Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-04-03
yergennes had seriously widened the

breach between France and the Inlteu
!, States by informing Franklin and Jay
that they must not insist on tight ~ the
fisheries; nor interfere with Spain $ oe-
man0s for the exclusive Navigation q
the Gulf of Mexico and the MISSISSIPPI
river, nor insist on q right to the pack-
lands east of the Mississippi river, put
must content themselves with the lanas
lying east of the red line drawn on the
map by DAranda, or France would not
continue the war for American objects.
The Dutch plenipotentiaries. Berken-
roode and Brantsen, demanded the rest-
tuition by England, of all the English con-
tests from them and compensation for an
the captured Dutch merchant vessels
To our Commissioners, Franklin, Jay,
John Adams who arrived in Paris from
Holland. on the 2sd of October, and Hen
ry Laurens who arrived from his long
Imprisonment in the Tower of LONDON
after his exchange for Lord CORVALLIS,
these were supreme moments. which re-
alired their most profound political Wis
dom to obtain first, and beyond an
other considerations, the acknowledge
ment of their INDEPENDENCE, in spite
of the machinations of France and SPAN,
and the selfish magnanimity of England
all of which nations were using them as
tool for their own Interior objects, IN
spite of their instructions from Congress
THAT YOU are to make the most CANDID
and confidential communications, upon all
subjects. to the ministers Of our generous
ally, the King of France; to undertake
nothing in the negotiations for peace or
truce without their knowledge or concur
q
much we rely upon his majestys infu-
ence for effectual support in everything
that may be necessary to the present Sc
curity or future prosperity OF the
United States of America In spite
of the action of Congress i'm abardoninS
the Mississippi river as our western
boundary and therefore its navigation.
Therefore. it was necessary for them to
decide, and promptly. whether they
should formulate a treaty for independ-
ence with England. with or without the
consent or knowledge of the King Of
France ard Count De vergennes. his
prime minister. Franklin said that, per-.
sonally, he had more faith in the justice
Of the French than confidence in the gen
crosby of England; that he had just
made a treaty with France. which for
to conclude separate peace without the
permission, previously obtained, of the
other, as imposing a moral obligation on
him and his nation; but that he was not
pleased with the actions of Vergennes
and feared their effect.
Jay said that he had personally, a hat
red for the French and believed them to
be essentially selfish, false and unscrup-
al
people, and did not know what it was.
Oswald said to the American Commits
sioners, that he was a good friend of
the Americans, and thought that now was
the moment for them to pull loose from
the French and consummate treaty for
their independence. with England. for if
England were driven to extremeties, by
the unreasonable demands Of France and
Spain the whole nation, which was now
divided on the subject of war would
unite as one man TO continue it, and that
resistance would, be carried on with the
energy of desperation" Turning to
Adams he said: You are afraid of be-
ing made the tool of the powers of Eu-
rope" Indeed / am" replied Adams
(Which powers" asked Oswald. "All of
them" bluntly replied Adams. Adams
told Franklip that he shared the dislike
for the French entertained by Jay, and
finally carried the day in favor of nego-
tiating separately, and communicating as
little as possible with Vergennes
This decision having been reached with
many doubts and discussions, as one can
see, they Immediately began to formulate
the various clauses of the treaty. indie
pendence was promptly granted by Os-
valid. The settlement OF the fishery ques-
ton, because of the abandonment, by the
Americans, of the right of drying fish on
the coast of Newfoundland, has been
source of trouble even to this day. That
the western boundary line should be the
Mississippi river, with free navigation
from its source to the ocean: but the
failure of the English TO withdraw their
forces from forts they had established on
the northern lakes. was one of the causes
of the war of 1912. The boundary line in
Maine was finally decided upon. but be-
cause of the loss of the map on which
the line was drawn, led to difficulties that
were only terminated in 1912 by the Ash
burton treaty. The right of English mer-
chants to collect debts due them previous
to the war was conceded.
The question of PREPARATION to Loyalists
was so bitterly opposed by Franklin that
Shelburne sent Strachey over to Paris
about the same time that Adams arrived
there, to care for the Loyalst interests,
saying to him, 1T is no idea of interest
which actuates us in regard to the Loyal
lists, it Is a higher principle England is
not reduced to terms of humiliation and
certainly will not suffer them from Amer
leans" After long and bitter discussions
between the commissioners, and from the
fear on the part of England, of throwing
French, it was finally agreed that there
chould be no further prosecutions of 10y
aiists and that all pending prosecutions
should be discontinued This was only
agreed upon on the 2Sth Of November
On the 29tr of November Oswald wrote
to Shelburne:
"A very few hours ago we thought it
impossible that any treaty could be made
We have al last, however, brought mat
ters so near conclusion that we have
agreed upon articles, and are to meet
tomorrow for the purpose of signing
In such particulars as the treaty falls
short of your lordship's wish or expecta-
ton the imputation must be upon the in
fexibility of uncommon circumstances 8"
Oswald wrote to Townsend "The terms
Of the treaty are very favorable to the
Americans, and were avoWedly drawn
with that object in order TO Law the foun-
dalton of future good Will, and to leave
&c nf Al.