The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 Part 33

_Extract of the Resolutions of the Lords, the States of Holland and West Friesland, taken in the a.s.sembly of their n.o.ble and Grand Mightinesses._

Thursday, March 28th, 1782.

"Deliberated by resumption upon the address and the ulterior address of Mr. Adams, made the 4th of May, 1781, and the 9th of January, 1782, to the President of the States-General, communicated to the a.s.sembly, the 9th of May, 1781, and the 22d of last month, to present his letters of credence, in the name of the United States of America, to their High Mightinesses, by which ulterior address the said Mr. Adams has demanded a categorical answer, that he may acquaint his const.i.tuents thereof; deliberated also upon the pet.i.tions of a great number of merchants, manufacturers and others, inhabitants of this Province interested in commerce, to support their request presented to the States-General the 20th current, to the end that efficacious measures might be taken to establish a commerce between this country and North America, copies of which pet.i.tions have been given to the members the 21st; and it has been thought fit, and resolved, that the affairs shall be directed, on the part of their n.o.ble and Grand Mightinesses, at the a.s.sembly of the States-General, and there shall be there made the strongest instances that Mr. Adams be admitted and acknowledged, as soon as possible, by their High Mightinesses in quality of Envoy of the United States of America. And the Counsellor-Pensionary has been charged to inform, under his hand, the said Mr. Adams of this Resolution of their n.o.ble and Grand Mightinesses."

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ZEALAND.

_Extract of the Resolutions of their High Mightinesses, the States-General of the United Provinces._

Monday, April 8th, 1782.

"The Deputies of the Province of Zealand have brought to the a.s.sembly and caused to be read there the Resolution of the States of the said Province, their princ.i.p.als, to cause to be admitted as soon as possible, Mr. Adams, in quality of Envoy of the Congress of North America in the following terms:

_Extract from the Register of the Resolutions of the Lords, the (p. 060) States of Zealand._

April 4th, 1782.

"It has been thought fit and ordered, that the gentlemen, the Ordinary Deputies of this Province at the generality, shall be convoked and authorized, as it is done by the present, to a.s.sist in the direction of affairs at the a.s.sembly of their High Mightinesses, in such a manner that Mr. Adams may be acknowledged as soon as possible as Envoy of the Congress of North America; that the letters of credence be accepted, and that he be admitted in that quality according to the ordinary form, enjoining further upon the said Lords, the Ordinary Deputies, to take such propositions as should be made to this Republic, by the said Mr.

Adams, for the information and the deliberation of their High Mightinesses, to the end to transmit them here as soon as possible. And an extract of this resolution of their n.o.ble Mightinesses shall be sent to the gentlemen, their Ordinary Deputies, to serve them as an instruction.

J. M. CHALMERS."

"Upon which, having deliberated, it has been thought fit and resolved to pray, by the present, the gentlemen, the Deputies of the Provinces of Guelderland, Utrecht, and Groningen, and Ommelanden, who have not as yet explained themselves upon this subject, to be pleased to do it, as soon as possible."

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OVERYSSEL.

_Extract from the Register of the Resolutions of the Equestrian Order, and of the cities composing the States Overyssel._

Zwoll, 5th of April, 1782.

"The grand Bailiff de Sallande, and the other commissions of their n.o.ble Mightinesses for the affairs of finance, having examined, conformably to their commissarial resolution of the 3d of this month, the addresses of Mr. Adams, communicated to the a.s.sembly the 4th of May, 1781, and the 22d of February, 1782, to present his letters of credence to their High Mightinesses, in the name of the United States of North America; as well as the resolution of the Lords, the States of Holland and West Friesland, dated the 28th of March, 1782, carried the 29th of the same month to the a.s.sembly of their High Mightinesses, for the admission and acknowledgment of Mr. Adams, have reported to the a.s.sembly, that they should be of opinion that the gentlemen, the Deputies of this Province in the States-General, ought to be authorized and charged to declare in the a.s.sembly of their High Mightinesses, that the Equestrian Order and the cities' Judge, that it is proper to acknowledge, as soon as possible, Mr. Adams, in quality of Minister of the United States of North America, to their High Mightinesses. Upon which, having deliberated, the Equestrian Order and the cities have conformed themselves to the said report.

