Papers of John Adams, volume 18
An Event has taken Place, of too much Importance to the United States, to be omitted, in Dispatches to Congress. A Messenger arrived at the Secretary of States Office, last night, with a Treaty of Commerce between France and England, Signed by the Comte De Vergennes and Mr Eden.1 it cannot be Supposed that the Contents can be fully known: but it is Suggested that England has Stipulated, to reduce the Duties upon French Wines, to the Sum which is now paid upon Portugal Wines, reserving at the Same time a Power of reducing those upon the latter, one third lower than they are if necessary. A Minister Mr Faulner, is in the mean time Sent off to
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Lisbon, to negotiate there, both this Point and another in dispute with Ireland.2
England has Stipulated that France shall enjoy, all the Priviledges in Trade of the most favoured Nation in Europe, So that a Reservation is made of a Right to allow the United States of America, Some Superiour Advantages.
It is Supposed that France is to admit, British Manufactures, and that all the Commerce is to be carried on in British Bottoms.
The Treaty is probably Subject to the Ratification, or Consent of Parliament, and will be kept as Secret as possible till the Meeting of that assembly.
The Consequences of this Treaty, cannot be indifferent and Time alone can reveal who is the gainer. but this is clear that if either obtains any considerable Advantage a War must eer long be the Consequence of it, for neither of these nations can bear to be outwitted by the other in commercial affairs.
The Negotiation between England and Russia is at a Stand3 and the foreign Ministers here are anxious to learn whether there is to be a better Understanding, between London and Berlin, during the present Reign in Prussia, than there was in the last.— It is certain that England, more or less, underhand, Supports the Prince of Orange, who is more openly encouraged by his Brother in Law the present King of Prussia. France on the other hand has Connections with the Republicans, who seem determined that no foreign Power shall interfere in their internal Policy.4 The Emperor would not be Sorry to see, France and Prussia, at variance, concerning Dutch affairs. For all these Reasons together I hope the Patriots in Holland, will have a peaceable Opportunity to go through their projected Restoration and Improvements of their Constitution.
The Designs they entertain are interesting to Mankind in general as well as to their particular Country, Since the Principles of Liberty and the Theory of good Government, may be propagated by them.
A Writer of great Abilities and Reputation, has been employd to draw up a Plan for the Settlement of the Republick, to which many of the ablest Men in the several Provinces have contributed their assistance. it has been published in three Volumes under the Title of Grondewellige Herstelling, and near five Thousand Copies of it have been sold, which shews the Zeal with which it has been generally approved. The Author of it is Mr Cerisier, who has been constant to his Principles and has professedly recommended the Constitutions of our United States as Models, as far as the Circumstances will
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admit. Several Cities have reformed their Regencies according to his Ideas, and many more, perhaps all, will follow their Example if no foreign Power should interfere. In a late Excursion to the Low Countries, I happened to be at Utrecht on the Day of the Ceremony of Administering the Oaths to the new Magistrates elected by the free suffrages of the People. it was conducted with perfect order, and Striking Dignity, in the Presence of the whole City, well armed and well cloathed in Uniform and apparently well disciplined, besides a vast Concourse of Spectators from other Cities. a Revolution conducted in this decisive manner and with Such Decorum, Shows that the Principles upon which it was founded, must have taken a very deep root.5
If neighbouring Monarchies Should not from Jealousies, that democratical Principles may Spread too far, and in time affect their own Subjects, interfere and disturb this free People they will exhibit to the World something worthy of its Attention. When I mention democratical Principles, I dont mean that it is their Intention to establish a Government merely democratical. but a well regulated Commonwealth, consisting in a Composition of Democratical Aristocratical, and monarchical Powers without which they are too enlightened to suppose, that Peace and Liberty can ever be long preserved among Men.—
With great and sincere Esteem, I have the Honour / to be, Sir your most obedient and most / humble servant
RC (PCC, No. 84, VI, f. 351–354); internal address: “His Excellency John Jay / Secretary of state for the / Department of foreign affairs.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 112.
