Commodore Paul Jones 31
As a matter of fact, since there were two parties in the government of
Holland, and two opinions on the subject, they could come to no more
definite conclusion. Jones was intensely popular with the people, and
the democratic opinion favored the immediate recognition of American
independence, and protested against any arbitrary action toward him
and his ships. The Prince of Orange and the aristocratic party took
the contrary view, and they pressed it upon him as far as they dared.
Realizing the precarious nature of his stay in Holland, Jones
immediately set to work with his usual energy to refit the ships,
especially the Serapis. Dispatching a full account of his cruise and
his expedition to Franklin, he went in person to Amsterdam to
facilitate his desire. A contemporary account states that he was
dressed in an American naval uniform,[24] wearing on his head, instead
of the usual cocked hat, a Scotch bonnet edged with gold lace.
When he appeared in the exchange he received a popular ovation, which
naturally greatly pleased him. However, he modestly strove to escape
the overwhelming demonstrations of admiration and approval with which
he was greeted, by retiring to a coffee room, but he was compelled to
show himself again and again at the window in response to repeated
demands from crowds of people assembled in the street who desired a
sight of him. He was made the hero of song and story, and one of the
ballads of the time, a rude, rollicking, drinking song, very popular
among sailors, which celebrates his exploits, is sung to this day in
the streets of Amsterdam.[25] So delighted were the Dutch with the
humiliation he had inflicted upon their ancient enemy that some of the
principal men of the nation, including the celebrated Baron van der
Capellen, subsequently noted for his friendship for America (evidently
not in harmony with the aristocratic party), entered into a
correspondence with him, which must have been highly flattering to
him, from the __EXPRESSION__s of admiration and approval with which every
letter of the baron's abounds. They desired to receive at first hand
an account of his exploits. In response to this request Jones had his
report to Dr. Franklin copied and sent to van der Capellen, together
with other documents illustrative of his career, accompanied by the
following letter:
"On Board the Serapis at the Texel,
"_October 19, 1779_.
"My Lord: Human nature and America are under a very singular
obligation to you for your patriotism and friendship, and I feel every
grateful sentiment for your generous and polite letter.
"Agreeable to your request I have the honour to inclose a copy of my
letter to his Excellency Doctor Franklin, containing a particular
account of my late expedition on the coasts of Britain and Ireland, by
which you will see that I have already been praised far more than I
have deserved; but I must at the same time beg leave to observe that
by the other papers which I take the liberty to inclose (particularly
the copy of my letter to the Countess of Selkirk, dated the day of my
arrival at Brest from the Irish Sea), I hope you will be convinced
that in the British prints I have been censured unjustly. I was,
indeed, born in Britain, but I do not inherit the degenerate spirit of
that fallen nation, which I at once lament and despise. It is far
beneath me to reply to their hireling invectives. They are strangers
to the inward approbation that greatly animates and rewards the man
who draws his sword only in support of the dignity of freedom.
"_America has been the country of my fond election from the age of
thirteen, when I first saw it_.[26] I had the honour to hoist, with my
own hands, the flag of freedom, the first time that it was displayed
on the Delaware, and I have attended it with veneration ever since on
the Ocean; I see it respected even here, in spite of the pitiful Sir
Joseph, and I ardently wish and hope very soon to exchange a salute
with the flag of this Republick. Let but the two Republicks join
hands, and they will give Peace to the World."
Among the documents transmitted was the famous letter to Lady Selkirk,
of which sententious epistle he evidently remained inordinately proud.
In acknowledging this courtesy van der Capellen wrote as follows:
"The perusal of the letters with which you have favoured me has done
the very same effect upon me that his Excell. Dr. Franklin expected
they would do on the Countess of Selkirk, as you are represented in
some of our Newspapers as a rough, unpolished sailor, not only, but
even as a man of little understanding and no morals and sensibility,
and as I think the 4 papers extremely fit to destroy these malicious
aspersions, I must take the liberty of asking your permission to
publish them in our gazettes. The public will soon make this very just
conclusion that the man honoured by the friendship and intimacy of a
Franklin can not be such as you have been represented.[27] There are
three points on which you will oblige me by giving some elucidation,
1st. whether you have any obligations to Lord Selkirk? 2d. whether
Lady Selkirk has accepted your generous offer? 3d. whether you have a
commission of France besides that of the Congress? 'Tis not a vain
curiosity that incites me to be so importunate; no, sir, the two first
questions are often repeated to me by your enemies, or, at least, by
prejudiced people; and as to the last, a relative of mine, a known
friend of America, has addressed himself to me for information on that
subject, which he will be glad to have before the States of his
province, of which he is a member (but not yet, as I am, expelled the
house), be assembled.