"Compared with the aforesaid Register.

Derk DUMBAR."

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GRONINGEN. (p. 061)

_Extract from the Register of the Resolutions of their n.o.ble Mightinesses, the States of Groningen and Ommelanden._

Tuesday, 9th of April, 1782.

"The Lords, the States of Groningen and Ommelanden, having heard the report of the gentlemen, the Commissioners for the Pet.i.tions of the Council of State and the Finances of the Province, and having carefully examined the demand of Mr. Adams, to present his letters of credence from the United States of North America, to their High Mightinesses, have, after deliberation upon the subject, declared themselves of opinion that in the critical circ.u.mstances in which the Republic finds itself at present, it is proper to take, without loss of time, such efficacious measures as may not only repair the losses and damages that the kingdom of Great Britain has caused, in a manner so unjust, and against every shadow of right, to the commerce of the Republic, as well before as after the war, but particularly such as may establish the free navigation and the commerce of the Republic, for the future, upon the most solid foundations, as may confirm and re-a.s.sure it by the strongest bonds of reciprocal interest, and that, in consequence, the gentlemen, the Deputies at the a.s.sembly of their High Mightinesses, ought to be authorized on the part of the Province, as they are by the present, to admit Mr. Adams to present his letters of credence from the United States of North America, and to receive the propositions which he shall make, to make report of them to the Lords, the States of this Province.

E. LEWE, _Secretary_."

"The States-General, having deliberated the same day upon this resolution, have _Resolved_, 'That the Deputies of the Province of Guelderland, which has not yet declared itself upon the same subject, should be requested to be pleased to do it as soon as possible.'"

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UTRECHT.

_Extract of the Resolutions of their n.o.ble Mightinesses, the States of the Province of Utrecht._

10th of April, 1782.

"Heard the report of Mr. de Westerveld, and other Deputies of their n.o.ble Mightinesses for the Department of War, who, in virtue of the commissarial resolutions of the 9th of May, 1781, the 16th of January, and the 20th of March, of the present year, 1782, have examined the resolution of their High Mightinesses of the 4th of May, 1781, containing an overture, that the President of the a.s.sembly of their High Mightinesses had made, 'that a person, styling himself J. Adams, had been with him, and had given him to understand that he had received letters of credence for their High Mightinesses from the United States of North America, with a request that he would be pleased to communicate them to their High Mightinesses,' as well as the resolution of their High Mightinesses, of the 9th of January, containing an ulterior overture of the President, 'that the said Mr. Adams (p. 062) had been with him, and had insisted upon a categorical answer, whether his said letters of credence would be accepted or not;' finally, the resolution of their High Mightinesses, of the 5th of March last, with the insertion of the resolution of Friesland, containing a proposition 'to admit Mr. Adams in quality of Minister of the Congress of North America.'"

"Upon which, having deliberated and remarked that the Lords, the States of Holland and West Friesland, by their resolution, carried the 29th of March to the States-General, have also consented to the admission of the said Mr. Adams in quality of Minister of the Congress of North America, it has been thought fit, and resolved, that the gentlemen, the Deputies of this Province in the States-General, should be authorized, as their n.o.ble Highnesses authorize them by the present, to conform themselves, in the name of this Province, to the resolution of the Lords, the States of Holland and West Friesland, and of Friesland, and to consent, by consequence, that Mr. Adams be acknowledged and admitted as Minister of the United States of North America, their n.o.ble Mightinesses being at the same time of opinion that it would be necessary to acquaint Her Majesty, the Empress of Russia, and the other neutral powers, with the resolution to be taken by their High Mightinesses upon this subject, in communicating to them (as much as shall be necessary) the reasons which have induced their High Mightinesses to it, and in giving them the strongest a.s.surances, that the intention of their High Mightinesses is by no means to prolong thereby the war, which they would have willingly prevented and terminated long since; but that, on the contrary, their High Mightinesses wish nothing with more ardor than a prompt re-establishment of peace, and that they shall be always ready on their part to co-operate in it, in all possible ways, and with a suitable readiness, so far as that shall be any way compatible with their honour and their dignity. And to this end an extract of this shall be carried by missive to the gentlemen, the Deputies at the Generality."

