FRENCH SECRET AGENTS IN AMERICA, 1763-1778

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THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

D ate________ Dece.'-ber lo>________ ] p bO

iacheco, Josephine F ennell

l£,(92-0

A uthor

B irth Date

French S e c r e t Agents i n A . s r i c a ,

17do-1775 T itle o f D issertation

Vi c.-»-r,T.y________________________________________ i h . D . _____________________ December» 1 950 D epartm ent o r School

D egree

Convocation

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THE

U N IV E R S IT Y

OF

C H IC A G O

FRENCH SECRET AGEUTS Hi AMERICA, 1 7 6 3 - 1 7 7 8

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO TEE FACULTY" OF THE DIVISION OF THE SOCIAL SCIENC i n c a nd id ac y for the d ^ gre^ of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY

BY JOSEPHINE FENNELL Pa CFECO

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS DECEMBER, 195 0

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PREFACE The a u t h o r o f t h e s t u d y t h a t f o l l o w s I s d e e p l y g r a t e f u l t o P r o f e s s o r W. T. H u t c h i n s o n and P r o f e s s o r L o u i s G o t t s c h a l k f o r th eir a ssista n ce. of g ra titu d e,

T h i s i s i n no s e n s e a p e r f u n c t o r y e x p r e s s i o n

f o r t h e i r c o m p r e h e n s i o n o f t h e s u b j e c t and t h e i r

o a t i e n c e w i t h the a u t h o r h a v e b e e n m ost h e l p f u l . The a i d o f the s t a f f s o f t h e v a r i o u s l i b r a r i e s and a r ­ c h i v e s i n w h i c h t h e w r i t e r d i d r e s e a r c h was i n v a l u a b l e .

The

s e r v i c e i n t h e Alderman L i b r a r y o f t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f V i r g i n i a , i n t h e P u b l i c A r c h i v e s i n O tta wa, Canada, and i n t h e M a n u s c r i p t s D i v i s i o n of t h e L i b r a r y o f C o n g r e s s was D a r t i c u l n r l y n o t e w o r t h y f o r c o u r t e s y and h e l p f u l n e s s . The w r i t e r i s g r a t e f u l t o the American A s s o c i a i o n o f U n i v e r s i t y Women f o r a f e l l o w s h i p g r a n t t h a t p r o v i d e d muchn e e d e d f i n a n c i a l h e l p w h i l e t h i s s t u d y was b e i n g made.

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TABLE

OF C O N TE N T S

Page INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................

1

Chapter I.

CHOI3EUL AND BRITAIN ...........................................................................

5

II.

A FRENCH TRAVELER OBSERVES AM&RICa ..............................................15

III.

PONTLEROY, DURAND, AND KALB LOOK AT AMERIOh ..........................29

IV.

FRENCH- AMERICAN ACCORD CONSIDERED...................................................51

V.

BON'/OULOIR IS SENT TO AMERICA.............................................................67

VI.

BONVOULOIR ENCOURAGES AMERICA AND FRANCE .........................

90

VII.

LOTEINIERE, FRUSTRATED AGENT............................................................... 117

V III.

BROGLIE AND OTHERS SEEK COMMAND IN AMERICA........................144

IX.

D' ANNEMOURS OBSERVES AMaRICA........................................................... 175

X.

FRENC H-AMERICAN ALLIANCE..................................................................... 190

XI.

CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................215

BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................................................ 218

H i

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IN T R O D U C T IO N

The s t o r y o f t h e r e l a t i o n s o f Pr anc e and America d u r i n g t h e American R e v o l u t i o n i s t r a d i t i o n a l l y the s t o r y o f t h e m i l i t a r y a i d t h a t g a l l a n t Frenchmen gave America i n h e r s t r u g g l e f o r i n d e ­ pendence.

The

impor ta nce of s u c h a i d c a n n o t he o v e r e m p h a s i z e d ,

f o r w i t h o u t t h e s o l d i e r s and guns and c l o t h e s and s h i p s t h a t P r a n c e o r o v i d e d I n t h e war w i t h B r i t a i n , have f a i l e d t o a c h ie v e in d e p e n d e n c e .

the Am ericans m ig h t w e l l

In the R e v o l u t i o n the F r e n c h

won t h e g r a t i t u d e o f American s f o r g e n e r a t i o n s t o come f o r t h e i r g a l l a n t and a p p a r e n t l y u n s e l f i s h a s s i s t a n c e

t o t h e n e w l y formed

U nited S t a t e s . But t h e r e i s much more t o t h e s t o r y o f F r e n c h a i d t o America t h a n t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n s o f b r a v e s o l d i e r s

l i k e t h e Marquis

de L a f a y e t t e or v e n t u r o u s m e r c h a n t s l i k e Caron de B e a u m a r c h a i s . Why d i d t h e Fr en ch go v e r n m e n t come t o t h e a i d o f the s t r u g g l i n g A m e r i c a n s , why s h o u l d a d e c a y i n g a b s o l u t e monarchy i n Europe r i s k h e r a r m i e s and h e r f i n a n c e s f o r t h e c a u s e o f dem ocr acy and t h e indeoendence o f c o l o n i a l p o s s e s s io n s ? d a n g e r t o F r a nc e h e r s e l f ?

Was i t n o t a p o t e n t i a l

'Would n o t t h e p e o p l e o f Pr anc e and the

F r e n c h c o l o n i e s f o l l o w the American examole and e i t h e r f i g h t f o r d em ocr acy o r e l s e

f i g h t f o r f r e e d o m from c o l o n i a l s t a t u s ?

From

our o o i n t o f o b s e r v a t i o n , we ca n s e e t h a t t h i s was t h e r e s u l t o f F r e n c h a s s i s t a n c e t o A m er ic a, f o r d i s s a t i s f i e d Frenchmen were e n ­ c o u r a g e d b y t h e American e x a m p l e , and t h e F r e n c h go vern ment was 1

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f u r t h e r weakened by t h e e x p e n s e s o f Am er ican a i d ,

so that a

F r e n c h r e v o l u t i o n t o o k p l a c e w i t h i n a few y e a r s . The F r e n c h go v e r n m e n t o f t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y was n o t e a g e r t o s u p p o r t a r e v o l u t i o n anywhere i n t h e w o r l d .

But t h e r e

was more t o be c o n s i d e r e d t han the bad example o f a d e m o c r a t i c go v e r n m e n t and a c o l o n i a l r e g i o n a c h i e v i n g i n d e p e n d e n c e . f o r France a c h o ic e between weakening her g r e a t r i v a l ,

I t was

B ritain ,

or s u o p o r t in g a d em ocratic country a c r o s s th e A t l a n t i c .

.Vith

s u c h a c h o i c e , a i d t o America was n a t u r a l l y t h e c o u r s e t h a t F r a n c e would f o l l o w , f o r the power o f B r i t a i n was a n i g h t m a r e t h a t h a u n t e d Fr enchmen, and t h e v i s i o n o f a B r i t a i n weakened by t h e l o s s o f h e r m ost p r o f i t a b l e c o l o n i a l p o s s e s s i o n s v/as a welcome one. The s t o r y o f t h e r e l a t i o n s o f F r a n c e and America b e g i n s i n 1 7 6 3 , w i t h t h e end o f t h e S e v e n Y e a r s ' War, when t h e d e f e a t e d Fr e n c h s o u g h t a p o i n t from w h i c h t h e y m ig h t a v e n g e t h e m s e l v e s on a victo rio u s B ritain .

In the c a g e s t h a t f o l l o w ,

i t w i l l be s e e n

t h a t t h e F r e n c h gov er nm en t k e p t a c l o s e w atch on t h e B r i t i s h American c o l o n i e s

i n t h e y e a r s a f t e r 1763 »

there s ig n s of d is c o n t e n t w ith B r it is h r u l e ,

I f France c o u ld f in d t h e n Am erica m ig h t

p r o v i d e f o r Fr anc e an o p e n i n g wedge t o d e s t r o y B r i t i s h n a v a l and c o l o n i a l s u p re m a cy . The c h a p t e r s t h a t f o l l o w i n c l u d e r e p o r t s on c o n d i t i o n s In America made not o n l y by u n o f f i c i a l s e c r e t a g e n t s o p e r a t i n g i n America b u t a l s o by r e g u l a r members o f the F r e n c h em bass y s t a f f i n London.

I t would seem t h a t t h e F r e n c h e m b a s s y , u s i n g

s e c r e t a g e n t s in the -Oritish c a p i t a l ,

ought t o have b e e n a b l e t o

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s e c u r e s u f f i c i e n t i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e A m er ican c o l o n i e s w i t h o u t h a v i n g r e c o u r s e t o d i r e c t c o n t a c t w i t h A m erica .

On t h e c o n t r a r y ,

t h e p o v e r t y o f t h e news a v a i l a b l e t o t h e F r e n c h em bass y i n London c l e a r l y d em on strates the reason fo r sending French a g e n ts to America.

I t i s not c e r t a i n whether the B r i t i s h them selves lacked

the in fo r m a tio n or whether the French could not g a in a c c e s s to i t . N evertheless,

i t w i l l b e c l e a r , fr om r e a d i n g t h e f o l l o w i n g p a g e s ,

t h a t France sought r e l i a b l e c a u s e she c o u l d n o t s e c u r e to d iscu ss

i n f o r m a t i o n d i r e c t l y fr om America b e ­ i t elsew here.

No a t t e m p t h as b e e n made

i n d e t a i l t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n s o f L a f a y e t t e and Beaumar­

c h a i s t o t h e s t o r y o f French-Am erican r e l a t i o n s .

Since t h e ir

s t o r i e s h a v e b e e n w e l l c o v e r e d and a r e g e n e r a l l y f a m i l i a r ,

they

w i l l be m e n t i o n e d o n l y i n p a s s i n g . An a t t e m p t was made by t h e w r i t e r t o d i s c o v e r w h e t h e r t h e F r e n c h d i d a n y t h i n g d i r e c t l y t o f o s t e r u n r e s t i n Am erica b e f o r e t h e r e v o l u t i o n , b u t , a s w i l l be s e e n , a p o s i t i v e c o n c l u s i o n c o u l d n o t be r e a c h e d , b e c a u s e o f t h e s e c r e t n a t u r e o f t h e work, i f ex isted .

I t w i l l be s e e n , h o w e v e r ,

t h e p o i n t o f open r e b e l l i o n , French,

it

t h a t on ce t h e Am er ican s r e a c h e d

t h e y w ere g i v e n e n c o u r a g e m e n t by the

t h r o u g h t h e means o f s e c r e t a g e n t s .

Perhaps the French

a c c o m p l i s h e d s o m e t h i n g i n b u i l d i n g up Am erican f r i e n d s h i p f o r Fr anc e t o r e p l a c e the h a t r e d t h a t some Americans had i n h e r i t e d from t h e i r B r i t i s h p a r e n t s and t h a t m ost A m e r i c a n s , B r i t i s h or n o t , had a c q u i r e d i n t h e c o u r s e o f t h e i r A m e r ic a .

c o n f l i c t s w ith France in

But i t w i l l be s e e n t h a t e v e n when t h e A m er ican s a s k e d

fo r a l l i a n c e w ith France,

t h e y were n o t unanimous i n t h e i r a p ­

p r o v a l o f French f r i e n d s h i p .

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4

N everth eless,

t h e s t o r y o f F r e n c h - A m e r i c a n r e l a t i o n s up

t o 1 7 7 8 , when an a l l i a n c e was f i n a l l y made b e t w e e n t h e two c o u n ­ tries,

i s an o p t i m i s t i c o n e .

Whatever t h e m o t i v e s on e i t h e r s i d e ,

w h a t e v e r t h e e s p i o n a g e and propaganda n e c e s s a r y , i t two p e o p l e s ,

is a story of

s e p a r a t e d by g e n e r a t i o n s o f h a t r e d and w a r f a r e ,

l y b e i n g b r o u g h t t o g e t h e r b e c a u s e t h e y need ed e a c h o t h e r .

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slow ­

CHAPTER

I

CHOISEUL AND BRITAIN The S e v e n Y e a r s ’ War was a midway p o i n t i n t h e t e r r i b l e r i v a l r y o f F r a n c e and B r i t a i n t h a t b e g a n i n t h e s e v e n t e e n t h c e n ­ t u r y when a m b i t i o u s E o u i s XIV was k i n g o f P r a n c e and ended o n l y i n t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y when N a p o le o n I s u r r e n d e r e d F r a n c e ' s dreams o f g l o r y .

In a l l

t h o s e y e a r s wars a p p a r e n t l y ended m e r e l y

t o g i v e t h e r i v a l s a c h a n c e t o r e g a i n t h e i r s t r e n g t h and t h e n b e ­ g i n once m o r e .

Under L o u i s

XIV i t had seemed f o r a tim e t h a t

F r a n c e m i g h t r e a l l y become t h e p r e e m i n e n t power i n Europe and, i n d e e d , t h e w o r l d , b u t t o t h o s e Frenchmen who made t h e p e a c e o f P a r i s i n 1 7 6 3 , e n d i n g t h e S e v e n Y e a r s ' War, the g l o r i e s o f t h e f r a n c e o f L o u i s XIV were o n l y a b e a u t i f u l dream.

By t h a t t r e a t y

F r a n c e l o s t a l l c h a n c e o f d e v e l o p i n g a g r e a t American e m p ir e , y i e l d i n g Canada t o B r i t a i n and l a t e r c e d i n g L o u i s i a n a t o S p a i n . Of a l l h e r v a s t A m er ican p o s s e s s i o n s , P r a n c e r e t a i n e d no more t h a n t i n y f o o t h o l d s on t h e c o n t i n e n t : F r e n c h Guiana i n S ou th A m e r ic a , t h e i s l a n d s o f S t . P i e r r e and M iq u elon o f f N ewfo undla nd , and s e v e n i s l a n d s i n t h e West I n d i e s , M a r t i n i q u e , G u a d e l o u p e , and S t . L u c i a .

i n c l u d i n g S a n t o Domingo, P r a n c e was a l s o f o r c e d t o

g i v e uo c o l o n i z a t i o n r i g h t s i n I n d i a and a c c e p t a r e s i d e n t B r i t i s h o b s e r v e r i n t h e F r e n c h p o r t o f D u n k i r k , who was t o s u p e r v i s e t h e d e str u c tio n of a l l f o r t i f i c a t i o n s

t h e r e and s e e t h a t none was

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rep laced . and i t ly,

The h u m i l i a t i o n o f t h e p e a c e o f Pai

eal o f th e Stamp A ct and o t h e r d u t i e s d isp leased

that

t h e c o l o n i e s , b u t Kalb t h o u g h t t h a t t h e y m ig h t h ave

1U n s ig n e d memoir, o b v i o u s l y w r i t t e n by Kalb a f t e r 1 7 7 0 , A . A . E . , M. e t D . , E t a t s - U n i s , I I , f o l . 4: Kapo, op. c i t . , p . 4 7 . ^ " i n s t r u c t i o n . . . pour l e 1 7 6 7 , A . A . E . , M. e t B . , E t a t s - U n i s , p p . 46-7.

S£ de Kalb . . a p r i l 22, I I , f o l . 4; Kaop, o p . c i t . .

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42

made s u c h s t a t e m e n t s to td.de the t r u e s t a t e o f a f f a i r s .

I n Am­

s t e r d a m he had s e e n a German who h ad l i v e d i n P e n n s y l v a n i a f o r fifte e n years,

come t o Europe t o g e t new c o l o n i s t s , who a s s u r e d

him t h a t t h i n g s were f a r from t r a n q u i l and t h a t i t would t a k e vexy little

t o c a u s e an open w a r .

The P e n n s y l v a n i a n s a i d t h a t t h e

A m erican s were d e t e r m i n e d t o m a i n t a i n t h e i r r i g h t s a t any p r i c e . There were few B r i t i s h t r o o p s s t a t i o n e d

i n A m e r i c a , and i n suc h a

v a s t c o u n t r y t h e y w o u ld n o t be a b l e t o cope w i t h t h e g r e a t num­ b e r s o f m i l i t i a , who c o u l d b e rea dy f o r a c t i o n a t any t i m e . 1

By

A u g u s t , h o w e v e r , Kalb was n o t s o c e r t a i n o f t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y t e n d e n c ie s of

the A m e r i c a n s , and he w r o t e C h o i s e u l t h a t he b e ­

l i e v e d t h e d i f f i c u l t i e s b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and h e r c o l o n i e s had b e e n settled .

So h e was n o t s u r e t h a t i t was n e c e s s a r y f o r him t o r e ­

main l o n g e r i n H o l la n d or t o p l a n h i s d e n t l y ad ded , h o w e v e r , t h a t

trip

to A m e r ic a .

He p r u ­

the ca lm m i g h t w e l l be t e m p o r a r y , and

i f C h o i s e u l w a n t e d , he would s t i l l go t o America t o ex am ine the state

o f t h e c o u n t r y , a l t h o u g h he p r e f e r r e d t o w a i t u n t i l s p r i n g . 2

n everth eless, lu tio n .

