226 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC., PRIOR TO TREATY OF 1818 



French statesmen must see the tendency of our fishermen being treated 

 kindly ami hospitably, like friends by the English on their side of the 

 island, and unkindly, inhospitably, and like enemies on the French 

 side. I added, further, that it was my opinion, neither our treaty 

 with the French nor any treaty or clause to the same purpose which 

 the English could make, would be punctually observed. Fishermen, 

 both from England and America, would smuggle, especially the 

 Americans in the early part of the spring, before the Europeans could 

 arrive. This, therefore, must be connived by the French, or odious 

 measures must be recurred to by them or us to suppress it, and in 

 either case it was easy to see what would be the effect upon the Amer- 

 ican mind. They, no doubt, therefore, wished the English to put 

 themselves upon as odious a footing at least as they had done. 



Dr. Franklin said that there was great weight in this observation, 

 and the Englishmen showed plainly enough that they felt it. 



I have not attempted in these notes to do justice to the arguments 

 of my colleagues, all of whom were throughout the whole business, 

 when they attended, very attentive and very able, especially Mr. Jay, 

 to whom the French, if they knew as much of his negociations as they 

 do of mine, would very justly give the title with which they hare 

 inconsiderately decorated me, that of " Le Washington de la negotia- 

 tion" a very flattering compliment, indeed, to which I have not a 

 right, but sincerely think it belongs to Mr. Jay. 



Mr. Adams to Mr. Livingston. 



[Extract.] 



Novemher 6, 17 St. 

 He [Mr. Oswald] has been compelled to acknowledge American 

 independence because the Rockingham administration had resolved 

 upon it, and Carleton and Digby's letter to General Washington had 

 made known that resolution to the world; because the nation de- 

 manded that negotiations should be opened with the American 

 ministers, and they refused to speak or hear until their independence 

 was acknowledged unequivocally and without conditions; because 

 Messrs. Fox and Burke had resigned their offices, pointedly, on ac- 

 count of the refusal of the king and my Lord Shelburne to make 

 such an acknowledgment; and these eloquent senators were w r aiting 

 only for the session of Parliament to attack his lordship on this 

 point ; it was, therefore, inevitable to acknowledge our independence, 

 and no minister could have stood his ground without it. 



Mr. Franklin to Mr. Livingston. 



Passy, Deceniber 5th, 1789. 

 * # * * * * - * 



The arrival of Mr. Jay, Mr. Adams, and Mr. Laurens, has relieved 

 me from much anxiety, which must have continued, if I had been left 

 to finish the treaty alone; and it has given me the more satisfaction, 

 as I am sure the business has profited by their assistance. 



Much of the summer has been taken up in objecting against the 

 powers given by Great Britain, and in removing those objections, 

 The not using any expressions, that might imply an acknowledgment 