"You will greatly oblige me by sending me as soon as possible such
information as you will think proper to grant.
"You may rely on our discretion; we can keep a secret, too. I am in a
great hurry, with the most perfect esteem ..."
The baron's statement gives us a contemporary opinion--one of entire
approbation, by the way--of the letter to Lady Selkirk, and it shows
us that our great-grandfathers looked at things with different eyes
from ours.
In reply, Jones dispatched the following letter a month later:
"Alliance, Texel, _November 29, 1779_.
"My Lord: Since I had the honour to receive your second esteemed
letter I have unexpectedly had occasion to revisit Amsterdam; and,
having changed ships since my return to the Texel, I have by some
accident or neglect lost or mislaid your letter. I remember, however,
the questions it contained: 1st, whether I ever had any obligation to
Lord Selkirk? 2dly, whether he accepted my offer? and 3dly, whether I
have a French commission? I answer: I have never had any obligation to
Lord Selkirk, except for his good opinion, nor does know me nor mine
except by character. Lord Selkirk wrote me an answer to my letter to
the Countess, but the Ministry detained it in the general post office
in London for a long time, and then returned it to the author, who
afterward wrote to a friend of his (M. Alexander), an acquaintance of
Doctor Franklin's then at Paris, giving him an account of the fate of
his letter to me & desiring him to acquaint his Excellency and myself
that if the plate was restored by Congress or by any public Body he
would accept it, but that he would not think of accepting it from my
private generosity. The plate has, however, been bought, agreeable to
my letter to the Countess, and now lays in France at her disposal. As
to the 3rd article, _I never bore nor acted under any other commission
than what I have received from the Congress of the United States of
America_.[28]
"I am much obliged to you, my Lord, for the honour you do me by
proposing to publish the papers I sent you in my last, but it is an
honour which I must decline, because I can not publish my letter to a
lady without asking and obtaining the lady's consent, and because I
have a very modest opinion of my writings, being conscious that they
are not of sufficient value to claim the notice of the public. I
assure you, my Lord, it has given me much concern to see an extract of
my rough journal in print, and that, too, under the disadvantage of a
translation. That mistaken kindness of a friend will make me cautious
how I communicate my papers.
"I have the honour to be, my Lord, with great esteem and respect,
"Your most obliged,
"And very humble servant."
The nice delicacy of his conduct in refusing to permit the publication
of a letter to a lady without her consent goes very far toward
redeeming the absurdity of the letter itself. While this interesting
correspondence was going on, events of great moment were transpiring.
In the first place, Captain Pearson was protesting against his
detention as a prisoner in the most vehement way, and otherwise
behaving in a very ill-bred manner. When the commodore offered to
return him his plate, linen, and other property, which had been taken
from the Serapis, he refused to accept it from Jones; but he intimated
that he would receive it from the hand of Captain de Cottineau! Jones
had the magnanimity to overlook this petty quibbling, and returned the
property through the desired channel. Pearson, like Jones, was of
humble origin; but, unlike Jones, he never seems to have risen above
it. On October 19th he addressed the following note to Jones:
"Pallas, Tuesday Evening, _October 19, 1779_.
"_Captain Jones, Serapis_.
"Captain Pearson presents his compliments to Captain Jones, and is
sorry to find himself so little attended to in his present situation
as not to have been favoured with either a _Call_ or a line from
Captain Jones since his return from Amsterdam. Captain P ... is sorry
to say that he can not look upon such behaviour in any other light
than as a breach of that _Civility_, which his Rank, as well as
behaviour on all occasions entitles to, he at the same time wishes to
be informed by Captain Jones whether any _Steps has_ been taken toward
the enlargement or exchange of him, his officers and people, or what
is intended to be done with them. As he can not help thinking it a
very unprecedented circumstance their being _keeped_ here as prisoners
on board of ship, being so long in a neutral port."
He received in return this decided and definite reply:
"Serapis, Wednesday, _October 20, 1779_.
"_Captain Pearson_.
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