C hoiseul continued to b e l i e v e

i n an American r e v o ­

He t o l d Kalb t o go t o America a s f a s t a s p o s s i b l e ,

he was s u r e t h a t i t would n o t l o n g be q u i e t t h e r e . o b s e r v e the s i t u a t i o n o f t h e c o u n t r y , the navy,

the l a n d f o r c e s ,

p rovision s,

Kalb was t o

the c o n d i t i o n o f the p o r t s , arms, and m u n i t i o n s ,

•LKalb t o C h o i s e u l , J u l y 1 8 , 1 7 6 7 , a . A . i . . E t a t s - H n i s , I I , f o l . 5; Kaon, o n . c i t . , pp. 4 8 - 9 2Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , E tats-U n is, I I , f o ls . 5-6.

Aug. 1 1 ,

for

1767, A .A .E .,

M. e t D

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"in a

43

word,

t h e means t o make a d i v e r s i o n t h e r e i n c a s e o f war w i t h

E n g l a n d . 1,1 B e f o r e h i s d e p a r t u r e , Kalb a r r a n g e d w i t h C h o i s e u l f o r money f o r " s e c r e t e x p e n s e s i n d i s p e n s a b l e f o r t h e e x e c u t i o n " o f h is

o r d e r s 2 and s e t up an e l a b o r a t e code s y s t e m ,

i n v o lv in g the

u s e o f a d i c t i o n a r y , w i t h numbers r e p r e s e n t i n g p a g e s , and words i n a c e r t a i n e d i t i o n .

co l u m n s ,

He p l a n n e d t o s end h i s l e t t e r s

t o H o l l a n d , where t h e y would be r e a d d r e s s e d t o Madame de K alb , who would s e e t h a t t h e y r e a c h e d C h o i s e u l . 0 olan s,

Having made e x t e n s i v e

i n c l u d i n g a r e m i n d e r t o C h o i s e u l t h a t t h e m i n i s t r y had

p r o m is e d t o be a p r o t e c t o r and a f a t h e r t o h i s f a m i l y , Kalb went t o England and t h e r e

t o o k s h i p f o r P h i l a d e l p h i a , where he a r r i v e d

i n J a n u a r y , 1 7 6 3 , a f t e r an e x t r e m e l y d i f f i c u l t v o y a g e . * As s o o n a s he a r r i v e d , Kalb s o u g h t i n f o r m a t i o n a t f i r s t hand about

the e f f e c t s

o f the Stamp Act on the Am erican c o l o n i e s .

He had b e e n t o l d i n H o l l a n d t h a t B r i t a i n had r e p e a l e d the a c t out o f the k i n d n e s s o f h e r h e a r t , b u t he l e a r n e d i n P h i l a d e l p h i a t h a t t h e Americans people.

had r e j e c t e d t h e a c t

us t h o u g h t h e y were a f r e e

They had a c t e d w i t h g r e a t -unanimity, e a c h o f t h e c o l o n i a l

a s s e m b l ie s r e j e c t i n g the a c t , any f o r m a l way.

a l t h o u g h t h e y were n o t c o n n e c t e d i n

Some o f t h e a s s e m b l i e s had b e e n more vehem ent

^ C h o i s e u l t o K alb , Aug. 1 9 , 1 7 6 7 , ot>. c i t . , n o . 4 9 - 5 0 .

ib id .,

fo l.

5: Kapp,

2Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , Aug. 2 8 , 1 7 6 7 , a . a . j c , - . , I w . e t D . , E t a t s - U n i s , I I , f o l . 6: C h o i s e u l t o Kalb , S e n t . Q, 1 7 6 7 , i b i d . , f o l . 7. 3Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , S e p t .

25, 1767,

^Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , Oct . 1 , 1 7 6 7 , C h o ise u l, Jan. 15, 1768, i b i d . , f o l . 9 .

ib id ., ib id .,

fo ls. fo l.

7-8.

9; Kalb t o

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44

and v i o l e n t least

th an o t h e r s ,

the Penn sylvan ia assem bly b ein g the

z e a lo u s i n op posing the a c t , but in e v e r y c o lo n y t h e r e cou ld

be no d o u b t o f t h e c o m p l e t e r e f u s a l by t h e n e o p l e act.

to a ccep t the

He n o t e d t h a t t h e p e o p l e were b u sy p r o d u c i n g t h e i r own ma­

terials

s o t h e y w o u l d no l o n g e r be d e p e n d e n t on B r i t a i n f o r a n y ­

th in g .

Even the women'would n o t u s e t e a and s u g a r , and t h e g r e a t

t o p i c o f c o n v e r s a t i o n was t h e number o f s p i n n i n g w h e e l s a t work n r o d u c i n g g o o d s t o compete w i t h B r i t a i n ’ s . to dep rive them selves o f s i l k ,

"They a r e d e t e r m i n e d

a l s o , and o f e v e r y l u x u r y , u n t i l

t h e i r own l a n d may b e a b l e t o s u p p l y th em."

Kalb saw l i t t l e

ch a n ce o f s u c h good r e s o l u t i o n s b e i n g k e p t i n P h i l a d e l p h i a , where t h e p e o p l e we re w e a l t h y and e n j o y e d c o n s i d e r a b l e l u x u r y . n o t w i l l i n g , a f t e r so s h o r t a t i m e , o f the c o n t r o v e r s y , B ritish

court.

He was

t o s a y what would be t h e end

e v e r y t h i n g d e p e n d i n g on the a c t i o n o f t h e

He a n t i c i p a t e d a c o n c i l i a t o r y a t t i t u d e , b e c a u s e

B r i t a i n had s o much t o g a i n from America t h a t she would t h i n k a l o n g tim e b e f o r e l o s i n g t h i s e x c e l l e n t

s o u r c e o f raw m a t e r i a l s

and mark et f o r m a n u f a c t u r e d p r o d u c t s .

Indeed,

Act c r i s i s ,

d u r i n g t h e Stamp

t h e t r o o p s s t a t i o n e d i n Am er ica had t a k e n g r e a t c a r e

to avoid c o n f l i c t ,

G e n e r a l Thomas Gage,

in charge o f B r i t i s h

t r o o p s i n A m e r ic a , h a v i n g i g n o r e d open a t t a c k s .

Kalb s u s p e c t e d

t h a t Gage had r e c e i v e d s u c h o r d e r s from B r i t a i n . Ka l b f e l t

that

i n P h i l a d e l p h i a he c o u l d n o t g e t e x a c t i n ­

f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e r e s o u r c e s o f t h e A m e r i c a n s f o r m a k in g w a r .

So he p r e p a r e d t o s e t o u t on a t r i p t h r o u g h t h e c o l o n i e s l e c t i n f o r m a t i o n and a r r a n g e f o r r e l i a b l e v i d e him w i t h news a f t e r he l e f t

to c o l ­

correspondents to pro­

the country.

He t h o u g h t t h a t

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

45

the c o l o n i e s r e a l i z e d B r i t a i n a l o n e , hut

t h a t t h e y were n o t s t r o n g enough t o r e s i s t

t h e i r im p o r t a n c e t o t h e t r a d e o f B r i t a i n seemed

a safeguard to t h e ir l i b e r t i e s .

"The d i s t a n c e o f t h e s e p e o p l e

from t h e s e a t o f

t h e i r go ver n m en t makes them f r e e r and more u n r e ­

s t r a i n e d , hut in

t h e i r h e a r t s t h e y have l i t t l e

i n c l i n a t i o n to

s hake o f f t h i s d o m i n a t i o n b y the h e l p o f a f o r e i g n power: t h i s h e l p would seem t o them t h e more d a n g e r o u s f o r t h e i r l i b e r t y . " B esid es,

t h e i r t a x e s were c o m p a r a t i v e l y l i g h t ,

a s t h e y no l o n g e r

had t o s u p p o r t B r i t i s h t r o o p s s t a t i o n e d i n A m e r ic a . t h a t t h e A m erican s must r e a l i z e t h a t if B ritain ,

th ey did r e b e l a g a in s t

t h e y would h a v e n o t h i n g b u t t h e i r m i l i t i a

and a l t h o u g h i t was t r u e , m i l i t i a were nume rous, Furthermore,

the

Kalb f e l t

t o depend on ,

a s he had h e a r d i n E n g l a n d ,

t h a t th e

y e t th e men were l a c k i n g i n d i s c i p l i n e .

great s iz e

o f thecountry,

the absence o f ready

money, and the d i v e r s i t y and i n d e p e n d e n c e o f the g o v e r n o r s would make i t

d i f f i c u l t t o form a r e g u l a r a r m y . 1 Kalb found t h a t the t r o u b l e s t o w h ic h t h e Stamp Act had

g i v e n b i r t h were c o n t i n u e d by what we know as th e "Townshend A c t s , " t a x e s on t e a , g l a s s ,

p a p e r , p a i n t , and p a i n t e r s ’ c o l o r s .

He t h o u g h t t h a t t h e s e would have b e e n a c c e p t e d w i t h o u t q u e s t i o n had n o t d i s t r u s t o f t h e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t a l r e a d y b e e n w i d e s p r e a d . The Am ericans f e l t

t h a t th e Townshend A c t s were the Stamp Act by

a n o t h e r name, and t h e y s a i d t h a t t h e y were t r e a t e d a s s l a v e s r a t h e r than as c h i l d r e n or as f e l l o w - c i t i z e n s

o f the B r i t i s h .

As

g r i e v a n c e s a g a i n s t the mother c o u n t r y w er e re a w a k e n e d , Kalb f ound

Kanp,

1?Ialb t o C h o i s e u l , J a n . 1 5 , 1 7 6 8 , i b i d . , f o l s . 9 - 1 0 . c i t . , pp. 5 3 - 6 , d o e s n o t a l w a y s q u o te c o r r e c t l y .

op.

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46

t h a t t h e Am er icans wer e more t h a n e v e r d e t e r m i n e d t o make them­ selv es

self-su fficien t.

I f the c o u n t r y h o l d s t o i t s r e s o l u t i o n t o im p o r t n o t h i n g more from E n g la n d the commerce and c r e d i t o f t h e n a t i o n n e c e s s a r i l y must f a l l o f f , i t s m a n u f a c t u r e s d e c l i n e , t h e w o r k e r s be w i t h o u t o c c u p a t i o n and f o o d . And i f t o remedy t h a t t h e C ourt l e v i e s new t a x e s a s p u n ish m e n t . . . , or p r o ­ h i b i t s m a n u f a c t u r i n g , t h e cl am or w i l l become g e n e r a l and the c r i s i s caii t e r m i n a t e i n an open b r e a k . 1 Kalb l e f t P h i l a d e l p h i a f o r New Y ork, and on the way he alm ost l o s t h i s l i f e ,

when a sudd en sto rm came up a s he was c r o s s ­

i n g from S t a t e n I s l a n d t o New York.

He a l o n e o f t h e p a r t y e s c a p e d

w i t h o u t i n j u r y , b u t he l o s t a l l o f h i s p o s s e s s i o n s , d i c t i o n a r y t h a t he u s e d a s a co d e b o o k . 2 ever,

and c o n t i n u e d h i s r e p o r t s .

i n c l u d i n g the

He found a n o t h e r , how­

He now in f o r m e d C h o i s e u l t h a t

he t h o u g h t t h e c o l o n i s t s were more and more d e t e r m i n e d i n t h e i r p l a n o f economy and t h a t d i s c o n t e n t wa3 g e n e r a l .

I t was in c o m p r e ­

h e n s i b l e , he s a i d , t h a t the B r i t i s h would n o t ad m it f o r t h e Amer­ ica n s the r i g h t s if

that they prized fo r them selves.

He t h o u g h t t h a t

t h e k i n g o f Englan d 'were t o a s k t h e A m er ican s f o r g r a n t s

money,

s o l o n g a s t h e y were l e f t f r e e

to levy i t ,

of

he w o u ld , i n

t h e e n d , r e c e i v e much more than by any o t h e r method o f t a x a t i o n . There i s so g r e a t a s p i r i t o f i n d e p e n d e n c e and f r e e d o m from c o n t r o l i n a l l t h e p e o p l e o f th is country, that i t i s n o t t o be d o u b t e d t h a t i f a l l the p r o v i n c e s had f a c i l i t y o f c o m m u n i c a t io n by d e l e g a t e s and had t h e same i n t e r e s t s t o d i s ­ c u s s , t h e y would form i n a s h o r t time an i n d e p e n d e n t s t a t e . And t h a t w i l l happen s o o n e r or l a t e r , w h a t e v e r m e a s u r e s t h e ^Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , J a n . 2 0 , 1 7 6 3 , A . A . E . , U n i s , I I , f o l s . 1 0 - 1 1 : Kanp, o p . c i t . , pp . 5 7 - 9 .

LI. e t D . , E t a t s -

2Account o f a c c i d e n t e n c l o s e d i n l e t t e r o f Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , J a n . 2 8 , 1 7 6 8 , A . A . I . , I.!, e t D . , E t a u s - U n i s , I I , f o l s . 13-14.

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47

c o u r t may t a k e . I n tim e t h i s c o u n t r y w i l l be t o o p o w e r f u l t o endure b e i n g g o v e r n e d from a d i s t a n c e . I The p o p u l a t i o n , lio n s.

Kalb was t o l d , was e s t i m a t e d a t f o u r m i l ­

I t was s u p p o s e d t o d o u b l e e v e r y t h i r t y y e a r s , w h ic h Kalb

did n o t doubt, The o f f i c e r s

s i n c e he saw e v e r y w h e r e " a n t h i l l s o f c h i l d r e n . "

o f the r e g u l a r B r i t i s h army a g r e e d

that the m i l i t i a

were e q u a l t o t h e B r i t i s h r e g i m e n t s , b u t Kalb had n o t y e t had an o p p o r t u n i t y t o c o l l e c t e x a c t i n f o r m a t i o n on the m i l i t i a . B r i t i s h had s i x t e e n r e g i m e n t s , some e n g i n e e r s

f o u r c o m p a n i e s o f a r t i l l e r y and

i n the r e g u l a r army i n A m erica .

The d i s c o n t e n t

t h a t Kalb fo und i n P h i l a d e l p h i a and hew

York was e v e n more veh em en t i n B o s t o n , h e r e p o r t e d , he s a i d , was t h e l e a d e r o f a l l dew L n g l a n d . sed itio u s s p ir it ,

and j o s t o n ,

It. s m i t e o f the

h o w e v e r , Kalb t h o u g h t t h a t a l l o f t h e p e o p l e ,

from t h e l e a d e r s down, were s i n c e r e l y d e v o t e d try.

The

to the mother c o u n ­

They were a l m o s t a l l from B r i t i s h s t o c k , and the u n u s u a l

p r i v i l e g e s t h e y had e n j o y e d had o n l y s t r e n g t h e n e d t h e i r n a t i v e B r it is h arrogance.

He was more and more c o n v i n c e d t h a t t h e r e

would n e v e r be any means o f p e r s u a d i n g the A m er ican s t o a c c e p t foreign aid .

"They a r e , b e s i d e s ,

th e ir claim s,

o f the g o o d n e s s o f the King and o f t h e i r im p o r t a n c e

t o the c a p i t a l , able to lo se

s o c o n v i n c e d o f the j u s t i c e

t h a t t h e y c o u l d riot b e l i e v e

of

t h a t t h e y m ig ht be

t h e i r c a u s e or be f o r c e d t o tak e an e x t r e m e s t a n d . "

Kalb b e l i e v e d t h a t

the few i n c e n d i a r i e s among the c o l o n i s t s would

l-Kalb t o d h o i s e u l , F e b . 8 5 , qp. c i t . , pp. 6 1 - o .

17b 0 ,

2galb to C h o ise u l, Feb. 25, 1768, U n i s , I I , f o l s . 1 2 - 1 3 : i a n p , on. c i t . , p .

ib id ., a.a .L .,

f o l . 12:

ha r o ,

K. ed D . , n t a t s -

t'3.

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission of the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

48

lo se

ou t and t h a t

t h e y demanded:

the c o l o n i e s wo uld f i n a l l y he g i v e n e v e r y t h i n g

"It is

I m p o s s i b l e t h a t t h e Government s h o u l d n o t

r e c o g n i z e i t s wrong. From B o s t o n Kalb j o u r n e y e d n o r t h t o H a l i f a x i n Nova S co tia .

There he o b s e r v e d t h e same r e s e n t m e n t s a s i n the o t h e r

colon ies,

b u t he r e i t e r a t e d h i s b e l i e f t h a t the c o l o n i e s would

never seek f o r e ig n aid

t o s e c u r e i n d e p e n d e n c e from B r i t a i n .

In­

d e p e n d e n c e would come o n l y w i t h t im e and the g r o w t h o f p o p u l a ­ tio n . 2 Kalb had i n t e n d e d t o go from B o s t o n t o Quebec, b u t t h e a p p r o a c h o f s o r i n g and th e imminence of the thav; made i t tic a l, ice.

im p rac­

and he d i d n ot want t o w a i t f o r the l a k e s t o be f r e e o f He f e l t

t h a t he had l e a r n e d as much a b o u t Canada from t a l k ­

i n g t o p e o p l e a s he wo uld have by p e r s o n a l o b s e r v a t i o n . g i v e C h o i s e u l no hone t h a t There w e r e ,

the Canadians f e l t c l o s e

He c o u l d

to France.

i n f a c t , b u t few F r en ch s y m p a t h i z e r s , b e c a u s e the

l i b e r a l p o l i c y t h a t B r i t a i n had p u r su e d toward h e r new s u b j e c t s had made t h e Canad ians q u i t e c o n t e n t .

