RC (DLC); 2 p.; in French; endorsed. FC (Dumas Letter Book, Rijksarchief, The Hague; photostats in DLC). Enclosure: Dumas to Jay, 30 June 1787, informing him that “the Netherlands are now a prey to a most horrible and monstrous coalition between a detestable oligarchy and a vile rabble, ready to destroy and pillage whatever it can lay its hands on”; that the Stadtholder has thrown off the mask and remains inactive at the head of the troops with which he invaded Utrecht; that the princess has just been arrested as she was passing the frontiers of Holland and prevented from continuing her journey to The Hague, “where she wished to arrive in haste, under pretence of ‘negotiating the restoration of tranquillity according to the true interests of the nation, and under certain conditions’ (these were her expressions when she was stopped in her march by a body of armed citizens); but in reality intending to take advantage of the frightful disorders for which the mob here were already prepared. They should have made her return to Guelderland; but a degree of respect (perhaps extravagant) for her sex and birth caused them to allow her to remain at Schoonhoven … until the resolution of the States of Holland had been taken on a letter which she wrote to them about her said pretended negotiation, although she has no right nor title to meddle with affairs of state at all”; and that Dumas’ distress is extreme, for which reason he urges that the United States bankers at Amsterdam pay him both his arrears and his salary as it becomes due, this being “the most rational and least expensive way” (Dipl. Corr., 1783–89 description begins The Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States of America, from the Signing of the Definitive Treaty of Peace … to the Adoption of the Constitution, Washington, Blair & Rives, 1837, 3 vol. description ends , iii, 581–2; FC in Dumas Letter Book, Rijksarchief, The Hague, photostats in DLC, varying in phraseology and having some names and phrases heavily obliterated).