undertake nothing, in the negotiations for peace or truce, without their knowledge and concurrence; and ultimately to govern yourselves by their advice and opinion, endeavouring in your whole conduct, to make them sensible how much we rely on his majesty's influence, for effectual support in every thing that may be necessary to the perfect security, or future prosperity of the United States of America. If a difficulty should arise in the course of the negotiations for peace, from the backwardness of Britain to make a formal acknowledgment of our independence, you are at liberty to agree to a truce, or to make such other concessions as may not affect the substance of what we contend for; and provided that Great Britain be not left in possession of any part of the thirteen United States." Vol. ii. pages 445, 446. The object of Vergennes, one of the most experienced and able statesmen in Europe, was, that the terms of peace should be left to the discretion of the American negotiators, and that this discretion should be at his control; and this object was accomplished through the influence of the French envoy in the United States. The journals before us show, that the instructions were, at first, adopted by congress without the words, "and ultimately to govern yourselves by their advice and opinion." Being confidentially communicated to the French minister by a committee appointed for that purpose, these words were reported by them, as proper to be inserted by way of amendment, and they were adopted by a majority of congress. The states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Delaware, however, voted against the amendment, and Pennsylvania was divided. The mediation of the imperial courts was accepted by the belligerants in Europe, as well as by the United States. Before entering, however, upon the negotiations, the French and Spanish courts insisted on answers from the court of London, to two preliminary questions; the first, upon what footing the king of England intended to treat with the United States? the second, as to the admission of an American plenipotentiary at the congress proposed to be held. These questions were transmitted to the king of England by the emperor of Germany, and the answers returned, were— "That in all points to be agitated in a future congress, England will behave with great equity and condescension; but the dependence of her rebel subjects in America must be preestablished, and that this matter must be left entirely to the care of Great Britain." These answers put an end to the proceedings under this mediation. VOL. I.No. 1. 20. The minister concluded on this subject, that, if congress put any confidence in the king's friendship and benevolence; if they were persuaded of his inviolable attachment to the principle of the alliance, and of his firm resolution constantly to support the cause of the United States, they would be impressed with the necessity of prescribing to their plenipotentiary, a perfect and open confidence in the king; and would direct him to take no step without the approbation of his majesty; and after giving him, in his instructions, the principal and most important outlines of his conduct, they would order him, with respect to the manner of carrying them into execution, to receive his instructions from the count de Vergennes, or from the person who might be charged with the negotiation, in the name of the king." Mr. Adams was, no doubt, too independent in his conduct. for the French minister; but there were other reasons, why the latter wished to have the terms of peace in his control. On this report, the subject of instructions, as to the terms of peace, came before congress, and the states were again divided on the questions of boundaries and the fisheries. On the 15th of June, 1781, after having associated Dr. Franklin, Mr. Jay, Mr. Laurens, and Mr. Jefferson with Mr. Adams, congress agreed to give them the following instructions: "You are hereby authorized to concur, in behalf of the United States, with his Most Christian Majesty, in accepting the mediation proposed by the empress of Russia, and the emperor of Germany. You are to accede to no treaty of peace, which shall not be such as may-- First. Effectually secure the independence and sovereignty of the thirteen United States, according to the form and effect of the treaties subsisting between the said states and his Most Christian Majesty. Second. In which the treaties shall be left in their full force and validity. As to disputed boundaries, and other particulars, we refer you to the instructions given to Mr. Adams, dated August 14th, 1779, and 18th of October, 1780, from which you will readily perceive the desires and expectations of congress; but we think it unsafe, at this distance, to tie you up by absolute and peremptory directions, upon any other subject than the two essential articles above mentioned. You are, therefore, at liberty to secure the interest of the United States, in such manner as circumstances may direct, and as the state of the belligerant, and disposition of the mediate powers may require. For this purpose, you are to make the most candid and confidential communications, upon all sub. jects, to the minister of our generous ally, the king of France; to undertake nothing, in the negotiations for peace or truce, without their knowledge and concurrence; and ultimately to govern yourselves by their advice and opinion, endeavouring in your whole conduct, to make them sensible how much we rely on his majesty's influence, for effectual support in every thing that may be necessary to the perfect security, or future prosperity of the United States of America. If a difficulty should arise in the course of the negotiations for peace, from the backwardness of Britain to make a formal acknowledgment of our independence, you are at liberty to agree to a truce, or to make such other concessions as may not affect the substance of what we contend for; and provided that Great Britain be not left in possession of any part of the thirteen United States." Vol. ii. pages 445, 446. The object of Vergennes, one of the most experienced and able statesmen in Europe, was, that the terms of peace should be left to the discretion of the American negotiators, and that this discretion should be at his control; and this object was accomplished through the influence of the French envoy in the United States. The journals before us show, that the instructions were, at first, adopted by congress without the words, "and ultimately