Assembly, by the Grand Pensionary, but a very slight one, of the Duke of Brunswick's letter to their High Mightinesses, as taken ad referendum by the several Provinces. The nobility has acquainted the Provincial Assembly with the desire of the Stadtholder of presenting to their High Mightinesses a proposition of his own for having inquired into the causes of the defenceless state and inactivity of the Republic, and the means to be taken, &c. But the cities have declined countenancing it, and even the taking it ad referendum, because there was already such a proposition made by the city of Amsterdam, a membrum integrans of the Republic, on which they had received their instructions. The Stadtholder was present, and visibly disappointed.

Yesterday I was shown in confidence a despatch just now received from Petersburgh, purporting an insinuationt made to the Dutch Plenipotentiary by that Court: "That the said Court had agreed with the Emperor of Germany to treat at Vienna for procuring a general pacification between the belligerent Powers; and if, there

See the above remonstrance against the Duke of Brunswick, and his reply, in John Adams's Correspondence, Vol. III., pp. 410, 414.

† See John Adams's Correspondence, Vol. III., p. 464.

fore, their High Mightinesses should be inclined to entrust both their Imperial Majesties with a mediation in behalf of this Republic, they might make overtures in consequence to Prince Gallitzen, the Russian Minister at the Hague." The Republicans here are of opinion, that, instead of this, vigorous measures should be taken immediately with the belligerent Powers; to which the opposite party will by no means listen.

July 10th. The offered mediation will be accepted, even by the advice of the patriots; because they apprehend, if they do not, the opposite party would continue to insist upon begging for peace directly in England, either by the good offices, as they call them, of the Sardinian Envoy at London, who is entirely at their and the British Court's devotion, or by sending deputies from hence. The final resolution of this Province, concerning the important proposition of Amsterdam, is delayed till the next ordinary Assembly, by caviling on the expression of next Assembly, used in the proposition, as if this Assembly, an extraordinary one, was but a prolongation of the last.

July 13th. The report which was current on the 10th, of the Emperor being inclined to support the Duke of Brunswick has proved false. I know from the best authority that quite the reverse is true. When the monarch arrived, the Duke sent to him for permission to wait on him. Instead of which the Emperor went immediately himself to the Duke. What passed between them is not known. But the Duke having soon after returned the visit, he was observed coming back with visible marks of discomposure. The following day, the Emperor dining at the Prince of Orange's seat, called the House in the Wood, showed himself very gentle in his address to the Princess of Orange, and to everybody else, but to the Duke, to whom he said not a single word, being remarkably cold to him, which apparently was the cause of the Duke's withdrawing sooner than any other. Besides this, the Emperor has explained himself with other great men here this very day by saying the Regents of Amsterdam did their duty as brave patriots. He spent the evening at the French Hotel, where he discoursed much with the French and Russian Ambassadors. The Grand Pensionary, although invited repeatedly by the Prince himself, excused himself from dining at the House in the Wood, because he was ill.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

DUMAS.

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Sir,

The Hague, August 23d, 1781.

Since my last, the Provincial States of Holland have been separated till last week.

I was not unacquainted with the negociation set on foot by the French Ambassador here for a loan of five millions of florins, or five hundred thousand pounds, at four per cent., nor with his notes lately presented for this purpose to the Graphiary, M. Fagel; and although the Ambassador does not yet know that I am acquainted with it, I thought myself obliged to abstain discreetly from writing or speaking about it for obvious reasons. I am now happy with the assurance given me that the proposition of this loan is committed, and will soon be agreed by their High Mightinesses, either by their taking up the money themselves, and lending it to France, or by their countenancing and warranting the taking it up directly by France; the only secret, or at least not publicly acknowledged particular of this agreement, will be the destination of this money in behalf of the United States. This true account is given me by a friend, who has it officially from the mouth of the Grand Pensionary.

