DOCUMENTS BEARING ON TREATY OF 1786. 67 



Army, and even those too sustained by the Royalists; this paper, 

 given with many precautions for fear of its being known to the 

 French Court, to whom it was supposed not to be agreeable, Mr. 

 Oswald showed to Lord Shelburne, who, after keeping it a day as 

 Mr. Oswald supposes, to show to the King, returned it to him, and it 

 was by him brought back to Franklin. I say nothing to the propo- 

 sition itself, to the impolicy of bringing a strange neighbourhood to 

 the Newfoundland fishery, or to the little reason that England would 

 naturally see, in having lost thirteen provinces, to give away a four- 

 teenth ; but I mention it to show you an early trace of separate nego- 

 tiation which perhaps you did not before know. 



Under these circumstances, T felt very much tempted to go over, 

 and explain them to you viva voce rather than by letter, and I must 

 say, with the farther intention of suggesting to you the only idea that 

 seems likely to answer your purpose, and it is this: the Spanish 

 Ambassador will, in a day or two, have the powers from his Court; 

 the Americans are hero, so are the French ; why should you not, then, 

 consider this as a Congress in full form, and send here a person of 

 rank, such as Lord Fitzwilliam (if he would come), so as to have the 

 whole negotiation in the hands of one person? You would by that 

 means recover within your compass the essential part, which is now 

 out of it; nor do I see how Lord Shelburne could object to such an 

 appointment, which would, in every respect, much facilitate the busi- 

 ness. Let me press this a little strongly to you, for another reason. 

 You may depend upon it, people here have already got an idea of a 

 difference between the two offices; and consider how much that idea 

 will be assisted by the embarrassments arising from two people nego- 

 tiating to the same purpose, but under different and differing authori- 

 ties, concealing and disguising from each other what, with the best 

 intentions, they could hardly make known, and common enough to 

 each. 



******* 



Once more I tell you, I cannot fight a daily battle with Mr. Oswald 

 and his secretary ; it would be neither for the advantage of the busi- 

 ness, for your interest or your credit, or mine, and even if it was. I 

 could not do it. 



Concluding, then, the American business as out of the question, 

 which personally I cannot be sorry for, you surely have but one of 

 two things to do ; either to adopt the proposition of a new dignified 

 Peer's appointment, which being single, may bring back the business 

 to you by comprehending it all in one ; or Lord Shelburne must have 

 his minister here, and Mr. Fox his, by doing which Mr. Fox will be 

 pretty near as much out of the secret at least, of what is most essen- 

 tial as if he had nobody here, and the only real gainers by it will 

 be the other Ministers, who cannot fail to profit of such a 

 jumble. . . . 



42 No. 32. 1782, June 5: Extract from Dr. Franklin's Journal. 



Mr. Grenville came according to appointment. Our conversation 

 began by my acquainting him that I had seen the Count de Ver- 

 gennes, and had perused the copy left with him of the power to 



