C. W. F. Dumas to John Adams, 24 September 1784
From C. W. F. Dumas
La Haie 24e. 7br. 1784
Monsieur,
Com̃e le contenu de l’incluse ne m’a été confié que sous le Sceau du secret, vous voudrez bien, ainsi que Mess. vos Collegues, ne témoigner à personne, hollandois ou françois de l’avoir vu.1 Du reste, quand vous l’aurez cacheté, vous aurez la bonté de le faire acheminer par l’Orient sous couvert de Mr. Barclay.
Mes respects S.v.p. à Made. Adams & à Mess. Franklin & Jepherson.
Vous avez bien les complimens de Mr. Gr. que je vis hier au soir, & de Mr. De Berenger, que je vois tous les jours. Si voulez être régulierement & promptement informé de l’état des affaires concernant l’Escaut, il faudroit voir souvent Mr. Brantsen, que vous connoissez: car la prudence, & la parole d’honneur donnée, m’interdisent de vous faire parvenir ces intelligences, par la route que mes Lettres doivent tenir, aussi promptement & aussi détaillées que je voudrois. Je suis, avec grand respect, / De Votre Excellence, / Le très-humble & très / obéissant serviteur
C.w.f. Dumas
TRANSLATION
The Hague, 24 September 1784
Sir
As the contents of the enclosed were entrusted to me under the seal of secrecy, you and your colleagues would do well not to reveal to anyone, either Dutch or French, that you have seen them.1 Moreover, once you have sealed it, please be so kind as to dispatch it to Lorient in care of Mr. Barclay.
My respects please to Mrs. Adams and to Messrs. Franklin and Jefferson.
Regards to you from Mr. Gyselaar, whom I saw last night, and from Mr. Bérenger, whom I see every day. If you wish to be regularly and promptly informed of the state of affairs concerning the Scheldt, it would be necessary to see often Mr. Brantsen, whom you know, as prudence and my word of honor, which I have given, forbid me from having this intelligence reach you by the route that my letters must take as promptly and in as much detail as I would like. I am, with great respect, your excellency’s very humble and very obedient servant
C.w.f. Dumas
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “A Son Excellence M. Adams M. P. des Et. Unis.”
1. Dumas enclosed his 18 Sept. letter to the president of Congress, in which he reported that the States General had two days earlier adopted a resolution in response to the 8 Sept. memorial presented by Laurent Bérenger, for which see Dumas’ 10 Sept. letter to JA, note 1, above. The States General’s resolution expressed appreciation for Louis XVI’s intercession with Joseph II and the hope that the king would be able to persuade the emperor of the injustice of his pretensions, but it also assured France that the Dutch Republic was open to an accommodation within reason (PCC, No. 93, III, f. 37–39; , 3:515–516, 517–518).