Papers of John Adams, volume 14

458 From the Société Bourgeoise of Leeuwarden, 29 April 1783 Leeuwarden, the Société Bourgeoise of Adams, John
From the Société Bourgeoise of Leeuwarden
Monsieúr! Leeúwarde ce 29 Avril 1783.

Nous avons enfin la Satisfaction de voir achevée la medaille qúe nous avions projettée et dediée aux nobles et puissants Seigneurs les Etats de Frise.

Votre Excellence est instruite du but et du Contenu de cette medaille par notre Requete du 8 de mai de l année dernière, dont votre Excellence a eu la bonte d'inserer la traduction dans le Recueil de Pieces concernant l’Amerique Septentrionale, que votre Excellence a publié.1

Nous prions respectueusement votre Excellence de Nous permettre de Lui prèsenter deux de ces medailles, l une pour Servir au cas que votre Excellence put trouver bon de la prèsenter au congres des Treize Etats Unis de l’Amerique.2

Nous Sommes en attendant charmés de voir, que les Etats des autres Provinces, et consequemment la Republique entiere, ont, a l'exemple des Etats de Frise, reconnu la Liberté et l’Independance de l’Ameriqúe; reconnoissance, qui jointe aux bons offices que votre Excellence a employé, a dèja eu cette heureuse Suite, qu'il a ete conclu entre les deúx Etats un Traité d’Amitié et de Commerce, et qu'on a établi par là même, une baze de Bien-Etre, et de Prospèrité reciproques.

Nous avons l'honneur de feliciter votre Excellence de cet événement, et de Souhaiter dú fond de nos Coeurs, que les travaux importants de votre Excellence dans les conferences actuelles pour la Paix, puissent avoir une issue non moins heureuse: afin que le grande et couragense Nation, qúi honore votre Excellence de Sa confiance, puisse obtenir dans peu pour prix de la valeur et de Sa constance Une Paix glorieúse et dúrable, et qu elle croisse ensuite tellement en gloire et en puissance, qu elle puisse etre l’Effroi des Usúrpateúrs et des Tirans, et un Refuge toujours assuré aux opprimés. Veuille le Dieu Tout puissant repandre Sa benediction Sur ces Souhaits et Sur ces Prières!

Nous prenons la liberté de nous recommander à la bienviellance de votre Excellence, et d’être avec le plus profond respect, / Monsieúr! / vos très humbles et très / Obeissans Serviteurs. / Les membres de la Societé Boúr- / geoise, ètablie a Leeúwarde / Sous la devise “Par Liberté / et par Zêle.[”] / et pour tous

W Wopkens V: Cats.
459
Enclosure

Explication

D’une medaille, dediée a Leurs Nobles Puissances, les Etats de Frise, par la Societé Bourgeoise établie à Leeuwarde sous la devise, Par Liberté et par Zéle.

On voit sur cette medaille un Frison habillé, selon le costume ancien et Caracteristique des Frisons entre le Flie et le Lauwers, ce qui designe que cette Nation libre est resté invariablement la Meme, poúr son Caractere original et son Amour pour la liberté, Ce Frison donne la main droite à la Republique des Etats Unis de l’Amerique, pour reconnoitre la liberté et l'independance de cette Republique, designées par le sceptre qu'elle foule aux pieds, et par les chaines brisées qui se trouvent à coté; pendant que, comme Elle N’est pas encore dans la possession paisible et tranquille de cette Liberté, quoique Elle en ait un présage ferme et assuré; Elle fixe ses yeux sur un Ange, qui descend d'en Haut, et lui presente le chapeau de La liberté, comme un don Particulier du Ciel.

Ce Frison s'etant appercu du Serpent caché sous l'herbe, refuse de la main gauche, la Paix particuliere que l’Angleterre lui offre. Le Leopard est l'embleme de ce Royaume.

Revers

Les Armes de la Frise soutenues par une Main qui sort d'un Nuage fixent d'abord l'attention reconnoissante sur la Providence particuliere du Ciel, par laquelle la forme de gouvernement, baze de la Liberté a encore été conservée jusqu'ici.

On lit au dessous

Aan de Staaten van Vriesland Ter dankbaare Nagedagtenisse van de Landsdagen in Febr: en Apr: 1782. Toegewyd door Vryheiden Yver. te Leeuwarden.

C’est a dire

Dediée Aux Etats de Frise en memoire reconnoissante des Diètes tenues en Febr: et Avr:

460

MDCCLXXXII par la Société Boúrgeoise par Liberté et par Zèle à Leeúwarde.

Inscription par la quelle on donne a connaitre, que quoiqu'on ait sur tout exprimé dans la Medaille, la reconnaissance de la Liberté et de l'independance des Etats Unis de l’Amerique, ainsi que le refus de faire une Paix particuliere avec l’Angleterre, comme les deux Objets les plus importans, et sur lesquels les Etats de Frise ont donné l'exemple aux Etats des autres Provinces, on n'en a pas moins receu toutes les Resolutions prises aux dites Diètes avec l'approbation et les acclamations les plus parfaites.3

Translation
Sir Leeuwarden, 29 April 1783

We have at last the satisfaction of seeing the completed version of the medal we had planned and dedicated to the noble and powerful lords of the States of Friesland.

We informed your excellency of the aim and content of this medal in our announcement of 8 May of last year, of which your excellency was kind enough to include a translation in the collection of documents concerning North America published by your excellency.1

We respectfully ask your excellency if we may present him with two of the medals, in case you would like to offer one to the Congress of the thirteen United States of America.2

In the meantime we are delighted to see that the states of all the other provinces, and consequently of the whole republic, have followed the example of the States of Friesland in recognizing the freedom and independence of America. This recognition, combined with your excellency's good offices, already has led to the felicitous result of a treaty of amity and commerce being concluded between our two nations, thereby establishing a foundation for mutual prosperity and well-being.