The Baron Lynden had written and delivered into the hands of the President of the States-General a letter to their High Mightinesses, containing the reason which engaged him to resign his Embassy to Vienna, and to decline any other, viz., the unconstitutionality of a foreigner's (the Duke of Brunswick) being the only counsel to the Stadtholder for internal as well as external politics and administration of this Republic. This letter the Baron had been prevailed upon to desist from having read to their High Mightinesses; and he took it out of the hands of the President, in presence of the Grand Pensionary of Holland, and of the Graphiary of their High Mightinesses, reserving to himself, however, the liberty of presenting it again whenever he should think it convenient. Some persons (your servant for one) have been favored with the perusal of this letter. This compliance having somewhat discredited the Baron among the patriots, he brought his letter back on Tuesday last to the President, telling him it must be laid open to their High Mightinesses without any further delay, otherwise he should publish it by printing.

August 24th. I have been favored by the Baron de Lynden with the sight, 1st, of a letter written by him last Monday to the Stadtholder, in which he tells him, that seeing him still influenced and prepossessed in favor of, and directed by the Duke of Brunswick, he found his own honor and conscience did not suffer him to withhold any longer from their High Mightinesses, and from his country, the abovementioned letter; 2dly, the answer of the Stadtholder, telling him that it was for the sake of the Baron personally that he had endeavored to persuade him to suppress that letter; but seeing him now determined to put off the mask and join with his adversaries, he gave him up to his own reflections. 3dly. The reply of the Baron, viz., that whereas his Highness was sorry for the letter's being presented for his (the Baron's) sake only, he was determined to present it for the same sake, which he did accordingly; and the letter has been read to their High Mightinesses, the Baron himself being present at the second reading, or resumption as they call it, the day following.

The original of a very noble and unanimous resolution of the city of Dort respecting the Duke of Brunswick, where he is considered merely as a military servant of the Republic, and where the conduct of the Regency of Amsterdam is vindicated, has been read confidentially to me. Several other authentic and interesting pieces are in my hands, viz: 1st. A resolution of the city of Dort of June 25th last, in which their Deputies are ordered to insist upon the important propositions of Amsterdam of May 18th being taken into serious consideration; and principally upon a good plan of operations during this war being concluded with France and her allies. 2dly. The reports of the several Admiralties of this Republic, showing their having accomplished the building, equipping, and putting into service, ships according to the orders of their High Mightinesses; to which the Admiralty of Amsterdam has added a remark which has much displeased this Court, viz., that after having done their duty in this matter, an account of the most proper application and disposition of the forces set in readiness for the protection of this country must not be asked from them but from the higher power, which had the direction of their exertions. 3dly. A resolution of the Province of Holland for another squadron to be speedily ordered to convoy to the Baltic, not only the merchant fleet of Amsterdam lying in the Texel roads, which, after the glorious action

of the 5th against Parker, has been obliged to come back, but also those of Rotterdam, whose merchants, in a spirited address, have complained of being neglected. I would fain join herewith translated copies of these voluminous and interesting pieces, but without the aiding hand of a clerk, such a task is impossible for me to perform.

August 30th. To shorten the business of the abovementioned loan, probably, their High Mightinesses will open it themselves on their own credit, by warranting the capital and interest at four per cent., for surety of which they will receive, in that case, a general bond from France. Regularly they may pay no more than three per cent. for themselves, and notwithstanding such small interest, the course of their paper is at twelve, fourteen, and even sixteen per cent. purchase above the capital sum. By this method, if pursued, the subscription at four per cent. will be rapidly completed.

September 2d. A very interesting resolution of August 28th, of one of the principal cities of this province, was received the day before yesterday by her Deputies here, of which the substance is as follows:

"Having been informed by their Deputies of the contents of two notes, which they were told by the Grand Pensionary had been presented successively to the Graphiary of their High Mightinesses by the French Ambassador; and being desirous of facilitating the use which the Court of France intends to make of the proposed loan, because such a compliance with her desire will not only fasten a most necessary confidence between that Court and this Republic, but also annoy directly the common enemy, by strengthening the Congress of North America, in whose behalf his Majesty the King of France intends, according to certain secret informations, to dispose of the whole loan, so that the said Congress may the better carry on the war against Great Britain; Resolved, that the Deputies of this city at the Assembly of this Province shall be, and are hereby, qualified, when the business shall be reported to the Assembly, to favor with all their power the conclusion of it, and moreover to advise and further a resolution that may promote the intents and purposes aforesaid. Besides this, when done, our said Deputies at the Provincial Assembly are charged herewith, pursuant to our resolution of June 25th last, to insist, by way of proposition, upon VOL. V.-22