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GUELDERLAND.

_Extract from the Precis of the ordinary Diet, held in the City of Nimeguen, in the month of April, 1782._

Wednesday, 17th of April, 1782.

"The requisition of Mr. Adams to present his letter of credence to their High Mightinesses, in the name of the United States of North America, having been brought to the a.s.sembly and read, as well as an ulterior address made upon this subject, with the demand of a categorical answer by the said Mr. Adams, more amply mentioned in the registers of their High Mightinesses, of the date of the 4th of May, 1781, and the 9th of January, 1782, moreover, the resolutions of the Lords, the States of the six other Provinces, carried successively to the a.s.sembly of their High Mightinesses, and all tending to admit Mr. Adams, in quality of Envoy of the United States of North America, to this Republic; upon which their n.o.ble Mightinesses, after deliberation, have (p. 063) resolved to authorize the Deputies of this Province, as they authorize them by the present, to conform themselves in the name of this Province, to the resolution of the Lords, the States of Holland and West Friesland, and to consent, by consequence, that Mr. Adams may be acknowledged and admitted, in quality of Envoy of the United States of North America, to this Republic. In consequence, an extract of the present shall be sent to the said Deputies, to make, as soon as possible, the requisite overture of it to the a.s.sembly of their High Mightinesses.

J. IN DE BETOUW."

This resolution of Guelderland was no sooner remitted, on the 19th, to their High Mightinesses, than they took immediately a resolution conformable to the unanimous wish of the Seven Provinces, conceived in the following terms:

_Extract from the Register of the Resolutions of their High Mightinesses, the States-General of the United Provinces._

Friday, April 19th, 1782.

"Deliberated by resumption upon the address and the ulterior address, made by Mr. Adams, the 4th of May, 1781, and the 9th of January of the current year, to the President of the a.s.sembly of their High Mightinesses, to present to their High Mightinesses his letters of credence, in the name of the United States of North America, and by which ulterior address the said Mr. Adams has demanded a categorical answer, to the end to be able to acquaint his const.i.tuents thereof; it has been thought fit and resolved, that Mr. Adams shall be admitted and acknowledged in quality of Envoy of the United States of North America to their High Mightinesses, as he is admitted and acknowledged by the present."

W. BOREEL."

"Compared with the aforesaid register.

H. f.a.gEL."

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THE FORMAL RESOLUTION OF THEIR HIGH MIGHTINESSES.

_Extract from the Register of the Resolutions of their High Mightinesses, the States-General of the United Provinces._

Monday, April 22d, 1782.

"Mr. Boreel, who presided in the a.s.sembly the last week, has reported to their High Mightinesses and notified them, that Mr.

John Adams, Envoy of the United States of America, had been with him last Sat.u.r.day, and had presented to him a letter from the a.s.sembly of Congress, written at Philadelphia, the 1st of January, 1781, containing a credence for the said Mr. Adams, to the end to reside in quality of its Minister Plenipotentiary near their High Mightinesses. Upon which, having deliberated, it has been thought fit and resolved to declare by the present, that the said Mr. Adams is agreeable to their High Mightinesses; that (p. 064) he shall be acknowledged in quality of Minister Plenipotentiary, and that there shall be granted to him an audience, or a.s.signed commissioners, when he shall demand it. audience, or a.s.signed above shall be given to the said Mr. Adams by the agent, Van der Burch de Spieringshoek.

W. VAN CITTERS."

"Compared with the aforesaid register.

H. f.a.gEL."