"It has been judged fit and resolved, that the affair be directed, on the part of their Noble and Grand Mightinesses at the Generality, to such an end, and that they there insist in the strongest manner, that Mr Adams be admitted and acknowledged, as soon as possible, by their High Mightinesses, as the Ambassador of the United States of America; and the Counsellor Pensionary is charged to give knowledge, under hand, to the said Mr Adams, of this resolution of their Noble and Grand Mightinesses." ZWOLL, IN OVERYSSEL. "The subscribers, all merchants, manufacturers, and factors of the city of Zwoll, give respectfully to understand; that every one of them in his private concerns, finds by experience, as well as the inhabitants of the Republic in general, the grievous effects of the decay into which the commerce and the manufactures of this country are fallen by little and little, and, above all, since the hostile attack of the kingdom of England against this State; that it being their duty to their country, as well as to themselves, to make use of all the circumstances, which might contribute to their re-establishment, the requisition made not long since, by Mr Adams to the Republic, to wit, to conclude a Treaty of Commerce with the United States of North America, could not escape their attention; an affair, whose utility, advantage, and necessity, for these Provinces are so evident, and so often proved in an incontestible manner, that the petitioners will not fatigue your Noble Lordships, by placing them before you, nor the general interests of this city, nor the particular relations of the petitioners, considering that they are convinced in the first place, that England, making against the Republic the most ruinous war, and having broken every treaty with her, all kind of complaisance for that kingdom is unreasonable. "In the second place, that America, which ought to be considered as become free at the point of the sword, being willing, by the prohibition of all the productions and manufactures of England, to break absolutely with that kingdom; it is precisely the time, and perhaps the only time, in which we may have a favorable opportunity to enter into connexion with this new and powerful Republic; a time which we cannot neglect, without running the greatest risk of being irrevocably prevented by the other powers, and even by England. Thus we take the liberty respectfully to supplicate your Noble Lordships, that having shown, for a long time, that you set a value upon the formation of alliances with powerful States, you may have the goodness, at the approaching Assembly of the Nobility, and of the cities forming the States of this Province, to redouble your efforts; to the end, that in the name of this country, it may be decided at the Generality, that Mr Adams be acknowledged, and the proposed negotiations opened as soon as possible." AMSTERDAM.