"I t h i n k t h a t I ought t o

s p e a k f r e e l y t o y o u a b o u t t h a t , M o n s e ig n e u r , f o r I do n o t want t o f o o l you ard wo uld n o t w a n t y o u t o be d e c e i v e d by o t h e r s : w ou ld

be v e r y d i f f i c u l t

it

i n c a s e o f war w i t h our n e i g h b o r s a c r o s s

t h e c h a n n e l t o make a d i v e r s i o n in t h i s p a r t o f t h e i r

d o m in io n .3

From H a l i f a x Kalb c o n t i n u e d t o e m p h a s iz e t h a t t h e c o n f l i c t

U nis,

■^Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , March 2 , I I , f o l . 14. 2Kalb t o C h o i s e u l ,

o p .

^ a l b to C h o ise u l, c l t . , p . 67.

1768, A . a . E . ,

March 9 , 1 7 6 8 , A p ril 19, 1763,

ib id .,

M. e t D . , L t a t s fo l.

ib id . . fo l.

15. 15: Hapo,

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout perm ission.

49

b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and h e r c o l o n i e s wou ld be s e t t l e d . P r a n c e and B r i t a i n would o n l y r e u n i t e them the means o f p r i v i l e g e s g i v e n t o the c o l o n i s t s ,

A war b e t w e e n

s o o n e r , and by

B r it a in could g e t a l l

t h e a i d s h e n e e d e d i n an a t t a c k a g a i n s t t h e F r e n c h and S p a n i s h n o s s e s s i o n s i n A m eric a.

For t h e B r i t i s h e m p i r e , war a g a i n s t a

f o r e i g n power would h e a l i n t e r n a l d i s s e n s i o n s M e a n w h i le , Kalb had h e a r d n o t h i n g from C h o i s e u l no i d e a

o f the m i n i s t e r ' s w ish e s regarding h im s e l f .

that h is l e t t e r s ries

and had

He was a f r a i d

from America had been i n t e r c e p t e d , and h i s w o r ­

seemed j u s t i f i e d when he l e a r n e d t h a t h i s l e t t e r s

from E n g la n d and H o l l a n d had a r r i v e d o p e n e d .

s e n t home

He t h o u g h t i t w i s e

t o r e t u r n home a t o n c e , e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e h e had a r r a n g e d t o have news from America s e n t t o F r a n c e .

.Vhen he had b e e n i n B o s t o n ,

Kalb had f o u n d o e o p l e who a g r e e d t o s e r v e a s h i s c o r r e s p o n d e n t s and k e e p him in f o r m e d o f e v e n t s i n America a f t e r he r e t u r n e d t o F ran ce.2

In a r e g i o n where h a t r e d o f F r a n c e was t r a d i t i o n a l l y

very stron g,

it

i s somewhat s u r p r i s i n g t h a t Kalb fou nd men w i l l i n g

t o s e n d o o l i t i c a l news t o F r a n c e .

Th is may show t h a t some B o s ­

t o n i a n s we re s o a n g r y w i t h B r i t a i n t h a t t h e y were w i l l i n g t o f o r ­ get th eir d ista ste

for France.

Kalb wa nte d t o go home to a r r a n g e s a f e r l i n e s

o f communi­

c a t i o n s f o r t h e r e p o r t s o f h i s American c o r r e s p o n d e n t s and f o r h is

own l e t t e r s ,

i n c a s e he r e t u r n e d t o

a m

e r i c a . 3

He was e n t i r e l y

■^Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , I I , f o l . 15.

Apr. 1 9 , 1 7 6 8 , a . A . E . , hi. e t

U nis,

^Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , on. c l t . , pp. 6 5 -6 .

Mar. 2 ,

Kann,

^Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , I I , f o l . 16.

Apr. 2 4 ,

Unis,

1 7 6 8 , lb i d . , 1768,

fo ls.

A . n . E . ,

D ., E ta ts-

14-15;

I/i. e t D . , E t a t s -

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50

w i l l i n g t o make a s eco n d t r i p t o Am erica, t o do s o , an d be was s u r e

i f C h o i s e u l w i s h e d him

t h e r e would b e ample t im e f o r i t .

Kalb t h o u g h t t h a t e v e n i f war were to b r e a k o u t , soon.

Before a c tu a l h o s t i l i t i e s

For

i t would n o t be

c o u l d b e g i n , B r i t a i n would have

t o send t r o o o s t o America i n much l a r g e r numbers and t a k e many o t h e r s t e m s t o c a r r y on a wa r.

Kalb t h o u g h t t h a t t h e c o l o n i e s

n r o b a b l y would ore t e n d t o s u b m it t o t h e mother c o u n t r y u n t i l t h e y had formed a n a v y , o r g a n i s e d t h e i r army and g e n e r a l l y made r e a d y f o r t h e i r d e f e n s e . * 1-

a f t e r a b o u t f o u r months i n A m erica , Kalb was

c o n v i n c e d t h a t war b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and America was not im m in en t, and so he s a i l e d f o r France t h e l a s t o f A p r i l ,

1768.2

-'-Ibid. T h is m a t e r i a l was fo und in the - ' - i n i s t e r e de la G u e r r e , IKMDCCXXXII, by Abel D o y s i e and added t o t h e l e t t e r f o r w h ic h t h e r e f e r e n c e i s g i v e n and t o w h ic h i t b e l o n g e d . 2Ib id .

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CHAPTER IV FRENCH-AMERICAN ACCORD CONSIDERED 'iVhen Kalb r e a c h e d P a r i s a b o u t t h e m id d l e o f J u n e , 1 7 6 8 , he was a n x i o u s t o r e p o r t h i s

f i n d i n g s i n America t o C h o i s e u l .

T h i s was e s p e c i a l l y i m p o r t a n t b e c a u s e he found t h a t , a s he had f e a r e d , a l m o s t none o f h i s l e t t e r s had b e e n r e c e i v e d .

Kalb a s k e d

f o r an a u d i e n c e w i t h C h o i s e u l , and t o h i s g r e a t s u r p r i s e , s i n c e C h o i s e u l h i m s e l f had a s k e d him t o go t o Am erica , he was put o f f sev era l tim es.

Again he a s k e d f o r an o p p o r t u n i t y t o t e l l t h e

duke o f h i s e x p e r i e n c e s i n America and s e n t him,

probably as a

sa mo le o f h i s work, a s t a t e m e n t o f B r i t i s h l a n d and s e a f o r c e s . C h o i s e u l ’ s r e p l y was a c u r t n o t e a c k n o w l e d g i n g K a l b ’ s good i n t e n ­ t i o n s , b u t he s a i d t h a t K a l b ’ s e s t i m a t e s o f B r i t a i n ’ s m ig h t were g r e a t l y e x a g g e r a t e d ." ' -

C h o i s e u l may have had o t h e r s o u r c e s o f i n ­

f o r m a t i o n a b o u t America and B r i t a i n , b u t he p r o b a b l y c h o s e t o d i s ­ a g r e e w i t h Kalb b e c a u s e he was d i s p l e a s e d w i t h h im .

Kalb d i d n o t

understand the reason f o r the m i n i s t e r ’ s c u r t n e s s , b u t l a t e r C h o i s e u l t o l d him:

"You came b ack from America t o o s o o n , y o u r

work i s u s e l e s s . " ^ Whether he r e a l l y b e l i e v e d

Unis,

t h a t K a l b ' s work was u s e l e s s

^ C h o i s e u l t o K a lb , J u l y 2 2 , 1 7 6 8 , A . A . E . , Ivi. e t D . , B t a t s I I , f o l s . 16-17. ^Choiseul to a n o n ., n . d . ,

ib id . , fo l.

.36.

51

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52

or was a b s o r b e d i n o t h e r m a t t e r s , C h o i s e u l p a id no a t t e n t i o n t o t h e r e p o r t s on America t h a t Ka l b c o n t i n u e d t o s e n d him. he had many o t h e r t h i n g s

C ertainly

t o o c c u p y h i s a t t e n t i o n , f o r i n t h e sum­

mer o f 1 7 6 8 he was e n g a g e d i n d i p l o m a t i c maneuvers i n v o l v i n g a l ­ m o s t e v e r y m a jo r c o u n t r y o f E u r o p e .

He was d i r e c t i n g a program

t o b u i l d uo a F r e n c h p a r t y i n Sweden and i n P o l a n d , i n t e r e s t s o f B r i t a i n and R u s s i a .

t o oppose t h e

I n t h a t summer he was t r y i n g

v e r y hard t o p e r s u a d e t h e Turks t o d e c l a r e war on R u s s i a , and by t h e f a l l o f t h a t y e a r he and h i s am b a ss a do r t o t h e P o r t e , t h e Comte de V e r g e n n e s , were s u c c e s s f u l .

C h o i s e u l was a l s o c o n c e r n e d

w i t h s t o p o i n g a r e v o l t a g a i n s t F r e n c h o c c u p a t i o n o f C o r s i c a , and he was d e e n l y i n v o l v e d i n a d i s p u t e b e t w e e n S p a i n and B r i t a i n over the p o s s e s s io n o f the Falkland I s la n d s , S o u th A m eric a .

Perhaps,

o f f the c o a s t o f

t o o , C h o i s e u l saw t h a t Kalb was r i g h t ,

t h a t war b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and h e r c o l o n i e s was n o t im m in e n t, and s o h e t e m p o r a r i l y l o s t i n t e r e s t i n A m e r ic a .

But s i n c e s o many

o h a s e s o f h i s d i p l o m a t i c program we re c o n c e r n e d w i t h B r i t a i n ,

it

h a r d l y seems l i k e l y t h a t C h o i s e u l a c t u a l l y l o s t i n t e r e s t i n B r i t a i n ' s troublesom e c o l o n i e s .

It

i s more l i k e l y t h a t he was

an g ry b e c a u s e Kalb d i d n o t s a y what he wa nte d t o h e a r , f o r he seems t o have s e n t Kalb t o America w i t h t h e i n t e n t i o n t h a t he s h o u l d f i n d a c o u n t r y on t h e p o i n t o f w a r . ever,

Kalb b e l i e v e d , how­

t h a t t h e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t would y i e l d

t o the A m erica n s'

dem an ds, and a l t h o u g h he t h o u g h t t h a t i n d e p e n d e n c e was i n e v i t a b l e , in the lon g run,

i t was n o t slo w d e v e l o p m e n t b u t im mediate r e v o l u ­

t io n that in te r e s te d C hoiseul. Kalb was n o t d i s c o u r a g e d by C h o i s e u l ' s i n i t i a l r e b u f f and

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

53

a p p a r e n t l y d i d not b e l i e v e

t h a t C h o i s e u l was no l o n g e r i n t e r e s t e d

i n A m e r i c a , o r e l s e he h o ped t o r e v i v e t h e m i n i s t e r ’ s i n t e r e s t t h r o u g h t h e news h e r e p o r t e d .

Ka l b c o n t i n u e d t o w r i t e t o C h o i s e u l

and t o s e n d him the i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t America t h a t he r e c e i v e d from h i s v a r i o u s c o r r e s p o n d e n t s t h e r e .

In A u g u st he w r o t e o f news

from London and America t h a t t h e B r i t i s h go vernm en t was d e t e r m i n e d t o pu t down t h e c o l o n i e s by f o r c e .

T h i s , he knew, would i r r i t a t e

t h e Americans and c a u s e f r e s h t r o u b l e . he e n c l o s e d s e v e r a l l e t t e r s ,

To s u p p o r t h i s a c c o u n t ,

t e l l i n g o f new t r o o p s t o b e d e s ­

p a t c h e d t o the c o l o n i e s and r e p o r t i n g t r o u b l e i n b o s t o n . ^ was a l s o a l e t t e r from iiew York o f J u n e , 1 7 6 8 t h a t r e a d :

There ’’A l l

our h o p e s o f t r a n q u i l i t y b a s e d on the g o o d n e s s and b e n i g n i t y o f t h e S o v e r e i g n and on the j u s t i c e o f our r e m o n s t r a n c e s a r e v a n i s h ­ in g .”

K a l b ' s c o r r e s p o n d e n t had s a i d t h a t the B r i t i s h gove rn m en t

seemed more t h a n e v e r d e t e r m i n e d t o make t h e American s sub m it b l i n d l y t o ’’i l l e g a l ” t a x e s imposed w i t h o u t t h e i r c o n s e n t , a t the same time i n t e r f e r i n g i n t h e i r commerce, t a k i n g s t e p s t h a t c o u l d n o t b u t l e a d t o t h e i r " t o t a l d e s t r u c t i o n . ’’2

This r e f e r r e d t o

B r i t i s h a t t e m p t s t o e n f o r c e t r a d e r e s t r i c t i o n s and p r e v e n t smug­ g l i n g , a t t h e same t im e t h a t t h e Am er ican s were s m a r t i n g from what t h e y c o n s i d e r e d t h e blo w o f t h e Townshend A c t s . Kalb s e n t C h o i s e u l a resume o f t h e i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t he had b e e n c o m m is s io n e d t o g a t h e r ,

r e m i n d i n g t h e duke t h a t he had

b e e n s e n t t o America t o d i s c o v e r t h e s t a t e -*-Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , Aug.

6, 1768,

o f mind o f the p e o p l e .

ib id .,

fo l.

18.

2U n s ig n e d l e t t e r , June 2 2 , 1 7 6 8 , e n c l o s e d i n Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , Aug. 6, 1 7 6 8 , i b i d .

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54

Fe p r e s e n t e d a l o n g memoir, r e l a t i n g t h e e v e n t s t h a t had c a u s e d d i s t u r b a n c e s in the c o l o n i e s , Townshend A c t t r o u b l e s ,

t h e Stamp A c t d i f f i c u l t i e s ,

the n o n -im p o rta tio n agreem ents.

the In t h i s

s t a t e m e n t he s a i d once more t h a t he t h o u g h t t h e r e was no d o u b t b u t t h a t America w o u l d one day become i n d e p e n d e n t when h e r I n h a b ­ i t a n t s e q u a l l e d or e x c e e d e d t h o s e m ight soon happen.

o f t h e m o th e r c o u n t r y , w h ic h

Kalb s a i d t h a t t h e B r i t i s h gov ern m en t m ig h t

p u r s u e s o s h o r t s i g h t e d a p o l i c y t h a t an i n d e p e n d e n c e movement w o u ld be p r e c i o i t a t e d and t h e c o l o n i e s wo uld form a g e n e r a l c o n ­ fed eration .

He b e l i e v e d t h a t t h e A m e r ic a n s would n o t o n l y f r e e

t h e m s e l v e s from B r i t a i n b u t w o u l d , ican p o ssessio n s

in tim e,

of Eu ro pea n p o w e r s .

invade a l l

t h e Amer­

But Kalb saw t h a t t h e t i e s

o f r e l i g i o n , l a w s and l a n g u a g e w er e s t r o n g b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and h e r c o l o n i e s - - s t r o n g e n o u g h , he t h o u g h t ,

to p r e v e n t the c o l o n i s t s

from t a k i n g a n y more d r a s t i c s t e p s a g a i n s t B r i t a i n t h a n n o n i n t e r c o u r s e a g r e e m e n t s and the e n c o u r a g e m e n t of d o m e s t i c m an ufa c­ ture.

I t seemed t o him i m p o s s i b l e

foreign a ssista n c e ,

t h a t t h e Am erican s would a c c e p t

f o r t h e y would c o n s i d e r i t a t h r e a t t o t h e i r

f r e e d o m , p r e f e r r i n g t o s u b m it t o B r i t a i n r a t h e r t h a n r e c e i v e h e l p from a b r o a d .

B esides,

i f America w e r e u n i t e d , s h e would n o t need

o u t s id e a id to defend her country:

the g r e a t e x t e n t o f the land

would make a n y t h i n g o t h e r t h a n r a v a g i n g i m p o s s i b l e f o r an i n v a d e r . A g ain he r e p e a t e d , a s he had s o o f t e n b e f o r e , th in k t h a t the d i f f i c u l t i e s be s e t t l e d

t h a t he c o u l d n o t

o f B r i t a i n and h e r c o l o n i e s w ould n o t

t o t h e s a t i s f a c t i o n o f the c o l o n i e s ,

for B rita in sure­

l y must s e e where h e r t r u e i n t e r e s t s l a y . l -'-Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , Aug. 6 , 1 7 6 3 ,

lb i d . ,

fo ls.

21-22.

with permission o f the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

55

K alb's e f f i c i e n t

inform ers

i n America k e p t him s u p p l i e d

w i t h news t h r o u g h t h e f a l l o f 1 7 6 3 .

Although C h o is e u l co n tin u ed

t o r e f u s e Kalb an a u d i e n c e , he d i d g i v e him s i x t h o u s a n d l i v r e s t o pay h i s b i l l s , ^

and Kalb c o n t i n u e d t o send him news from

A m e r ic a , c o n t a i n e d i n u n s i g n e d l e t t e r s w r i t t e n from New York, B o s t o n , E d e n t o n , and Newport , d i s c u s s i n g the p o l i t i c a l s i t u a t i o n in the c o l o n i e s . 2

Kalb h i m s e l f i n s i s t e d

t h a t B r i t a i n would g i v e

i n t o t h e c o l o n i s t s , m a i n l y b e c a u s e o f the c o m p l a i n t s o f th e B r i t i s h m e r c h a n t s , who were s u f f e r i n g from the n o n - i m p o r t a t i o n a g r e e m e n t s , 3 b y w h i c h t h e Am er icans r e f u s e d t o buy any 3 r i t i s h g o o d s , a s a p r o t e s t a g a i n s t the Townshend A c t s and o t h e r m ea su res objectionable

t o them.

