nothing six
months ago; it was a feeble plant that could only stand by bending
when the wind blew; now it is a solid and robust body, well supported,
which resists all the efforts of the English party, which has broken
them, and which will succeed at length in prevailing over this party,
and will restore to the Republic its ancient dignity.

_January 16th, morning._ Yesterday, the 15th, in the evening, the
Ambassador sought me out to go and confirm, on his part, to our
friend, that this morning he should present a Memorial to the
President of their High Mightinesses, with the new order of the King,
which excludes the commerce and navigation of ---- from the favors
which France permits neutrals to enjoy on the sea and in her ports,
and preserves them only to the flag of the city of Amsterdam, and that
after that he should, (though against usage) make the circuit of the
hotels of all the cities of Holland, and testify to their respective
Pensionaries the regret and repugnance with which the King will see
himself forced by themselves to publish the said order. I waited at
the _Hotel de France_ till two o'clock in the morning, to give to the
Ambassador, who supped abroad, the answer of our friend. He sent it
off the same night by express to his Court, and I hold myself ready
this morning to report on his part to our friend the manner in which
all shall pass.

_16th, evening._ This morning the Ambassador, after having presented
his Memorial to the President of their High Mightinesses, made the
rounds to give information of it to the Grand Pensionary of Holland,
to the Secretary of their High Mightinesses, to the Prince
Stadtholder, to the Pensionaries of the cities of Amsterdam, Dort,
Brille, and Rotterdam. He was nearly two hours with the Deputies of
this last city. He testified to all of them the regret of the King in
having to withdraw from them his favors, and to permit one patriotic
city alone to enjoy them. All manifested more discontent at this
distinction, than at the privation, and there is danger of I know not
what fatal consequences. They pretend that it is a thing without
example and against their constitution to treat with one city only.
The Ambassador replied to them, that this was a wrong view, that there
was neither treaty nor convention between France and Amsterdam, but
that he merely let this place continue to enjoy what she enjoyed
before, and that the Republic ought to be on the contrary well
satisfied