226 SERGEANT CHAMPE'S ADVENTURE. and constant pursuit, was sure of execution, and did not dissemble the joy such conviction produced. He was chagrined at the issue, and apprehended that his faithful sergeant must have been detected in the last scene of his tedious and difficult enterprise. In a few days, Lee received an anonymous letter from Champe's patron and friend, informing him, that on the day preceding the night fixed for the execution of the plot, Arnold had removed his quarters to another part of the town, to superintend the embarkation of troops, preparing, as was rumored, for an expedition to be directed by himself; and that the American legion, consisting chiefly of American deserters, had been transferred from their barracks to one of the transports; it being apprehended, that if left on shore, till the expedition was ready, many of them might desert. Thus it happened, that John Champe, instead of crossing the Hudson that night, was safely deposited on board one of the fleet of transports, whence he never departed, till the troops under Arnold, landed in Virginia! nor was he able to escape from the British army, till after the junction of Lord Cornwallis, at Petersburg, when he deserted, and proceeding high up into Virginia, he passed into North Carolina, near the Sama towns, and, keeping in the friendly districts of that state, safely joined the army soon after it had passed the Congaree, in pursuit of Lord Rawdon. His appearance excited extreme surprise among his former comrades, which was not a little increased when they saw the cordial reception he met with from the late Major, now LieutenantColonel Lee. His whole story soon became known to the corps, which reproduced the love and respect of both officer and soldier, heretofore invariably entertained for the sergeant, heightened by universal admiration of his late daring and arduous attempt. Champe was introduced to General Greene, who very cheerfully complied with the promises made by the commander-in-chief, so far as in his power; and having provided the sergeant with a good horse and money for his journey, sent him to General Washington, who munificently anticipated every desire of the sergeant, and presented him with his discharge from further service,* lest he might in the vicissitudes of war fall into the enemy's hands; when, if recognized, he was sure to die on the gibbet. * When General Washington was called by President Adams to the command of the army prepared to defend the country from French hostility, he sent to Lieutenant-Colonel Lee, to inquire for Champe; being determined to bring him into the field at the head of a company of infantry. Lee sent to Loudon county, where Champe settled after his discharge from the army; when he learned that the gallant soldier removed to Kentucky, where he soon after died. CHAPTER XXIX. 1781. FOREIGN AFFAIRS: FINANCIAL DEPRESSION CAUSES MUTINY, Jay's futile efforts to obtain aid from Spain - British attack neutral commerce - The Armed Neutrality – Adams negotiates treaty with Holland — Diplomatic agents unsuccessful in other countries — Alarming condition of affairs in colonies-Notes of credit worthless-States requisitioned for more money - The domestic debt and interest - Money continues to depreciate Robert Morris appointed superintendent of finances He establishes a bank -Loans from foreign countries - Revolt of the Pennsylvannia LineRevolt of the New Jersey Brigade. Appendix to Chapter XXIX Wayne's attempt to pacify mutineers Treaty of Armed Neutrality. The conclusion of the treaties of commerce and alliance with France was followed by three events which had an important influence upon the fortunes of the colonies. These events were the declaration of war against Great Britain by Spain, the armed neutrality of the nations of northern Europe, and the treaty concluded between Holland and the United States. At this time, Spain, though not as powerful as she had been during preceding centuries, was still formidable, and her possessions NEGOTIATIONS WITH SPAIN. in America made it important that Continental Congress should establish friendly relations with her. Franklin had early made efforts. through the French court and by correspondence to secure united action between France and Spain, and to the treaty of 1778 a secret clause was appended providing for the adhesion of Spain to the alliance. In 1779 John Jay was appointed United States minister at Madrid, but for two years his labors had been fruitless.* So anxious had been Congress to secure an alliance with Spain that Jay was authorized to surrender the right of navigation of the Mississippi, and to renounce all claims or designs. upon Spanish territory in America, as its price. Fortunately for the future of the country, Jay's mission was a failure. He himself said, "The cession of the navigation [of the Mississippi] will in my opinion render a future war with Spain unavoidable, and I shall look upon my subscribing to the one as fixing the certainty of the other." However, Spain was soon led into war with England, and the United States thereby reaped the advantages of an alliance without its necessary burdens. The declaration of war between these two countries was much better for the United Staies than if the treaty had been concluded upon the terms which Jay was authorized to offer. Nevertheless, Spain