Papers of John Adams, volume 19
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
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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
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.