DOCUMENTS BEAKING ON TREATY OF 1783. 75 



with me, I hold myself so engaged in secresy to him, that I think it 

 would be a breach of confidence in me to have that intention at all 

 spoken of. As to the Canada paper, I leave it, with the comment I 

 have made upon it, altogether to your discretion; and as to the in- 

 tended commission, you are certainly at full liberty to say of it what 

 you please. I have it not in my power to give you any additional 

 proofs of sinister management in this business. I seldom see Oswald, 

 though upon good terms with him, and have seen Franklin, since 

 Oswald's coming, but once, when he was as silent as ever, notwith- 

 standing my reminding him of his promise, so that I cannot but 

 think that business altogether irretrievable; but neither do I know 

 what you will gain by forcing Oswald's return; indeed, I am inclined 

 to think it might be much more prudent to save appearances by leav- 

 ing him here till you shall have completed your purpose of receiving 

 the propositions you wish, or the refusal you wish, from Versailles. 

 Perhaps, politically speaking, you may not think it wise to make the 

 conduct, or rather misconduct, of a foreign negotiation, the ground 

 of a domestic rupture, which may betray too much weakness and dis- 

 union; but this is too delicate a subject for me to say anything upon, 

 more than to assure you, that whatever is your determination about 

 it, you will not find me shrink from the part I have to take in it. 

 And one word here about the desire I have expressed to return to 

 England. It is impossible not to say that I feel that desire in the 

 strongest degree. I would not speak peevishly about my disappoint- 

 ment in the unlucky check I have met with, but I think you will 

 agree, that the real service it might, perhaps, have been my good for- 

 tune to have been assisting in, is by that check completely annihilated, 

 nor can any step now taken recover or retrieve it: and that consid- 

 eration weighs pretty heavily in a situation in itself not agreeable 

 to me: but if I repeat this now. it is to keep you awake to the earnest 

 solicitations I make of returning in the first moment you may think 

 it practicable; till then, you need have no apprehension of seeing 

 me, but may trust that no personal motives, however strong, can 

 weigh with me against the important reasons, as well as the desire 

 you express, for my continuing something longer at Paris. I am 

 writing to you on the 1 6th, waiting impatiently for M. de Vergennes' 

 answer, which he gave me reason to hope I shall have to-morrow. 



June 21st. I have been waiting day after day, and have not got 

 my answer till a few hours ago. I am sorry I have kept you so long, 

 but you see it was impossible to avoid it. 



******* 



Oswald affects to consider me as fully authorised now, but I believe 

 expects different news as soon as the Independence Bill has passed. 

 Yet I cannot help thinking you had better leave him where he is; 

 his going away will mend nothing. Adieu. 

 Ever very affectionately yours, 



THOMAS GRENVTI/LE. 



No. 40. 1782, June 17: Extract from Dr. Franklin's Journal. 



I find myself in some perplexity with regard to these two nego- 

 ciators. Mr. Oswald appears to have been the choice of Lord Shel- 

 burne, Mr. Grenville that of Mr. Secretary Fox. Lord Shelburne is 

 said to have lately acquired much of the King's confidence. Mr. Fox 



