DOCUMENTS BEARING ON TREATY OF 1783. 57 



No. 19. 1782, April 88: Extract from letter, Lord Shelburne to 



Dr. Franklin* 



SHELBURNE HOUSE. April 28, 1782. 



DEAR SIR: I have received much satisfaction in being assured by 

 you, that the qualifications of wisdom and integrity, which induced 

 me to make choice of Mr. Oswald as the fittest instrument for the 

 renewal of our friendly intercourse, have also recommended him so 

 effectually to your approbation and esteem. I most heartily wish 

 that the influence of this first communication of our mutual senti- 

 ments may be extended to a happy conclusion of all our public 

 differences. . . . 



It is also determined that Mr. Fox, from whose department that 

 communication is necessarily to proceed, shall send a proper person, 

 who may confer and settle immediately with the Count de Vergenues 

 the further measures and proceedings which may be judged proper to 

 adopt towards advancing the prosecution of this important business. 



In the meantime Mr. Oswald is instructed to communicate to you 

 my thoughts upon the principal objects to be settled. . . . 



No. 20. 1782, April 28: Extract from letter, Mr. Fox to Mr. 



Fitzpatrick. 



Shelburne has had an answer from Dr. Franklin, who seems much 

 disposed to peace, if general. Mons. de Vergennes has, it seems, 

 expressed the same sentiments, and wishes to have some opening 

 from hence : in consequence of this, Shelburne's man is to go back this 

 day to Paris, and upon the pretence of the business having begun 

 with the American Ministers he had a great mind, if I would have 

 consented, to have kept even this negotiation in his own hands; but 

 this I would not submit to. and so Grenville is to set out for Paris 

 to-morrow or next day, in order to state our ideas of peace to Mons. 

 de Vergennes. Whether anything will come of this, one cannot tell. 

 I think it will all depend upon this point, whether the French like 

 peace enough to make them influence the Spaniards to be reasonable, 

 for with respect to France, I still think there cannot be many 

 difficulties. 



No. 21. 1782, May 1 [circa'] : Extract from the Duke of Graf tori's 



Autobiography. 



Mr. Oswald had been the person first pitched on to see and com- 

 municate with Dr. Franklyn on the subject of pacification. On this 



gentleman's return it was Mr. Fox's wish to have placed 

 36 the whole negociation with any of the Powers at war into the 



hands of Mr. Grenville : but the Cabinet decided, that, as the 

 doctor desired Mr. Oswald's return, to whom he had spoken with 

 openness, and freedom, it would be impolitic not to comply with a 



This letter was given by Lord Shelburne to Mr. Oswald for delivery to Dr 

 Franklin. 



