To James Madison from William I, 20 March 1815
From William I
LaHaye ce 20. Mars 1815.
Très Chèr et Grand Ami,
D’après les voeux unanimes des Puissances assemblées au Congrès de Vienne et l’intérêt des Peuples que la Divine Providence m’appelle à gouverner, Je me Suis déterminé à ne plus différer de prendre le titre de Roi des Pays bas et de Duc de Luxembourg.1 Les relations d’amitié qui subsistent entre nous, et celles Si heureusement établies entre nos Gouvernemens, me persuadent que Vous applaudirez à ma démarche qui doit donner à ce que je Souhaite ardemment à ces relations une nouvelle intimité. Je me flatte que Vous accueillerez cette notification comme un nouveau gage des Sentimens qui m’animent et que Vous y trouverez des motifs d’y répondre par des dispositions reciproques dont les témoignages Seront toujours pour moi du plus grand prix. Sur ce Je prie Dieu, Très-chèr et Grand Ami, qu’Il Vous ait en Su Sainte et digne garde. Votre bon Ami
Guillaume
CONDENSED TRANSLATION
In accord with the unanimous voice of the powers gathered at the Congress of Vienna, and the interest of the people whom divine providence calls him to govern, William has decided to no longer defer taking the title of King of Holland and Duke of Luxembourg. His friendly relations with JM, and those between their two countries, persuade him that JM will approve of this step, which he hopes will give their relations a new intimacy. Flatters himself that JM will receive this notice as a new measure of William’s sentiments and that he will respond in kind, the testimony of which will always be of the greatest value to William.
RC (DNA: RG 59, Communications from Heads of Foreign States). In a clerk’s hand, except for William’s closure and signature.
1. The kingdom over which William now ruled was composed of the former Dutch Republic, the former Austrian Netherlands to the south, and Luxembourg. In 1831 the southern territory declared itself to be the independent nation of Belgium, an outcome William was finally forced to recognize eight years later (Arend H. Huussen Jr., Historical Dictionary of the Netherlands [Lanham, Md., 1998], 11, 170–71; Harry C. Barteau, Historical Dictionary of Luxembourg [Lanham, Md., 1996], 193). For the government established in the Netherlands in 1814, see 7:318 n. 1.