the fathers of the constitution-第2章

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tates　should；　without　the　consent　of　the　other；　make　peace　with　Great　Britain。　More　than　that；　in　1781；　partly　out　of　gratitude　but　largely　as　a　result　of　clever　manipulation　of　factions　in　Congress　by　the　French　Minister　in　Philadelphia；　the　Chevalier　de　la　Luzerne；　the　American　peace　commissioners　had　been　instructed　〃to　make　the　most　candid　and　confidential　communications　upon　all　subjects　to　the　ministers　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。〃*　If　France　had　been　actuated　only　by　unselfish　motives　in　supporting　the　colonies　in　their　revolt　against　Great　Britain；　these　instructions　might　have　been　acceptable　and　even　advisable。　But　such　was　not　the　case。　France　was　working　not　so　much　with　philanthropic　purposes　or　for　sentimental　reasons　as　for　the　restoration　to　her　former　position　of　supremacy　in　Europe。　Revenge　upon　England　was　only　a　part　of　a　larger　plan　of　national　aggrandizement。　*　〃Secret　Journals　of　Congress。〃　June　15；　1781。

The　treaty　with　France　in　1778　had　declared　that　war　should　be　continued　until　the　independence　of　the　United　States　had　been　established；　and　it　appeared　as　if　that　were　the　main　purpose　of　the　alliance。　For　her　own　good　reasons　France　had　dragged　Spain　into　the　struggle。　Spain；　of　course；　fought　to　cripple　Great　Britain　and　not　to　help　the　United　States。　In　return　for　this　support　France　was　pledged　to　assist　Spain　in　obtaining　certain　additions　to　her　territory。　In　so　far　as　these　additions　related　to　North　America；　the　interests　of　Spain　and　those　of　the　United　States　were　far　from　being　identical；　in　fact；　they　were　frequently　in　direct　opposition。　Spain　was　already　in　possession　of　Louisiana　and；　by　prompt　action　on　her　entry　into　the　war　in　1780；　she　had　succeeded　in　getting　control　of　eastern　Louisiana　and　of　practically　all　the　Floridas　except　St。　Augustine。　To　consolidate　these　holdings　and　round　out　her　American　empire；　Spain　would　have　liked　to　obtain　the　title　to　all　the　land　between　the　Alleghany　Mountains　and　the　Mississippi。　Failing　this；　however；　she　seemed　to　prefer　that　the　region　northwest　of　the　Ohio　River　should　belong　to　the　British　rather　than　to　the　United　States。　Under　these　circumstances　it　was　fortunate　for　the　United　States　that　the　American　Peace　Commissioners　were　broad…minded　enough　to　appreciate　the　situation　and　to　act　on　their　own　responsibility。　Benjamin　Franklin；　although　he　was　not　the　first　to　be　appointed；　was　generally　considered　to　be　the　chief　of　the　Commission　by　reason　of　his　age；　experience；　and　reputation。　Over　seventy…five　years　old；　he　was　more　universally　known　and　admired　than　probably　any　man　of　his　time。　This　many…sided　Americanprinter；　almanac　maker；　writer；　scientist；　and　philosopherby　the　variety　of　his　abilities　as　well　as　by　the　charm　of　his　manner　seemed　to　have　found　his　real　mission　in　the　diplomatic　field；　where　he　could　serve　his　country　and　at　the　same　time；　with　credit　to　himself；　preach　his　own　doctrines。　When　Franklin　was　sent　to　Europe　at　the　outbreak　of　the　Revolution；　it　was　as　if　destiny　had　intended　him　for　that　particular　task。　His　achievements　had　already　attracted　attention；　in　his　fur　cap　and　eccentric　dress　〃he　fulfilled　admirably　the　Parisian　ideal　of　the　forest　philosopher〃；　and　with　his　facility　in　conversation；　as　well　as　by　the　attractiveness　of　his　personality；　he　won　both　young　and　old。　But；　with　his　undoubted　zeal　for　liberty　and　his　unquestioned　love　of　country；　Franklin　never　departed　from　the　Quaker　principles　he　affected　and　always　tried　to　avoid　a　fight。　