Among t h e l e t t e r s Kalb f o r w a r d e d t o

C h o i s e u l was one from B o s t o n r e p o r t i n g t h a t G e n e r a l Gage was t a k ­ i n g s t e p s t o c e n t r a l i z e and s t r e n g t h e n h i s f o r c e s , and t h a t i f America a p p e a r e d p e a c e f u l , unanimous i n i t s

i t was o n l y b e c a u s e t h e c o u n t r y was

r e s o l v e s and d i d n ot f e a r f o r i t s l i b e r t y .

t h e c o l o n i e s were r e s o l v e d t o f o l l o w the l e t t e r s a i d ,

A ll

the l e a d o f M a s s a c h u s e t t s ,

"to make t h e l i v e l i e s t r e m o n s t r a n c e s t o t h e

Co u rt and t o P a r l i a m e n t f o r the r e v o c a t i o n o f e v e r y t a x , and t o s u p p o r t w i t h t h e i r l i v e s and f o r t u n e s t h e l i b e r t y t h a t God and t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n had g i v e n them." was s u r e , h o w e v e r , t h a t strances. ^

Even t h i s B o s t o n c o r r e s p o n d e n t

t h e k i n g wo uld l i s t e n t o t h e i r remon­

Kalb c o n t i n u e d t o send su ch c o m m u n i c a t io n s t h r o u g h

■^Choiseul to K a l b , Aug. 2 5 , 1 7 6 3 , i b i d . , 2l b i d . , f o l s .

fo ls.

24-5.

25-7.

^Kalb t o C h o i s e u l ,

Oct . 1 6 , 1 7 6 8 , i b i d . ,

fo l.

27.

E x t r a c t o f l e t t e r from B o s t o n , a n o n , t o K a lb , Aug. 15, 1 7 6 8 , A . A . E . , M. e t D . , E t a t s - U n i s , I I , f o l s . 2 7 - 8 .

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout perm ission.

November and December, 1 7 6 8 .

He p o i n t e d out t h a t t h e Am erican s

o b v i o u s l y w ere f i r m i n t h e i r r e s o l u t i o n s , and t h e r e m ig h t be u n ­ fortunate r e s u lts

if

i n s i s t e d , however,

the B r i t i s h d e c id e d to use f o r c e .

He s t i l l

t h a t t h e B r i t i s h w o u ld s e e t h e l i g h t and t h e

Am ericans would g a i n a p e a c e f u l v i c t o r y . ^ I n J a n u a r y , 17 69 Kalb a s k e d C h o i s e u l f o r money t o pay t h e n e o n l e he had employed i n h i s i n t e l l i g e n c e a d d i t i o n a l l e t t e r s from A m e r ic a .

s e r v i c e ^ and e n c l o s e d

T h i s seems t o have b e e n a b o u t

t h e l a s t o f h i s r e p o r t s t o the F r e n c h g o v e r n m e n t , f o r Kalb s o u g h t a f i n a l s e t t l e m e n t w i t h C h o i s e u l and was r e b u f f e d .

When he a s k e d

f o r a p r i v a t e a u d i e n c e , he was t o l d t h a t he m ig h t come t o C h o i s e u l public audience.

I t was t h e r e t h e duke t o l d him t h a t h i 3 work was

u s e l e s s and s a i d ,

"You ca n h e n c e f o r t h s t o p s e n d i n g me news from

th a t country." ^

Kalb s e t t l e d h i s a c c o u n t s w i t h h i s c o r r e s p o n d e n t s

a l t h o u g h we do n o t know w h e t h e r C h o i s e u l gave him t h e money, and he " s u p o r e s s e d " a l l the m i n i s t e r .

t h e l e t t e r s he r e c e i v e d s o he would n o t w eary

He c o n t i n u e d t o s e e k p r e f e r m e n t - - a r i s e

i n ra nk t o

b r i g a d i e r , more money, or s o m e t h i n g - - b u t h e a p p a r e n t l y r e c e i v e d nothing.

Kalb c l a i m e d t h a t C h o i s e u l p r o m is e d t o make him a b r i g a ­

d i e r , b u t w en t o u t o f o f f i c e b e f o r e h e c o u l d do i t . 4 A l t h o u g h C h o i s e u l p r o f e s s e d t o h a v e no i n t e r e s t i n K a l b ’ s ■^•Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , Nov. 1 5 , 1 7 6 3 , i b i d . , f o l . 2 9 . L etters e n c l o s e d were o f S e p t . 2 9 , Aug. 2 8 , Aug. 8 , i b i d . , f o l s . 2 9 - 3 2 . See a l s o l e t t e r s from America o f O c t . 2 , S e p t . 2 6 , O c t . 1 0 , i b i d . , f o l s . 32-34. ^Kalb t o C h o i s e u l , J a n . 4 , 1 7 6 9 , i b i d . , f o l . *%alb t o a n o n . , n . d . , 4I b i d . , f o l .

ib id . . fo l.

34.

36.

37.

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

r e p o r t s , t h e m i n i s t e r wa s m ean w hile r e c e i v i n g i n f o r m a t i o n ab ou t A m erica fr om o t h e r s o u r c e s .

I t is even p o s s ib le th at h i s d i s -

o l e a s u r e w i t h Kalb can b e a c c o u n t e d f o r b y t h e f a c t t h a t t h e s e o t h e r s o u r c e s u r g e d a c t i o n where Kalb c o u n s e l e d c a u t i o n .

The

d e s p a t c h e s from t h e F r e n c h e m b ass y i n London were f u l l o f news from America and s p e c u l a t i o n s a b o u t t h e c h a n c e s f o r r e c o n c i l i a t i o n or r e b e l l i o n .

I n March, 1 7 6 8 ,

t h e Comte de C h a t e l e t , F r e n c h am­

b a s s a d o r i n London, rem in de d C h o i s e u l t h a t t h e American c o l o n i e s d e s e r v e d s e r i o u s a t t e n t i o n from t h e F r e n c h g o v e r n m e n t .

At t h e

tim e o f the Stamp A ct d i s t u r b a n c e s , he s a i d , t h e c o l o n i s t s had thought s e r i o u s l y

o f i n d e p e n d e n c e and had s e n t a g e n t s t o Europe

t o p r e s e n t a p l a n t o F r a n c e and S p a i n . report,

T h is a g r e e s w i t h Durand’ s

p r e v i o u s l y m e n t i o n e d , and t h e French may have b e e n t h i n k ­

i n g o f B enjam in F r a n k l i n , who was c e r t a i n l y c a p a b l e o f s ho w in g f r i e n d s h i p t o b o t h F r a nc e and B r i t a i n a t t h e same t i m e . le ss,

s i n c e no American m e n t i o n e d s u c h a m i s s i o n , and s i n c e

F r a n k l i n d id disavow a d e s i r e f o r French f r i e n d s h i p , i t i s sib le

Neverthe­

im p o s ­

t o t e l l w h e t h e r t h e m i s s i o n was u n d e r t a k e n and w h e t h e r

F r a n k l i n was a member o f i t .

"These s e e d s o f r e b e l l i o n were

q u ie t e d by th e cowardly conduct o f th e B r i t i s h m in i s t r y th a t p a llia ted

the e v i l , bu t t h e s e e d s must s t i l l e x i s t , and i t would

c e r t a i n l y be t i m e l y t o h a v e some p r u d e n t and w e l l - i n f o r m e d p e r s o n on t h e s p o t t o be a b l e t o b l o w up a f i r e t h a t s m o l d e r s u n d e r the a s h e s , a t the moment when i t n e e d s t o b u r s t f o r t h . "

A b r e a t h was

a l l t h a t would be needed t o c l e a r o u t the few t r o o p s t h a t were m a i n t a i n i n g o r d e r i n A m e r ic a .

The a p p e a l o f i n d e p e n d e n c e and o f

f r e e t r a d e w i t h n a t i o n s whose p r o d u c t s would be c h e a p e r th an

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

B r i t a i n ’ s seemed t o C h a t e l e t en ou g h t o make the American s d i s ­ gusted w ith th e ir s u b je c tio n to B r it a in .

He t h o u g h t t h a t Prance

s h o u l d t a k e s t e p s t o become a c q u a i n t e d w i t h t h e American c o l o n i e s , t o l e a r n what means t h e y would h a v e t o c a r r y on a war, and the n a t u r e o f the p e o p l e t h a t had t h e m o st i n f l u e n c e and t h e most e n ­ t h u s i a s m f o r t h e w e l f a r e o f "t h e i r new n a t i v e l a n d . "

I f there

e x i s t e d i n America a new C rom w ell, he w ou ld h a v e a n e a s y t im e : perhaps i f

t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s were s u i t a b l e , he would a r i s e .

Might

i t n o t be t h e t a s k o f Prance and S p a i n t o p r o v i d e t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s A l l America need ed t o become i n d e p e n d e n t were ar m s, a l e a d e r , courage.

and

The t i e s w i t h B r i t a i n wer e s o n e a r l y b r o k e n t h a t C h a t e l e t

seems n o t to have d o u b t e d t h a t Am erica w ou ld b r e a k them c o m p l e t e l y . C h a t e l e t s u g g e s t e d t h a t P r a n c e might w e l l have i n t h e B r i t i s h Am erican c o l o n i e s some men who c o u l d be t r u s t e d , men who knew E n g l i s h and p r e t e n d e d t o be i n America f o r p u r e l y c o m m e r c ia l reasons.

They c o u l d k eep C h o i s e u l i n f o r m e d o f what went on, a c t ­

in g s e c r e t l y as lo n g as peace c o n t in u e d , but s e r v i n g as u s e f u l c e n t e r s f o r m e e t i n g and p l a n n i n g , when a p l a n was f o r m e d .

He was

s u r e t h a t t h e o e o p l e o f America would not c e a s e t o p l a n , and any p l a n would c e r t a i n l y c o n c e r n t h e a i d t h a t m ig h t be e x p e c t e d from P r a n c e and S p a i n .

Of c o u r s e , C h a t e l e t ad d ed , C h o i s e u l m ig h t a l ­

r e a d y have s u c h p e o p l e i n A m erica , b u t t h e r e v o l u t i o n i n America m ig h t w e l l come s o o n e r t h a n many e x p e c t e d .

C hatelet f e l t

F r a n c e must s p a r e n e i t h e r e f f o r t n o r e x p e n s e t o h e l p i t

that

forw ard.1

Fr e n c h i n t e r e s t i n Am erican i n d e p e n d e n c e was s u f f i c i e n t l y 1C h a t e l e t t o C h o i s e u l , Mar. 1 2 , 1 7 6 8 , W i t t ,

op. c l t . .

433-35.

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

pp.

59

s e r i o u s t h a t as e a r l y as J u ly , ing t r e a t i e s

1 7 6 8 , some Frenchmen were c o n s i d e r ­

o f commerce and a l l i a n c e b e t w e e n F r a n c e and A m e r i c a .

A l e t t e r t h a t may h a v e b e e n w r i t t e n by M. F r a n c e s , t h e f i r s t

sec­

r e t a r y o f t h e em b ass y i n London, s u g g e s t e d t h a t a t r e a t y o f com­ merce f a v o r i n g t h e Am erican s s h o u l d be drawn up t h a t w ou ld be r e a d y t o go i n t o e f f e c t when t h e b r e a k w i t h B r i t a i n ca m e. c o l o n i s t s were d i s c o n t e n t e d w i t h t h e i r l o t ,

The

th is l e t t e r s ta te d ,

and t h e p r o m is e o f a v e r y f a v o r a b l e t r e a t y m ig h t h a s t e n t h e r e ­ v o lt.

A c t i o n o f t h i s k i n d would s e r v e the d o u b l e p u r p o s e o f l e s ­

s e n i n g B r i t i s h r e v e n u e s and s p a r i n g the F r e n c h — and a l s o the S p a n i s h - - D O s s e s s i o n s i n America from a t t a c k b y t h e A n g l o - A m e r i c a n s , an e v e n t t h a t was t o b e m ost f e a r e d i n c a s e o f war.

F r a nc e s h o u l d

p r e s e n t them w i t h s u c h a t r e a t y a s would overcome t h e i r c u p i d i t y toward t h e F r e n c h i s l a n d s .

The c o l o n i e s c o u l d u se t h e t r e a t y t o

a s s u r e t h e i r i n d e p e n d e n c e and e s t a b l i s h t h e i r t r a d e w i t h F r a n c e and t h e o t h e r c o u n t r i e s o f L u r o p e .

Fr anc e s h o u l d u s e h e r power

t o s e e t h a t Am erican i n d e p e n d e n c e was e s t a b l i s h e d , b e done o n l y by a t r e a t y

of a l l i a n c e .

and t h i s c o u l d

The g r e a t o b s t a c l e i n any

s u c h p l a n was t h a t t h e Americans l a c k e d c o n f i d e n c e i n t h e F r e n c h navy and i n F r e n c h p r o m i s e s , and t h e y had g r e a t r e s p e c t f o r t h e m ig h t o f t h e B r i t i s h n a v y .

Frances

t h o u g h t t h a t the o v e r w h e l m i n g

d e s i r e f o r i n d e p e n d e n c e on t h e p a r t o f t h e A m er icans would more than c o u n te r b a la n c e t h e s e f a c t o r s .

Of c o u r s e ,

i t was p o s s i b l e

t h a t a l l o f t h e s e c o n s i d e r a t i o n s would go f o r n o t h i n g , B r i t i s h govern m en t m i g h t y i e l d d isp u te.

f o r the

t o t h e A m er icans and s e t t l e

the

But he was of the o p i n i o n t h a t t h e gov ernm en t would v/iden

the breach r a t h e r than c l o s e

it,

and so he t h o u g h t t h a t t h e F r e n c h

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

60

governm en t s h o u l d he r e a d y w i t h a c o n s t r u c t i v e program t o o f f e r the Am eric an s i n c a s e war r e a l l y came.-*Whether or n o t i t was F r a n c e s who p r o p o s e d t h e c o m m e r c ia l t r e a t y w i t h A m erica, he made c l e a r t h a t h e was n o t a n x i o u s f o r im m ed ia te h o s t i l i t i e s b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and h e r c o l o n i e s , p r o b a b l y b e c a u s e he wa nted F r a nc e t o have t im e t o make p l a n s and o u t l i n e o o licies.

He saw t r o u b l e i n t h e w i l l i n g n e s s o f some A m e r i c a n s ,

e s p e c i a l l y the townspeople of B oston,

to take v i o l e n t a c tio n

a g a i n s t t h e B r i t i s h , and he w i s h e d the American s would f o l l o w a more m o d e r a t e program.

’’E v e r y t h i n g t h a t can p r o l o n g t h e i r

t r o u b l e s and t h e i r q u a r r e l s ca n o n l y be o f b e n e f i t t o u s .

The

e v i l ca n b u t i n c r e a s e and grow more b i t t e r w i t h t i m e , and g i v e us t h e means t o become b e t t e r a c q u a i n t e d w i t h the o p i n i o n s , and t h e i n c l i n a t i o n s o f t h e A m e r i c a n s . "2

t h e means

Frances could not d ecid e

w h e t h e r t h e r a d i c a l i s m o f B o s t o n was t h e r e s u l t o f a b l i n d and f a n a t i c d e s i r e f o r fre ed om or a c a r e f u l l y p la n n e d program t o be r i d o f B r i t i s h c o n t r o l , b u t he t h o u g h t he saw a r e g u l a r d e v e l o p ­ ment o f e v e n t s t h a t seemed t o p o i n t t o a p l a n . ever,

In London, how­

t h e r e was more c o n c e r n o v e r the p r e s e n t e f f e c t s o f Am erican

n o n - i m p o r t a t i o n on B r i t i s h m a n u f a c t u r i n g than o v e r t h e o o s s i b l e f u t u r e r e v o l t and in d e p e n d e n c e o f t h e c o l o n i e s . 3 C h a t e l e t c o r r o b o r a t e d t h e r e p o r t o f Lo ndon’ s a n x i e t y o v e r American n o n - i m p o r t a t i o n .

T roop s , he s a i d , wou ld n o t be a b l e t o

^Anon. t o t h e Comte de C h a t e l e t , J u l y 1 5 , 1 7 6 8 , op. 440-42. ^Frances to C h o is e u l,

Oct. 28, 1768, i b i d . , p.

ib id .. 445.

3Franc&s t o C h o i s e u l , Nov. 4, 1 7 6 8 , A . a . E . , C . P . , A n g l e t e r r e , CCCCLXXXI, f o l s . 1 7 9 - 8 0 (Can. Ar. t r a n s . ) .

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

61

f o r c e the consum ption of m anufactured g o o d s.

I f the c o l o n i s t s

c o n t i n u e d i n t h e i r d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o buy no B r i t i s h g o o d s , as everyone thought th e y would,

the r e s u l t i n g c o l l a p s e o f B r i t i s h

t r a d e and m a n u f a c t u r i n g w ou ld c a u s e w i d e s p r e a d m i s e r y and d i s c o n ­ te n t in B r it a in .

