ready made great progress towards being at war with all the world. If God governs, as I firmly believe, it is impossible such wickedness should long prosper. You will receive this by Mr. Deane, who has a great regard for you, and whom I recommend to your civilities; though the gentleman at present with you may be prejudiced against him: prejudices that time will cause to va nish, by shewing they were groundless. I enclose a packet for Leyden, which I shall be glad to hear is delivered safe, and therefore desire your care of it. With great esteem I am ever, dear Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN. P. S. Jan. 20. Since writing the above I have received yours of the 12th instant. I am glad to hear that the affairs of the republic have taken so good a turn in Russia. If not inconvenient or improper, I should be glad to hear what passed relating to public affairs while 67 was at your 31, and whether he saw 25, &c. With this you will receive three letters for Mr. Laurens, which I request you would forward to Mr. Adams. Be of good courage, and keep up your spirits. Your last letter has a melancholy turn. Do you take sufficient bodily exercise? Walking is an excellent thing for those whose employment is chiefly sedentary. A MEMORIAL. To their High Mightinesses, the States-General, of the United Provinces of the Low Countries. HIGH AND MIGHTY LORDS, THE subscriber, a minister plenipotentiary from the United States of America, has the honor to lay before your high mightinesses, as one of the high contracting parties to the maritime treaty lately concluded, relative to the rights of neutral vessels, a resolution of congress of the fifth of October last, concerning the same subject. As the American resolution, furnished the occasion of a reformation in the maritime law of nations, of so much importance to a free communication among mankind by sea; the subscriber hopes it may not be thought improper, that the United States should become parties to it, entitled to its benefits, and subjected to its duties to this end, the subscriber has the honor of requesting, that the resolution of congress may be taken into the consideration of your high mightinesses, and transmitted to the courts of Russia, Sweden, and Denmark? The subscriber begs leave to subjoin, that he should esteem it one of the most fortunate events of his life, if this proposition should meet with the approbation of your high mightinesses, and the other powers who are parties to the neutral confederacy, and he should be admitted, as the instrument of pledging the faith of the United States, to the observance of regulations, which do so much honor to the present age. The Hague, 8th March, 1781. JOHN ADAMS. Mr. Adams to prince Gallitzin. SIR, Leyden, March 8, 1781. I HAVE lately received from congress, as one of their ministers plenipotentiary, their resolution of the fifth October last, relative to the rights of neutral vessels, a copy of which I do myself the honor to enclose to your excellency, as the representative of one of the high contracting parties, to the maritime treaty lately concluded, concerning this subject. As I am fixed by my duty, for the present, to this part of Europe, I have no other way of communicating this measure of congress to the northern courts, but by the favor of their ministers in this republic. I must therefore request of your excellency, if there is no impropriety in it, to transmit the resolution to the minister of foreign affairs of her imperial majesty. Your excellency will permit me to add, that I should esteem myself very fortunate, to be the instrument of pledging, in form, the faith of the United States of America to a reformation, in the maritime law of nations, which does so much honor to the present age. I have the honor to be, &c. J. ADAMS. His E. Prince Gallitzin, Minister Plenipotentiary of her Majesty the Empress of Russia at the Hague. DEAR SIR, To Mr. Dumas. Passy, March 14, 1781. I HAVE duly received your late letters, and thank you, for the intelligence they contained. Your three letters to the president of congress, will go by different ships, and I hope you will succeed in your application for a farther allowance, which I think you merit, though I do not know what the difficulties are which you mention, as being involved in them by the congress. Please to explain them to me, that I may write about them more exactly. Your last news from Russia is very good, if true, that the independence of America is to be a fundamental article. The bearer, Mr. Hazlehurst, is a merchant of Philadelphia, who visits Holland with commercial views. He is a gentleman of excellent character, and much esteemed there. I recommend him warmly to your civilities. Please to let me know how the loan goes on, and believe me ever. Your affectionate friend and humble servant, t DEAR SIR, B. FRANKLIN. To the same. Passy, May 4, 1781. IT is so long since I heard from you, that I begin to Pray write to me, and let me know the fear state of your health. I enclose Morgan's account of his S $ engagement with Tarleton. If he has not already received it, it may be agreeable to our friend the gazetteer of Leyden. Every thing goes well here, and I am ever, &c. To the same. B. FRANKLIN. DEAR SIR, Passy, August 6, 1781. I HAVE received several letters from you lately enclosing others for the president of Congress, and for Spain, all of which are sealed and forwarded, except the last for the president, contained in yours of the 26th past, which shall go by the first opportunity. The reading of those letters gave me much information, and therefore pleasure: though since the fixing of Mr. Adams there, I do not attend so much to the affairs of your country as before, expecting indeed but little from it to our advantage: for though it was formerly in the same situation with us, and was glad of assistance from other nations, it does not seem to feel for us, or to have the least inclination to help us: it appears to want magnanimity. Some writer, I forget who, says, that Holland is no longer a nation, but a great shop; and I begin to think it has no other principles or sentiments but those of a shopkeeper. You can judge of it better than me, and I shall be happy to find myself mistaken. You will oblige me however by continuing the history either directly to me, or in your letters to congress; but when you enclose a sealed letter in another to me, please to observe to place the second seal on one side, and not directly over the first; because the heat of the second is apt to deface the impression of the first, and to attach the paper to it, so as to endanger tearing the enclosed in opening the cover. With best wishes for your health and prosperity, I am ever, dear Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN. P. S. I pity the writer of the enclosed, though I have no other acquaintance with him, than having seen him once at Hanover, where he then seemed to live genteely and in good credit. I cannot conceive what should reduce him to such a situation, as to engage himself for a soldier. If you can procure him any friends among the Philosophers of your country, capable of relieving him, I wish you could do it. If not, and he must go to the Indies, please to give him three or four guineas for me, to buy a few necessaries for his voyage. DEAR SIR, To the same. Passy, August 10,......14, 1781. paper receivedfrom Rhode INCLOSED I send you a late paper Island, you will see in it the advantages our troops have gained in South Carolina. Late advices directly from Philadelphia, say, that the enemy have now nothing left in Georgia, but Savanna; in South Carolina, but Charleston; nor in North Carolina, but Wilmington. They are however in force in Virginia, where M. de la Fayette has not sufficient strength to oppose them, till the arrival of the reinforcements which were in March to join him from Maryland and Pennsylvania. have In looking over my last to you, I apprehend I may expressed myself perhaps a little too hardly of your country: I foresee you will tell me that we have many friends there; I once thought so too: but I was a little out of humor when I wrote, on understanding that no loan could be obtained there for our use, though the credit of this kingdom was offered to be engaged for assuring the payment, and so much is lent freely to our enemies. You can best tell the reason, it will be well not to let my letter be seen. I am ever, dear Sir, &c. B. FRANKLIN. To the same. DEAR SIR, Passy, August 16, 1781. WE have news here that your fleet has behaved bravely; I congratulate you upon it, most cordially. I have just received a 14, 5, 3, 10, 28, 2, 76, 203, 66, 11 12, 273, 50, 14, joining 76, 5, 42, 45, 16, 15, 424, 235, 19 |