For William Eden’s reconciliation with William Pitt and subsequent appointment in late December to negotiate an Anglo-French treaty, see John Jebb’s 20 Dec. 1785 letter, and note 3, above. Eden left London for Paris on 21 March 1786, replacing George Craufurd, who had been negotiating unsuccessfully with the French since late 1784. Signed at Versailles on 26 Sept. 1786, the treaty awarded most favored nation status to France and recalibrated duties in favor of British imports. Although the treaty was short-lived, collapsing only six years later, it provided a much-needed victory to Pitt and other supporters of British free trade while exposing the vulnerability of the French economy on the eve of revolution (vols. 15:196; 16:287–288; Black, British Foreign Policy
, p. 107–111;
DNB
). For more on Pitt, see Descriptive List of Illustrations, No. 7, above.
JA refers here to the reduction in the duties on French wines under the Anglo-French treaty that automatically invoked the provision in the Anglo-Portuguese Treaty of Commerce, or Methuen Treaty, of 1703 requiring duties on Portuguese wines to be lower than those on French wines. While that issue was resolved under the terms of the 1703 treaty, the disruption caused by the Anglo-French agreement came as Britain was actively pursuing its longstanding desire for a new, comprehensive Anglo-Portuguese commercial treaty. As a result, two days after JA wrote this letter, the Marquis of Carmarthen appointed William Fawkener, senior clerk of the Privy Council, to assist Robert Walpole,
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British minister to Portugal, in negotiations for a new treaty as well as in resolving a conflict over Irish imports of Portuguese wines and Portuguese imports of Irish woolens. Fawkener reached Lisbon on 25 Oct. 1786, but in negotiations lasting through the end of the year, he was able to achieve only an agreement on the “dispute with Ireland,” with no progress being made on a new treaty, which would not be concluded until Sept. 1793 (vol. 15:196; John Ehrman, The British Government and Commercial Negotiations with Europe, 1783–1793, Cambridge, Eng., 1962, p. 70–75, 173–174).
Alleyne Fitzherbert (1753–1839), later Baron St. Helens, served as the British envoy extraordinary and plenipotentiary at St. Petersburg from late 1783 to mid-1787. Two objects occupied him during his tenure: the conclusion of an alliance and the renewal of the 1766 Anglo-Russian commercial treaty due to lapse in 1786. The first initiative came to nothing because Catherine II had no interest in such a relationship. The second undertaking had more promise because Catherine, following the 1783 general peace, undertook to negotiate commercial agreements with European powers incorporating the principles of the Armed Neutrality that she had declared in 1780. Britain, however, was unwilling to countenance a new treaty containing principles it had resoundingly rejected in 1780, when it justified war with the Netherlands over Dutch acceptance of them. The negotiations failed and the 1766 treaty expired, leaving Anglo-Russian relations as unsettled as they had been before Fitzherbert’s arrival (Black, British Foreign Policy
, p. 74–76; Ehrman, The British Government and Commercial Negotiations with Europe, p. 92–111;
DNB
).
William V’s wife, Wilhelmina, princess of Orange, was the niece of Frederick II and sister of the new Prussian king Frederick William II. In Sept. 1787, disturbed at his sister’s arrest and the ouster of the stadholder, Frederick William ordered the invasion of the Netherlands (
AFC
, 7:325).