could not be * See Pellew, John Jay, chap. vi. 227 induced to recognize the independence of the American colonies, nor to give any great substantial aid in promoting the American cause. Hence all the efforts of the French statesmen to secure the adhesion of Spain to the treaty of 1778 were of no avail. Count de Aranda, the Spanish ambassador, wrote to his government as follows: "The independence of the English colonies has been there recognized. It is for me a subject of grief and fear. France has but few possessions in America; but she was bound to consider that Spain, her most intimate ally, had many, and that she now stands exposed to terrible reverses. From the beginning, France has acted against her true interests in encouraging and supporting this independence, and so I have often declared to the ministers of this nation." The vast naval power of Great Britan had rendered her haughty and overbearing, and she not only claimed the right to search vessels and seize the property of an enemy wherever found at sea, but also exercised this right with rigorous severity. She did not stop at capturing the vessels of the enemy, but also boarded neutral vessels and confiscated whatever of their cargoes was supposed to be the property of the enemy. The neutral powers had become sorely vexed at the arrogant attitude of the British in this respect and complained at the interference with commerce by British ships of war. This was particularly 228 THE ARMED NEUTRALITY. the case with the Dutch, whose commerce was not only very extensive but also profitable, their ships carrying ship timber and other military stores into the ports of France. At first Great Britain only remonstrated; then threatened, and finally resorted to force by attacking a convoy bound for the Mediterranean, which insult provoked the Dutch and finally involved the nation in a war with the British. Ostensibly for the purpose of protecting their neutral commerce from the belligerents in the war then being carried on between Great Britain and her colonies, France and Spain, a confederacy was entered into in 1780 between Russia, Denmark, Sweden and Holland, known as the Armed Neutrality, which was the idea of Catharine II., of Russia.† This confederation defined contraband goods, declared that free ships made free goods, and stipulated also for the joint protection of their commerce by armed convoys, etc. It was resolved that neutral ships should enjoy a free navigation, even from port to port, and on the coasts of the belligerent powers; that all effects belonging to the subjects of the powers at war should be regarded as free on board neutral ships, except such goods as were stipulated to be contraband; and that no port should * On the diplomatic events leading up to this and on the causes which brought about the armed neutrality see Bancroft, vol. v., chaps. xxii.xxiii.; Fiske, American Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 138-156. Schuyler, American Diplomacy, p. 369. be considered as in a state of blockade unless there should be a sufficient force before it to render such a blockade absolutely effectual.* The other European powers were requested to join this confederacy and France and Spain agreed to do so at once. Portugal, however, declined and the United Provinces delayed their answer.† While this confederation outwardly assumed an attitude of neutrality coupled with armed enforcement of its terms against the belligerents without favor, it was intended and accepted as an act unfriendly to Great Britain, and indicated to her that she was without a friend among the powers of Europe, and must fight her battles alone and unaided. Meanwhile, Henry Laurens, when on his way to Holland to solicit a loan for the United States,‡ was captured, and the papers taken from him disclosed to the British ministry that Continental Congress was negotiating with Holland for a treaty. Toward the close of 1780, therefore, England resolved upon a war with the States-General.§ The third event, probably next in * Freeman Snow, Treaties and Topics in American Diplomacy, pp. 7-11. See also Appendix at end of present chapter. Schuyler, American Diplomacy, pp. 371-374. See the Secret Journals of Congress, vol. ii., pp. 282-318, and especially for October, 21-26-30, November 1, 5, and 8, 1779, and June 20, 1780. Moore, American Diplomacy, p 16. Hildreth, vol. iii., p. 334; Fiske, American Revolution, vol. ii., pp. 155-157; John Adams, Works, vol. vii., pp. 346-347, 348. TREATY WITH HOLLAND; OTHER AGENTS FAIL. importance to the French alliance, in the foreign relations of the colonies was the treaty with Holland, the negotiations for which were conducted by John Adams.* As before stated, Henry Laurens was captured by the British, and Adams, then in Paris, was substituted. Before his departure for Holland, he offended Vergennes so greatly that he refused to correspond further with him,† Upon his arrival in Holland he entered upon the task before him with the zeal and devotion which were so characteristic of him, and after two years of effort his labors were. crowned by a treaty of amity and commerce, which was especially valuable as recognizing the independence of the United States and rendering more easy the procuring of the greatly needed loans. Mr. Adams was highly elated at his success in Holland, as is shown by his dispatches to America, and he ranked the result of his labors as "the greatest triumph of his life. He said also, "I think the treaty is conformable to the principles of perfect reciprocity, and contains nothing * The resolutions and commission authorizing Adams to conduct the negotiations in Holland in place of Laurens are in Secret Journals of Congress, vol. ii., pp. 314-317. For details see Foster, A Century of American Diplomacy, pp. 43-47; John Adams, Works, vol. i., p. 315 et seq., vol. iii., pp. 187, 190–191, vol. vii., p. 243. John Adams, Works, vol. i., p. 329 et seq., vol. vii., passim. Ibid, vol. i., p. 353. 