The Fishery Qiccstion. 27 



credited commission. It was to Shelburne's 

 secretaryship that negotiations properly be- 

 longed, and it was not intended that Oswald 

 should add to the difficulties of his situation 

 by overtures addressed to any but the repre- 

 sentatives of the colonies. Franklin was 

 identified with American diplomacy, and as 

 minister to France he was under general 

 instructions relative to a treaty. Among the 

 necessary conditions which he forthwith indi- 

 cated to Oswald, there were three of major 

 importance : Independence, The Boundaries, 

 and the ancient fishing Franchises. Oswald 

 returned to report progress. His government 

 was willing to admit independence. The re- 

 maining points did not exclude the possibil- 

 ity of an adjustment. Thus far the obstacles 

 in the way of a convention had been sur- 

 mounted, but another annoying delay now 

 arose in consequence of the relations existing 

 between Shelburne and Fox. Under the im- 

 pression that Oswald's mission was a trespass 

 upon his province, as Foreign Secretary, of 

 treating with the European powers, Fox had 

 sent Grenville to Versailles, — a young man 

 whose partisanship and personal characteris- 

 tics displeased alike Franklin, Oswald and De 



