The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-08
III.
BY JAMES L. HOWARD.

rzeaching the Mississippi-TIe Great
Treaties of I7s2-s3-what Led
Up to Them.
The defnitive treaty of peace with
Great Britain, signed at Paris, Sept. g.
17G3. brought a happy and glorious end
ing to the seven years war for American
independence The second article of that
n removable treaty made the middle Of the
northern lakes and the central channel of
the Mississippi river our new general line
of boundary, north and west. Article
VIII. reads: 'The navigation Of the river
Mississippi, from it's source to the ocean,
shall forever remain free and open to
the subjects of Great Britain and the
citizens of the United States"
In confirming by a solemn convention
the somewhat shadowy colonial claims to
the vast Indian territory lying between
the AIleghenies and the Mississippi, the
area of the thirteen original colonies was
at once doubled. What are now the pros
porous states Of Illinois, Ohio, Indiana,
michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota in part,
Kentucky Tennessee, Mississippi and
Alabama are the fruitful political offspring
of this most benefcent treaty. In its
large immediate results-peace and the
creation of nation-and in its never END
ing future influence, this is one of the two
greatest American treaties. Without it
the centennial of the treaty of twenty
years later, that Of the Louisiana pur-
chase In 1903, would not so soon, if at all,
be celebrated.
What were the causes and events, what
and by whom the eXertfons and utterances
that led up to this blessed compact Of
peace and freedom? Who were the ben
efactors of America that brought about
the partition of the British empire and
the building of an American empire that
has become greater?
Primarily we owe the peace of free
dom to the tolls and military successes
of Washington, Greene, Wayne, Knox,
Schuyler and deserving others. Before
Yorktown, peace with independence was
never possible. To gather the fruits and
garner the harvest from that benign VIC
tory the Franklins were needed In the
field of foreign diplomacy. Long before
the sun of tranquility had daWned Benja-
min Franklin's benignant face and pene-
trating, specialized eyes, Illuminated the
scene. Arriving in Paris in December,
1776, Franklin, with his colleagues, Silas
Deane and Arthur Lee, was able to Sc
cure secret aid from France and from IN
dividual sympathizers in our struggle for
liberty. AS early as Feb. 9, 1776, he ne
gotiated with our first and most generous
foreign friend, VergenneS. two very i'm
pQrtant treaties; one of anity and COM
nleTce, the other OF alliance. Article III.
of the latter reads: "The essential and
direct end of the present defensive ALI
ance is to maintain effectually the lib
erty, sovereignty and independence abso-
lutte and unlimited of the United States
as well In matters of government as OF
commerce"
This direct and comprehensive attirIna-
ton is repeated in Article VII, anG
strengthened by the further guaranty thai
s'their possessions, and the additions Oh
conquests that their confederation may
obtain during the war, from any of the
dominions now or heretofore possessed by
Great Britain in North America"
''Shau be fixed and secured to the said
states, at the moment OF the cessation Of
their present war with England
What amazing foresight! AS if both ne
gotiators had the peace treaty Of five
years later in mind.
Franklin, Jay and Adams.
The dark valley of tribulation, death
and Valley Forge being passed, Livings-
ton and the other wise men of the West
asked DR.. Franklin to heal the wounds
OF war and bring about reconciliation
between the victors and the vanquished.
Franklin was that the supreme hour and
opportunity of his life had come. Crown
ed with the wisdom of seventy-seven
years. he gathered in and utilized all the
agencies and resources of his intellect.
influence, popularity and power. He re-
newed his correspondence with every
public character, philosopher and man OF
science he had ever known, in France or