Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. I.djvu/114

 84 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS governments to reconsider their laws against the tories and to give these unfortunate persons a chance to recover their property. In the treaty, as finally arranged, all the disputed points were settled in favor of the Americans ; and, the United States being thus virtually detached from the alliance, the British government was enabled to turn a deaf ear to the demands of France and Spain for the surrender of Gibraltar. Vergennes was outgeneralled at every turn. On the part of the Americans the treaty of 1783 de serves to be ranked as one of the most brilliant triumphs of modern diplomacy. Its success was about equally due to Adams and to Jay, whose courage in the affair was equal to their skill, for they took it upon themselves to disregard the ex plicit instructions of congress. Ever since March, 1781, Vergennes had been intriguing with congress through his minister at Philadelphia, the chevalier de la Luzerne. First he had tried to get Mr. Adams recalled to America. Failing in this, he had played his part with such dexterous persistence as to prevail upon congress to send most pusillani mous instructions to its peace commissioners. They were instructed to undertake nothing whatever in the negotiations without the knowledge and con currence of &quot;the ministers of our generous ally, the king of France,&quot; that is to say, of the count de Vergennes ; and they were to govern themselves en-