Mr. Grenville accordingly dispatched a messenger for London, who returned in about twelve days. Mr. G. called on me after having been at Versailles, and acquainted me, that he had received the power, and had left a copy of it with M. de Vergennes, and that he was thereby authorised to treat with France and her allies. The next time I went to Versailles I desired to see that copy, and was surprised to find in it no mention of the allies of France or any one of them; and on speaking with M. de Vergennes about it, I found he began to look upon the whole as a piece of artifice to amuse us, and gain time, since he had uniformly declared to every agent who had appeared here, viz. to Forth, Oswald, and Grenville, that the King would not treat without the concurrence of his allies, and yet England had given a power to treat with France only, which showed that she did not intend to treat at all, but meant to continue the war. I had not till yesterday an opportunity of talking with Mr. Grenville on the subject, and expressing my wonder, after what he told me, that there should be no mention made of our states in his commission; he could not explain this to my satisfaction, but said he believed the omission was occasioned by their copying an old commission given to Mr. Stanley at the last treaty of peace, for that he was sure the intention was, that he should treat with us, his instructions being fully to that purpose. I acquainted him that I thought a special commission was necessary, without which we could not treat with him. I imagine that there is a reluctance in their King to take this first step, as the giving such a commission would itself be a kind of acknowledgment of our independence; their late success against Comte de Grasse may also have given them hopes

that by delay, and more successes, they may make that acknowledgment and a peace less necessary.

Mr. Grenville has written to his court for farther instructions. We shall see what the return of his couriers will produce. If full power to treat with each of the powers at war against England does not appear, I imagine the negotiation will be broken off.

Mr. G. in his conversations with me, insists much on our being under no engagements not to make peace without Holland. I have answered that I know not but you have entered into some, and that if there should be none, a general pacification made at the same time would be best for us all; and that I believe neither Holland nor we could be prevailed on to abandon our friends. What happens farther shall be immediately communicated. Be pleased to present my respects to Mr. Laurens, to whom I wrote some days since. Mr. Jay I suppose is on his way hither. With great respect, I have the honor to be, Sir, your Excellency's, &c. &c.

B. FRANKLIN.

On Monday the 3rd, Mr. Oswald came according to appointment. He told me he had seen and had conversations with Lord Shelburne, Lord Rockingham, and Mr. Fox. That their desire of peace continued uniformly the same, though he thought some of them were a little too much elated with the late victory in the West Indies; and when observing his coolness they asked him, if he did not think it a very good thing? yes, says he, if you do not rate it too high. He went on with the utmost frankness to tell me, that the peace was absolutely necessary for them. That the nation had been foolishly involved in four wars, and would no longer raise money to

carry them on, so that if they continued it would be absolutely necessary to stop the payment of the interest money on the funds, which would ruin their future credit. He spoke of stopping on all sums above 1000l. and continuing to pay on those below; because the great sums belonged to the rich, who could better bear the delay of their interest; and the smaller sums to poorer persons, who would be more hurt, and make more clamour; and that the rich might be quieted by promising them interest upon their interest. All this looked as if the matter had been seriously thought on: Mr. Oswald has an air of great simplicity and honesty, yet I could hardly take this to be merely a weak confession of their deplorable state; and thought it might be intended as a kind of intimidation, by showing us that they had still that resource in their power, which he said would furnish five millions a year. But he added, our enemies may now do what they please with us; they have the ball at their foot, was his expression, and we hope they will show their moderation, and their magnanimity. He then repeatedly mentioned the great esteem the ministers had for me, that they with all the considerate people of England looked to and depended on me for the means of extricating the nation from its present desperate situation, and that perhaps no single man had ever in his hands an opportunity of doing so much good, as I had at this present, with much more to that purpose: he then showed me a letter to him from Lord Shelburne, partly I suppose that I might see his Lordship's opinion of me, which, as it has some relation to the negotiation, is here inserted. He left it with me, requesting that I would communicate it to Mr. Walpole.

SIR,

Whitehall, May 21, 1782.

It has reached me that Mr. Walpole esteems himself much injured by your going to Paris, and that he conceives it was a measure of mine, intended to take the present negotiation with the court of France out of his hands, which he conceives to have been previously commenced through his channel by Mr. Fox. I must desire that you will have the goodness to call upon Mr. Walpole, and explain to him distinctly, how very little foundation there is for so unjust a suspicion, as I know of no such intercourse. Mr. Fox declares, he considered what had passed between him and Mr. Walpole of a mere private nature, not sufficiently material to mention to the King or the cabinet, and will write to Mr. Walpole to explain this distinctly to him. But if you find the least suspicion of this kind has reached Dr. Franklin, or M. le Comte de Vergennes, I desire that this matter may be clearly explained to both. I have too much friendship for Dr. Franklin, and too much respect for the character of M. le Comte de Vergennes, with which I am per

* Since the publication of the first edition of this work, a very intimate friend of Mr. Walpole's has suggested to the editor, that Lord Shelburne must have been misinformed in regard to Mr. W.'s thinking himself aggrieved by Mr. Oswald's mission. But that Mr. W. had been authorised by a letter from Mr. Fox to negotiate respecting a claim made by the French government in behalf of the inhabitants of St. Eustatia, for a compensation for the merchandise, &c. of which they had been plundered by Admiral, afterwards Lord Rodney. That in Mr. Fox's letter (which this friend actually saw) there was a general intimation of a wish for peace, but that Mr. W. did not consider himself as authorised to take any step towards obtaining it; and that he is confident he did. not expect to be employed for the purpose which occasioned Mr. Oswald's mission.

fectly acquainted, to be so indifferent to the good opinion of either, as to suffer them to believe me capable of an intrigue, where I have both professed and observed a direct opposite conduct. In truth I hold it in such perfect contempt, that however proud I may be to serve the King in my present station or in any other, and however anxious I may be to serve my country, I should not hesitate a moment about retiring from any situation which required such services. But I must do the King the justice to say, that his Majesty abhors them, and I need not tell you, that it is my fixed principle that no country in any moment can be advantaged by them. I am, with great truth and regard, Sir, your most obedient humble servant, SHELBURNE.

Richard Oswald, Esq.

In speaking farther of the ministry's opinion of the great service it might be in my power to render, Mr. Oswald said he had told them in one of his conversations, that nothing was to be expected of me but consistence, nothing unsuitable to my character, or inconsistent with my duty to my country; I did not ask him the particular occasion of his saying this, but thought it looked a little as if something inconsistent with my duty had been talked of or proposed.

Mr. Oswald also gave me a copy of a paper of MEMORANDUMS written by Lord Shelburne, viz.: 1. That I am ready to correspond more particularly with Dr. Franklin if wished.

2. That the enabling act is passing with the insertion of commissioners recommended by Mr. Oswald, and on our part commissioners will be named, or any character given to Mr. Oswald, which Dr. Franklin