Most o f t h e B r i t i s h p e o p l e t h o u g h t t h a t some e x ­

p e d i e n t s h o r t o f f o r c e would be f o u n d t o s a t i s f y and s a v e the h o n o r o f t h e g o v e r n m e n t .

t h e Am er icans

C h a t e l e t r e c o g n i z e d , how­

e v e r , t h a t the l o n g e r a s e t t l e m e n t was p o s t p o n e d , would be t o f i n d an a c c e p t a b l e m i d d l e c o u r s e .

the harder i t

He t h o u g h t t h a t

t h i n g s were g o i n g j u s t a s he would have w i s h e d them f o r F r a n c e : t he p o s s i b i l i t y o f s e t t l e m e n t would become more and more v a g u e , and t h e B r i t i s h governm ent would be a b l e to do n o t h i n g a b o u t i t . "One can d e s t r o y ,

f r i g h t e n by e x a m p l e s and l e a d t o o b e d i e n c e

t h r o u g h f e a r or m i s f o r t u n e , b u t one ca n n o t subdue t h e w i l l o f a numerous p e o p l e and f o r c e them n o t t o d e p r i v e t h e m s e l v e s o f t h e com forts o f l i f e , and a j o y . ”

when e n t h u s i a s m makes o f t h e p r i v a t i o n an honor

I f t h e B r i t i s h government c o n t i n u e d t o be uncompro­

m i s i n g , B r i t a i n would b e r u i n e d . C h a t e l e t went on t o s a y , h o w e v e r ,

t h a t s u c h an o p t i m i s t i c

outcome f o r t h e F r e n c h w o u ld n e v e r h a p p e n , f o r b r i t i s h p u b l i c o p i n i o n would f o r c e a s e t t l e m e n t , and t h e a t t e n t i o n o f t h e Am eri­ c a n s would be d i r e c t e d tcward an a t t a c k on F r e n c h and S p a n i s h p ossession s.

He d i d not know w h e t h e r B r i t a i n would be a b l e t o

subdue t h e Americans by f o r c e , t h i s , m ig h t g i v e C hatelet c a lle d

and t h e m i n i s t r y ,

i f i t realized

i n t o the A m e r i c a n s f o r a w h i l e and p o s t p o n e what "the t o t a l and i n e v i t a b l e

o f t h e c o l o n i e s and t h e m e t r o p o l i s . ”

separation of in te r e s t s

While t i m e was p a s s i n g ,

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

if

62

s u c h a p o l i c y were p u r s u e d ,

t h e r e would be i n America " u n q u i e t

s p i r i t s " and a " f e r m e n t a t i o n i n a l l h e a d s . C h a t e l e t ,

as a mat­

t e r o f f a c t , d i d n o t know what p o l i c y t h e B r i t i s h go vern m en t would p u r s u e . ity

He was s u r e t h a t i f P a r l i a m e n t a s s e r t e d i t s a u t h o r ­

o v e r t h e c o l o n i s t s and i t s r i g h t t o t a x them, w i t h i n s i x

months " t h e r e w i l l b e f i r e

i n a l l f o u r c o r n e r s o f A m e r ic a ."

It

t h e r e f o r e r e m a in e d t o P r a n c e and S p a i n t o c o n s i d e r w h e t h e r t h e y w a n ted t o l e t

t h e c o l o n i e s t a k e t h e r i s k o f b e i n g s u p p r e s s e d by

t h e B r i t i s h o r t o s t e p i n and t a k e e f f e c t i v e a c t i o n i n t h e c o n f l i c t . At a n y r a t e ,

i t was i m p e r a t i v e f o r Fr anc e and S p a i n t o e v o l v e a

p o l i c y toward A m erica .

2

C h o i s e u l com municat ed t h e s e i d e a s

to the S p a n ish co u r t

and t o the F r e n c h k i n g , and was s o o n a b l e t o r e p o r t t h a t the F r e n c h k i n g r e c o g n i z e d the " s a g a c i t y and s o l i d i t y " remarks.

K in g L o u i s

of C h atelet’s

XV wanted C h a t e l e t

to c o n tin u e t o o b serve 3 i n d e t a i l t h e s e m a t t e r s , w h i c h were so e s s e n t i a l t o F r a n c e .

C h a t e le t , a c c o r d in g ly , continued h i s o b s e r v a tio n s .

He now t o o k

up an e x t e n s i v e t r a d e b e t w e e n t h e American c o l o n i e s and the F r e n c h and S p a n i s h c o l o n i e s .

F r a n c e , S p a i n , and B r i t a i n had t r a d i t i o n ­

a l l y f o l l o w e d t h e p o l i c y o f e x c l u d i n g f o r e i g n e r s from t r a d e w i t h t h e ir c o lo n ie s , but eq u a lly t r a d i t i o n a l l y ,

a l l t h e c o l o n i e s had

c a r r i e d on an e x t e n s i v e t r a d e by s m u g g l i n g . s on f o r t h e a n g e r o f

I n d e e d , a major r e a ­

t h e B r i t i s h c o l o n i s t s w i t h t h e m oth er c o u n t r y

^C hatelet to

C h o i s e u l , Nov. 1 1 , 1 7 6 8 , W i t t ,

op. c i t . .

pp.

^ C h & t e le t t o

C h o is e u l, Dec. 9, 1768,

pp . 4 4 9 - 5 0 .

^Choiseul to

C h a t e le t, Dec. 20, 1768,

445-47. ib id . . ib id ..

p.

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission .

451.

63

was t h e s u d d e n l y v i g o r o u s ca mpaign o f B r i t i s h c u s to m s o f f i c i a l s t o o u t an end t o s m u g g l i n g .

And now t h a t t h e Americans were r e ­

f u s i n g t o buy B r i t i s h g o o d s ,

t h e y had to g e t c e r t a i n e s s e n t i a l

i t e m s from t h e F r e n c h i s l a n d s . C h a t e l e t saw i n t h i s s i t u a t i o n F r a n c e ' s g r e a t o p p o r t u n i t y t o w i n t h e f r i e n d s h i p o f t h e A m e r i c a n s , and he b e l i e v e d t h a t t h e y s h o u l d be g i v e n co m m e r c ia l c o n c e s s i o n s , e v e n a t t h e e x p e n s e o f t h e a n c i e n t p o l i c i e s o f e x c l u s i o n o f Fr ance and S p a i n .

"Everything

t h a t c a n t e n d t o m u l t i p l y F r en ch and S p a n i s h t i e s w i t h t h e American s u b j e c t s o f Great B r i t a i n ,

e v e r y t h i n g t h a t can c o n t r i b u t e

w e l l b e i n g and t o t h e f a c i l i t y

of th eir

to t h e ir

t r a d e w i l l so much more

i n s p ir e the s p i r i t

o f i n d e p e n d e n c e and g i v e them s o much more

means t o g a i n i t . "

France s h o u l d r e l a x t h e r e s t r i c t i o n s upon

American t r a d e i n h e r c o l o n i e s ,

g i v e t h e B r i t i s h Am er icans commer­

c i a l p r e f e r e n c e , and show a marked d i f f e r e n c e o f t r e a t m e n t b e t w e e n t h e Am er icans and t h e B r i t i s h .

T h i s would p r o v i d e a f a v o r a b l e

b a l a n c e o f t r a d e f o r F r e n c h m a n u f a c t u r e s and would a i d t h o s e Amer­ i c a n s who, d e t e r m i n e d t o d e p r i v e t h e m s e l v e s o f B r i t i s h p r o d u c t s , y e t c o u l d n o t do w i t h o u t c e r t a i n t h i n g s t h a t t h e y c o u l d n o t p r o ­ duce f o r t h e m s e l v e s .

F u r t h e r m o r e , i t would e n c o u r a g e t h e Americans

t o c a r r y on an e v e n l a r g e r s m u g g l i n g t r a d e , law s.

in d efia n ce o f B r i t i s h

I f F r en ch m e r c h a n ts would t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f s u c h a program,

t h e Americans would become so a c c u s t o m e d t o t r a d e w i t h t h e Fr ench t h a t t h e y w ou ld n o t g i v e i t un ever; t hough the c o n f l i c t w i t h B r i t a i n m ig h t be s e t t l e d . C h a t e l e t a d m i t t e d t h a t he d i d n o t know a l l t h e r a m i f i c a ­ t io n s of

the p r o b le m , b u t e v e r y o n e knew t h a t B r i t a i n ' s g r e a t e s t

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64

d a n g e r was i n l o s i n g h er m ar ket i n A m e r ic a .

I f t h e Am erican s saw

t h a t F r a n c e was c o o p e r a t i v e i n t r a d e , t h e y would g r a d u a l l y a c c e p t the id e a of French a id

i n a b id f o r in d ep en d en ce.

Was i t

i n t e r e s t o f F r a n c e and

Spain to a id r e v o l u t io n i n

America?

to the Was

the w e a k e n i n g o f a g r e a t enemy s u f f i c i e n t c o m p e n s a t i o n f o r t h e r i s k t h a t s u c h a r e v o l u t i o n m ig h t o f f e r a bad exam ple t o t h e F r e n c h and S p a n i s h c o l o n i e s ?

I f p r e s e n t good seemed more im p o r ­

ta n t than futu re but h y p o th e t ic a l danger,

t h e n t h e two c o u r t s

should ta k e ev ery p o s s i b l e advantage o f c ir c u m sta n c e s. These c o l o n i e s , i n c a s e o f w a r, ca n n e v e r be t h e o b j e c t o f u s e f u l c o n q u e s t f o r u s : i f t h e r e i s any p a r t f o r u s t o t a k e , i t i s i n s e p a r a t i n g them from E n g l a n d , i n f u r n i s h i n g them c o m m e r c i a l g o o d s and i n u s i n g them t o s u p p l y o u r i s l a n d s when i t i s a l m o s t i m p o s s i b l e t o f e e d them from E u r o p e , and f i n a l l y , i n making w i t h them a t a c i t c o n t r a c t i n w h i c h t h e i r i n t e r e s t and n e e d s w ou ld be t h e f i r s t m o t i v e and t h e s u r e s t guarantees C h a t e l e t ’ s p l a n was e x c i t i n g

to C h o i s e u l , who p r e s e n t e d

i t a t once t o t h e k i n g and t h e c o u n c i l .

They g a v e i t

serious a t ­

t e n t i o n and u n a n i m o u s l y ap p roved o f a p l a n tha t would i n j u r e B r i t ­ i s h commerce and s t r e n g t h e n F r en ch commerce by o p e n i n g t h e way f o r Am er ican t r a d e .

But i n s u c h a p l a n , the c o n c u r r e n c e o f S o a i n

was e s s e n t i a l , and s o t h e p r o p o s a l s o f C h a t e l e t were s e n t t o Sn ain .^

There was some i n t e r e s t ,

b u t n o t enou gh to overcome

S p a n i s h f e a r o f g o l d and s i l v e r l e a v i n g t h e S p a n i s h e m p i r e , t h e A m er ican s g a i n e d r e a d y a c c e s s

if

t o t h e S p a n i s h c o l o n i e s and

achieved a favorab le balance of tr a d e .

Furthermore,

i f Spain a l ­

lo w ed onen t r a d i n g by t h e A m er ican s i n h e r p o s s e s s i o n s , •^C hatelet to C h o i s e u l , J a n . 2 8 , ^Choiseul to C h a t e le t , Feb.

1769,

6, 1769,

ib id .. ib id .,

the i n -

pp. 4 5 1 - 5 4 . pp . 4 5 4 - 5 5 .

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65

c r e a s e d American p r o s p e r i t y m ig h t he d a n g e r o u s f o r th e S p a n i s h colon ies.

I f t h e Am er icans became i n d e p e n d e n t ,

t h e y would p r o b ­

a b l y form a r e p u b l i c a n gov er nm en t and u n d e r t a k e d a n g e r o u s p l a n s o f conquest.

I t was n o t l i k e l y

t h a t S p a i n would a p p r o v e t h e plan,'*'

and a l t h o u g h C h o i s e u l c o n t i n u e d t o be e n t h u s i a s t i c ,

he was r e l u c ­

t a n t t o a c t w i t h o u t t h e c o o p e r a t i o n o f S p a i n , and t h e p l a n a p p a r ­ e n t l y was aba nd oned.

As a m a t t e r o f f a c t ,

t a k e n w i t h r e g a r d t o A m e r ic a .

no a c t i o n a t a l l was

C hoiseul l e f t

the govern m en t i n

1 7 7 0 , and the d e s i r e t o i n t e r v e n e i n America d i d n o t p a s s t o h i s successor.

But C h o i s e u l l e f t

i n the F r e n c h a r c h i v e s m a t e r i a l on

America t h a t may h a v e h e l p e d t o a r o u s e t h e i n t e r e s t o f a l a t e r foreign m in ister ,

t h e Comte de V e r g e n n e s , who was t o c a r r y on i n

the t r a d i t i o n o f C h o ise u l:

t h a t France c o u l d n o t be i n d i f f e r e n t

t o e v e n t s i n A m erica . I t c a n n o t be s a i d t h a t C h o i s e u l a c h i e v e d a n y t h i n g i n t h e way o f i n c r e a s i n g American f r i e n d s h i p f o r F r a n c e . t h a t Kalb was a b l e t o s e c u r e c o r r e s p o n d e n t s

We hav e s e e n

i n B o s t o n , b u t we h ave

a l s o s e e n t h a t Ben jam in F r a n k l i n hoped t h a t F r anc e would n o t be a b l e t o c a u s e t r o u b l e b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and h e r c o l o n i e s ,

a s

a m at ­

t e r o f f a c t , we do not know w h a t America was t h i n k i n g a b o u t Fr ance during th ese y e a r s . terest

The American p r e s s d o e s n o t r e v e a l g r e a t i n ­

i n Fr en ch a f f a i r s , b u t an a r t i c l e

i n a B o s t o n p ap er i n

J a n u a r y , 1769 showed t h a t t h e r e had b e e n some d i s c u s s i o n o f F r e n c h -A m e r i c a n r e l a t i o n s .

I t r e p o r t e d a c o n v e r s a t i o n , p re sumab ­

l y ^row London, on the s u b j e c t o f what would happen i f

the Ameri­

c a n s s h o u l d e v e r r e v o l t and p l a c e t h e m s e l v e s u n d e r the p r o t e c t i o n ^Marquis

de Ossun t o C h o i s e u l , Fe b.

2J,

1769,

i b i d . , p.

456.

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66

of Prance.

A Frenchman was a s k e d i f u n d e r s u c h c o n d i t i o n s France

would g u a r a n t e e lib erties,

t o the American s t h e i r p r e s e n t c i v i l and r e l i g i o u s

t o w h i c h he i s s u p p o s e d t o ha ve r e p l i e d :

"iwe v i s h d a t

d ey vood make de o f f e r , v o r me am c e r t a i n on d i s c o n d i t i o n de Am erica ns vood g e t l e a v e fr om de c o u r t o f F r a n c e t o be J e w s , T u r k s , or no r e l g i o n a t a l l i f d e y p l e a s e d . Two y e a r s l a t e r ,

i n t h e same p a p e r , t h e r e was a w a r n in g

t o B r i t a i n n o t t o t r y t h e Am erican s t o o f a r , w ith resentm ent" a g a i n s t B r i t a i n , m e e t w i t h any m i s f o r t u n e , England should s e i z e term s,

f o r t h e y were "warm

and s h o u l d t h e m o th er c o u n t r y

American demands would o r o b a b l y i n c r e a s e .

the p r e s e n t o p p o r t u n i t y t o make a c c e p t a b l e

f o r i f war s h o u l d come w i t h Fr anc e and S p a i n ,

t h e Am er ican s

would n o t j o i n i n i t u n l e s s t h e i r demands had b e e n s a t i s f i e d . S h o u ld an y p o w e r f u l n a t i o n o f f e r them h e r a l l i a n c e , and to p r o t e c t t h e ir tr a d e , w i l l th ey not i n s t a n t l y a ccep t i t ? - And w i l l n o t t h e v a s t a d v a n t a g e s t h a t w i l l a c c u r e [ s i c ] t o any n a t i o n t h a t i s a l l i e d w i t h A m e r ic a , and e n j o y s Her e x ­ t e n s i v e commerce, s t i m u l a t e e v e r y p o w e r f u l n a t i o n i n Eurooe to contend f o r so great a p r iz e ? There seemed e v e r y p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t suc h m ig h t haopen w i t h i n a few y e a r s ,

c o n s id e r in g the p r e s e n t s t a t e

o f B r i t a i n and A m e r i c a . 2

A o n a r e n t l y Am er ican s were n o t t h i n k i n g o f a p o s s i b l e lian ce

foreign a l ­

i n any g r e a t numbers: y e t t h e t h o u g h t had o c c u r r e d t o some

o f them s e v e r a l y e a r s b e f o r e i t became an a c t u a l i t y . ^-The B o s t o n C-aze t t e ,

and Countr?/ J o u r n a l , J a n . 1 6 , 1 7 6 9 .

2 "An American" t o t h e B r i t i s h P a r l i a m e n t ,

i b i d . , Dec. 9,

1771.

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CHAPTER V BONVOULOIR IS SENT TO AMERICA The c l o s e o f t h e y e a r 1 7 7 0 b r o u g h t t h e end o f t h e l o n g m i n i s t r y o f t h e Due de C h o i s e u l .

On C h r i s t m a s Eve he was d i s ­

m i s s e d from t h e gov er nm en t by L o u i s XV and e x i l e d t o h i s c o u n t r y estate.

