Papers of John Adams, volume 13
1782-10-12
Yesterday, afternoon Mr Van der Burg, Van Spieringshaek the Agent of their High Mightinesses brought me the inclosed Resolution, relative to a Vessell of Mr Dubbledemuts.1 I promised to inclose it to Congress. I would have it translated here but I have not time. I presume Congress has or will have an Interpreter for the Low Dutch.
It is much to be desired that Congress would take Some Measures to inquire into this matter.
The Cause of my being so pressed, for Time is, that I am preparing to set off for Paris, and have not only all my Dispatches to make up, to send the Treaty, but have Obligations to sign respecting the Loan, that So essential a Business may not Stand still in my absence.
Mr Jay writes me that Mr oswald has recd a Commission to treat of Peace with the Commissioners of the United States of America.2 I Shall set off for Paris next Week.3
The enclosed “Minutes” of the States General regarding the capture of the sloop Chester in 1777 and the efforts of the Dubbeldemuts firm to obtain restitution is with this letter in the PCC. For an English translation, see PCC, No. 104, IV, f. 228–242. For JA's earlier involvement in the case, see his letter of 4 July to Edward Rutledge, note 1, and references there, above.
Of 28 Sept. (Adams Papers).
When JA published this letter in the Boston Patriot of 17 July 1811, he noted that
“The foregoing letter is the last that I wrote to my government from Holland, till my 529return to the Hague on the 23d day of July, 1783.
“The customs of the world made it necessary that I should make formal visits to take leave before my departure for Paris, of the president at least of their high mightinesses, of the prince and princess of Orange, of the grand pensionary of Holland, of the Secretary Fagel, and of so many other characters, as consumed much time.
“It was necessary that a great number of obligations should be signed for the loan of money.
“The dispatches necessary for congress were voluminous. It was necessary to make arrangements to set my household in order. Every moment of my time, assisted by two secretaries, Mr. Thaxter and Mr. Charles Storer, was employed, and the rainy season had made the roads almost impracticable. With our utmost exertions, we could not arrive at Paris till the 26th of October.”