190] 
when the scourge of war extended 
to other empires the states general 
of the United Provinces were care- 
ful to observe a strict neutraiity ; 
they did not suffer Dutch vessels to 
transport any other commodities to 
America, those excepted which 
were declared free by the express 
terms of treaties. The most effica- 
cious precautions were carefully tak- 
en to prevent war-like stores from 
being conveyed to the American co- 
Jonies, as well as to prevent any frau- 
dulent commerce from being carried 
on with them ; precautions which did 
not a little shackle and injure our 
own commerce to the West Indies. 
It availed the republic, however, 
but little, to observe the conditions 
of treaties with exactness, as to 
what was by them prohibited; the 
English ministers consulting mere- 
ly their temporary convenience, 
went so far as to dispute what these 
very treaties allowed; they would 
not suffer the republic to enjoy 
those very advantages of treaty 
which England herself had enjoyed 
in a similar case; but violating the 
rights of nations, they condemned 
the cargoes as prizes to the crown, 
and employed ,the materials in the 
royal arsenals; other vessels were 
forfeited by the arbitrary sentences 
of partial courts of justice. The 
privateers and armed ships of 
England, seeing that their piracies 
were legalized, multiplied their 
depredations, and the merchant- 
vessels of Holland daily became 
the victims of their brutalities. 
Finally, the atrocities of the British 
ministers were carried to such a 
point, that they no longer respected 
the flag of the states, but carried 
a convoy of Dutch vessels into the 
ports of England, declaring ships 
richly laden to be lawful prizes, 
and violating, as well in Europe, 
ANNUAL REGISTER; 1796. 
as elsewhere, our neutral territory. 
The only mode which could be 
adopted to put a stop to these un- 
precedented injuries, without, 
however, breaking with the king- 
dom of Great ‘Britain, was employ- 
ed by their high mightinesses.— 
This mode consisted in joining 
with all possible speed the alliance 
of the three northern powers, con- 
certed by the empress of Russia, 
and destined to protect, by the force 
of arms, the rights of the neutral 
nations, each of them more or less 
violated by England. 
ir high mightinesses, we say, 
would have acceded to this treaty, 
had tot an obstacle been thrown 
in the way by the perfidious ma- 
chinations of the English cabinet. 
This was the signal which led 
England to break every tie, to dis- 
tribute letters of marque for mak- 
ing reprisals on the inhabitants 
of the republic and their possessions, 
and to declare open war against the 
United States. A ministry to 
which all means were alike, could 
not want pretexts for that purpose. 
It was not at the same time difficult 
for their high mightinesses to de« 
monstrate the frivolity of all these 
pretended grievances; but what 
purpose could this answer with a 
rapacious, obstinate, and unjust 
ministry, which was desirous to re- 
venge on a peaceable ally the loss 
of the British colonies, and to ap- 
pease, for a time at least, by the 
booty obtained by an unforeseen 
attack, the murmurs of the English 
nation ? 
It was soon after learned, that 
the squadrons and armed vessels of 
England captured, by virtue of or- 
ders already furnished, the Dutch 
vessels they fell in with beyond seas 
without the smallest suspicion on 
our Side; and against the faith of 
treaties« 
