1740. CONSULAR CONVENTION, History of French.—[continued].
A consular convention had been agreed on in 1784, between Dr.
Franklin and the French government, containing
several articles, so entirely inconsistent
with the laws of the several States, and the
general spirit of our citizens, that Congress
withheld their ratification, and sent it back to
me with instructions to get those articles
expunged, or modified, so as to render them
compatible with our laws. The Minister unwillingly
released us from these concessions,
which, indeed, authorized the exercise of
powers very offensive in a free State. After
much discussion, the convention was reformed
in a considerable degree, and was signed by
the Count Montmorin and myself, on the 14th
of November, 1788; not, indeed, such as I
would have wished, but such as could be obtained
with good humor and friendship.—
Autobiography. Washington ed. i, 85.
Ford ed., i, 117.
(1821)
