CHAP. XVII

1781.

Admiral Edwards confidered the capture of Mr. Laurens as fo important, that he immediately ordered a frigate to England for the conveyance of this gentleman, and the evidences of the commiflion on which he had been fent out. These important papers received in England, fir Joseph Yorke, the British minister refident at the Hague, was directed by the king his mafter, to lay the whole of thefe tranfactions before their high mightineffes the statesgeneral of the United Provinces.

The British minifter complained loudly, and in terms of high resentment, of the injuries and infults offered to Great Britain, by the ungrateful conduct of the republic of Holland. He urged, that fecretly fupplying the rebellious colonies with the accoutrements for war, was a step not to be forgiven: that what had been fufpected before, now appeared clearly; and that he had the evidences in his hand, and the names of the principal confpirators: that the Belgic provinces were countenancing public negociations, and on the point of executing treaties of amity and commerce with the revolted Americans. He informed the ftates-general, that the king of England demanded prompt fatisfaction for thefe offences that as a proof of their dif avowal of these measures, he required immediate and exemplary punishment to be inflicted on the penfioner Van Berkel, and his accom

plices, as difturbers of the public peace, and vi- CHAP. XVIIL olaters of the law of nations.

Notwithstanding the resentment of the Britith envoy, the conduct of the Dutch court remained for fome time fo equivocal, that neither Great Britain or America was fully fatisfied with their determinations. It is true, a treaty with the United States was for fome time postponed; .but the answer of their high mightineffes to the memorial and remonftrances of fir Joseph Yorke, not being fufficiently condefcending and decided, his difguft daily increased. He informed his court in very disadvantageous terms, of the effect of his repeated memorials, of the conduct of their high mightineffes, and of that of the principal characters of the Batavian provinces at large.

Great Britain foon after, in the recefs of parliament, amidst all her other difficulties, at war with France, Spain, and America, and left alone by all the other powers of Europe, to decide her own quarrels, announced hoftilities against the Netherlands; and a long manifefto from the king was fent abroad in the latter part of December, one thousand seven hundred. and eighty.

A declaration of war against the republic of Holland, by the king of Great Britain, was very

1781.

CHAP. XVIII.

1781.

unpleafing to most of the northern powers. The baron Nolken, the Swedish ambaffador refident at the court of London, remonftrated against it in a state paper, in which he obferved, "that the flame of war, kindled in another "hemifphere, had communicated to Europe; "but the king of Sweden ftill flattered himfelf "that this conflagration would not extend be"yond its first bounds; and particularly that a "nation entirely commercial, which had made "neutrality the invariable foundation of its con"duct, would not have been enveloped in it: "and yet, nevertheless, this has happened, al"moft in the very moment when that power "had entered into the moft inoffenfive engagements, with the king and his two northern "allies.

"If the moft exact impartiality that was ever "obferved, could not exempt the king from

immediately feeling the inconveniences of "war, by the confiderable loffes fuftained by "his commercial fubjects, he had much greater "reafon to apprehend the confequences, when "thofe troubles were going to be extended; "when an open war between Great Britain "and the republic of Holland multiplied them; "and to conclude, when neutral commerce was "about to endure new fhackles, by the hoftili"ties committed between thofe two powers.' He added:-"The king could not but with fin "cerely, that the meafures taken by the empress

stof Ruffia, for extinguifhing this new war in its beginning, might be crowned with the "moft perfect fuccefs." "

16

f

But, indifferent to the remonftrances and memorials of the potentates of Europe, Great Britain, hoftile, wealthy, powerful, and proud, appeared regardless of their refentment, and ready to bid defiance, and spread the wafte of war among all nations.

The capture of Mr. Laurens was however no fmall embarraffment to the British miniftry. Their pride would not fuffer them to recognise his public character; they dared not condemn him as a rebel; the independence of America was too far advanced, and there were too many captured noblemen and officers in the United States to think of fuch a ftep, left immediate retaliation fhould be made; and his bufinefs was found too confequential to admit of his releafe. He was confined in the tower, forbidden the ufe of pen, ink, and paper, and all focial intercourfe with any one; and was even interdicted any converfe with a young fon, who had been feveral years in England for his education.

There he fuffered a long imprisonment at his own expenfe, until many months had elapfed, and many unexpected events had taken place, that made it expedient to offer him his liberty without any equivalent. This he refufed to ac

CHAP. XVIII

1781.

CHAP. XVII. cept, from the feelings of honor, as congrefs at that time, had offered general Burgoyne in exchange for Mr. Laurens.

1781.

The integrity of Mr. Laurens could not be warped either by flatteries or menaces, though his health was much impaired by his fevere and incommodious confinement. It was intimated to him at a certain period of his imprisonment, that it might operate in his favor, if he would advise his fon, colonel John Laurens, to withdraw himself from the court of France, where he was then executing with fuccefs, a commiffion from congrefs to negociate a loan of money, and folicit farther aid both by fea and land, in behalf of the American States.

The firmness of Mr. Laurens was not fhaken by the propofal. He replied with equal confidence, both in the affection of his fon and the delicacy of his honor. He obferved, that "fuch "was the filial regard of his fon, that he knew "he would not hesitate to forfeit his life for his "father; but that no confideration would in"duce colonel Laurens to relinquish his honor, “even were it poffible for any circumstance to "prevail on his father to make the improper "request."

Immediately after the news of Mr. Laurens's capture, imprisonment, and detention in England, the American congrefs directed Jobn