The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-11

nhuuh vi tVht AhN WV viz -
oniss, for the time being. without a collective
civil government. Washington took mp the
burden in his strong hands In the darkest hour
and bore 1t without wayering. AL that was
left Of the American Revolution during that
Christmas week was with Washington and bis
little army. Our author. indeed, would not
deny that the separation Of the North Ameri-
can colonies from the mother country was
probably inevitable. It surely would have
come sooner or later, either In peace or war.
II Is equally certain. however. that the partiou-
lar revolution which. as q matter OF fact, did
make the United States independent was
saved from ruin by George Washington In the
winter OF 1770. traI'HN"
- 4ls SD ~
.,.. I. III so Gr-.ln A..
After pointing out that Saratoga. where Bur-
goyne's surrender took place. 10 counted by
Sir Edward Greasy among the fifteen decisive
battles Of the world. our author inquiries on
what grounds Saratoga Is entitled to this dig
nifty. Certainly not from the numbers engaged.
for they were comparatively small The VIC
tory was. indeed, complete, but an army OF ten
thousand men has been beaten and has sur
rendered many times without deciding any
thing, not even the issue Of a campaign. From
the military point of view. no doubt. the blow
was q heavy one to England. but she had suf-
fered much greater losses In her career Of con-
quest, and still had como out victorious. The fact
is. as Senator Lodge demonstrates. that the sig
niHcance OF Saratoga lies less In what 1t actually
was than in what It proved and in what IL
brought to pass. It exhibited the fighting
quality Of the American people, and showed
that they we're able to rise up around a powerful
and di-ciplined force and hunt 1t down to ruin
and surrender. The prospect Of conquering q
people capable Of such fighting. shieldedby 1000
miles Of ocean and backed by thefwiiderness.
was obviously slight. Saratoga meant. more
over, thatthe attemptto control the Hudson, and
thus divide the colonies. had definitely failed.
The physical union Of the new States. which
for victory was no less essential than moral
union. had been secured. Lastly. and most
important Of all, the surrender Of BurgoynO
and'the utter miscarriage Of his campaign con-
WINGED the European powers that the revolted
colonies would win In the end. It had required
the keen intellect OF Frederick the Great to
appreciate Trenton and Princeton. But no
Frederick was neededto comprehend Saratoga.
whore there had been no strategy. nothing but
hard. blunt fighting. ending In the efraoement
Of o British army and the wreck Of a campaign
Of vital importance. Henceforth 1t was mani
fest to all men that even alone the colonies
could not be conquered. and that witha Euro
pean ally their victory was certain.
That the effect OF Saratoga on European
public opinion may be more clearly under
stood. our author outlines the conditions ex-
listing on the other side OF the Atlantic at the
time when the men OF New York. Virginia and
New England finally brought their quarry
down. The fact is too often overlooked that
the American Revolution had to be fought out.
not only. in the field. but in. the Cabinets of
Europe as we'll. The new nation not only had
to win battles and sustain defeats. but also to
gain recognition at the great tribunals OF
public opinion. and prove its right to live. As
soon as this was fully understood. the political
leaders In America either returned to their
several States. where the most energetic as
~sistance could be given to the struggle for fnde-
pendence. or else went abroad to plead their
country's cause in foreign lands. There is no
doubt that the Continental Congress suffered
a serious depletion Of ability and weight
in consequence. but. this. at tho time. was a
matter OF less moment than that the highest
political capacity of the country should
be con centrated on the most vital points.
Thus it came to pass that the strength Of Amer
lean craftsmanship. after the Declaration of
Independence had been put forth. turned in
stinctively to diplomacy as the field where the
greatest results could be achieved. and where
alone allies. money and supplies could DO at
tained. The fact Is noted that Congress itself
hesltated in this direction 7s long and as seri-
ously as it had in regard to Independence.
recognizing that a foreign alliance would, even
more indisputably than war. involve final sep
sration from the mother country.
1t was only gradually that the resistance Of
the American colonies to England attracted
the attention Of Europe. AS a rule the CONT
mental Governments were slow to see the i'm
portance Of this transatlantic movement; the
French alone. still smartinR under the loss Of
Canada. were quick to perceive how much it
might mean to them in the way Of revenge.
Bunker Hill reused them and riveted their at
~tention. Vergennes. the French Minister for
Foreign Affairs, watched events closely, and,
being from the first eager to strike at England,
he secretly sent NJ. de Bonvouloir. q
former resident Of the West Indies. to
visit America and report. Bonvouloir.
on reaching Philadelphia, had o pri-
vate interview with Franklin. and reported
to his Government that. although the resist
ance of the c~olonists to England was deter
mined, the Americans as yet hesitated to seek
foreign aid. Our author has no doubt that this
was a true account Of the situation and OF the
state Of American feeling at the time. A little
later. however. namely. In December. ITS.
Congress made a 1rst timid step toward seek
ing outside assistance. by authorizing Arthur
Lee. then in London, to ascertain the feeling
Of the European Governments In regard to tho
colonies. In the pursuit of his mission Lee
CAM into relations with q mar who was
destined to be of great service to America.
This was Beaumarchais. mechanician and mer-
chant. author and ~inanoier. writer and poll
tician. TIL author OF THE Barber OF Seville"
is said to have gone eight times to London to
see Lee. and. presently. became thetconnecting
link between tho ancient monarchy and the
young American republic While yergennes,
however. was pressing steadily toward action
In behalf OF the colonies. he was opposed in the
French Cabinet by Turgot. who. although
sympathizing deeply with the American cause.
felt that France was not in a financial condl-
ton to face another war, As Turgot was sup
ported by Maurepas. It was but slowly that the
policy OF yergennes could be advanced. Never
theless. he got something done. In May. 1776,
he sent 100000 to,the Americans. and per-
suaded Spain to do the same. 1t was all
effected very secretly through Beaumarchais
but still IL was done. On July II. 1873. SiIas