To John Jay from Baron de Beelen-Bertholff, [before 14 September 1785]
From Baron de Beelen-Bertholff
[New York, before 14 September 1785]1
Le Soussigné Conseiller de Commerce et de la Navigation pour les Ètats de sa Majesté l’Empereur et Roi prend la liberté de répeter par cette note ainsi que Votre Excellence a bien voulu le lui permettre l’object de sa conference avec Elle.
Il s’est reduit Monsieur a vous exposer qu’ensuite du raport du Comité de la Chambre de Commerce à Charlestown la généralité auroit resolu Una voce, d’implorer de sa Legislation un act ou Edit qui imposeroit un droit particulier sur tous navires et batimens des Etats et Puissances avec lesquels les Etats Unis n’ont pas un traité d’amitié, il est connu de votre Excellence qu’on s’occupe en Europe d’un traité d’amitié et de Commerce entre sa Majesté l’Empereur et les Etats Unis2
Ce traité est peut etre conclu dans ce moment ou du moins sur le point de l’étre
Le pavillon des Etats Unis est reçu dans les ports de sa Majesté l’Empereur et le commerce de leurs habitans y jouit de tous les avantages qui sont accordés aux nations les plus amies et les plus favorisées. C’est ce qu’eprouverent encore vers la fin de l’annee derniere les deux navires a pavillon des Etats Unis en Amerique qui arriverent de Philadelphie dans le libre et franc port d’ostende avec des Cargaisons des crus et produits de ces Etats.
Le soussigné ose donc esperer que Votre Excellence et les Etats Unis tant par l’auguste corps qui les represente en Congrés qu’en particulier voudront bien ne pas confondre la navigation et le Commerce des Sujets de sa Majesty l’Empereur avec uns des Etats et Puissance avec lesquels les Etats Unis en Amerique n’ont pas fait un traité d’amitié.
Et qu’en consequence Elle daignera Seconder ma demande près de la Legislation de l’Etat de la Caroline d’excepter vu les circonstances ci deduites de la Loi qu’Elle pourroit promulguer la navigation et la Commerce de tous les Etats et ports de sa Majeste l’Empereur.
(Signed) Le Baron de Beelen Bertholff
[Translation]
The undersigned Counsellor of Commerce and navigation for the States of his Majesty the Emperor and King3 takes the Liberty with your Excellency’s permission of repeating in this note the subject of his conference with you.
He is under the necessity of informing you Sir that in consequence of a report of the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Charleston, that Body had unanimously resolved to implore the Legislature to impose by an Edict or act a particular Duty on all Ships and Vessels of such States or powers which had not a treaty of Amity with the United States.
It is known to your Excellency that a treaty of Amity and Commerce is on foot between his Majesty the Emperor and the United States.4
This treaty is perhaps at this instant, at least on the eve of being Concluded.5
The Flag of the United States is received in the Ports of his Majesty the Emperor where the Commerce of their Citizens enjoys all the privileges which are granted to the most friendly and favoured nations; The two ships under the flag of the United States of America which arrived from Philadelphia towards the end of the last year at the free port of Ostend with Cargoes of the growth and produce of these States is a further proof of this
The underwritten therefore flatters himself with the hope that your Excellency and the United States, as well by the August Body that represents them as in particular, will not confound the navigation and Commerce of his Majesty the Emperors subjects with those of such powers and States with whom the United States have not entered into treaties of Amity.
And that in consequence you will condescend to second my request to the Legislature of the State of Carolina considering the circumstances here deduced, to except the Navigation and Commerce of all the States and Ports of his Majesty the Emperor from the Law they ^are^ about to enact.6
(signed) Le Baron De Beelen Bertholff
Faithfully translated from the Original by John Pintard
LbkC, in French, with translation by John Pintard, , 1: 455–58 (EJ: 1767)
1. Notation in margin: “Received 14 Septr 1785.”
2. Notation in margin: “in the intermediate time, it would be essentially necessary to lay partial restrictions on the Ships of such Nations as had not entered into an amicable Treaty with the United States. So far the memorial was agreed una voce”.
3. Frederick Eugene Francis, Baron de Beelen-Bertholff (1729–1805), unofficial representative of the Austrian Netherlands, served in this position from 1783 to 1790. He resided in Philadelphia, was a member of the American Philosophical Society, purchased land in Pennsylvania, and died in York County. See 18: 149; Bertholff to Ludovico Beljioiso-Este, 20 Oct. 1785, 25 Feb. and 19 June 1786, in Hans Schlitter, ed., Die Berichte des ersten Agenten Österreichs in den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika: Baron de Beelen-Bertholff und die Regierung des Österreichsische Niederlande in Brüssel, 1784–1789 (Vienna, 1891), 534, 539–605, 616–22, 626–59.
4. The copyist omitted the French text for this sentence.
5. In July 1784 BF had initiated a conversation with Florimond-Claude, Comte de Mercy-Argenteau, Austrian ambassador to France, about a treaty of amity and commerce modeled on the draft treaty the American commissioners submitted to Congress under cover of a letter of 15 Dec. 1784, on which see JJ’s report to Congress of 17 May 1785, above. Mercy-Argenteau notified BF in a letter of 28 Sept. 1784 that the Emperor had agreed to the proposed arrangement and had ordered the government of the Low Countries to put it into execution. See Mercy-Argenteau to BF, 30 July and 28 Sept. 1784, Tr, in French, with trans., DNA: PCC, item 100, 2: 227–29. Negotiations had been suspended at the start of 1785 because of threat of war related to Joseph II’s attempts to open the Scheldt river to Austrian navigation, but were reopened by TJ at year’s end. See TJ to JJ, 27 Jan. 1786, 9: 234–35. On 27 Feb. 1786, Chancellor Kaunitz-Rietberg presented Joseph II with a proposal for a treaty of commerce based, with some modifications, on the Dutch-American treaty of 7 Oct. 1782. Joseph II approved it and authorized Mercy to conclude the treaty, which, however, was never finalized, in part because of pending changes in the American government. See Hubert Van Houtte, “American Commercial Considerations and Negotiations with Austria, 1783–86,” 16 (1910–11): 567, 576–79; and 9: 123–24, 507–9. For Lafayette’s role in prompting Kaunitz-Rietberg to submit his proposal, see Lafayette to JJ, 11 Feb. 1786, below.
6. JJ reported Beelen-Bertholff’s visit and the above letter to Congress on 19 Sept. He noted that there were several nations with whom the United States had no treaties, but who subjected American commerce to no higher duties than they imposed on nations with whom they had treaties. There was reason to fear, he added, that if the South Carolina legislature adopted discriminatory measures, all foreign states affected by such a measure might retaliate. According to endorsement it was referred on 22 Sept. to a committee consisting of Elbridge Gerry, William Samuel Johnson, Charles Pettit, William Grayson, and William Ellery and “returned without a report Oct. 20.” Roger Alden later noted it was “transmitted to the Office f. f. Affairs, June 19th. 1788—to be filed.” See JJ to the President of Congress, 19 Sept. 1785, LS, DNA: PCC, item 80, 1: 401–2 (EJ: 142); 29: 733–34.