Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume X.djvu/302

 296 ARTHUR LEE post of representative of the United States in Holland, where his services were needed, it was resolved that Arthur Lee should, without waiting to hear from congress, take his com- mission and instructions, and proceed imme- diately to Berlin. He accordingly left Paris in June, 1777, and repaired to the court of Frederick the Great. The obstacles before him were serious and discouraging. Prussia was not bound in any way to America, and was under treaty obligations with England. The objects of the commissioners were the estab- lishment of commercial intercourse between Prussia and the United States ; the prevention of assistance from Prussia to England in pro- curing German auxiliaries ; the prohibition of the passage of such through the dominions of Frederick ; and authority to purchase warlike stores from subjects of Prussia. In all these designs Lee fully succeeded. Frederick re- fused to receive him officially, and thus recog- nize the independence of the United States; but he was permitted to reside at Berlin as a private person, to carry on a secret correspon- dence with Baron Schulenberg, the minister of state, and to urge the claims of America as effectually as if he were her formally rec- ognized representative. That his presence in Berlin speedily became known, and was re- garded with suspicion and apprehension by the English envoy, is proved by an incident which occurred soon after his arrival. In his absence from the room which he occupied his door was opened by means of a false key, and all his papers were carried off. The servant of the English envoy lived at the same hotel, and Lee immediately addressed a communication to the minister, stating his suspicions, and com- plaining of the robbery. A note was return- ed by the king himself, declaring that the po- lice would investigate the matter; and imme- diately afterward the papers were returned in the same mysterious manner. The affair was traced so clearly to the envoy that, at the king's request, he was recalled by his court. In his note on this occasion, Frederick tells Lee that he may speak without reserve to Schulenberg, and " assures him by the present of an inviolable secrecy, and that profound silence shall be observed with regard to those things that he shall communicate in this man- ner." "When Lee left Berlin he was desired to keep the Prussian court well informed of the progress of the war in America, and assured that Prussia "would not be the last power to acknowledge the independency" of the United States. Thus the American commissioner had met with excellent success. He had accom- plished every aim, except the formal recogni- tion of his diplomatic position, and secured re- sults of the first importance to America. On his return to Paris, a new field for his ener- getic exertions presented itself. Private letters from England informed him that some Amer- ican prisoners there had been treated with great cruelty, and Lee set about correcting this wrong with his accustomed vigor. He imme- diately brought the matter to the knowledge of his colleagues ; and it was determined to address a memorial to Lord North, protesting against this harshness. The paper was draft- ed by Lee, and he also drew up a letter to Lord Shelburne, and despatched both papers to England. A memorial on the subject was also presented to the French court, aiming to secure the interposition of that government, nearly at the same moment when the Ameri- can congress published its manifesto, pro- claiming and justifying its determination to retaliate these cruelties. When the action of congress became known to the commis- sioners, they promptly announced it to the French and Spanish courts; but the whole subject was ere long overshadowed by the stirring intelligence of the surrender of Bur- goyne at Saratoga. Lee despatched the good news to his hundreds of correspondents in Spain, Prussia, and other countries, and ap- plied himself with renewed and ardent vigor to the task of inducing the governments of the continent to espouse the cause of America. The consequences of the triumph at Saratoga soon displayed themselves. The tone of the French court suddenly changed ; and negotia- tions were at once commenced for the forma- tion of a treaty of commerce and alliance. The progress of the negotiation was retarded by a dispute upon some points which Lee ob- jected to. The first project of the treaty did not contain a recognition of the " sovereign " character of the United States; and the im- portance of this recognition was strongly pressed by Lee upon his colleagues. He also objected to those articles in which it was stip- ulated that no duties should be charged by the respective governments on any merchandise exported to the French "West Indies which yielded molasses, or on the molasses exported thence to the United States. Lee opposed these articles as far too favorable to France, and declared that they gave her the right " to tie both of our hands," with the privilege in return on our part " of tying one of her fin- gers." It was finally determined that the de- cision should be left to congress, and the treaty was signed with this understanding by the commissioners. It was received in America " with the liveliest emotions of joy and grati- tude;" but when its details came to be coolly considered, the objectionable articles were ex- punged, in accordance with the views of Lee. The treaty was nevertheless ratified by the French court, and the vexed questions were left open for subsequent negotiation. Soon after the signing of the treaty by the commis- sioners, Deane, between whom and Lee strong dissensions had occurred, was recalled, and John Adams was appointed in his place. It was through the exertions of Samuel Adams that Lee's early appointment of secret agent for the Massachusetts assembly had been con- ferred ; and between himself and John Adams