Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/561

 in his power; that perhaps he was about to engage himself in an expensive war upon this account, but that he did not expect to be reimbursed by them; in fine, the Americans were not to think that he had entered into this resolution solely with a view of serving them, since, independently of his real attachment to them and their cause, it was evidently the interest of France to diminish the power of England, by severing her colonies from her." On the 6th of February, 1778, a treaty of commerce was signed by Franklin, Deane, and Lee, on the part of the United States, and by M. Gerard, on the part of France, together with a treaty of defensive alliance, in case war should be the consequence of this commercial connection. The essential and direct end of this alliance was, "to maintain the liberty, sovereignty, and independence, absolute and unlimited, of the United States, as well in matters of government as of commerce."

Official notice of this treaty was communicated in March, by the French ambassador, to the court of London, couched in the most approved diplomatic terms, but by no means free from sarcastic pungency. We give the concluding portion of this document as an illustration of the way in which men can say one thing, while they mean quite another.

"In making this communication to the Court of London, the king is firmly persuaded, that it will find in it fresh proofs of his majesty's constant and sincere dispositions for peace; and that his Britannic majesty, animated by the same sentiments, will equally avoid every thing that may interrupt good harmony: and that he will take, in particular, effectual measures to hinder the commerce of his majesty's subjects with the United States of America from being disturbed, and cause to be observed, in this respect, the usages received between trading nations and the rules that may be considered as subsisting between the crowns of France and Great Britain.

"In this just confidence, the underwritten ambassador might think it superfluous to apprize the British ministry, that the king, his master, being determined effectually to protect the lawful freedom of the commerce of his subjects, and to sustain the honor of his flag, his majesty has taken in consequence eventual measures, in concert with the United States of North America."

Truly, such a communication as this, was well calculated to rouse the spirit of England, and to provoke its king and people to seek redress in war. "If as Botta acutely says—it was one of those shrewd turns which are not unusual among princes in their reciprocal intercourse, it was also one of those which they are not accustomed to forgive."

Copies of Lord North's plans for conciliation were dispatched in advance, and reached America about the middle of April. Governor Tryon lad them printed, and had the assurance to send copies to Washington, with the request that he would aid in circulating them, "that the people at large might be