The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 02
History
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 02
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1775-1783; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Sources
It is further agreed and concluded, that it shall be wholly free for
all merchants, commanders of ships, and other subjects of their High
Mightinesses, the States of the Seven United Provinces of Holland,
in all places subject to the dominion and jurisdiction of the said
United States of America, to manage their own business themselves,
or to employ whomsoever they please to manage it for them; nor
shall they be obliged to make use of any interpreter or broker, nor
to pay them any salary or fees unless they choose to make use of
them; moreover, masters of ships shall not be obliged, in loading
or unloading their ships, to make use of those workmen that may be
appointed by public authority for that purpose; but it shall be
entirely free for them to load or unload their ships by themselves,
or to make use of such persons in loading or unloading the same
as they shall think fit, without paying any fees or salary to any
other whomsoever; neither shall they be forced to unload any sort of
merchandise, either into other ships, or to receive them into their
own, or to wait for their being loaded longer than they please, and
all and every the subjects, people, and inhabitants of the said
United States of America, shall reciprocally have and enjoy the same
privileges and liberties in all places whatsoever, subject to the
dominion and jurisdiction of their High Mightinesses, the States of
the Seven United Provinces of Holland.
ARTICLE XVI.
A dispute arising between any commander of the ships on either side
and his seamen, in any port of the other party, concerning wages due
to the said seamen or other civil causes, the magistrate of the place
shall require no more from the person accused, than that he give to
the accuser a declaration in writing, witnessed by the magistrate,
whereby he shall be bound to answer that matter before a competent
judge in his own country, which being done, it shall not be lawful
for the seamen to desert the ship, or to hinder the commander from
prosecuting his voyage. It moreover shall be lawful for the merchants
on both sides, in the places of their abode or elsewhere, to keep
books of their accounts and affairs in any language or manner, and on
any paper they shall think fit, and to have an intercourse of letters
in such language or idiom as they shall please, without any search or
molestation whatever; but if it should happen to be necessary for
them to produce their books of accounts for deciding any dispute or
controversy, in such case they shall bring into Court the entire
books or writings, but so as that the judge, or any other person may
not have liberty to inspect any other articles in the said books,
than such as shall be necessary to verify and authenticate the matter
in question, or such as shall be necessary to give credit to the said
books; neither shall it be lawful under any pretence, to take the
said books or writings forcibly out of the hands of the owners, or to
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