[dateline] Amsterdam February 7. 1781
[salute] Sir
By the Tenth Article of the Treaty of Alliance with France “The most Christian King
and the united States agree, to invite or admit other Powers, who may have received
Injuries from England, to make common Cause with them and to acceed to that Alliance,
under Such Conditions as shall be freely agreed to and Settled between all the Parties.”
According to present Appearances, in a few Weeks Russia, Denmark, Sweeden and Holland,
the Nations that form the neutral Confederacy, will be at War against England and
the first Moments
{ 118 } of Warmth and Enthusiasm occasioned by this Rupture, would be the most favourable,
for France and the United States to join in an Invitation to all these Powers, to
acceed to that Alliance. At present it is a question whether there is any Person in
Europe legally authorized to treat with any Power, except France and Spain. It is
true that the Commissioners, at the Court of Versailles, had formerly by a Resolution
of Congress, which I believe was inserted in the Commission, which I had the Honour
to carry over to France, Authority to Treat with any Power in Europe. But it may now
be justly questioned, whether the Dissolution of that Commission has not dissolved
that Power.
1 In order to remove all doubts I submit to the Consideration of Congress, whether
it would not be proper to give a formal Commission to Some Person or other, to treat
with these Powers and Prussia too.
I am very Sorry, that I have it not in my Power, to give Congress more favourable
Intelligence on the Subject of a Loan. I am ashamed to say, that I have not been able
with all the Solicitation that Decency would countenance, either to get an House to
undertake a Loan or a Broker to negotiate it. The Dread of doing any Thing which should
give a Colour of Complaint to England, or of furnishing the opposite Party with a
pretence to charge any one with directly or indirectly causing a War, has been Such,
that nobody dared do any Thing. Even at this Moment there are So many hopes of Peace,
and so many Solicitudes about being Supported by Russia Sweeden and Denmark, that
Things move very heavily. I am asked every day, with great Anxiety, have you power
to make a Treaty with Us? I answer No I have not. I have only Power to negotiate a
Loan? I am told, that by beginning my Negotiation for a Loan, without going to the
states General first and the Prince of Orange, at least without its being known that
I have a Commission to treat with them I shall Spoil my Affair. I believe this to
be true but I cant help it. I must obey the orders of Congress and Bills of Exchange
will soon become payable. I shall therefore try the Experiment, with little Hopes
of Success. I can say no more than this, that Congress may depend upon they never
will get a Loan for any considerable sum of Money, untill they have a Minister here.
Mr. Searle assures me, that Mr. Laurens had the Powers of a Minister, if so his Captivity
is So much the greater Misfortune: but there is no Possibility that I know of, of
getting his Liberty. It would be indelicate and unjust to superceed Mr. Laurens, and
therefore I submit it to Congress, whether it will not be expedient to send A
{ 119 } Commission here, to take Place during the Absence of Mr. Laurens. Perhaps some Gentlemen
would think it derogatory to them to accept such a Commission. Some others to serve
their Country would not. But in all Events, I beg Leave to give it as my opinion,
that a Minister here is indispensibly necessary. If such an one is not sent this Nation
will after what is passed, be disgusted. It has been a long time wonderful to me,
that Congress have not had a Minister here. It is certainly ill Policy, to neglect
a Nation which is the most likely to be affectionately attached to Us, as they are
of the Protestant Religion, and
<there is more Liberty in their s> attached in sentiment to Liberty tho the Form of their Government cannot be said
to be absolutely free, and as they are the Center of the Commerce of the World.
Whether Congress will think proper, to give the Same Minister Power to represent them
in this Republick and the other Powers of the neutral Confederacy, or whether they
will send a Minister to the Empress of Russia, with such Powers, giving at the same
Time a Commission to another to reside here, or whether they will Send a Minister
to each of the maritime Powers, I must Submit to their Wisdom.
<I beg Leave to say a few Walls>2<before I conclude respecting myself. I see no Prospect at all, that my Commission
for making Peace, will be of any Use at all. There can be no greater Punishment to
me, then to live in Idleness>.
I have this Day, the Honour of a Letter, from Mr. Lovell, dated the 12th. of December
inclosing a Resolution of Congress of the Same day, which does me great Honour.
3 I shall continue to do every Thing in my Power, to honour the Bills, that have been
drawn, and that I have accepted or may accept, but with very imperfect Hopes of Success,
without the Assistance of Mr. Franklin, or of a Power to treat upon political subjects
and obtain the Countenance of the states. At present I have no Such Power, and it
would only make matters worse if I were to ask it. Most of the Bills of the Sixth
of June, have appeard and been accepted by me, upon the Consent of Mr. Franklin to
pay them, if I cannot. No others have as yet arrived. When they do, I must again apply
to Mr. Franklin. If he cannot, engage to pay, I shall be obliged, for what I see at
present, to let them be protested, for it would certainly be better to have them protested
for Non Acceptance, than to have the Agent of Congress, engaged for them, unable to
pay them, sent to Prison or declared Bankrupt. I hope however that nothing so disagreable
will happen. I hope that Mr. Franklin will obtain of France, enough to pay them. There
is a firm Confidence here that they will be paid, Some Way or other, for
{ 120 } it is certain there are no Bills in better Credit, or more demand. They will fetch
Goods or Money, at any Time and of almost any Person. This is a great Consolation
to me, and an excellent Symptom for the publick.
4
It is extreamly disagreable to me, to be obliged to repeat So often as I have done
in my Letters, the Request to Congress to send full Powers here because it may have
the Appearance of Soliciting for myself, which is not the Truth. It is perfectly indifferent
to me, whether such Power be Sent to me or any other Gentleman. The Powers themselves
are wanted, and it is of no Kind of Consequence who has them
<provided he be, as no doubt he will, an honest and a capable Man>. I dont mean by this however to decline any service to which I may be ordered by
Congress, because I am at present an expensive Article to the United States without
the Power to do them any good. My Commission for making Peace is extreamly honourable
to me, but totally useless to the publick, it has done Us no good whatsoever, it has
been considered as a proof of Weakness and distress and an earnest Affection for Great
Britain, and an ardent Zeal to be restored to Friendship with them. I never did myself
expect any good from it, having ever considered it in the Light, of Some other Measures,
in which I have heretofore obeyed the orders of Congress against my own private opinion,
particular our second Petition to the King, and the Conference with Lord How upon
Staten Island.
5 I see not the least prospect that it will be of any service, for the English in my
opinion, will not acknowledge our Independance for many Years. And therefore, if there
is no service in which I can be employed, in which I can have the Consolation to reflect
that I am doing Some thing for the Publick at the Same Time that I am eating its Bread,
I had rather be recalled, for in my own Country, I flatter myself I could do it some
good. I have the Honour to be