In 1827, the old world and the new world intersected when the remaining three Free Hanseatic Cities of Bremen, Lübeck, and Hamburg were represented in the United Sates for the first time. Vincent Rumpff was sent to the Washington to negotiate and sign the first treaty between the united Sates and the Hanseatic Republics. The three city-states were all that remained of what was once the economic power house of the middle ages. The Treaty was signed on December 20, 1827 by President John Quincy Adams. The treaty was negotiated by Secretary of State Henry Clay and the Minister Plenipotentiary of the Hanseatic Republics, Vincent Rumpff. The treaty provided opened up free trade between the Free Hanseatic Republics and the United States, with no "higher or other duties upon the tonnage or cargo" to be collected on Hanseatic vessels as would be collected on U.S. vessels and vice versa. In addition, the treaty put the citizens of the Republic on equal footing with citizens or subjects of the "most favored nation" and provided protections of their persons and property of the citizens.
President Adams referred to these republics as the "ancient and renowned league". Perhaps, he saw this as a treaty between the old and the new worlds; between the economic powerhouse of yesteryear and that of the future. In 1827, the once great Republic was now composed of only three Free Hanseatic Cities that remained: Bremen, Lübeck, and Hamburg. These three cities were at one time sovereign city-states within the Holy Roman Empire, but in 1811 were annexed into the First French Empire after Napoleon Bonaparte dissolved the Holy Roman Empire. By 1813, these Hanseatic cities regained their Independence and in 1815 when Congress of Vienna reaffirmed them as independent and sovereign city-states. The cities at one time belonged to the Hanseatic League which dominated the Baltic maritime trade for 300 years and stretched all the way from the Baltic to the North Seas. Lübeck was the capital of the League which was created to protect the guild's economic interests and diplomatic privileges of it's members. The League began a slow decline around 1450, but left a great cultural and architectural heritage, and was renowned for its Brick Gothic monuments such as the city hall of Straitsund shown in the picture above.
When President Adams' State of the Union address was delivered to Congress on December 4th, the treaty negotiations had begun, but not yet completed. Adams introduced the treaty and wrote that if when it was completed, it will be sent to the Senate for their consideration.
"At a more recent date a minister plenipotentiary from the Hanseatic Republics of Hamburg, Lubeck, and Bremen has been received, charged with a special mission for the negotiation of a treaty of amity and commerce between that ancient and renowned league and the United States. This negotiation has accordingly been commenced, and is now in progress, the result of which will, if successful, be also submitted to the Senate for their consideration."
References
Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2018). John Quincy Adams: Third Annual Message. [online] Available at: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29469 [Accessed 4 May 2018].En.wikipedia.org. (2018). Hanseatic League. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_League [Accessed 4 May 2018].
History.state.gov. (2018). Hanseatic Republics* - Countries - Office of the Historian. [online] Available at: https://history.state.gov/countries/hanseatic-republics [Accessed 4 May 2018].
House Documents, Otherwise Publ. as Executive Documents: 13th Congress, 2d Session-49th Congress, 1st Session, Volume 3. (1872). United States Congress, p.Document No. 92.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_League#/media/File:Haupthandelsroute_Hanse.png
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanseatic_League#/media/File:Fotothek_df_ps_0005300_Rath%C3%A4user_%5E_Kirchen_%5E_Basiliken.jpg
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