Papers of John Adams, volume 19

From John Adams to the Marquis of Carmarthen, 25 September 1787 Adams, John Carmarthen, the Marquis of

To the Marquis of Carmarthen

My Lord— Grosvr. sqr. Septr. 25th. 1787.

I am under the necessity of again troubleing your Lordship, with the Complaint here enclosed of Robert Cushing a Citizen of the United states of America—And Master of the American ship Non-pariel, that his People were taken from him on board his ship by a Press-gang last fryday morning and are now on Board the Colossus in Long-reach: that he cannot obtain their release without an order from the admiralty: that ~~altho~~ some of his People have been put on shore but that the following persons remain on board His Majesty’s 167 ship—vizt. Thomas Douglass & Joseph Gardiner both his Apprentices & also John Whitecombe, Richard Green & John Turner, Americans that he shall be detained to the great detriment of the Voyage, if his People are not immediately restored1

I do myself the honor, again to request your Lordships kind assistance, in procuring these Men their Liberty as Citizens of the United States of America

with great respect / &c—

J. A—

LbC in WSS’s hand (Adams Papers); internal address: “Lord Carmarthen / &c— &c—”; APM Reel 112.

Capt. Robert Cushing, who carried letters and goods for the Adamses, sailed from Boston in June and returned in October ( AFC , 7:index; 8:186; Boston Gazette, 4 June; London World and Fashionable Advertiser, 16 Oct.). For the 21 Sept. impressment mentioned here, see JA’s 22 Sept. letter to Carmarthen, and note 2, as well as JA’s first letter of the same day to John Jay, both above. JA informed Thomas Jefferson on 28 Oct., below, that the British Navy had been given general orders to “let American Vessells and seamen alone.”

To John Adams from C. W. F. Dumas, 25 September 1787 Dumas, Charles William Frederic Adams, John

From C. W. F. Dumas

Monsieur La haie 25 7be. 1787

Ce pays est conquis & soumis au vainqueur. Il ne manque plus que la soumission d’Amsterdam; & je ne vois pas de meilleur parti qu’elle puisse prendre pour sa conservation.1 En l’attendant, nous som̃es ici à la merci à tous moments de la populace & du soldat. Le pouvoir exàcutif & judiciaire ne nous protege guere. J’ai sauvé jusqu’ici ma personne, famille & maison de la destruction, en ayant recours au bras militaire qui m’a secouru à peine, après avoir offert de me remettre entre leurs mains; ce qu’on n’a pas accepté. On fait accroire à la meute destructive que j’ai fourni de l’argent au Corps franc de La Haie (avoué, viz protégé, assermenté, pris au service du Souverain local qui vient de succomber). Rien n’est plus faux, ni plus aisé à verifier par les Listes des contribuants, qui sont mieux protégés que moi, abandonné, & exposé à tous momens à la fureur aveugle d’une meute, qu’on ne manqueroit pas de colorer après coup par mille faussetés absurdes.— J’ai donc le besoin le plus urgent, ~~pour~~ que Vre. Exce, corm̃e Minre. ou en son absence, Mr. Smith, com̃e Chargé d’affaires, écrivent en toute diligence une Lettre adressée directement au Président de L.h.P. & une autre, sa copie, au Greffier de L.h.P. (Mr. Fagel) pour réclamer le Droit des gens en ma faveur, qui, iñecent, ne cherche pas à me soustraire à mes Juges compétens, & qui, par conséquent, ne dois pas périr sur-tout irregulierement avec ma pauvre famille. J’ai servi depuis douze ans le plus 168 fidelement les Etats-Unis mes Maîtres, constam̃ent Approuvé & loué par eux & par leurs Alliés.— Au nom de Dieu, écrivez im̃édiatement: car en attendant que je ne sois ni im̃olé ni sacrifié, je suis à chaque instant menacé de l’être. J’ai eu la force d’écrire ceci. Je ne l’ai pas d’en écrire une seconde à Mr. Smith, de qui je suis, ainsi que De Votre Excellence, avec tout respect & détresse, ainsi que de Mesdames Adams & Smith, avec ma désolée famille, / le très humble, obéissant / & excessivement infortuné / serviteur

C.w.f. Dumas

P. S. Je reçois en ce moment le paquet de Mr. Smith, avec ses ordres du 21 court auxquels j’obéis en lui en accusant la réception.2 Je joins ici copie de la partie de son contenu qui me regarde, ainsique l’hôtel ici des Etats-Unis.3 L’ordre le plus prompt donné par Votre Exce., ou de sa part, à Mess. Wm. & Jn. Willink, Nic. & Jb. v. Staphorst Banquiers des Et. Un. à Amstm. pour concourir immédiatemt. avec moi & provisionellemt. au plus necessaire pour rendre l’hotel surement tenable & habitable selon la volonté du Congrés, peut, sous la divine providence, & avec les Lettres sollicitées ci a dessus operer mon salut, en attendant que je puisse répondre de ma conduite, si on l’attaquoit régulierement.— Com̃e jusqu’ici j’en suis quitte pour la peur, quoi que la plus justement autorisée & excessive, peutêtre une Simple com̃unication amicale toujours directe à L.H.P. de la Résolution du Congrès & Lettre du Ministre, ci-jointes, avec requisition de m’être favorable & secourable dans mes réparations & déménagement successifs, Sans com̃encer par porter aucune plainte, sera la voie la plus propre à produire l’effet desiré.