JA’s comments regarding Dutch constitutional reform and the importance of Grondwettige Herstelling, van Nederlands staatswezen: zo voor het algemeen Bondgenootschap, als voor het bestuur van elke byzondere Provincie, 2 vols., Amsterdam, 1784–1786, in that endeavor is significant. When he wrote this letter JA was drafting the first volume of his Defence. It should also be noted that while JA here indicates that Grondwettige Herstelling was the work of Antoine Marie Cerisier, and Cerisier implies such in his 10 Aug. 1786 letter, above, the work is in fact by Johan Hendrik Swildens (1745–1809), Dutch educator and adherent to the Patriot cause, who in 1784 also published Almanack en Politiek zakboekje voor de Vereenigde Nederlanders. Also, in referring to Grondwettige Herstelling as a three-volume work, JA apparently refers to a second edition of the first volume published in 1785 (
Nieuw Ned. Biog. Woordenboek
, 3:1226–1228; Willem Pieter Cornelis Knuttel, Catalogus van de pamfletten-verzameling berustende in de Koninklijke Bibliotheek, 9 vols., The Hague, 1889–1920, 5:237). For his attendance at the Utrecht ceremonies, see John Adams Visits the Netherlands, 3 Aug. – 6 Sept. 1786, Editorial Note, above.
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d.1786.
The Genl Court met here last Wednesday being called together much sooner than was expected, on acct. of the Disturbances that have taken place in several Counties by unlawfull Assemblies of armed-Men to stop the Courts of Justice. I herewith send you the News-Papers in which you will find a general account of the Proceedings in the Counties of Bristol, Hampshire, Worcester, and at Concord in Middlesex.1
I mentioned to you in a former Letter my Ideas of some of the Causes of uneasiness among the People, as arrising from Debts too 475 freely contracted soon after the Peace, when the great plenty of Money in circulation encouraged many to purchase Lands and Stock on credit at a high Price, with fair Hopes of soon paying for them.2 But Money being almost the only Remittance sent to Europe for the immense quantities of Goods that were then so madly imported, this soon caused a comparative Scarcity of circulating Cash, by which means those who had run in debt for real Estate, found their Lands daily falling in value, and the Difficulty of borrowing Money to prevent their being sued, increasing in the same proportion. European Goods also having been such a Glutt at that time that the Merchants knew not what to do with them, they therefore very freely sold them on Credit to the Country Traders and others, and they again trusted them out as freely to Individuals. Thus there was laid a Foundation for innumerable Law-Suits when ever the time of payment should be elapsed.
Altho’ Money became very soon much scarcer and more difficult to come at than it had been some time before, by means of the large exportations of Gold and Silver to Europe; yet there was another, and perhaps a greater, Cause that operates very much against those who wanted to borrow Money, and who had real Estate enough to give sufficient Security in common Times; and that was the Endeavours that had been used to get Paper Money issued and made a legal Tender for Debts due in Gold and Silver, and the Efforts made use of to get Tender-Acts, by which the Creditor might be forced to take such real or personal Estate as he knew not what to do with, in discharge of Money lent. Such Motions in the General Court, and among the People, alarmed those who had Money to lend, and made them afraid to lend it, lest they should be forced to take their Pay in Paper Money or some other Tender.
Things being thus circumstanced, Law-suits soon became numerous and pressing, and the Debtors, meerly for gaining time, would often get Continuances from Term to Term untill the Costs of Court amounted very high. At the same time several Gentlemen of the Law who are not old in Practice, imprudently at least, display’d great Appearances of Wealth by their splendid Tables, rich Furniture, setting up Chariots and the like; and this occasioned many of the People, especially those in Debt, to look on the Order of Lawyers with Disgust and Aversion. And this Temper was increased by a Writer under the Signature of Honestus, who at that time taking advantage of the sour and fretted temper that prevailed in various Parts of the Commonwealth, especially in the western
