The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 1 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 1 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
of London not to abandon him, sent Alvensleben to Paris to explain and
soothe; and England, through the Duke of Dorset and Eden, renewed her
conferences for accommodation. The Archbishop, who shuddered at the
idea of war, and preferred a peaceful surrender of right to an armed
vindication of it, received them with open arms, entered into cordial
conferences, and a declaration, and counter-declaration, were cooked up
at Versailles, and sent to London for approbation. They were approved
there, reached Paris at one o'clock of the 27th, and were signed that
night at Versailles. It was said and believed at Paris, that M. de
Montmorin, literally "pleuroit comme un enfant," when obliged to sign
this counter-declaration; so distressed was he by the dishonor of
sacrificing the Patriots, after assurances so solemn of protection, and
absolute encouragement to proceed. The Prince of Orange was reinstated
in all his powers, now become regal. A great emigration of the Patriots
took place; all were deprived of office, many exiled, and their
property confiscated. They were received in France, and subsisted,
for some time, on her bounty. Thus fell Holland, by the treachery
of her Chief, from her honorable independence, to become a province
of England; and so, also, her Stadtholder, from the high station of
the first citizen of a free Republic, to be the servile Viceroy of a
foreign Sovereign. And this was effected by a mere scene of bullying
and demonstration; not one of the parties, France, England, or Prussia,
having ever really meant to encounter actual war for the interest of
the Prince of Orange. But it had all the effect of a real and decisive
war.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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