University of Virginia Library

NEGOTIATIONS.

"He complains of being treated with great indelicacy by the
American Commissrs., they having signed the Treaty without any
confidential communication, that had France treated America

with the same indelicacy she might have signed her Treaty first
as every thing between France & England was settled, but the
King chose to keep faith with his allies, and therefore always
refused to do any thing definitively, till all his allies were ready;
that this conduct had delayed the definitive Treaty, England having
considered herself as greatly strengthened by America; that
Docr. Franklin waited on the Ct. de Vergennes & acknowledged
the indelicacy of their behavior & had prevailed on him to bury
it in oblivion; that the English were endeavouring all in their
power to sow seeds of discords between our Commissrs. & the
Court of Spain, representing our claims to the Westward as extravagant
and inadmissible, that it became Congress to be attentive
to this business, & to prevent the ill effects that it might be
attended with, that the King had informed the Court of Spain,
that tho' he heartily wished that the U. S. might enjoy a cordial
coalition with his Cath. Majesty, yet he should leave the whole
affair entirely to the two States and not interfere otherwise than
as by his counsel & advice when asked, that altho' the U. S. had
not been so well treated by Spain as might have been expected,
yet that his Majesty wished that America might reap the advantage
of a beneficial Treaty with Spain. That as the peace was
not yet certain, it became all the powers at war, to be ready for a
vigorous campaign, and hoped Congs. would exert themselves to
aid the common cause by some offensive operations against the
Enemy, but if the British should evacuate the U. S., the King
earnestly hoped Congs. would take the most decided measures to
prevent any intercourse with the British, and particularly in the
way of merchandize or supplying them with provisions, wch. would
prove of the most dangerous tendency to the campaign in the W.
Indies, that the British now had hopes of opening an extensive
trade with America, tho' the war should continue, which, if they
should be disappointed in, might hasten the definitive Treaty, as
it would raise a clamor among the people of England.

The Chevr. added that as he had misinformed his Court with regard
to Congs. having funded their debts, on which presumption
the 6 Milon. had been granted, he hoped Congs. would enable him
in his next despatches to give some satisfactory account to his
Court on this head."