Was ter vergaderinge ingekomen en aan gedeputeerden en hoofdsteden copielijk medegedeeld.

1.

Een missive van de gecommitteerdens ter generaliteit van den 8 Maart, hebbende tot bylage copie van eene bij haar nevens de heeren gedeputeerden van de provincien van Zeeland, van Utrecht en van Stad en Lande overgenomene resolutie van de heeren Staten van de provincie van Friesland op den 5 daar bevorens ter tafele van Haar Hoog Mogende geexhibeerd, waar bij de gecommitteerdens van welgemelte provincie ter generaliteit worden gelast, het ter vergadering van Haar Hoog Mogende daar heenen te dirigereen, dat, in consideratie der redenen in voorschreeve resolutie vervat, de heer Adams, met ten eersten als minister van het congres van Noord-America, bij de republicq werde geadmitteerd, van welke missive en bijlage op den 9 Maart de afschriften aan gedeputeerden en hoofdsteden waaren ingezonden.

2.

DAT 'T HOF ENZ.

Op welke voorschreve poincten voor zoo verre daar op niet mogte geresolveerd zijn, welgemelde raaden verzogten, dat Haar Edele Mogende zoodane resolutien zouden gelieven te neemen als na derselver hooge wijsheid zouden oordeelen en vermeenen te behooren.

Ter vergaderinge voorgebragt en gelesen zijnde het versoek (p. 071) van den heer Adams, om uit naam van de Vereenigde Staten van Noord-America, zijne brieven van credentie aan Hun Hoog Mogende te overhandigen, mitsgaders het nader adres ten dien einde, met versoek van een cathegorisch antwoord door denzelven gedaan en breder in de notulen van Hun Hoog Mogende van den 4 May 1781 en 9 January 1782, vermeld, als mede de resolutie van de heeren Staten van de ses andere provincien, ter vergadering van Hun Hoog Mogende successivelyk ingebragt, alle tendeerende tot het admitteeren van den heer Adams, als afgesant van de Vereenigde Staten van Noord-America, bij dese republicq.

Hebben Haar Edele Mogende na gehoudene deliberatie, goedgevonden de gecommitteerdens van wegens dese provincie ter generaliteit te authoriseeren, gelijk geauctoriseert worden bij dezen, on zig namens deze provincie met de resolutie der heeren Staten van Holland en Westfriesland te conformeeren en dienvolgens te consenteeren dat de heer Adams, als gezant van de Vereenigde Staten van Noord-America bij deze republicq werde erkend en geadmitteerd.

Zullende oversulx extract dezes aan welgemelte gecommitteerdens worden toegesonden, om daar van ten spoedigsten ter vergadering van Hun Hoog Mogende de vereischte opening te doen.

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_Extract uit het Register der resolutien van de Hoog Mogende Heeren Staten Generaal der Vereenigde Provincien van den jare 1782. 1 deel._

Veneris den 19 April 1782.

Bij resumtie gedelibereerd sijnde op het adres en nader adres van den heer Adams, den 4 Mey, 1781 en 9 January deezes jaars aan den heer ter vergadering van Haar Hoog Mogende praesideerende, gedaan, om uit naem der Vereenigde Staten van Noord-America, zijne brieven van credentie aan Haar Hoog Mogende te overhandigen, en bij welk nader adres, gem. heer Adams, een cathegorisch antwoord heeft versogt, om daer van aan zijne princ.i.p.alen kennis te kunnen geeven.

Is goedgevonden en verstaan, dat de heer Adams als afgezant van de Vereenigde Staten van Noord-America, bij Haar Hoog Mogende zal worden geadmitteert en erkent, gelijk deselve geadmitteert en erkend word bij deezen.

De heeren gedeputeerden van de provincien van Zeeland en Utrecht hebben geinhaereert de resolutien van de heeren Staten hunne princ.i.p.alen op het voorn subject ter vergadering van Haar Hoog Mogende ingebragt.

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_Extract uit het Register der resolutien van de Hoog Mogende Heeren Staten Generaal der Vereenigde Nederlanden van den jare 1782. 1 deel._

Lunae den 22 April 1782.

De heer Boreel, in de voorleeden week ter vergaderinge gepraesideert hebbende heeft aan Haar Hoog Mogende voorgedragen en bekend gemaakt dat den heer John Adams, afgezant van de (p. 072) Vereenigde Staten van America, voorleeden sat.u.r.dag bij hem was geweest en aan hem overgeleevert hadde een missive van de vergadering van 't Congres, geschreeven te Philadelphia den 1 January 1781, houdende creditif op gemelde heer Adams, om in qualitiet als hunnen minister plenipotentiars bij Haar Hoog Mogende te resideeren.

Waarop gedelibereerd sijnde, is goedgevonden en verstaan mits deezen te verklaaren dat gemelde heer Adams aan Haar Hoog Mogende aangenaam is en dat deselve in de qualitiet van minister plenipotentiaris sal worden erkent en dat aan dezelve audientie sal worden verleent of commissarissen toegevoegt zullen worden, als hij die zal komen te versoeken.

En zal hier van aan geme. heer Adams door den agent van der Burch van Spieringshoek, kennise worden gegeeven.

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_John Adams to Robert R. Livingston._

To The Hague, April 22d, 1782.

Robert R. LIVINGSTON.

Sir: On the 22d of April I was introduced, by the Chamberlain, to His Most Serene Highness, the Prince of Orange.

