Adams Papers
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To John Adams from William Vans Murray, 21 August 1799

Private

21st August 1799<st>—

Dear Sir.

1308.535.1419.1573.1115.1109.773.1129.1399.238.1074.1276—1133.705.1235.894.870.536.213.1268.318.1589.225.1421.948.506.1399.1546.53.879.1546.137.—1546.671.227.1115.710.1245.1115.1162.1546.624.1399. The fleet is off Texel with a large body of troops on board & though the French may send a strong force, as yet they have not a formidable force, not more, I now think than 20,000 at most, and these left in strong frontier towns, & in Zealand, which I believe they wish to secure for themselves.—1261.227.1530.517.1061.1308.1291.1546.1107.977.1152.137. everywhere—1136.1005.1106.920.1109.676.772.802.1421.948.1589.482.600.1546.1369.1171.738.464.1213. & it has always been my conviction that to have them 1360.779.510.110.327.698.536.1064.712.941.227.756.842.892.894.1480.1313.287. good sides to its 1156.1480.1158.1546. the warnings for others & yet more strongly show the danger of calling them to the aid of discontented men; 879.1480.1066.1546 settle the minds of the Countries lately 1212.1528.499.1132.1245.—especially in Swisserland & probably rouse others in the same principles. 1136.1480.1141.485.499.631.295.1546. the succeeding order of things and particularly 677.137.1296.1463. & if accomplished through 536.632.1171.1559.738.914.1568.1589.1064.712.941.227.879.1459.1480. include in addition to these benefits, the advantage of doing it better & with more certainty. 1308.47.612.727.461.1436.1589.536.1426.321.879.948.580.1324.1381.1308.47. to be in that way of thinking. 1061.1115.1128.1185.1054.1308.567.779.1376.1548.1546.738.769.1115.709.514[.]524.642.1289. their own Govt.—held all the points of it reconcilable with the probable approaching State of things here. 1115.44.1308.1432.83.1480.1239. be attended to on Such a point—as a friend 1308.1271.1004.234.1546. examine well the state 1589.612.327.879.954.1382. that an overturning of the present Govt. were as probable 1061.1308.603—1546.526.1589.536.558.1371.517.493.—1546.1199.353. any great victory were obtained 698.1115.420.1003.1276.1253.1251.1308.1548.879 before insurrections Should show themselves—1546.318.1040.417.1003.1136.600.1546.234.990[.]536.1416.1589.738.529.494.464.612.671.1480.892.1102.1171.1548.838.756.94[3].1482.1027.705.517.536.544.948.1546.536.1416.760.227.870.1109.631.1399.1546.288.536.1416.—1546.1485.916.954.1123.631.1255.590.984.1175.1086.1368.1308.856.948.536.1530.303.704.1589.1173.1430.990.1009.238.1086.1040.1548.1125.1275.544.1184.751.1260.227. civil, Military, foreign & Domestic.—except subordinate appointments under the Municipal bodies, 1061.948.316. this including in itself & so understood to be 916.1158.1380.1589.536.892.570.879.948.631.828.1308[.]1[6]7[9].499.295.321.1589 the present day—A Representative branch elected by householders—916.948.478.618.1412.631.1231.847.1217.658.1175.879.704.1125.763.295.1589.1548.318.—that 1115.420.1003.1276.738.1074.1079.1548.21.463.948.1013.971.1546.1537.1239.270.227.1061.536.601.1074.227.1589.1393.854.573.1297.181.879.1092.1056.608.756.878 unite all force 677.536.1426. That within these outlines every thing could be placed—1115.704.1161.154[3].—1115.630.817.1589.914.227—municipal bodies—1164.840. included a great deal of what they had been contending for—892.1308.1228.—892.570.1589.1158.1021.1102.676.252.879.536.1128.261.1115.1275.321.464.1308. Supposed it would be a thing desirable by the 630.817.1589.1173.1430.879 conformable to the 655.321.1589.536.1043.1079.950.544.227. at least flattering 1546.536.1391.879.1115. new source of Sympathy. 238.464.322.1260.—464.381.1480.463 great energy necessary to bring 612.745.1213.227.1546 these things 1586.464.1218.1092.603.1289.1444.1546.756.1092.1480. probably lose all—even those fruits of the revolution which were reconcileable with the views & interests 1589.536.1416.1589.1173.1430—& lose the chance of making it a national revolution instead of a party one—that if things were overturned—the Orangists would have a Stadhoulder & the old States—879.1289.1291.517. any thing 990.536.1530[.]462.1548.1589.1173.1430.893 So much had been done 698.756.677.1136—they could expect nothing but hardship & exile—On the contrary if they Succeeded 1136.1480.463.990.137.—that the insurrections which would probably take place would give an excuse 1546.137.1108.738.1276. considering the Country 1061.1115.1109.651. and they would if victorious ruin the nation & the very land by the Internal war—for France would deluge them with troops probably naked & unarmed.

954.227.1115.1308.1245.381.1480.463.1581.31.1546.110.493 if they could but get 536.1013.738.1474.620. in the Govt. 1324.306.990.597.1546.1444.948.1546.1136—1586.536.648.1155.1228.818.1589.318.517.80.1115.709.514.1546.1324. & their aversion 1546.536.858.739.879.1296. vindictive spirit would oppose great obstacles—that I could better than another 1502[.]536.1208.672.704.227.1589.329. I told him that some whom I Knew very 1350.948.585.227.668.990.1040.1165.1512.517.536.1426.—& a few others would be for such a system rather than 1163.254.1108.1276.1115.710.1075. He mentioned one gentleman, who though a moderate & of weight, he feared would not come into 464[.]493.512.1218.536.1459.333.580.879.1092.668.997.834. I told him there was some reason to fear that Prussia would aid the hereditary P. of Orange or at least suffer hostilities from her side to commence—He said if that were so she was the most perfidious court in Europe as her 1061.1482.692.227.668.727.485.413.1171.1548.600.1040.417.1003.1308.1171.870.1086.840.751. I rather believe however that they have 108.600.674.1004.1296.1315.1399—948.1123.1308.710—990[.]536.264.1308.295.1589.110.327.

The situation of the Country is indeed critical if the British succeed 306.536.1174.1589.536. present dominant party—879.677.1136. the struggle will ruin the nation & no good but that 1589.601.763.811.408.1542 will follow—1218.1092.567.270.601.1074.227. I believe it would Save the country & insure Success & liberate the efforts of the 916.477.300.710.406.1115.1260.1546.1199.1483.258.—1586.536.620.948.544.1370.485.1482.1142.710.580.879.948.1115.1539.1297.1568.485.1145.322.462.238.137.464. They need every exterior impulse to lead them to a deciding point—If no consequences flows from 110.1109.773.1129.1399.1136 will give you, Sir, an idea of the 206.672.948.1047.763.1173.1589.110.382.1260. on this subject.—If any thing more come of it—I feel bound to tell you—in this way—for I know that among the dozens of public men who visit the correspondence in the Bureaus there are those who tell, and with you, Sir, every name is sacred, that is confidentially intrusted.

I am with the most perfect / respect / & the highest esteem / affectly Dear Sir / Yr. most obedt: hble Svt. / &c &c &

W. V. Murray.

DLC: William Vans Murray Papers.

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