The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-12-07

I pcarc Franklin presented Oswald TO
| Ncrgenncs and shrcwdly remained dur
| ing the entire conference. The same
presentation took place when Foreign
Secretary Fox sent over Thomas Gren-
willie to negotiate a treaty between
| France ana England. Franklin being
| present at the first and at repeated
| conferences. Finding Grenville less
| plabe than oswald. the American,
| more cunning than the British Fox.
| succeeded in getting Oswald appointed
| the chief negotiator of the British gov
] ernment.
With the English agents and their
assistants largely of his own selection
| and with Nergcnncs in as confidential
| relations with him as the chief minis
ter of another government could hon
orably be, our first and greatest dip
| lomatist was prepared to proceed to
! ediou.s conclusions. Again writing
| Jay to render himself in Paris as soon
! as possible. he presented his colleague
the day after his arrival to Ncrgennes,
who received him very cordially. This
| pure patriot and methodical and up
right man. curbed somewhat the i'm
petuous Fra snklin. who like other great
distaste for details. jay was cautious.
! high toned. firm and precise. Keeping
in view the time employed aud labor
bestowed. Franklin and Jay were the
two chief American negotiators. Mr..
| Adams did not visit his colleague
Franklin. who was ill., until three days
after his arrival. He did not pay his
, respects to the French minister of for
r.,t, tn, 1,aI. Il
the destinies of America in his hands,
| until Nov. 10. just fifteen days after
he reached Paris. The magnanimous
Nergennes. instead of reSentins the
slight. invited Adams to dine on the
day that he called. gave him the seat
of honor and in other ways treated
him with uncommon respect. Our tar
dy commissioner continued to accept
the hospitalitics of the generous min
lister. which he rewarded by giving
currency to the suspicion that Nergcn-
mes had betrayed n cause TO which hc
had given and was giving ultimate
success in both war and peace. AS an
honorable peace is usually brought
about by nations at war. through hon
orablc men, it seems fitting to dis
cuss the high representatives of
France. England and America Who di-
rectcd and wisely ended this great ne
Soiiation. OF these epoch making men
our own rare Ben Franklin should un-
douhtedly he ranked first. He had
been long in the field and was first
on the ground He had been half a
fe-time the agent abroad OF one.
three. or all. the American colonies.
Franklin knew both Europe and
America. He had couraecously faced
the enemies of his country. headed by
Wrdderburn and others. before the bar
of the house of commons: aud he had
Sl'appled its friends to his heart with
arms of tenderness and strength
France received him as the greatest
living scientist. philosopher and sage
He had reached the full maturity of
worldly wisdom He had the tact of a
Metternich and the adroitncss of IL
Talleyrand Is ii strange then that
as a cat plays with Il captured mouse.
he should toss about and dominate at
will Oswald. Hartley. Grenville. Fitz-
herbert Stiachey and all the under
Strappers OF the British foreign office?
In short, Franklin got into the two
treaties the Mississippi, and the Fish
cries. all he was instructed to get in
and with Oswalds consent, would have
added Canada, If Jay and Adams had
supported him in a claim SO savorine
of audacity.
COUNT DE NERGENNES.
AS the personal equation can never
be eliminated from affairs of govern