to govern yourselves by their advice and opinion." Being confidentially communicated to the French minister by a committee appointed for that purpose, these words were reported by them, as proper to be inserted by way of amendment, and they were adopted by a majority of congress. The states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Delaware, however, voted against the amendment, and Pennsylvania was divided. The mediation of the imperial courts was accepted by the belligerants in Europe, as well as by the United States. Before entering, however, upon the negotiations, the French and Spanish courts insisted on answers from the court of London, to two preliminary questions; the first, upon what footing the king of England intended to treat with the United States? the second, as to the admission of an American plenipotentiary at the congress proposed to be held. These questions were transmitted to the king of England by the emperor of Germany, and the answers returned, were "That in all points to be agitated in a future congress, England will behave with great equity and condescension; but the dependence of her rebel subjects in America must be preestablished, and that this matter must be left entirely to the care of Great Britain." These answers put an end to the proceedings under this mediation. This result was communicated to congress by the French envoy, in September, 1781, and is extant in vol. 3. pp. 27, 28, and 29; being an extract from a letter of Vergennes, on the subject of the mediation. The reader will also find in the same volume, from page 26 to 44, the substance of several letters, addressed by Vergennes to de la Luzerne, on the subject of American affairs; which will be read with much interest. After the rupture between Great Britain and Holland, the French court proposed to congress, the propriety of inviting the Hollanders to join the alliance, and make a common cause for the independence of the United States. In consequence of this suggestion, Mr. Adams, who had before been appointed minister to Holland, was instructed to propose a triple alliance between France, the United States and the United Provinces of the Netherlands; the indispensable conditions of which were to be, that Holland should recognise the sovereignty and independence of the United States; that the war with Great Britain should be made a common cause; and neither party conclude truce or peace with Great Britain, without the consent of the whole, nor lay down their arms, until the independence of the United States be assured by Great Britain, in a treaty, which should terminate the war. Congress, however, had now become cautious of engagements of guaranty on their part; and the American minister was expressly directed to make no stipulation of affiance or guaranty of any possessions of the United Provinces. 2 vol. p. 471. The Hollanders declined this offer. The capture of lord Cornwallis and the army under his command, in October 1781, convinced the British nation, if not the British ministry, that the Americans were not to be subdued by force. In the winter of 1782, the ministers found themselves in a minority in the House of Commons, and were obliged to relinquish their plans. A new administration was formed, at the head of which was placed the marquis of Rockingham, and the earl of Shelburne and Mr. Fox were made secretaries of state. Overtures for peace were soon made to Vergennes and the American minister at Paris, through Mr. Oswald and Mr. Granville, the agents of the new administration. The situation of England and France, in 1782, was the reverse of what it was twenty years before. France, then humbled by the success of the British arms, was accepting terms of peace at the dictation of Great Britain; a British minister was now soliciting the same favour, at the hands of France. The conversation which passed between Vergennes and Granville, at their first interview, as related by Doctor Franklin, who was present, clearly evinced that France had not yet forgotten the peace of 1763. Mr. Granville, in fact, stated to Doctor Franklin, as well as Vergennes, "that the king of England, being disposed to acknowledge and declare directly, the independence of America, it would no longer be a conditional article of peace." This fact, as well as others relative to the prosperous state of the negotiations, up to the last of June 1782, was communicated to congress, from the despatches of M. de Vergennes. The same despatches, however, say, "Such was the state of affairs, on the 28th of June; at which time, there appeared some obstructions to the negotiations, owing, it is believed, to the misunderstanding which prevailed in the British cabinet. Tergiversations were discovered, on the part of the British negotiators. The bill authorizing the king of England to treat with the colonies of America, had not then passed. These uncertainties made it essential to guard against British emissaries on the continent of America; and to prevent, with all care, their admission, and to recommend the same to the several legislatures." 3 vol. pp. 255, 256. To enable the reader to understand what these "obstructions" were, as well as the cause of the "tergiversations" here referred to; it is necessary to state, that a majority of the new ministry were in favour of acknowledging the independence of America, as a preliminary to the negotiation, and so instructed Mr. Granville. The earl of Shelburne, however, and some others in the cabinet, were opposed to it. The death of the marquis of Rockingham, which took place about the end of June, or beginning of July, produced a change of men, and for a time, at least a delay, if not a change of measures, in the cabinet. Lord Shelburne was placed at the head of the treasury, in the room of the marquis of Rockingham. This occasioned an open rupture in the cabinet; and Mr. Fox and some of his friends resigned their places. One of the reasons assigned by Mr. Fox for his resignation, was, that under the influence of lord Shelburne, the cabinet had departed from the principles adopted under the administration of his predecessor, relative to the acknowledgment of American independence. In vindication of himself, lord Shelburne, in open parliament, declared he had been, and still was of opinion, that whenever parliament should acknowledge the independence of America, the sun of England's glory was set for ever. Such, he said, were the sentiments he possessed on a former day, and such were the sentiments he still held that other |