Numerous r e a s o n s have b e e n g i v e n f o r C h o i s e u l * s d i s m i s s a l :

b e c a u s e he was i n f a v o r o f a war w i t h B r i t a i n , b e c a u s e he and h i s w i f e r e f u s e d t o a c c e n t the k i n g ’ s l a t e s t m i s t r e s s ,

Madame du

Barr?/, b e c a u s e he s i d e d w i t h t h e P a r l e m e n t s o f Rennes and P a r i s a g a i n s t t h e w i s h e s o f t h e k i n g , and b e c a u s e he had grown t o o pow­ e r f u l and d i c t a t o r i a l .

A l l o f t h e s e may have b e e n r e a s o n s f o r

h i s d i s m i s s a l , b u t one r e a s o n c e r t a i n l y was t h e s u c c e s s f u l i n ­ t r i g u e a g a i n s t C h o i s e u l by a c o n s i d e r a b l e g r o u p , o f w h i c h t h e Due d ’ A i g u i l l o n was one o f t h e l e a d e r s .

C h o i s e u l ’ s e x i l e was a p e r ­

s o n a l v i c t o r y f o r A i g u i l l o n , who t o o k o v e r t h e m i n i s t r y f o r f o r e i g n a f f a i r s that C hoiseul vacated . A i g u i l l o n i s g e n e r a l l y c o n s i d e r e d t o have b e e n a m i n i s t e r o f m e d i o c r e t a l e n t s , 1- b u t w h a t e v e r h i 3 a b i l i t y , he seems t o have ^-Almost n o t h i n g h a s b e e n w r i t t e n on the m i n i s t r y o f A i g u i l l o n : n r a c t i c a l l y e v e r y t h i n g oi. h i s l i f e d e a l s w i t h h i s e a r ­ l i e r c a r e e r as s o l d i e r and a d m i n i s t r a t o r . Bee, however, the v i ­ o l e n t l y a n t i - C h o i s e u l book: Comte de Mirabeau, Memoires du m i n l s t l r e du due d ’ A i g u i l l o n , p a i r de F r a n c e , e t " d e s on commandement e n B r e t a g n e : pour s e ' r v i r A "1’ h i s t o l r e de~ l a f i n du rfegne de' L o u i s XV e t a c e l l e du commencement du reg ne de L o u i s XVI. e d . CTI ITT S o u l a v i e (3d e d . : P a r i s : E . B u i s s o n , 1 7 9 2 ) . 67

with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission

68

abandoned C h o i s e u l * s p o l i c y o f i n t e r v e n i n g i n t h e a f f a i r s n a t i o n s o f Europe and t h e i r c o l o n i e s . w ith regard to B r i t a i n ' s c o l o n i e s , no i n t e r e s t i n A m e r i c a .

o f th e

Th is was p a r t i c u l a r l y t r u e

f o r A i g u i l l o n a p p a r e n t l y had

We do n o t know w h e t h e r he d e c i d e d t h a t

r e v o lu tio n in

America was n o t imminent and t h e r e f o r e Am erica was

not worthy o f

h i s a t t e n t i o n , or w h e t h e r h e f e l t t h a t an American

r e v o l u t i o n would n o t be t o t h e i n t e r e s t o f P r a n c e .

At a n y r a t e ,

he Da i d no a t t e n t i o n t o A m eric a , and the d e s p a t c h e s from t h e F r e n c h e m b a ss y i n London no l o n g e r g a v e m in u t e d e t a i l s o f A m erican a ffa irs.

There were no more r e p o r t s on t h e p r o g r e s s o f t h e

British-A m erican q u arrel, It is ceased: there

s u c h a s had d e l i g h t e d C h o i s e u l .

h a rd ly l i k e l y , however, t h a t a l l

in terest

i n America

must have b e e n p e o p l e i n Fr anc e who s t i l l

b elieved

t h a t A m e r i c a ' s f u t u r e was o f g r e a t i m p o r t a n c e t o F r a n c e .

The

s o u r c e s o f i n f o r m a t i o n t h a t were d e v e l o p e d d u r i n g C h o i s e u l ' s min­ i s t r y p r o b a b l y re m ain ed r e a d y f o r u s e when t h e go v e r n m e n t showed any i n t e r e s t .

P e o p l e h a v i n g i n f o r m a t i o n about a m e r i c a a o p a r e n t l y

saw no u s e i n s e n d i n g i t

t o the f o r e i g n o f f i c e

m i n i s t e r was n o t i n t e r e s t e d ,

so long as the

but t h e y p r o b a b l y were r e a d y t o s u p p l y

news when t h e y r e c e i v e d e n c o u r a g e m e n t . The a o p a r e n t l o s s o f i n t e r e s t

i n American a f f a i r s on t h e

p a r t o f the F r e n c h gov er nm en t c o i n c i d e d w i t h and may have b e e n c a u s e d by the e a s i n g o f t e n s i o n b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and A m e r ic a .

In

1 7 7 0 B r i t a i n r e p e a l e d a l l t h e o b j e c t i o n a b l e Townshend A c t s e x c e p t t h e d u t y on t e a ,

and t h e f o l l o w i n g t h r e e y e a r s were o n e s o f com­

p a r a t iv e q u ie t in B r i t i s h - c o l o n i a l r e l a t i o n s . ment seemed w i l l i n g

The B r i t i s h g o v e r n ­

to f o l l o w a p o l i c y o f c o n c i l i a t i o n

toward

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69

A m e r i c a , and s e r i o u s d i f f i c u l t i e s d i d n o t a r i s e u n t i l t h e end o f 1 7 7 3 , when t h e v i o l e n c e o f the B o s t o n Tea P a r t y p r e c i p i t a t e d a c ­ t i o n by B r i t a i n .

In r e t a l i a t i o n a g a i n s t t h e l a w l e s s n e s s o f t h e

B o s t o n i a n s , B r i t a i n p a s s e d the " I n t o l e r a b l e

A cts," c l o s i n g the

p o r t o f B o s t o n and o t h e r w i s e p u n i s h i n g the c o l o n y o f M a s s a c h u s e t t s . The a c t s a r o u s e d A m e r ic a n s i n a l l

the c o l o n i e s a g a in s t the B r i t i s h

g o v e r n m e n t , and a c a l l f o r an i n t e r c o l o n i a l a s s e m b l y t o c o n s i d e r t h e p r o p e r r e s p o n s e t o B r i t i s h a c t i o n s was good e v i d e n c e t h a t r e ­ l a t i o n s b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and h e r c o l o n i e s had r e a c h e d a c r i s i s . I n the same y e a r a s t h e m e e t i n g o f t h e f i r s t C o n t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s , 1 7 7 4 , L o u i s XV d i e d .

Frenchmen whose i n t e r e s t i n A m eri­

c a had c o n t i n u e d were g i v e n e n c o u r a g e m e n t when h i s s u c c e s s o r , L o u i s XVI, b r o u g h t i n a m i n i s t r y u n der t h e Comte de Maurepas, w i t h a new f o r e i g n m i n i s t e r ,

the Comte de V e r g e n n e s .

V er gen n es com­

b i n e d e n e r g y and f o r e s i g h t w i t h c o n s i d e r a b l e e x p e r i e n c e In d i p l o ­ m atic p o s i t i o n s , Sweden.-!-

i n c l u d i n g t h o s e o f a m b a ss a d o r t o Turkey and t o

We saw i n a p r e v i o u s c h a p t e r t h a t

i t was V er gen nes who

s u c c e s s f u l l y maneuvered Turkey i n t o d e c l a r i n g war on R u s s i a .

Like

C h o i s e u l , u n d e r v/hom he had once w ork ed , V e rg en n es was d e t e r m i n e d t o m a i n t a i n t h e p r e s t i g e and power o f F r a n c e , and he was aware o f the s ig n if ic a n c e rivalry.

o f American u n r e s t i n t h e c o u r s e o f i i n g l o - F r e n c h

P o s s i b l y he went b a c k t o the a c c o u n t s t h a t C h o i s e u l had

•^Louis B o n n e v i l l e de Marsangy, Le C h e v a l i e r de V er gen n es s o n am bassade a C o n s t a n t i n o p l e (2 v o l s . l P a r i s : L i b r a i r i e P l o n , 1 8 9 4 ) : L o u i s B o n n e v i l l e de Marsangy, Le Comte de V e rg en n es s o n am bassade en Suede 1 7 7 1 - 1 7 7 4 ( P a r i s : L i b r a i r i e P l o n , 1 8 9 8 ) : f o r a n e x c e l l e n t : b r i e f “summary o f Vergennes * l i f e , s e e John J . Meng, The Comte de V e r g e n n e s , Europe an P h a s e s o f h i s American D ip lo m a c y ( 1 7 7 4 - 1 7 8 0 ) ( W a s h i n g t o n , 1 9 3 2 J , pp . 1 1 - 4 0 .

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70

c o l l e c t e d and c o n s i d e r e d t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p t o what was h a p p e n i n g i n America i n 1 7 7 4 . I t was e a s y f o r Vergen n es t o become in fo rm ed on C h o i s e u l 1s d i p l o m a c y , b e c a u s e he h ad a s the f i r s t s e c r e t a r y i n t h e m i n i s t r y Conrad A l e x a n d r e G erard, who had s e r v e d under C h o i s e u l i n t h e same caoacity.

I t was Gerard who l a t e r n e g o t i a t e d t h e t r e a t y o f a l l i ­

a n c e w i t h t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s and became t h e f i r s t m i n i s t e r from P r a n c e t o the new n a t i o n .

Under C h o i s e u l Gerard p r o b a b l y had a c ­

q u i r e d a c o n s i d e r a b l e s t o r e o f k n o w l e d g e a b o u t A m er ica , and he p r o b a b l y p l a c e d t h i s a t t h e d i s p o s a l o f the new f o r e i g n m i n i s t e r . At any r a t e ,

Vergennes'

la te r actions

show t h a t he was v e r y much

aware o f t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t h a t e v e n t s i n America gave t o F r a n c e . To a Frenchman h o p i n g f o r t r o u b l e b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and A m eric a,

t h e s i t u a t i o n i n 177 4 must have seemed i d e a l .

b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and h e r c o l o n i e s ,

R elations

t h o u g h t h e y had e a s e d d u r i n g

t h e p r e c e d i n g t h r e e y e a r s , now were g r o w i n g more and more t e n s e . B r i t a i n abandoned a c o n c i l i a t o r y a t t i t u d e toward h e r c o l o n i e s , and t h e I n t o l e r a b l e A c t s seemed t o be t h e b e g i n n i n g o f a c o n t i n u ­ a l l y harsher p o lic y .

The C o n t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s d e m o n s t r a t e d t h a t

t h e Americans w ere s u f f i c i e n t l y a r o u s e d by t h e i r p l i g h t t o t r y c o l 1e c t i v e a c t i o n , and In P h i l a d e l p h i a t h e members o f C o n g r e s s s t a t e d the r i g h t s o f Amer icans and a s k e d f o r c o r r e c t i o n o f t h e i n ­ j u s t i c e s they f e l t

t h e y were e n d u r i n g .

Furthermore,

t h e y formed

IJohn J . Meng ( e d . ) , D e s p a t c h e s and I n s t r u c t i o n s o f Conrad A le x a n d r e Gerard 1 7 7 8 - 1 7 8 0 ( B a l t i m o r e : The Johns Hopkins P r e s s , 1 9 3 9 ) , pp . 3 3 - 4 4 : s e e a l s o H e n r i D o n i o l , Pol l t i q u e s d ’ a u t r e f o i s , l e Cte de V erg en n es e t P . M. Hennln 1 7 4 9 - T 7 5 7 ( P a r i s : Armand C o l i n e t C i e . , 1 8 9 8 ) , pp*. 4 0 - 4 2 .

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VI

an a s s o c i a t i o n t o e n f o r c e n o n - i m p o r t a t i o n , n o n - e x p o r t a t i o n , and n o n - c o n s u m o t i o n a g r e e m e n t s , p o t e n t weapons t o f o r c e B r i t i s h r e c ­ o g n itio n o f th e ir claim s. Such d e v e l o p m e n t s c o u l d n o t ha ve e s c a p e d t h e a t t e n t i o n o f an y Frenchman i n t e r e s t e d i n the f u t u r e o f B r i t a i n and h e r c o l o ­ n ies.

By s t u d y i n g th e w r i t i n g s o f C h o i s e u l and h i s a g e n t s and by

o b s e r v in g e v e n t s in America, V ergennes, l i k e C h o i s e u l , p robably came t o s e e t h a t America was t h e w e a k e s t s o o t i n t h e B r i t i s h em­ p i r e , and he a l m o s t s u r e l y b e g a n t o p l a n h i s a c t i o n s w i t h r e l a t i o n to America. Though e n m it y toward B r i t a i n m ig h t be d i s g u i s e d ,

the a t ­

t i t u d e o f t h e F r e n c h f o r e i g n o f f i c e was one o f w a t c h f u l n e s s and atten tiven ess

toward t h e t r e n d o f e v e n t s i n B r i t a i n and A m e r ic a .

A l t h o u g h Vergen n es p r o b a b l y d i d n o t i n t e n d t o h e l p t o b r i n g on a r e v o l u t i o n , y e t he o b s e r v e d w i t h o b v i o u s p l e a s u r e t h e d i f f i c u l t s i t u a t i o n i n w h i c h t h e B r i t i s h g o v e r n m e n t fou nd i t s e l f . r u a r y , 1V75, a f t e r he had b e e n i n o f f i c e a year,

In F e b ­

somewhat more t h a n h a l f

V e rg en n es w r o t e t o M. G a r n i e r , t h e c h a r g e d ' a f f a i r e s

in

London, t h a t he was d e p e n d i n g on him t o t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f e v e r y o p p o r t u n i t y t o l e t him know a l l t h a t was h a p p e n i n g i n London. V e rg en n es s a i d t h a t

be was i n t e r e s t e d l e s s

t h a n i n what t h e y c o u l d b e . for so ecia l a lertn ess;

not,

i n what t h i n g s were

He t h o u g h t tha t th e tim e had come sa id he,

t h a t he wa nte d t o p r o f i t " in

any way" from the d i f f i c u l t i e s o f t h e i r n e i g h b o r , b u t F r a nc e must be c a r e f u l t h a t n o t h i n g g o i n g on c o u l d be t u r n e d a g a i n s t h e r . ^ ■^Vergennes t o G a r n i e r , F e b . 1 6 , t e r r e , DVIII, f o l . 275.

1775, A .h .E ., C .P .,

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Angle-

72

V e r g e n n e s had e a r l i e r p u t t h e Frenchmen i n London on t h e i r g u a r d , and G a r n i e r r e p o r t e d i n J a n u a r y , 1775 t h a t the E a r l o f Chatham was d e f e n d i n g the c l a i m s o f t h e c o l o n i s t s . i c a n s l e a r n e d o f t h i s , he s a i d ,

When t h e Amer­

i t would s t r e n g t h e n t h e i r r e s o l u ­

t i o n t o r e s i s t more t h a n a r e i n f o r c e m e n t o f s e v e n hundred men would s t r e n g t h e n G e n e r a l Gage.

One more s p e e c h o f t h a t n a t u r e ,

and i t would be n e c e s s a r y f o r B r i t a i n t o se nd h e r e n t i r e army t o A m e r ic a , a n army t h a t now was a b l e

to m aintain the i n v i o l a b i l i t y

o f t h e h om elan d o n l y b e c a u s e o f the " j u s t i c e and m o d e r a t i o n o f h e r n eigh b ors." 1

G a r n i e r wondered how t i e Am erican problem would e n d .

Would i t be by a t o t a l s e p a r a t i o n o f the c o l o n i e s from the mother c o u n t r y , by a t r e a t y " b e tw e e n London and B o s t o n , " or by t h e y i e l d ­ i n g o f t h e Am er icans? be r e l i e d

on ,

altern ative.

He c o n c l u d e d t h a t i f h i s

inform ation could

the y i e l d i n g o f the A m er ican s was the l e a s t l i k e l y But G a r n i e r a p p a r e n t l y t h o u g h t t h a t t h e B r i t i s h

p e o o l e were more d i s t u r b e d o v e r t h e p r o s p e c t o f a m i n i s t e r i a l r e v ­ o l u t i o n than a r e v o l u t i o n i n the e m p i r e . 2

He e x p e c t e d e v e n t s i n

London t o become d a i l y more i n t e r e s t i n g , and h e d e c i d e d t h a t he s h o u l d e x e r c i s e more and more v i g i l a n c e i n r e p o r t i n g e v e r y t h i n g t h a t haooened t h e r e .

He t h o u g h t t h a t he had t h e v e r y b e s t s o u r c e s

f o r rvrocuring i n f o r m a t i o n and b e l i e v e d t h a t h i s r e n o r t s would be accurate. ^ As G a r n i e r c o n s i d e r e d B r i t a i n ’ s p r o b l e m s i n d e a l i n g w i t h 1G a r n i e r t o V e r g e n n e s , J a n . 2 2 , 1 7 7 5 ,

ib id ..

fo l. fo l.

100.

2G a r n i e r to V e r g e n n e s , F e b . 6 , 1 7 7 5 ,

ib i d . .

3G a r n i e r t o V e r g e n n e s , lv.ar. 6, 1 7 7 5 ,

i b i d . . DIX, f o l s .

32-3.3.

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

190.

73

h e r c o l o n i e s , he wondered i f B r i t a i n would n o t do e v e r y t h i n g p o s ­ sib le

t o b r i n g ab o u t t h e i n d e p e n d e n c e o f t h e F r e n c h c o l o n i e s ,

w er e F r anc e t o f i n d h e r s e l f i n B r i t a i n ' s c e r t a i n l y have a f l e e t

p osition .

