the fathers of the constitution-第4章

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nditions　and　sentiment　in　America；　partly　through　stupidity　and　partly　through　selfish　interest。　It　was　therefore　perfectly　comprehensible　that　the　feeling　should　be　bitter　against　them　in　the　United　States；　especially　as　they　had　given　efficient　aid　to　the　British　during　the　war。　In　various　States　they　were　subjected　to　personal　violence　at　the　hands　of　indignant　〃patriots；〃　many　being　forced　to　flee　from　their　homes；　while　their　property　was　destroyed　or　confiscated；　and　frequently　these　acts　were　legalized　by　statute。　The　historian　of　the　Loyalists　of　Massachusetts；　James　H。　Stark；　must　not　be　expected　to　understate　the　case；　but　when　he　is　describing；　especially　in　New　England；　the　reign　of　terror　which　was　established　to　suppress　these　people；　he　writes：　〃Loyalists　were　tarred　and　feathered　and　carried　on　rails；　gagged　and　bound　for　days　at　a　time；　stoned；　fastened　in　a　room　with　a　fire　and　the　chimney　stopped　on　top；　advertised　as　public　enemies；　so　that　they　would　be　cut　off　from　all　dealings　with　their　neighbors；　they　had　bullets　shot　into　their　bedrooms；　their　horses　poisoned　or　mutilated；　money　or　valuable　plate　extorted　from　them　to　save　them　from　violence；　and　on　pretence　of　taking　security　for　their　good　behavior；　their　houses　and　ships　burned；　they　were　compelled　to　pay　the　guards　who　watched　them　in　their　houses；　and　when　carted　about　for　the　mob　to　stare　at　and　abuse；　they　were　compelled　to　pay　something　at　every　town。〃　There　is　little　doubt　also　that　the　confiscation　of　property　and　the　expulsion　of　the　owners　from　the　community　were　helped　on　by　people　who　were　debtors　to　the　Loyalists　and　in　this　way　saw　a　chance　of　escaping　from　the　payment　of　their　rightful　obligations。　The　〃Act　for　confiscating　the　estates　of　certain　persons　commonly　called　absentees〃　may　have　been　a　measure　of　self…defense　for　the　State　but　it　was　passed　by　the　votes　of　those　who　undoubtedly　profited　by　its　provisions。　Those　who　had　stood　loyally　by　the　Crown　must　in　turn　be　looked　out　for　by　the　British　Government；　especially　when　the　claims　of　justice　were　reinforced　by　the　important　consideration　that　many　of　those　with　property　and　financial　interests　in　America　were　relatives　of　influential　persons　in　England。　The　immediate　necessity　during　the　war　had　been　partially　met　by　assisting　thousands　to　go　to　Canadawhere　their　descendants　today　form　an　important　element　in　the　population　and　are　proud　of　being　United　Empire　Loyalistswhile　pensions　and　gifts　were　supplied　to　others。　Now　that　the　war　was　over　the　British　were　determined　that　Americans　should　make　good　to　the　Loyalists　for　all　that　they　had　suffered；　and　His　Majesty's　Commissioners　were　hopeful　at　least　of　obtaining　a　proviso　similar　to　the　one　relating　to　the　collection　of　debts。　John　Adams；　however；　expressed　the　prevailing　American　idea　when　he　said　that　〃paying　debts　and　compensating　Tories〃　were　two　very　different　things；　and　Jay　asserted　that　there　were　certain　of　these　refugees　whom　Americans　never　would　forgive。　But　this　was　the　one　thing　needed　to　complete　the　negotiations　for　peace；　and　the　British　arguments　on　the　injustice　and　irregularity　of　the　treatment　accorded　to　the　Loyalists　were　so　strong　that　the　American　Commissioners　were　finally　driven　to　the　excuse　that　the　Government　of　the　Confederation　had　no　power　over　the　individual　States　by　whom　the　necessary　action　must　be　taken。　Finally；　in　a　spirit　of　mutual　concession　at　the　end　of　the　negotiations；　the　Americans　agreed　that　Congress　should　〃recommend　to　the　legislatures　of　the　respective　states　to　provide　for　the　restitution〃　of　properties　which　had　been　confiscated　〃belonging　to　real　British　subjects；〃　and　〃that　persons　of　any　other　description〃　might　return　to　the　United　States　for　a　period　of　twelve　months　and　be　〃unmolested　in　their　endeavours　to　obtain　the　restitution。〃　With　this　show　of　yielding　on　the　part　of　the　American　Commissioners　it　was　possible　to　conclude　the　terms　of　peace；　and　the　preliminary　treaty　was　drawn　accordingly　and　agreed　to　on　November　30；　1782。　Franklin　had　been　of　such　great　service　during　all　the　negotiations；　smoothing　down　ruffed　feelings　by　his　suavity　and　tact　and　presenting　difficult　subjects　in　a　way　that　made　action　possible；　that　to　him　was　accorded　the　unpleasant　task　of　communicating　what　had　been　accomplished　to　Vergennes；　the　French　Minister；　and　of　requesting　at　the　same　time　〃a　fresh　loan　of　twenty　million　francs。〃　Franklin；　of　course；　presented　his　case　with　much　〃delicacy　and　kindliness　of　manner〃　and　with　a　fair　degree　of　success。　〃Vergennes　thought　that　the　signing　of　the　articles　was　premature；　but　he　made　no　inconvenient　remonstrances；　ill　procured　six　millions　of　the　twenty。〃*　On　September　3；　1783；　the　definite　treaty　of　peace　was　signed　in　due　time　it　was　ratified　by　the　British　Parliament　as　well　as　by　the　American　Congress。　The　new　state；　duly　accredited；　thus　took　its　place　in　the　family　of　nations；　but　it　was　a　very　humble　place　that　was　first　assigned　to　the　United　States　of　America。　*　Channing；　〃History　of　the　United　States；〃　vol。　III；　p。　368。

CHAPTER　II。　TRADE　AND　INDUSTRY　Though　the　word　revolution　implies　a　violent　break　with　the　past；　there　was　nothing　in　the　Revolution　that　transformed　the　essential　character　or　the　characteristics　of　the　American　people。　The　Revolution　severed　the　ties　which　bound　the　colonies　to　Great　Britain；　it　created　some　new　activities；　some　soldiers　were　diverted　from　their　former　trades　and　occupation；　but；　as　the　proportion　of　the　population　engaged　in　the　war　was　relatively　small　and　the　area　of　country　affected　for　any　length　of　time　was　comparatively　slight；　it　is　safe　to　say　that　in　general　the　mass　of　the　people　remained　about　the　same　after　the　war　as　before。　The　professional　man　was　found　in　his　same　calling；　the　artisan　returned　to　his　tools；　if　he　had　ever　laid　them　down；　the　shopkeeper　resumed　his　business；　if　it　had　been　interrupted；　the　merchant　went　back　to　his　trading；　and　the　farmer　before　the　Revolution　remained　a　farmer　afterward。　The　country　as　a　whole　was　in　relatively　good　condition　and　the　people　were　reasonably　prosperous；　at　least；　there　was　no　general　distress　or　poverty。　Suffering　had　existed　in　the　regions　ravaged　by　war；　but　no　section　had　suffered　unduly　or　had　had　to　bear　the　burden　of　war　during　the　entire　period　of　fighting。　American　products　had　been　in　demand；　especially　in　the　West　India　Islands；　and　an　illicit　trade　with　the　enemy　had　sprung　up；　so　that　even　during　the　war　shippers　were　able　to　dispose　of　their　commodites　at　good　prices。　The　Americans　are　commonly　said　to　have　been　an　agricultural　people；　but　it　would　be　more　correct　to　say　that　the　great　majority　of　the　people　were　dependent　upon　extractive　industries；　which　would　include　lumbering；　fishing；　and　even　the　fur　trade；　as　well　as　the　ordinary　agricultural　pursuits。　Save　for　a　few　industries；　of　which　shipbuilding　was　one　of　the　most　important；　there　was　relatively　little　manufacturing　apart　from　the　household　crafts。　These　household　industries　had　increased　during　the　war；　but　as　it　was　with　the　individual　so　it　was　with　the　whole　country；　the　general　course　of　industrial　activity　was　much　the　same　as　it　had　been　before