The Fishery Question. 29 



of cordiality between the American commis- 

 sion and the French Court, that culminated 

 in the signing of a separate treaty by the 

 Americans without an official communication 

 to De Vergennes of the progress of the 

 negotiations, a proceeding forbidden in the 

 instructions of Congress. Every day marked ^^z. 

 the divergence of American as distinguished 

 from French and Spanish interests. The 

 latter dreaded the influence of a great repub- 

 lic upon her western colonies, and the former, 

 by surrounding the young government with 

 powerful enemies, hoped to render it amen- 

 able to French influence. This design was 

 suspected, and presently confirmed by the 

 news of a secret mission to Shelburne, as- 

 sumed by the French under secretary of 

 state, through whom the French Government 

 expressed its determination not to recognize 

 the American claim to the Ohio territory, 

 besides hinting at the entire exclusion of the 

 United States from the Newfoundland and 

 the Gulf Fisheries. De Vergennes himself, in 

 correspondence with his minister at Philadel- 

 phia, characterized the American demands as 

 absurd. Further proof of the intentions of 

 France, in the form of an intercepted letter, 