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Counties, published his Declamations against the Forms and Profession of Law, representing the whole Order of Lawyers as being not only useless but hurtfull and pernicious to the Community.3 These Papers were eagerly read by many, especially by those whose cicumstances were involved, and to whome the legal means of compelling Payment of Debts were unwelcome. Persons of this Class being numerous in all parts of the State, and some of them being of the most turbulent and desperate Dispositions, made it their Business to run from Town to Town, and from one County to another, enflaming the Minds of the lower Class of People against the Government, by representing those who form the General Court as needlessly and wantonly spending the publick Money by giving exorbitant Salaries to the higher Officers of State, such as the Governor, Judges &c, and so adding to the Burdens of the Poor. Rhode Island some time ago emitted Paper Money and made it a Tender so that if the Creditor will not take it the Debtor may lodge it with a civil Officer and so be discharg’d of his Debt.4 This Paper passes no further than it is thus driven, and is a most convenient Instrument in the Hand of the Debtor with which to cheat his Creditor under the colour of Law. The neighbouring County of Bristol, wishing, as I suppose, to be enabled to pay their Debts as easily as their Neighbours of R: Island did, were the first who formed themselves into a County Convention for the Purpose of getting Paper Money issued by this State, and accordingly presented a Memorial to the Genl. Court the Session before last for that Purpose, but a great majority in both Houses was then against the measure. Letters missive for holding County Conventions have from that time been much in fashion—the high Ideas of the Multitude that all the Power of Government (which doubtless originated in the People) is yet in them, makes their Delegates feel very important in those august Assemblies in which they may “Snatch the Ballance and the Rod.”5
This Idea of collecting the publick Mind in those County Conventions, appears to me to be subversive of the free Course and Operation of Government, and furnishes a Pretence for neglecting or postponing the Orders of Government in almost every case. It is difficult to know precisely what the Grievances are that are complained of, as the Conventions differ among themselves.— The general Cry is—“the want of a circulating Medium—[”]6 that there must be Paper Money, or a Tender-Act, or both.— that the Courts of general Sessions of the Peace and Common Pleas are a Grievance and must be annihilated, and that petty Courts should be held in every 477 Town, where every one should tell his own Story before a single Justice of the Peace.— that the State Debt, which has been liquidated and consolidated, be discharged (in Paper money to be emitted) not at the Value which Government promised to pay to the Holders of the Notes in Gold and Silver, when they agreed to loan their Debts, but at the low rate to which they have since fallen through the deficiency of Payment of the Principal and Interest as they became due; which deficiency was owing to the want of punctuality in the payment of the Taxes and Duties destined for that purpose.— that the Constitution of this Commonwealth (which may be revised in the Year 1795) be now revised and new modelled to suit the Taste of our new Masters— that publick Salaries be reduced— I suppose that the Wages of the meanest Tradesman will be tho’t sufficient pay for those who perform the publick Service, that so some uniformity may appear between such Servants and their Masters.
A Letter from the Judges dated the last Week at Springfield has this Day (Octr. 3d) been read in Senate, containing Information to this effect— That a small Party took possession of the Court House in favour of Government on Sunday preceding the Tuesday when the Supreme Court was by Law to sit there— that the Insurgents to the number of about 750 Men equipped with fire Arms, and about 500 more with Clubbs &c came the next Day with a professed design to stop the Supreme Court from doing any Civil Business.— that Major Genl. Shepheard of that County with about 800 Gentlemen and substantial Farmers well armed came as Volunteers to defend the free execution of Law and Justice in their County, who were determined to risque every thing in defence of constitutional Liberty— that the Insurgents encamped so as to include within their Lines the House where the Judges lodged: that when the Judges passed their Lines they gave them the military Salute— that under this military Parade the Court opened and finally adjourned, it being impossible to do Business under such Circumstances— that during the little time that the Court sat at Springfield the Insurgents were so infatuated as eagarly to insist on being led on to Battle, and to try their Power at the Point of the Sword; but their Leader moderated their Rashness and no Blood was shed. When the Court had adjourned the Insurgents retired.7
This State of our publick Affairs is now before the Genl Court, and a large Committee of both Houses are considering what measures will be most prudent for Government to adopt under our present Embarrassments.
If Capt: Sohier who will deliver you this, should not sail for a few Days I may be able to add something further. I am, with the highest Esteem, your affectionate / Brother
Please to present my warmest Congratulations to your amiable Daughter and her happy Partner; and let your dearest Friend know that her Sisters and all the young Connections are well. Your Hon. Mother is also well and the Family.
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Capt. Barnard from London arrived this Day at Boston.8
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th.