Knowing that His Highness spoke English, I asked his permission to speak to him in that language, to which he answered, smiling, "if you please, Sir." Although French is the language of the Court, he seemed to be pleased, and to receive as a compliment my request to speak to him in English.

I told him I was happy to have the honour of presenting the respects of the United States of America, and a letter of credence from them to His Most Serene Highness, and to a.s.sure him of the profound veneration in which the House of Orange had been held in America even from its first settlement, and that I should be happier still to be the instrument of further cementing the new connexions between two nations professing the same religion, animated by the same spirit of liberty, and having reciprocal interests, both political and commercial, so extensive and so important; and that, in the faithful and diligent discharge of the duties of my mission, I flattered myself with hopes of the approbation of His Most Serene Highness.

His Highness received the letter of credence, which he opened and read. The answer that he made to me was in a voice so low and so indistinctly p.r.o.nounced that I comprehended only the conclusion of it, which was that "he had made no difficulty against my reception." He then fell into familiar conversation with me, and asked me many questions about indifferent things, as is the custom of Princes and Princesses upon such occasions. How long I had been in Europe? How long I had been in this country? Whether I had purchased a house at the Hague? Whether I had not lived some time at Leyden? How long I had lived at Amsterdam? How I liked the country? &c.

This conference pa.s.sed in the Prince's chamber of audience, with his Highness alone. I had waited some time in the antechamber, as the Duc de la Vauguyon was in conference with the Prince. (p. 073) The Duke, on his return through the antechamber, meeting me unexpectedly, presented me his hand with an air of cordiality which was remarked by every courtier, and had a very good effect.

The Prince has since said to the Duc de la Vauguyon that he was obliged to me for not having pressed him upon the affair of my reception at the beginning. He had reason; for if I had, and he had said or done anything offensive to the United States or disagreeable to me, it would now be remembered, much to the disadvantage of the Court.

I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient and most humble servant, John ADAMS.

No. 13. (p. 074) PLATE XIII.

_October 8, 1782._

Favstissimo foedere jvnctae. die VII Octob. MDCCLx.x.xII. [Rx].

Just.i.tiam et non temnere divos.

TREATY OF AMITY AND COMMERCE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE UNITED NETHERLANDS.

FAVSTISSIMO FOEDERE JVNCTae. DIE VII OCTOB.[49] (_Octobris_) MDCCLx.x.xII. (_United by a most auspicious alliance, October 7, 1782._) Fame seated on the clouds is blowing a trumpet, held in her left hand; in her right she holds two shields: one bearing the arms of the United Netherlands, the other studded with thirteen stars (_the thirteen original United States_); above the two shields is a wreath, and beneath them are the lion's skin and the club of Hercules.

[Footnote 49: The date should be October 8, not 7, as will be seen by the official doc.u.ments below.]

JUSt.i.tIAM ET NON TEMNERE DIVOS.[50] (_Learn justice, and not to despise the G.o.ds._) On the face of a pyramid, the base of which is adorned with flowers, is placed the crowned shield of Amsterdam, resting on fasces; beneath, on a scroll, the inscription: PRODROMUS (_a forerunner_). A flying Mercury places a wreath on the shield; below on the right, an anchor, a basket of flowers, and a c.o.c.k crowing (_France_); in the background, the sea covered with ships. Exergue: S.

P. Q. AMST. SACRVM. (_Senatui populoque Amstelodamensi sacrum: Dedicated to the Senate and people of Amsterdam_). On the platform, I.

G. HOLTZHEY FEC. (_fecit_).[51]

[Footnote 50: Virgil, _aeneid_, Book VI, 620. This mutilated quotation is scarcely intelligible. The entire verse is: "DISCITE JUSt.i.tIAM, MONITI, ET NON TEMNERE DIVOS." (_Admonished [by me], learn justice and not to despise the G.o.ds_).]

[Footnote 51: SEE INTRODUCTION, page x.]

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ORIGINAL DOc.u.mENTS. (p. 075)

_Treaty of Amity and Commerce between their High Mightinesses the States-General of the United Netherlands and the United States of America, to wit: New Hampshire, Ma.s.sachusetts, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Concluded October 8, 1782; ratified January 22, 1783._

Their High Mightinesses the States-General of the United Netherlands and the United States of America, to wit: New Hampshire, Ma.s.sachusetts, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, desiring to ascertain, in a permanent and equitable manner, the rules to be observed relative to the commerce and correspondence which they intend to establish between their respective States, countries and inhabitants, have judged that the said end cannot be better obtained than by establishing the most perfect equality and reciprocity for the basis of their agreement, and by avoiding all those burdensome preferences which are usually the sources of debate, embarra.s.sment, and discontent; by leaving also each party at liberty to make, respecting commerce and navigation, such ulterior regulations as it shall find most convenient to itself; and by founding the advantages of commerce solely upon reciprocal utility and the just rules of free intercourse; reserving withal to each party the liberty of admitting at its pleasure other nations to a partic.i.p.ation of the same advantages.

On these principles their said High Mightinesses the States-General of the United Netherlands have named for their Plenipotentiaries, from the midst of their a.s.sembly, Messieurs their Deputies for the Foreign Affairs; and the said United States of America, on their part, have furnished with full powers Mr. John Adams, late Commissioner of the United States of America at the Court of Versailles, heretofore Delegate in Congress from the State of Ma.s.sachusetts Bay, and Chief Justice of the said State, who have agreed and concluded as follows, to wit: