not, 'tis impossible we should, incur displeasure, by doing an act of common justice, and our authority may be fairly implied. His lordship declares he has no intention of returning to America, but desires to be reinstated in his legislative and military characters in his own country, and I am of opinion that in the former station he will be rather friendly to us than otherwise for my own part, if the war continues, I should not be uneasy if his lordship were to go to Chesa peke again. 1 I have a thousand compliments and good wishes to pre sent to you from friends in England, where males and females I am sure you have at least so many, your own remembrance will lead you to individuals of your old acquaintance. To-morrow I intend to proceed for Brussels, and thence probably to the Hague and Amsterdam. My movements must unavoidably be as slow as water carriage. My weak under-limbs cannot bear continual thumping on the pavement in the rough machines of this country, and the feebleness of my pocket will not admit the indulgence of a more convenient vehicle. I beg, Sir, you will write to me at the house of Mr. Edmund Jennings, or under the protec tion of any other friend in that city, who will be at the trouble of finding out a voyageur who is at all times and in all places, with the highest esteem and respect, Sir, your obedient and most humble servant, SIR, Passy, May 25 1782.. I am now honored with yours of the 17thĮ had before received one of the 7th, which remained unan swered, because from the words in it, "when I reach the continent, which will probably happen in a few days," I flattered myself with the pleasure of seeing you here, That hope is disappointed by your last, in which you tell me you are determined not to act in the commission for treating of peace with Britain. I regret your taking this résolution; principally because I am persuaded your assistance must have been of great service to your country. But I have besides some private or particular reasons that relate to myself. To encourage me in the arduous task, you kindly tell me I shall be called blessed, &c. I have never yet known of a peace made, that did not occasion a great deal of popular discontent, clamour and censure on both sides. This is perhaps owing to the usual management of the ministers and leaders of the contending nations, who, to keep up the spirits of their people for continuing the war, generally represent the state of their own affairs in a better light, and that of the enemy in a worse, than is consistent with the truth: hence the populace on each side expect better terms than really can be obtained; and are apt to ascribe their disappointment to treachery. Thus the peace of Utrecht, and that of Aix la Chapelle, were said in England to have been influenced by French gold, and in France by English guineas. Even the last peace, the most advantageous and glorious for England that ever she made, was, you may remember, violently decried, and the makers as violently abused. So that the blessing promised to peace-makers, I fancy, relates to the next world, for in this they seem to have a greater chance of being cursed. And as another text observes that " in the multitude of counsellors there is safety," which I think may mean safety to the counsellors as well as to the counselled, because if they commit a fault in counselling, the blame does not fall on one or a few, but is divided among many, and the share of each is so much the lighter, or perhaps because when a number of honest men are concerned, the suspicion of their being biassed is weaker as being more improbable; or because defendit numerus; for all these reasons, but especially for the support your established character of integrity would afford me against the attacks of my enemies; if this treaty takes place, and I am to act in it, I wish for your presence, and for the presence of as many of the commissioners as possible, and I hope you will re-consider and change your resolution. In the mean time, as you have had opportunities of conversing with the new ministers, and other leading people in England, and of learning their sentiments relating to terms of peace, &c., I request you would inform me by letters of what you think important. Letters from you will come safer by the court courier than by the post; and I desire you would, if you should determine not to act, communicate to me your ideas of the terms to be insisted on, and the points to be attended to, respecting commerce, fisheries, boundaries, &c., every other material circumstance, that may be of importance to all or any of the United States. Lord Shelburne having written to me on the subject of the wished-for peace, I acquainted him in my answer sent by our friend Mr. Oswald, that you were one of the commissioners appointed by Congress to treat with Britain, and that I imagined his Lordship would therefore think it proper to discharge you entirely from the obligations you entered into when you were admitted to bail, that you might be at liberty to act freely in the commission. He wrote to me in reply that you were accordingly discharged immediately, His Lordship mentioned nothing of any exchange being expected for you; nevertheless I honor your sensibility on the point, and your concern for the credit of America, that she should not be outdone in generosity by Britain, and will cheerfully join with you in any act that you may think proper to dischargé in return for the parole of Lord Cornwallis, as far as in our power may lie; but as we have no express authority for that purpose, and the Congress may possibly in the mean time have made some other arrangement relative to his exchange, I conceive that our act should contain a clause reserving to Congress the final approbation or disallowance of the proceeding. And I have some doubt whether Lord Cornwallis will think himself well freed from his engagement and at liberty to exercise his military employments, by virtue of any concessions in his favor, made by persons who are not vested with authority for that purpose. So that on the whole perhaps the best and surest way will be our writing immediately to Congress, and strongly recommending the measure. However, I will do what you shall think best. I heartily wish you success in any endeavours you may use in Holland for raising a loan of money. We have pressed rather hard on this court, and we still want more than they can conveniently spare us. But I am sorry that too scrupulous a regard to our wants and difficulties should induce you, under the present infirmity of your lower limbs, to deny yourself the necessary comfort of an easy carriage, rather than make any use of the public assistance, when the public must be in your debt. I beg you would get over that difficulty and take of me what you may have occasion for. " The letter you forwarded to me, was from America's constant friend the good Bishop of St. Asaph. He speaks of in terms of the highest esteem and respect. you Mr. Oswald is gone back to London, but intended to return immediately. Mr. Grenville remains here, and has received power to treat, but no farther steps can be taken till Spain and Holland have impowered ministers for the same purpose. I shall inform you and Mr. Adams (if he does not come) of the proceedings from time to time, and request your counsels in case of any difficulty. I hope you will not think of hazarding a return to America, before a peace, if we find any hopes of its being soon obtained. And that if you do not find you can be useful in the manner you wish in Holland, you will make me happy by your company and counsels here. ...With great and sincère esteem, I have the honor to be, Sir, &c. &c. B. FRANKLIN. May 26, I received the following from Mr. Hartley. FROM DAVID HARTLEY, ESQ. M. P. TO DR. FRANKLIN, I writ to you a long letter dated May 1, 1782, by Mr. Laurens, who left London on Saturday last, but 1 will add a few lines now by a conveyance which will I believe overtake him, just to tell you two or three things which I believe I omitted in my last. Perhaps they may not be of any consequence, but as they relate to my own conduct I would wish to have you understand them. After several conferences with the late ministry I gave in the paper called the Breviate on the 7th of February: but I never received any answer from them. They resigned on the 20th of March. Upon the accession of the new ministry I heard nothing from them upon the subject; nor did I apply to them. I did not know whether that paper would not come into their hands by succession, and I doubted whether it might not be more proper for me to wait till I heard from them. While I remained doubtful about this, I received your letters which determined me to go to Lord Shelburne. (This was about the beginning of the present month.) I communicated to him some extracts, such as those about the prisoners, &c., and likewise the whole of your letter of the 13th of April, containing the offer of the late ministry, the King of France's answer, together with your reflections on VOL. II. M |