Capt. Callahan is safe arrived, and we have to thank you and Sister for your Letters by him.9 Your Letters to your Son John and to Dr. Williams by way of N. York I have sent up to Cambridge.10
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My Billy is here from Cambridge— your Sons are well, and I can add, what is of more importance than even Health itself, that your Boys and mine behave as we would wish they should, free from Blame, or so much as a suspicion of being blame-worthy.
th.
Bror. Shaw and his Wife are to be here to day as I hear, having arrived as far as Mistick last Evening; I here they are all well at Haverhill.
RC (Adams Papers); endorsed by AA2: “Mr Cranch Oct 3d / 1786.”
Cranch paraphrased James Bowdoin’s 13 Sept. proclamation calling the General Court back into session on 27 September. For the proclamation, the county conventions, and the closure of the courts, see Charles Storer’s 16 Sept. letter, and notes 1–3, above.
This is Cranch’s 13 Oct. 1785 letter (vol. 17:505–510). There he described the difficult economic situation faced by Massachusetts because of the heavy debts owed by merchants and farmers. They were unable to repay because of the flow of specie out of the state to England due mainly to the imbalance in Anglo-American trade. See also JA’s 12 Dec. 1785 reply, above.
A series of articles by Boston merchant Benjamin Austin Jr., who visited the Adamses in Aug. 1786, writing as Honestus, appeared in the Boston Independent Chronicle on 9 March, 13, 20 April, 11 May, and 15, 22 June. Honestus savagely attacked the Massachusetts legal system and the practice of law, demanding the abolition of the professional bar (
DAB
). On 6 July the Chronicle announced the publication of a pamphlet containing Honestus’ collected essays entitled Observations on the Pernicious Practice of the Law.
JA certainly knew of Austin’s newspaper pieces and that grievances against the Massachusetts legal system were a major motivation for those who supported Shays’ Rebellion, but he did not comment on the Honestus articles at the time of publication. In this respect he was in sharp contrast to AA, who blamed Austin and his essays for the rebellion (
AFC
, 7:328, 332, 405–406).
For Rhode Island’s decision to issue paper currency founded on a land bank and its consequences, see John Jay’s first 1 Nov. letter, and note 3, below.
Cranch quotes from Alexander Pope’s Essay on Man, Epistle I, line 121. The full passage (lines 113–122) reads: “Go, wiser thou! and in thy scale of sense / Weigh thy opinion against Providence; / Call imperfection what thou fanciest such, / Say, Here He gives too little, there too much! / Destroy all creatures for thy sport or gust, / Yet cry, If man’s unhappy, God’s unjust; / If man alone ingross not Heaven’s high care, / Alone made perfect here, immortal there: / Snatch from His hand the balance and the rod, / Re-judge His justice, be the God of God.”
This phrase, or a variation of it, was common to many of the lists of grievances produced by the county conventions, for which see examples from the counties of Worcester and Middlesex (Massachusetts Centinel, 26 Aug.; Boston Independent Chronicle, 7 Sept.).
The letter referred to by Cranch has not been found, but his account agrees with newspaper reports of the forces arrayed against the court and its aborted meeting on 25 and 26 Sept. (Boston Independent Ledger, 2 Oct.; Taylor, Western Massachusetts in the Revolution
, p. 146). The Springfield, Mass., court closing was significant because it was the first incident in which Daniel Shays played a notable role.
The Massachusetts Centinel of 7 Oct. indicated that Capt. Tristram Barnard of the brig Mary reached Boston on the previous day. Among the items he brought were magazines for Mary Smith Cranch from AA and probably letters of AA and JA to Cotton Tufts (
AFC
, 7:356, 370).
Capt. John Callahan of the Neptune reached Cape Ann, where he landed passengers and mail, on 8 Oct. and Boston on the 10th (Massachusetts Centinel, 11 Oct.). For letters carried by Callahan, see
AFC
, 7:265, 306, 370.
The letters to JQA were likely those of 26 May and [3 June] (same, 7:205–206, 211–212). That to Harvard professor Samuel Williams was of 3 June, above.