B r i t a i n would

to p r o t e c t h e r p o s s e s s i o n s i n t h e t r o u b l e d

a r e a s , and G a r n i e r fo u n d t h a t E n g l i s h m e n e x p e c t e d t h e F r e n c h k i n g t o d e s p a t c h a f l e e t t o America f o r

that puroose.

An E n g l i s h m a n

o f " d i s t i n g u i s h e d m e r i t ” who w a s , a c c o r d i n g t o G a r n i e r , a p p r o v e d b y t h e A m e r i c a n s , a p p ro a ch ed G a r n i e r w i t h t h e s u g g e s t i o n t h a t i f Fr a n c e were t o t a k e a c t i o n t o " p r o t e c t " American f i s h e r m e n a t New­ f o u n d l a n d , t h e f i s h e r m e n would a l l be won o v e r t o F r a n c e . in r e p o r t i n g the i n t e r v i e w , w ise u n id e n t if ie d )

s a i d t h e man of m e r i t

G arnier,

(who i s o t h e r ­

t h o u g h t the Am er icans wou ld t h e n form an a l l i ­

a n ce w i t h r r a n c e and S p a i n , f o u n d e d on t h e i r r e c i p r o c a l i n t e r e s t s . G a r n i e r s a i d t h a t a l t h o u g h he was u rged t o c o n s i d e r t h e m a t t e r c a r e f u l l y and a t l e n g t h , he f e l t

t h a t he s h o u l d make an im m ediate

r e s p o n s e s o t h a t t h e r e c o u l d be no d o u b t a b o u t t h e F r e n c h a t t i ­ t u d e , and he a s s u r e d t h e E n g l i s h m a n t h a t t h e p l a n was n o t p r a c ­ tic a b le.1

Ver gen nes t h o u g h t t h a t t h i s p r o p o s a l m i g h t be a t r i c k ,

and h e was g l a d t h a t G a r n i e r g a v e s o d e f i n i t e an a n s w e r . he s a i d , must be c o n s t a n t l y on t h e w a t c h f o r s n a r e s , o b j e c t was t h e m a in t e n a n c e o f p e a c e w i t h B r i t a i n ,

France,

iier p r i m a r y

and e v e r y t h i n g

p o s s i b l e must be done t o a v o i d a c t i o n t h a t m ig h t l e a d t o t r o u b l e . 2 The p o s s i b i l i t ? / o f t r o u b l e b e t w e e n France and B r i t a i n was p er hap s i n c r e a s e d i n A p r i l ,

1 7 7 5 , when t h e d i s c o n t e n t i n America

^G arn ie r t o V e r g e n n e s , J«ar.

6,

1775,

2 Vergen n es t o G a r n i e r , Mar. 1 5 , 1 7 7 5 ,

ib id . . fo ls. Ib id .,

fo l.

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout perm ission.

29-30. 103.

74

ch a n g e d t o a c t i v e w a r f a r e .

The b a t t l e o f L e x i n g t o n i n M assa ch u­

s e t t s marked t h e b e g i n n i n g o f h o s t i l i t i e s ,

and n o t l o n g t h e r e a f t e r

t h e C o n t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s c h o s e a c o m m a n d e r - i n - c h i e f f o r t h e Amer­ i c a n army.

The American R e v o l u t i o n was a c t i v e l y i f

not y e t o f f i ­

c i a l l y u n d erw ay, p r o v i d i n g P r a n c e w i t h an e x c e l l e n t o p o o r t u n i t y t o oppose her B r i t i s h r i v a l .

But V e r g e n n e s 1 a t t i t u d e

toward

B r i t a i n and America i n 1 7 7 5 was one o f w a t c h f u l w a i t i n g . in terested

He was

i n e v e r y t h i n g , b u t he was u n w i l l i n g t o assume t h a t

more was g o i n g t o happen t h a n had h a p p e n e d , and he was wary o f g i v i n g undue s i g n i f i c a n c e e v e n t s , " he s a i d , t h e y happen."^-

to in c id e n ts.

''Let u s n o t a n t i c i p a t e

"but c o n t e n t o u r s e l v e s w i t h l e a r n i n g them when

He w an ted t o ca lm the f e a r s

r e g a r d t o n o s s i b l e a g g r e s s i o n by F r a n c e . 2

of the B r i t i s h w ith And V ergen nes t h o u g h t

t h a t t h e B r i t i s h k i n g , knowing F r e n c h " p r i n c i p l e s o f m o d e r a t i o n and j u s t i c e , "

s h o u l d b e p r o o f a g a i n s t t h e t r o u b le m a k i n g o f t h o s e

who would a r o u s e him t o f e a r P r a n c e . o f B r i t a i n ’ s bad p o s i t i o n , help her s e t t l e

said

Vergennes,

the d i f f i c u l t i e s

t o f e a r the s p i r i t o f r e v o l t :

Far from t a k i n g a d v a n t a g e Pr anc e would l i k e

i n A m e r ic a .

to

V er gen n es c l a i m e d

" i t I s w i t h m ora l a s w i t h p h y s i c a l

m a l a d i e s - - b o t h one and t h e o t h e r may become i n f e c t i o u s . "

For

t h a t r e a s o n a l o n e Fr anc e s h o u l d be c a r e f u l t h a t t h e s p i r i t o f i n d e n e n d e n c e s h o u l d n o t s p r e a d t o t h o s e p a r t s o f Nort h America i n w h i c h Pr a nc e had an i n t e r e s t . ’^ ^"Vergennes t o G a r n i e r , May 1 2 , 1 7 7 5 ,

i b i d . , DX, f o l .

60.

2For r e r o r t on B r i t i s h f e a r s , s e e G a r n i e r t o V e r g e n n e s , May 5 , 1 7 7 5 , i b i d . , f o l . 3 5 . ^V er ge nnes t o Comte de G u in e a , June 2 3 ,

1775,

ib id .,

297.

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

fo l.

75

A p p a r e n t l y t h e F r e n c h gover n m en t was n o t a l o n e t e r e s t i n A m erica .

in i t s

in ­

There were Frenchmen i n America who t h o u g h t

t h a t Vergen n es s h o u l d n o t o v e r l o o k what was h a p p e n i n g i n t h e B ritish colon ies.

A man named D e s r i v i e r r e , d e s i g n a t e d a s an

" o f f i c e r o f the c o l o n i e s , " w rote t o Ver ge nnes from M a r t i n iq u e t o s a y t h a t he was s ur e t h a t t h e f o r e i g n m i n i s t e r was n o t l o s i n g s i g h t o f t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e t o a l l t h e w o r l d of what was g o i n g on i n A m eric a.

He s a i d t h a t th ough he had n e v e r worked f o r V e r g e n n e s ,

he l i k e d " t h e kin d o f work" t h a t one would do f o r the f o r e i g n d e ­ p a r t m e n t , and he t h o u g h t t h a t he had v a l u a b l e i n f o r m a t i o n i n l e t ­ t e r s from c o r r e s p o n d e n t s i n t h e i s l a n d s where the New E n g l a n d e r s came t o t r a d e .

D e s r i v i e r r e p l a n n e d t o v i s i t F r a nc e q u i t e s o o n ,

and he o f f e r e d t o show V er gen nes how he c o u l d g e t

i n f o r m a t i o n on

America w i t h p r o m p tn e s s and a s s u r a n c e . ^ But i f

i t was e a s y i n M a r t i n iq u e t o g e t i n f o r m a t i o n a b ou t

the B r i t i s h c o l o n i e s ,

i t was d i f f i c u l t i n London t o f i n d out what

was r e a l l y g o i n g on i n A m e r i c a . and d e n i a l s made i t Comte de G u i n e s ,

S t a t e m e n t s and c o u n t e r - s c a t e m e n t s

c o n f u s i n g , and t h e F r e n c h a m b a s s a d o r , the

s a i d t h a t in London nobody s p o k e t h e t r u t h .

The

F r e n c h em bassy s t a f f o b s e r v e d a s c l o s e l y a s p o s s i b l e , and a d d i ­ t i o n a l men were h i r e d f o r the w ork .

They d i d a l l t h a t t h e y c o u l d

t o f i n d o u t what was g o i n g on i n London w i t h r e g a r d t o Am er ica, and the t r u e c o u r s e o f e v e n t s i n t h e c o l o n i e s , b u t t h e am bass ador d i d n o t have much c o n f i d e n c e t h a t he c o u l d s e c u r e r e l i a b l e

in for-

m ati on. ^ D e s r i v i e r r e t o [ V e r g e n n e s ] , May 2 0 , 1 7 7 5 ,

ib id . , fo l.

125.

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76

For t h a t r e a s o n G u in es s u g g e s t e d t h a t i t m i g h t be w e l l f o r Fr anc e t o se n d an a g e n t t o America who c o u l d g i v e t h e F r e n c h g o vern m en t a c o m p l e t e l y r e l i a b l e in the c o l o n i e s . th in g d e f in i t e :

s t a t e m e n t o f what was h a p p e n i n g

There seemed t o b e no o t h e r way t o l e a r n a n y ­ e v e n t h e B r i t i s h m i n i s t r y had b e e n m i s t a k e n and

u n d o u b t e d l y would b e a g a i n .

I f t h e F r e n c h had i n America a man

who c o u l d u n d e r s t a n d b o t h p o l i t i c a l and m i l i t a r y e v e n t s and so f o r e s e e d e v e l o p m e n t s , he c o u l d s e n d i n f o r m a t i o n t o V ergenn es e v e r y t im e a m erch ant v e s s e l l e f t f o r L u r o p e .

G u ines c o n s u l t e d t h e man

’’who s e r v e s us h e r e w i t h s o much f a i t h f u l n e s s , gence"

z e a l and i n t e l l i ­

( a p p a r e n t l y a s a s e c r e t a g e n t ) , and t h e a g e n t t h o u g h t h a t

s e n d i n g a man t o America was a g ood i d e a .

T h is f a i t h f u l , unnamed

a g e n t i n London m ig h t u n d e r t a k e t o f i n d a man t o s e n d t o A m eric a , and Guines was s u r e t h a t i f a man were f o u n d , he would c a r r y ou t the a ssign m ent s u c c e s s f u l l y .

G u in e s d i d not knov how much s e n d i n g

an a g e n t t o America would c o s t , a n d , i n d e e d , h e had n o t d e v e l o p e d the d e t a i l s o f the p la n .

But he t h o u g h t t h a t i f a man were s e n t

t o A m e r ic a , he would l e t t h a t man b e l i e v e

t h a t he was b e i n g em­

p l o y e d b y a p a r t y o f the o p p o s i t i o n i n L o n d o n . 1 G u i n e s ’ p l a n met w i t h the sin ce i t

fa v o r o f the k in g o f F r a n c e ,

seemed t h e o n l y way t o f i n d

ou t what was h a p p e n i n g i n

A m e r ic a , and the k i n g was c o n v i n c e d o f t h e

importance

t o F r an c e

o f e v e n t s i n A m e r ic a .

Ve rg en nes a u t h o r i z e d Guines t o make s u i t Q a b l e a r r a n g e m e n t s t o d e s p a t c h an a g e n t . I t i s in te r e s t in g to 1 G u in e s t o V e r g e n n e s ,

J u l y 1 , 1 7 7 5 , i b i d . , DXI, f o l s .

15-17. ^ V er g en n es t o G u i n e s , J u l y 1 0 , 1 7 7 5 , i b i d . ,

fo l.

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission.

80.

77

note th at w ith in a year a f t e r taking o f f i c e , ing C h o i s e u l ’ s exam ple.

Ver gen nes was f o l l o w ­

Though he d i d n o t w i s h t o a n g e r B r i t a i n ,

he was w i l l i n g t o t a k e t h e r i s k o f a F r e n c h a g e n t b e i n g d i s c o v e r e d - s o a n x i o u s was he f o r i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t A m e r i c a . I n t h e m e an ti m e, h o w e v e r , Guines had d e c i d e d t h a t h i s o l a n was n o t p r a c t i c a b l e .

He t h o u g h t t h a t t h e B r i t i s h were g e t ­

t i n g r e a d y t o wage a r e a l war a g a i n s t t h e A m e r i c a n s .

In t h a t

c a s e , a l l v e s s e l s w ou ld be s t o p p e d , and m e a s u r e s f o r i n t e r c e p t i n g l e t t e r s would become s o s t r i n g e n t t h a t t h e r e would be l i t t l e s i b i l i t y o f news r e a c h i n g F r a n c e .

pos­

To c o m p en sa t e f o r t h e l a c k o f

s u c c e s s i n t h i s m a t t e r , h o w e v e r , Guines hoped to b r i n g i n t o h i s e m o lo y a c o n f i d e n t i a l s e c r e t a r y i n the

o f f i c e o f Lord Dar tmou th,

c o l o n i a l s e c r e t a r y In t h e B r i t i s h g o v e r n m e n t .

I t wou ld be e x p e n ­

s i v e , b u t Guines t h o u g h t t h a t i t worfLd b e w o r t h w h i l e t o be i n ­ formed o f a l l t h a t came i n t o and went ou t o f the c o l o n i a l office .-^ O b v i o u s l y t h e Fr en ch were d e s p e r a t e l y a n x i o u s f o r r e l i a b l e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t A m erica , e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e Guines became c o n ­ v i n c e d t h a t t h e Americans would no l o n g e r c o n s e n t t o be t h e s u b ­ j e c t s o f B r i t a i n and were d a i l y grow in g more d e t e r m i n e d i n t h e i r oon osition .

G u in es s a i d t h a t the B r i t i s h VJhigs c o n s i d e r e d America

a l r e a d y lo st ., and he was r a t l i e r i n c l i n e d t o a g r e e w i t h t h a t v i e w . 2 A lt h o u g h V er gen n es d id n ot a g r e e w i t h Guin es and b e l i e v e d

that a

means o f ac commodation m ig h t be f o u n d , he a g r e e d t h a t a l l a t t e n ­ t i o n was c e n t e r e d on A m erica,

as i t should b e . 3

^■Guines t o

Vergennes, Ju ly 14, 1775,

ib id ., fo l.

2Guines t o

Vergennes, July 18, 1775,

ib id . . fo ls.

3 V er gen n es

to Guines, July 22, 1775,

ib id .. fo l.

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109. 130-31. 145.

78

The d e s i r e f o r d e f i n i t e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t Am erica was i n ­ c r e a s e d by t h e r e p o r t t h a t many E n g l i s h m e n ,

i n c l u d i n g some h i g h

i n go ver n m en t c i r c l e s , were o f t h e o p i n i o n t h a t the b e s t way t o end t h e d i f f i c u l t i e s w i t h t h e i r c o l o n i e s was to d e c l a r e war on Prance.

The numerous p r o p o n e n t s o f t h i s p l a n were n o t a t a l l d i s ­

t u r b e d by t h e F r a n c o - S p a n i s h a l l i a n c e ,

i n s i s t i n g t h a t B r i t a i n had

b e a t e n s u c h a c o m b i n a t i o n b e f o r e and c o u l d do i t a g a i n .

These

E n g l i s h m e n s a i d t h a t t h e A m e r ic a n s wou ld be f r i g h t e n e d a t t h e i d e a o f Pr an ce r e g a i n i n g Canada, and i f

they were f o r c e d t o d e c i d e

b e t w e e n Prance and B r i t a i n ,

t h e i r u n q u e s t i o n e d c h o i c e would be

B ritain .

t h a t t h i s p o i n t o f v i e w was e x t r e m e l y

Guin es made c l e a r

d a n g e r o u s t o F r a n c e , a l t h o u g h he was r e l u c t a n t t o c a u s e undue alarm i n V ersailles.-*-

I f s u c h a v i e w g a i n e d w id e s u p p o r t i n the

B r i t i s h g o v e r n m e n t , Pr anc e i n d e e d had r e a s o n t o be c o n c e r n e d .

It

was i m p e r a t i v e f o r t h e F r e n c h g o v e r n m e n t t o know e x a c t l y what was g o i n g on i n America and how t h e Am erican s f e l t and the F r e n c h .

toward t h e B r i t i s h

I f a war w ere im m in e n t , t h e s t a n d a m e r i c a would

t a k e meant a g r e a t d e a l i n the f u t u r e o f Fr anc e and B r i t a i n . '.Vith t h i s i n m in d, G u ines became v e r y a n x i o u s t o f i n d some means o f g e t t i n g r e l i a b l e

i n f o r m a t i o n from A m e r i c a .

By

c h a n c e he g o t i n t o u c h w i t h a man named Achard de B o n v o u l o i r , a Frenchman w i t h n o b l e c o n n e c t i o n s and two b r o t h e r s i n t h e army who had h i m s e l f s e r v e d a s a v o l u n t e e r i n S a n t o Domingo.

When an i l l ­

n e s s had f o r c e d him t o l e a v e , he w e n t t o t h e B r i t i s h c o l o n i e s and there tra v eled e x t e n s iv e ly . York, P h i l a d e l p h i a ,

He made a c q u a i n t a n c e s i n B o s t o n , New

and P r o v i d e n c e and was o f f e r e d a p o s i t i o n i n

^Guinea t o V e r g e n n e s , J u l y 2 8 , 1 7 7 5 ,

ib id . . fo ls .

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission .

177-78.

79

t h e American, army, w h i c h he d i d n o t a c c e p t . an d was i n London when Guin es met h im .