Il n’y a rien d’exagéré dans toute cette Lettre, je crains pour la vie de mon Epouse & fille à tous momens aux abois de frayeur. Nous craignons à tout moment toutes les miseres imaginables, & som̃es sans secours. Tout ici, amis & ennemis, se fuit, de peur de partager le sort de l’infortuné menacé.

TRANSLATION

Sir The Hague, 25 September 1787

This country is conquered and subject to the victor. Only the surrender of Amsterdam remains, and I do not perceive any better option she may take for her preservation.1 As we await it, we are at the constant mercy of the people and the soldiers. Executive and judiciary powers do not protect us. I have, up until now, protected myself, my family and my home from destruction by resorting to the militia which barely rescued me after I offered 169 to place myself in their hands, an offer they did not deem acceptable. The rampaging mob is led to believe that I supplied the Free Corps of The Hague (recognized, protected and sworn, taken into the service of the recently fallen local sovereign leader) with money. Nothing is further from the truth, nor easier to verify by consulting the list of contributors who are better protected than me, I who am abandoned and constantly exposed to the blind fury of the mob and whom they will not refrain from misrepresenting in a thousand absurd falsehoods. I therefore most urgently need for your excellency as minister, or, in his absence, Mr. Smith, as chargé d’affaires, to write a letter with the utmost haste addressed directly to the president of Their High Mightinesses and another, a copy, to the secretary of Their High Mightinesses (Mr. Fagel) in order to claim the law of nations in my favor, who, an innocent, is not seeking to remove myself from my competent judges, and who, consequently, with my poor family, ought not to perish, above all. For twelve years, I have served the United States, my masters, most faithfully, have been constantly applauded and praised by them and by their allies. In God’s name, write immediately, for while I am not yet slain or sacrificed, I am at every moment threatened to be. I had the courage to write this. I do not have sufficient courage to write a second to Mr. Smith of whom I am, as of your excellency, with all respect and anguish, as well as of Mrs. Adams and Smith, with my afflicted family, your most humble, obedient and most excessively unfortunate servant

C.w.f. Dumas

P.S. I have just this instant received Mr. Smith’s package with his orders of the 21st of the current month, of which I obey and confirm receipt.2 I herein enclose a copy of part of its contents which pertain to me and to the Hôtel des États-Unis here.3 The swiftest orders sent by your excellency or on his behalf to Messrs. Wilhem and Jan Willink, Nicolaas — Jacob van Staphorst, bankers for the United States in Amsterdam, in order to join immediately in my efforts in making the hotel provisionally equipped and securely inhabitable according to Congress’ wishes, may, by divine providence and with the letters solicited here, work toward my salvation. In the meantime I may defend my own conduct, should it be attacked regularly. Though up until now I have only had to suffer fear, albeit of the most justifiable and excessive variety, perhaps a simple, friendly report of the congressional resolution and the secretary’s letter, attached here, also addressed directly to Their High Mightinesses, along with a petition to be favorable to me and to come to my aid in my successive reparations and relocation, without starting off by filing a complaint, will open up the best path to arrive at the desired outcome.

I am not exaggerating in this letter. I fear for the life of my wife and daughter every moment in dire straits. We constantly fear all imaginable miseries and are without help. Everyone here, friends and enemies, flees for fear of sharing the fate of the wretched.

RC and enclosures (Adams Papers); internal address: “Londres à S. E. Mr. Adams”; endorsed: “Mr Dumas / 25. Septr. / ansd. 1. Oct.”; notation by CFA: “1787.”

170 1.

Political unrest in Amsterdam obstructed the receipt of Dumas’ salary, and anti-Patriot mobs threatened to loot and burn his home. In a 3 Oct. letter to Dumas, Thomas Jefferson reported that he had asked the Dutch ambassadors to France, Gerard Brantsen and Mattheus Lestevenon van Berkenrode, as well as the Prussian envoy in Paris, Philipp Karl von Alvensleben, to protect the embattled American agent at The Hague. On 4 Oct. Brantsen and Berkenrode appealed to the States General on Dumas’ behalf. Hendrik Fagel, secretary to the States General, replied that Dumas’ safety equaled that of any other citizen (vol. 14:94; Dipl. Corr., 1783–1789 >, 3:589–591; Black, British Foreign Policy , p. 195; Jefferson, Papers , 12:168–169, 193, 199–201, 289).

Not found.

Dumas enclosed an extract from John Jay’s 28 July letter, which included a copy of Congress’ 24 July resolution approving Dumas’ residence in the American legation at The Hague and the continued payment of his salary, for which see vol. 18:537–538.