581-582, 587-591. See also vol. vii., pp. 229 that can possibly be hurtful to America or offensive to our allies, or to any other nation, except Great Britan, to whom it is indeed, without a speedy peace, a mortal blow.”* The other diplomatic agents who had been sent by Congress to solicit recognition from European powers were not so successful. Arthur Lee had made an ineffectual attempt to enter upon negotiations at Madrid, but had been turned back by the Spannish government, and the treatment accorded him at Berlin was no more civil. William Lee, who had been accredited to Vienna and Berlin, had been kept away from both places and had not reached a point nearer either capital than Frankfort. Ralph Izard, who was appointed to Tuscany, was refused permission to go to Italy and remained in Paris. At St. Petersburg, Francis Dana spent two years in obscurity and experienced nothing but humiliation and failure.† Paris seemed to be the only place where American representatives were welcome, and there they all congregated to await a more favorable turn of events. The idle ministers and their secretaries were not only a drain upon the scanty treasury, but were also a continued source of trouble to Franklin, not only because of disputes among themselves and jealousy of him, but also because of actual interference Ibid, vol. vii., p. 648. Moore, American Diplomacy, p. 19 et seq. 230 THE EUROPEAN WAR; CONDITIONS IN AMERICA. between him and the court. The two Lees and Izard were extremely envious of Franklin and lost no opportunity to manifest their enmity, but Franklin had too much serious work on his hands to pay attention to the disputes among his countrymen and in every way ignored their insidious attacks upon him. These attacks and insinuations against his usefulness and integrity of character did little harm to his reputation in America, for the great body of the American people and a large majority of the members of Congress had the utmost faith in him, and subsequent events proved that this faith was not misplaced. It is not necessary that we enter into the details of the struggle which took place between Great Britain and her European antagonists in various parts of the globe. Their operations were of astounding magnitude, and victory rested first with one and then with the other. Great naval battles were fought with varied success, and large fleets of merchantmen were captured alternately by the English and by their foes, though upon the whole the English were the most successful. Several of the West India Islands changed hands a number of times during the war. The Spaniards captured Pensacola and extended their authority over the whole province of Florida, but neither France nor Great Britain lost sight of the war in America. In addition to the force under Rochambeau, France determined to dispatch a larger fleet under the Count de Grasse, which, after completing certain operations in the West Indies, was to repair to the United States and aid Rochambeau and Washington in any manner possible. The English also spared no effort to increase their army in the colonies, in the hope that she might make a change for the better. in her affairs there and still further extend the progress of the British arms. At this time the position of affairs in the colonies was such that the friends of the American cause were in a state of great alarm. While temporary relief had been afforded, no permanent system of supplying the needs of the army had been established and the country appeared to be on the verge of ruin.* The con *Madison described the situation in a letter to his father as follows: "Our army threatened with an immediate alternative of disbanding or liv ing at free quarters; the public treasury empty; public credit exhausted, nay the private credit of purchasing agents employed, I am told, as far as it can bear; Congress complaining of the extortion of the people; the people of the improvidence of Congress; and the army of both; our affairs requiring the most mature and systematic measures, and the urgency of the occasion admitting only of temporary expedients, and these expedients generating new difficulties; Congress recommending plans to the several States for execution, and the States separately rejudging the expediency of such plans, whereby the same distrust of concurrent exertions that has dampened the ardour of patriotic individuals must produce the same effect among the States themselves; an old system of finance discarded as incompetent to our necessities, an untried and precarious one substituted and a total stagnation in prospect between the end of the former and the operation of the latter. These are the outlines of the picture |