4. What this letter conveyed, more by implication than in so many words, was that the
first and chief objective of
JA's year of watchful waiting, mixed with strenuous journalistic and diplomatic campaigning,
was about to be realized. In the spring of 1781 he had written and, in spite of obstacles
strewn in his way, had presented to the States General his Memorial announcing his
receipt of powers from Congress as minister plenipotentiary, requesting recognition
in that capacity, and arguing the advantages that would flow from an alliance and
the opening of commerce between the United Netherlands and the United States. For
details see notes on
JA to
AA,
11 March and
28 April 1781, both above; also
JA, Diary and Autobiography,
2:457. As he had been taught to expect, the
ad referendum process, from the States General to the assemblies of the seven provinces and back
again, would take time. At length in December he was advised by La Vauguyon, who under
instruction from Versailles was eager to promote the plans of the Dutch Patriots against
the pro-English Stadholder, that he might “now assume an higher Tone, which the late
Cornwallization will well warrant,” and might begin formal calls upon the great officers of the republic,
the several regencies, and especially the deputies of the cities of the Province of
Holland, requesting “an Answer to my former Proposition” (
JA to Pres. Thomas McKean,
18 Dec. 1781,
PCC, No. 84, III; printed in
Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 5:55; La Vauguyon to
JA,
30 Dec. 1781,
Adams Papers; printed in
JA, Works, 7:500–501). On 9 Jan. 1782, accordingly,
JA began a round of visits at The Hague to present a “réquisition verbale” demanding
“a Categorical Answer” to his request for recognition. An English text of the “réquisition”
or “Ulteriour Address” is in
JA's Collection of State-Papers, 1782, p. 21; see also
JA to McKean,
14 Jan. (
PCC, No. 84, III; printed in
Wharton, ed., Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev., 5:97–100). Meanwhile
JA's friends among the merchants, publishers, and political leaders of the Patriot party,
chiefly in the cities of Holland but in some other provinces as well, busied themselves
getting up petitions
{ 305 } favoring recognition of and trade with the United States, some of the results of which
have been alluded to in preceding letters in this volume. These had their effect:
the first province to instruct its deputies to vote for recognition was Friesland,
26 Feb.; on 28 March, after some last-minute hesitations, the assembly of Holland
similarly instructed its deputies. Dumas wrote instantaneously: “La grande oeuvre
est accomplie,” adding that he was unable to see more than one or two of the members
because they “sont actuellement è célcébrer l'oeuvre en bonne compagnie, et le verre
en main” (to
JA,
28 March,
Adams Papers). Holland's action virtually determined that of the remaining provinces, all five
of which announced favorable decisions on or before 17 April. Texts of the provincial
resolutions and instructions are in
JA's Collection of State-Papers, 1782, p. 79–91. See further, John Thaxter to
JA,
20 April, below, and
note 1 there.