In　these　efforts；　owing　to　his　shrewdness　and　his　willingness　to　compromise；　he　was　generally　successful。　John　Adams；　being　then　the　American　representative　at　The　Hague；　was　the　first　Commissioner　to　be　appointed。　Indeed；　when　he　was　first　named；　in　1779；　he　was　to　be　sole　commissioner　to　negotiate　peace；　and　it　was　the　influential　French　Minister　to　the　United　States　who　was　responsible　for　others　being　added　to　the　commission。　Adams　was　a　sturdy　New　Englander　of　British　stock　and　of　a　distinctly　English　type　medium　height；　a　stout　figure；　and　a　ruddy　face。　No　one　questioned　his　honesty；　his　straightforwardness；　or　his　lack　of　tact。　Being　a　man　of　strong　mind；　of　wide　reading　and　even　great　learning；　and　having　serene　confidence　in　the　purity　of　his　motives　as　well　as　in　the　soundness　of　his　judgment；　Adams　was　little　inclined　to　surrender　his　own　views；　and　was　ready　to　carry　out　his　ideas　against　every　obstacle。　By　nature　as　well　as　by　training　he　seems　to　have　been　incapable　of　understanding　the　French；　he　was　suspicious　of　them　and　he　disapproved　of　Franklin's　popularity　even　as　he　did　of　his　personality。　Five　Commissioners　in　all　were　named；　but　Thomas　Jefferson　and　Henry　Laurens　did　not　take　part　in　the　negotiations；　so　that　the　only　other　active　member　was　John　Jay；　then　thirty…seven　years　old　and　already　a　man　of　prominence　in　his　own　country。　Of　French　Huguenot　stock　and　type；　he　was　tall　and　slender；　with　somewhat　of　a　scholar's　stoop；　and　was　usually　dressed　in　black。　His　manners　were　gentle　and　unassuming；　but　his　face；　with　its　penetrating　black　eyes；　its　aquiline　nose　and　pointed　chin；　revealed　a　proud　and　sensitive　disposition。　He　had　been　sent　to　the　court　of　Spain　in　1780；　and　there　he　had　learned　enough　to　arouse　his　suspicious；　if　nothing　more；　of　Spain's　designs　as　well　as　of　the　French　intention　to　support　them。　In　the　spring　of　1782　Adams　felt　obliged　to　remain　at　The　Hague　in　order　to　complete　the　negotiations　already　successfully　begun　for　a　commercial　treaty　with　the　Netherlands。　Franklin；　thus　the　only　Commissioner　on　the　ground　in　Paris；　began　informal　negotiations　alone　but　sent　an　urgent　call　to　Jay　in　Spain；　who　was　convinced　of　the　fruitlessness　of　his　mission　there　and　promptly　responded。　Jay's　experience　in　Spain　and　his　knowledge　of　Spanish　hopes　had　led　him　to　believe　that　the　French　were　not　especially　concerned　about　American　interests　but　were　in　fact　willing　to　sacrifice　them　if　necessary　to　placate　Spain。　He　accordingly　insisted　that　the　American　Commissioners　should　disregard　their　instructions　and；　without　the　knowledge　of　France；　should　deal　directly　with　Great　Britain。　In　this　contention　he　was　supported　by　Adams　when　he　arrived；　but　it　was　hard　to　persuade　Franklin　to　accept　this　point　of　view；　for　he　was　unwilling　to　believe　anything　so　unworthy　of　his　admiring　and　admired　French。　Nevertheless；　with　his　cautious　shrewdness；　he　finally　yielded　so　far　as　to　agree　to　see　what　might　come　out　of　direct　negotiations。　The　rest　was　relatively　easy。　Of　course　there　were　difficulties　and　such　sharp　differences　of　opinion　that；　even　after　long　negotiation；　some　matters　had　to　be　compromised。　Some　problems；　too；　were　found　insoluble　and　were　finally　left　without　a　settlement。　But　such　difficulties　as　did　exist　were　slight　in　comparison　with　the　previous　hopelessness　of　reconciling　American　and　Spanish　ambitions；　especially　when　the　latter　were　supported　by　France。　On　the　one　hand；　the　Americans　were　the　proteges　of　the　French　and　were　expected　to　give　wa