The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-08
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England. The embracing and kissing of |
Voltaire before the French Academy OF |
Science; the assiduous cultivation OF |
Count de Vergennes and his royal master |
and mistress: his good-natured submis- |
sion to the annoyance of being followed |
by crowds upon the streets, and even
his harmless gallantries with Nine. Hell
vetiUs and other ancient and antique |
6ames were attentions and complacen-
cies bestowed that he might promote his
country's welfare more
When everything a la Franklin in Paris
became at once a Ia mode, this wise phil
osophef was ripe to achieve triumphs in
peace more enduring and no less re-
nowned than those of war. He wrote to
John Jay who was vainly trying to bor-
row money and to make treaty with
Spain, that his aid in Paris would be
of infinite value Jay tried to borrow
S., COZ. 900, and succeeded in borrowing $14,-
900. Jay reached Paris June %, which
was ninety-seven days before the pre-
liminary treaty Of peace was concluded.
Franklin begged John Adams, whose two
treaties had gained him much glory In
Holland and at home, to reinforce Jay
and himself IN France, but Adams tar
ried near the scene Of his triumphs, and
did not reach. Paris until Oct. rs, 1882
just thirty-four days before the first Of
the two almost Identical treaties was
signed.
For several months the strenuous
Franklin carried on his peace-m making I'M
aided While instructed by his govern
ment to negotiate treaty with Great
Britain, he could find no agents of Eng
land with whom to confer. Lord Storm
ont, the British ambassador in Paris, had
insulted him a few years before by re-
plying to respectful letter that "the
kings ministers receive no applications
from rebels, unless when they come to
implore his majesty's clemency." As ear
ly as June, 1881, David Hartley after
wards British signer of the def1nitive
treaty, had asked his friend Franklin to
procure for him a passport from Count
de Vergennes to enable him to visit Paris.
In April, 1882, our adroit diplomatist sue
ceeded in getting his old friend Richard
Oswald appointed by Lord Shelburne
home colonial secretary. to begin nego-
tiations for peace Franklin presented Os-
valid to Vergennes, and shrewdly remain
ed during the entire conference The
| same foreign presentation took place when
| Foreign Secretary Fox sent over Thomas
| Grenville to negotiate a treaty between
| France and England, Franklin being pres
| ent. at the first and at repeated conferen-
| ceS. Finding Grenville less pliable than Os-
valid. the American, more cunning than
| the British Fox, succeeded in getting Os-
| wald appointed chief negotiator of the
British government.
| With the English agents and their as
| sistants, largely of his own selection, and
with Vergennes in as confidential rela-
| tons with him as the chief minister of an
| other government could honorably be,
our first and greatest diplomatist was
prepared to proceed TO serious conclu-
sions. Again writing Jay to render him
| self in Paris as soon as possible, he pre-
! sented his colleague the day after his ar
rival to Vergennes. who received him
/ very> cordially. This pure patriot and
; methodical and upright man, curbed
! what the impetuous Franklin, who, like
other great men, had a dislike for delays
and a distaste for details. Jay was eau
| tious, high-minded, firm and precise
Keeping in view the time employed and
| labor bestowed, Franklin and Jay were
the two chief American negotiators Mr.
Adams did not visit his colleague, Frank
| lin, who was i'll, until three days after
| his arrival He did not pay his respects
| to the French minister of foreign affairs,
| who in a large sense, held the destinies
| of America In his hands. until Nov. TO-
Just fifteen days after he reached Paris
| The ma unanimous Vergennes, instead Of
resenting 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
/ tardy commissioner continued to accept
| the hoSpitalities Of the generous minister
/ which he rewarded by giving currency to
! the suspicion that Vergennes had betrayed
a cause to which he 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
honorable men, it seems fitting to discuss
the high representatives of France. Eng