The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

Extract of a letter from an American Gentleman in Holland, dated July 2.

"A Mr. Grenville is at Paris about peace, and is authorised to treat with all the belligerent powers, but England has not acknowledged us to be a power, and therefore I fear it will end in Chicane. I believe that the acknowledgement of the Sovereignty of no nation was ever made so particularly the act of the whole nation and all the individuals in it as ours has been here. America may felicitate herself in the success of her Minister in Holland, whose unwearied exertions to bring about this important event have answered the wishes of her best friends, and whose wisdom, patience and perseverance have baffled the strongest oppositions of her enemies. The controuling influence of the court of Great-Britain over the court of Holland, the intrigues of other courts, the intricacy of the Dutch government, the slowness of their councils, their aversion to take any step that might interrupt a gainful commerce enjoyed while other States were at war, and the reconciling them to part with an old ally with whom they had been in friendship for an hundred years or more, were difficulties to be encountered and which must be surmounted before this event could take place, and as things were circumstanced, an application to the ruling powers alone could not have succeeded: It was necessary not only to engage the attention of rulers, but of the people at large, to enlighten their minds, to remove their prejudices, to convince them of the commercial advantages that might arise from a connection with America, to arouse their ancient bravery and love of liberty, to engage their affections from the consideration of similarity in religion, customs and manners between both countries and the regard that once subsisted between our ancestors and theirs. The memorial of Mr. Adams was admirably well adapted to answer these purposes, it was presented at a lucky moment, and soon after translated into both the Dutch and French languages; it obtained the approbation of all ranks of people, was taken up and considered as a matter in which the public was deeply interested, and to which an immediate attention was necessary.

This connection with Holland will give additional strength to America, raise her importance among the nations in Europe, and render her Independence more compleat. She will not only reap the benefit of a more extensive commerce, but will be secured from the danger of having a power employed against her, which Great-Britain had for a long time been soliciting, and to accomplish which, flattering offers, threats and even unmanly force were employed. Great Britain, not only deprived of that aid from Holland which she had vainly presumed upon, but finding the strength of that nation turned against her, must be sensibly chagrin'd, and disconcerted. Had she renewed her alliance with Holland or made a separate peace, the war would in all probability have been protracted to a much more distant period, than what we may now hope for. But as promising as the present appearances may be, we are not to expect the wish'd for event very speedily. Such is the pride and obstinacy of Great Britain, that she will not at present stoop to the only measure that will ensure peace, a full acknowledgement of American Independence. Though 'the has eyes he sees not, and ears, he hears not.' Bent upon her own destruction, she will probably pursue the dictates of her revengeful passions until her ruin is accomplished or all gracious heaven shall have removed the scale from off her eyes."