We have the honor to congratulate your excellency on this development and to offer our heartfelt wish that your excellency's important work in the ongoing peace conferences will meet with equal success, to the end that the great and courageous nation that honors your excellency with its trust soon obtains, as recompense for its own valor and constancy, a glorious and durable peace, and that it may subsequently so increase in glory and might as to strike terror into tyrants and usurpers and be a constant refuge for the oppressed. May almighty God bestow his blessing on these wishes and these prayers!

We take the liberty of commending ourselves to your excellency's goodwill and being, with the most profound respect, sir, your very humble and 461very obedient servants, the members of the Société Bourgeoise of Leeuwarden, founded in Leeuwarden under the motto “With Liberty and Zeal,” and for all

W Wopkens V: Cats.
Enclosure

Explanation

Of a medal dedicated to their noble powers the States of Friesland by the Société Bourgeoise founded at Leeuwarden with the motto “With Liberty and Zeal.”

One sees on this medal a Frisian dressed in the traditional and characteristic costume of Frisians between the Flie and the Lauwers, which indicates that this free nation has always remained the same, by virtue of its original character and love of liberty. This Frisian is giving his right hand to the Republic of the United States of America, in recognition of the freedom and independence of this republic, designated by the scepter she is trampling underfoot and by the broken chains seen to one side. Since she is not yet fully in calm and peaceful possession of this freedom, despite having sure and certain omens of it, she is gazing at an angel, who is descending from above and offering her a liberty cap as a special gift from heaven.

This Frisian, having noticed the snake hidden in the grass, rejects with his left hand the separate peace offered by England. The leopard is the symbol of that kingdom.

Reverse side

The Frisian arms, borne aloft by a hand emerging from a cloud, above all draws our grateful attention to the special providence of heaven, through which the form of government, the basis of liberty, has been hitherto preserved.

Beneath one reads:

Aan de Staaten van Vriesland Ter dankbaare Nagedagtenisse van de Landsdagen in Febr: en Apr: 1782 Toegewyd dourde Burger Societeit door Vryheiden Yver. te Leeuwarden.

That is to say:

Dedicated To the States of Friesland In grateful memory Of the diets held in February and April 1782

462

By the Société Bourgeoise With Liberty and Zeal At Leeuwarden

This inscription indicates that although the freedom and independence of the United States of America are explicitly recognized in the medal, as is the rejection of a separate peace with England, these being the two objects of the most importance, of which Friesland has set an example to the States of the other provinces, we have nonetheless accepted all the resolutions passed in the said diets with the most perfect approbation and acclaim.3

RC and enclosure (Adams Papers); endorsed: “Letter from / The Society ‘By Liberty & Zeal’ / 29 April 1783. ansd. 10. May / 1783.”

1.

On 8 May 1782 the Société Bourgeoise of Leeuwarden declared its intention to strike a silver medal to commemorate Friesland's resolutions recognizing the United States and rejecting a separate peace with England. The description of the medal's appearance in that announcement is much the same as in this letter and was included by JA in his 1782 A Collection of State-Papers, p. 94–96. For more on the medal, see the Descriptive List of Illustrations, No. 10, above.

2.

In his 10 May response to this letter, JA promised to send one of the medals to Congress (Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden). In the Boston Patriot of 10 April 1811, JA wrote that “this Society sent me one of these medals in silver after they were struck, with a very civil letter. I sent the medal to Mr Morris while I was in correspondence with him a[s] financier of Congress. He once produced it in a large company at his own table when I was present, and it remains, if not lost, in possession of some of his family.” No letter from JA to Morris enclosing the medal has been found. JA wrote to Jean George Holtzhey on 24 Nov. to request that he procure three more of the medals (LbC, APM Reel 107), but in his reply of 5 Dec. Holtzhey reported that there were none to be had (Adams Papers). The society also wrote to Dumas on 29 April to present him with a copy of the medal (PCC, No. 101, f. 368).

3.

The States of Friesland resold to recognize the United States on 26 Feb. 1782, but the April resolution rejecting a separate Anglo-Dutch peace has not been found (vol. 12:xi–xii, xiii, 276, 420–428).

From Elkanah Watson Jr., 30 April 1783 Watson, Elkanah Jr. Adams, John
From Elkanah Watson Jr.
Sir London 30th April 1783.

If a disinterested wish to contribute to the Glory & happiness of America will sufficiently plead my excuse, for the liberty I take in writing your Excellency, I claim no other advocate. Doubtless Sir you are not unacquainted with the spirit of Emigration that so generally prevails throughout England, Ireland & Scotland, but more particularly in this City; every Vessel is crouded with passengers, & many intire wealthy families. The enthusiasm is so great, that mechanics of every kind would croud over in a torrent, if the Congress should favor emigrations by allowing a fix'd bounty to every Captain who takes over a useful able body'd mechanic, incapable of paying his passage: by this means it is difficult to hazard a conjecture, how 463 image 464effectual our principal object of cultivating manufactures would succeed especially as its clearly evident that whatever steps Government may take to check them will only redouble their ardour, & determine many hundreds to break through the barrier, who probably never would have thought of going before an obstacle was thrown in the way. Sailors are subjects equally important to our rising republic, & by a trifling bounty upon the extra number of a ship's Crew, we might easily introduce several hundred native Americans now starving in the streets of this city for the want of employment, & anxious to get home: every day Since my arrival many have offer'd to work their passages; Besides I find even the English sailors have a general wish to enroll themselves under our stripes.

I have the honor to be respectfully / Your Excellency’s most Obdt hble St

E. Watson Jr.

RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency / John Adams Esqr.