He r e t u r n e d t o Europe

G u in e s t h o u g h t t h a t

B o n v o u l o i r was a n x i o u s t o go b a c k t o A m e r i c a , and he seemed w i l l ­ i n g t o go w h e r e v e r he was s e n t .

An a c c i d e n t t h a t had d i s f i g u r e d

him made i t d i f f i c u l t f o r him t o g e t a n o t h e r k i n d o f p o s i t i o n . B o n v o u l o i r a g r e e d t h a t i f the k i n g o f P r a nc e s e n t him t o A m e r ic a , he would a c t a s i f he were t h e r e on h i s own i n i t i a t i v e and w i t h o u t o f f i c i a l b a c k i n g ,

s o t h a t no one i n a u t h o r i t y would

b e compromised s h o u l d a mishap o c c u r . in fin d in g v e s s e ls

Ther e m ig h t be d i f f i c u l t y

l e a v i n g America f o r E ngland or F r a n c e ,

to

b r i n g l e t t e r s from B o n v o u l o i r , b u t G uin es t h o u g h t t h a t he and B o n v o u l o i r had worked o u t a l l t h e d e t a i l s v o u l o i r ’ s demands were t h r e e . ant in the in f a n t r y ,

sa tisfa cto rily .

Bon-

(1) A brevet com m ission as l i e u t e n ­

a n te d a te d t o the p r e v io u s September, so t h a t

i t would be e a s i e r f o r him t o e n t e r the r e b e l army i f he t h o u g h t i t w ise:

t h e a n t e d a t i n g was n e c e s s a r y b e c a u s e B o n v o u l o i r had t o l d

t h e Amer icans he was an o f f i c e r when he f i r s t v i s i t e d t h e B r i t i s h colon ies.

( 2 ) A s t i p e n d o f 20 0 l o u i s a y e a r , from w h i c h B o n v o u l o i r

would pay h i s own e x p e n s e s f o r t r a v e l and c o r r e s p o n d e n c e .

Guin es

t h o u g h t t h a t t h i s was q u i t e a b a r g a i n b e c a u s e t h e y v/ould t h e n n o t f e e l o b l i g e d t o h i r e t h e s e c r e t a r y i n the B r i t i s h c o l o n i a l o f f i c e who c h a r g e d 500 g u i n e a s f o r h i s a b le to provide i t

in stead .

inform ation:

(3) A l e t t e r

B o n v o u l o i r would be

t h a t G u in es would n o t

g i v e t o B o n v o u l o i r b u t o n l y show t o him, w r i t t e n t o Guin es by Vergennes,

s a y i n g t h a t the k i n g was aware o f t h e z e a l o f t h e

a g e n t and would a c k n o w le d g e h i s

services.

I f t h e k i n g wanted

B o n v o u l o i r t o go t o A m e r ic a , a c t i o n must be t a k e n a t o n c e ,

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

so

80

t h a t b e f o r e t h e s e a s o n was t o o l a t e a s h i p c o u l d be fou nd g o i n g t o the colonies.'*' V er gen nes a g r e e d t h a t s e n d i n g an a g e n t t o America was a good i d e a , b u t he f e l t

some d o u b t s ab ou t B o n v o u l o i r .

There was

no r e c o r d t h a t he had b e e n c o n n e c t e d i n any c a p a c i t y w i t h t h e p regim ent t o which he c l a i m e d t o have b e l o n g e d . B onvouloir's r e o ly to

t h i s was t o s a y t h a t he had b e e n w it h t h e r e g i m e n t o n l y

a s a v o l u n t e e r , and n a t u r a l l y t h e r e c o r d s d i d not show him a mem­ ber of the reg im en t.^

Whatever h i s d o u b t s ,

V e r g e n n e s gave Bon­

v o u l o i r t h e c o m m i s s i o n h e w a n t e d , ^ s e n t the l e t t e r had r e q u e s t e d ,

t h a t G u ines

s t a t i n g t h a t t h e k i n g was aware o f B o n v o u l o i r ' s

z e a l and was g r a t e f u l f o r i t , ^ and a u t h o r i z e d th e money f o r t h e exp ed ition .

Vergennes warned t h a t t h e t r i p t o America must be

c o n d u c t e d w i t h c a u t i o n , b e c a u s e nobody i n t h e F r e n c h gov ern men t must be co m p ro m is ed . American

I t was a l l r i g h t f o r B o n v o u l o i r t o j o i n th e

army, i f he w i s h e d , f o r he w a s , a f t e r a l l ,

th an a s o l d i e r o f

fortune.

Vergen n es s a i d

n o t h i n g more

t h a t t h e most i m p o r t a n t

r e q u i s i t e f o r the s u c c e s s of B o n v o u l o i r ' s m i s s i o n would be an a r ­ rangem ent f o r s e n d i n g i n f o r m a t i o n from America s o t h a t i t would r e a c h G uin es s a f e l y .

V er ge nnes t o l d Guin es t h a t h i r i n g B o n v o u l o i r

■^Guines t o V e r g e n n e s , J u l y 2 8 ,

1775,

2 Ver ge nnes t o G u i n e s , Aug. 7 , 1 7 7 5 , op . c i t . , p . 4 7 0 .

ib id ., ib id .,

fo ls. fo l.

178-82.

232: W i t t ,

30 u i n e s t o V e r g e n n e s , Aug. 1 8 , 177 5 , A. A. B . , C. P . , A n g l e t e r r e , DXI, f o l . 2 7 9 . ^The b r e v e t c o m m is s io n was e f f e c t i v e o n l y f o r t h e t r i p A m e r ic a , and B o n v o u l o i r was n o t t o j o i n t h e r e g i m e n t . ^Vergennes t o G u i n e s , Aug. 7 , 1 7 7 5 ,

ib id ..

fo l.

227.

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

to

ai was n o t t o e x c l u d e b r i b i n g t h e s e c r e t a r y i n London,

in the c o l o n i a l o f f i c e

f o r i t was i m p o r t a n t t o know n o t o n l y what was g o i n g

on i n A m e r i c a , b u t a l s o what o r d e r s were s e n t t h e r e by t h e g o v e r n ­ ment . V e r g e n n e s t h e n added a s e c o n d p a r t t o the p l a n o f Bo nv o u l o i r ’ s m i s s i o n a s s e t up by G u i n e s .

I t was an e x t r e m e l y im-

o o r t a n t d e v e l o p m e n t and a s t a r t l i n g d e p a r t u r e from V e r g e n n e s 1 s t a t e m e n t , made l e s s lik e

t h a n two months b e f o r e ,

to h e lp B r ita in s e t t l e her d i f f i c u l t i e s

now t o l d G u in es t h a t B o n v o u l o i r ,

t h a t P r a n c e would i n A m e r ic a .

Vergen n es

i n a d d i t i o n t o s e n d i n g b a c k an

a c c u r a t e a c c o u n t o f e v e n t s i n America and the f e e l i n g s and s p i r i t o f t h e p e o p l e , was a l s o t o r e a s s u r e of France.

the Amer ican s a g a i n s t any f e a r

T h is was V e r g e n n e s ’ answ er t o t h e r e p o r t t h a t the

B r i t i s h would t r y t o b r i n g t h e A m er ican s i n t o a war a g a i n s t Pr anc e by w a r n i n g them t h a t Pranc e wan te d t o r e g a i n Canada. said

t h a t Canada was the p o i n t .jaloux f o r

Verg ennes

the A m e r i c a n s , and t h e y

must be made t o u n d e r s t a n d t h a t Fr anc e had no a m b i t i o n s i n t h a t d irection .

That would be one o f the

th in g s f o r B o n vou loir to do.

B o n v o u l o i r was a l s o t o c o n v i n c e t h e A m e r ic a n s t h a t P r a n c e , f a r from r e g a r d i n g them w i t h g r u d g i n g e y e s , and n o b i l i t y

of th eir e f fo r ts .

i n d e e d ad m ired t h e g r a n d e u r

He was t o s a y t h a t P r a nc e had no

d e s i r e t o harm t h e A m er ican s and would be p l e a s e d i f hanpy c i r c u m ­ s t a n c e s made i t

p o s s i b l e f o r American s h i p s t o v i s i t F r e n c h p o r t s ,

where t h e e x c e l l e n t f a c i l i t i e s F r e n c h e s t e e m f o r them.-*-

7/itt,

t h e y would f i n d t h e r e wou ld prove

The i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e s e

1 V e rg en n es t o G u i n e s , Aug. 7 , 1 7 7 5 , o n . c l t . , on. 47071.

ib id .,

in stru ctio n s fo ls.

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

232-53:

82

i n t h e s t o r y o f F r e n c h -H m e r ic a n r e l a t i o n s c a n n o t be o v e r e m p h a s i z e d , for it

is

the f i r s t

o fficia l,

or e v e n s e m i - o f f i c i a l ,

encouragement

g i v e n by Fr anc e t o the r e b e l l i n g c o l o n i e s . While a r r a n g e m e n t s were b e i n g made f o r B o n v o u l o i r ' s t r i p , G u in e s was d i s t u r b e d by r e p o r t s t h a t th e Americans were c l a i m i n g t h a t t h e y knew t h a t t h e y w o u l d be g i v e n f o r e i g n a i d .

He h a s t e n e d

t o a s s u r e members o f t h e B r i t i s h gov ern ment t h a t he knew n o t h i n g o f i t — knew, i n f a c t , and S p a i n )

two c o u n t r i e s

( m ean in g, o f c o u r s e , France

t h a t by t h e i r p o s i t i o n and the f a c t t h a t t h e y them­

s e l v e s had c o l o n i e s were o n l y t o o a n x i o u s t o s e e B r i t a i n v i c t o r i ­ ous o v e r h e r c o l o n i e s .

I t seemed t o him o n l y t o o e v i d e n t , he s a i d

to the B r i t i s h m i n i s t e r s , terested

t h a t no European gove rn m en t would be i n ­

i n s e e i n g a f r e e and t h r i v i n g go ver nm en t i n Am er ica ; i t

would r e p r e s e n t t o o g r e a t a t h r e a t t o the s e c u r i t y o f the E u ro p e­ ans and would be t o o g r e a t a magnet f o r t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f E u r o p e . I n t h e m ea n tim e, B o n v o u l o i r l e a r n e d o f h i s a p p o i n t m e n t , was p l e a s e d w i t h i t , G u in es t h o u g h t

and Promised t o c a r r y i t

out w ith v ig o r .

t h a t the e x p e d i t i o n m igh t be c o n s i d e r e d a s an e x ­

p e r i m e n t , and he gave B o n v o u l o i r a y e a r t o s e e w h e t h e r he c o u l d c a r r y out h i s a s he t h o u g h t , Am erican t r i o .

in stru ctio n s.

Guines s o o n r e c e i v e d welcome p r o o f ,

t h a t B o n v o u l o i r was g u a r d i n g t h e s e c r e t o f h i s When h i s b r o t h e r a r r i v e d i n London, B o n v o u l o i r

r e f u s e d t o r e v e a l h i s p l a n s t o him, m e r e l y s a y i n g t h a t he was not r etu rn in g to France. him:

The b r o t h e r app roa ch ed G u i n e s , who r e a s s u r e d

t h e n Guines d e c i d e d t o w r i t e t o B o n v o u l o i r ' s f a t h e r and ask

■'•Guines t o V e r g e n n e s , Aug. 1 3 , 177 5 , « , . A . L . , C . P . , t e r r e , T3XI, f o l s . 2 8 1 - 3 2 : W i t t , ♦ c l t . , p p . 472-3, o p

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission .

Angle -

83

t h a t he

( G u i n e s ) be g i v e n c h a r g e o v e r h i s s o n , w i t h o u t g i v i n g

any e x p l a n a t i o n . ■*Gu ines may have b e e n m i s t a k e n a b o u t B o n v o u l o i r ' s f o r i t se em s l i k e l y

in teg rity ,

t h a t w h i l e B o n v o u l o i r was c l a i m i n g h i s

very

s e c r e t t r i e t o A m e r ic a , he was a l s o i n c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h t h e B ritish .

Soon a f t e r G uin es f i r s t

conferred w ith Bonvouloir, a

r e o o r t w e n t t o Lord D art m o u t h , B r i t i s h c o l o n i a l s e c r e t a r y , two F r en ch o f f i c e r s n ies.

about

i n London who had b e e n i n the American c o l o ­

A b r i t i s h a g e n t had q u e s t i o n e d them d i s c r e e t l y and found

t h a t t h e y 'were o f f i c e r s way o f N o r t h A m e r ic a .

from t h e L e s t I n d i e s who had r e t u r n e d by They d i d n o t h e s i t a t e

t o cidr.it t h a t t h e y

had b e e n i n the carm o f t h e American army t r o u n d B o s t o n , had v i s i t e d G e n e r a l I s r a e l Putnam t h e r e , and had giver- a d v i c e on r . i l i tar:^ m a t t e r s . a b le L igB t."

"They sne ak o f hire and h i s t r o o p s i r a m ost d e s p i c ­ The Frenchmen f u r t h e r s a i d

t h a t t h e r e were a t l e a s t

two hundred o f f i c e r s and e n g i n e e r s i n London f r o m a l l Luronear. c o u n t r i e s t r y i n g to g e t t o America t o j o i n t h e r e b e l s .

These two

Frenchmen had b e e n j o i n e d a few days l a t e r by a F r ench o f f i c e r who came o v e r from Franco and v i s i t e d p ambs s s a d o r s . ^ One of t h e s e Beauvouloir able

[ s i c 3.

both- the S p a n i s h and F r e n c h

two o f f i c e r s was s a i d t o be t h e C"ue de An u n s i g n e d r e t o r t ,

to c o l l e c t from t h e

en titled

two Fr en ch O f f i c e r s ,

•'-Guines t o V e r g e n n e s , Aug. 1 8 , 1 7 7 5 , t e r r e , DXI, f o l s . 2 7 9 - 8 0 .

"what I have been

by e m p l o y i n g e v r y a . a .L .,

C .P .,

angle -

2.Tohr. Powna 11 t o (Lord Dartmouth] , Aug. 5 , 1 7 7 5 , B. F. O t e v e n s , F a c s i m i l e s o f - a r . u s c r i p t s ir. h u r o n e a n a r c h i v e s R e l a t i n g t o America 1 "''73-178.3 (London: T.alby and t o n s , ] 319-95)", k i l l , n o . 1801. — ~

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

84

[ s i c ] a r t , ” s t a t e d t h a t B e a u v o u l o i r and h i s f r i e n d ,

an e n g i n e e r

c a l l e d t h e C h e v a l i e r d ’ A m b o ise , had b e e n o v e r a g r e a t p a r t o f t h e Am er ican c o n t i n e n t . d istance

The w r i t e r o f t h e r e p o r t o b s e r v e d t h a t t h e

t h e y c l a i m e d t o have c o v e r e d would have t a k e n more than

t h e t h r e e months t h e y s a i d t h e y had b e e n i n A m e r ic a . Frenchmen s a i d t h a t ,

among t h e American o f f i c e r s ,

The two

t h e y knew G e n e r a l

Putnam and G e n e r a l Artemas AJa r d y i n command o f the M a s s a c h u s e t t s t r o o p s , e s n e c i a l l y w e l l , b u t t h e y were n o t c o m p li m e n t a r y o f e i t h e r . The Frenchmen c l a i m e d t h a t t h e y were a t the b a t t l e o f L e x i n g t o n , and t h e r e p o r t e r b e l i e v e d , from the d e t a i l s had r e a l l y b e e n t h e r e ,

they gave,

a c c o r d i n g t o the Frenchmen,

th a t they

t h e y had b e e n

o f f e r e d f o r t y oo unds a month t o j o i n t h e A m e r i c a n s , b u t t h e y had r e f u s e d b e c a u s e t h e y d i d n o t t h i n k t o o much o f the o f f e r and d id not lik e

t h e i d e a o f p a p er money.

They s a i d t h a t t h e r e were a t

l e a s t two hundred Frenchmen among the American t r o o p s , a c t i n g as a r tille r ists " oerfectly

and e n g i n e e r s .

They c o n s i d e r e d t h e r e b e l o f f i c e r s

i g n o r a n t o f t h e i r b u s i n e s s , ” b u t t h e men t h e m s e l v e s

seemed t o be " w e l l t r a i n e d t o t h e h a n d l i n g o f arras, *c r e m a rk a b ly w e l l arm ed."

The two Frenchmen seem n o t to have a g r e e d i n t h e i r

e s t i m a t e o f t h e p a t r i o t f o r t i f i c a t i o n s around b o s t o n , B e a u v o u l o i r s a y i n g t h a t t h e a r t i l l e r y was e q u a l t o t h a t i n E u r o n e , f o r the m ost p a r t , b u t d 'A m bois e e r a l.”

" held t h e A r t i l l e r y r a t h e r chea p i n g e n ­

They d i d a g r e e t h a t t h e Am erican s were i n need o f ammuni­

t i o n and e s n e c i a l l y powder and s u g g e s t e d t h a t g r e a t harm m ig h t be done t h e American s by j u d i c i o u s c a n n o n a d i n g . The F r e n c h o f f i c e r s

s a i d t h a t during; the tim e t h e y were

i n A m e r ic a , s e v e n F r en ch s h i p s ,

fly in g b n glish c o lo r s,

came t o

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85

A m e r ic a , b e a r i n g arms and a m m u n itio n .

The American s a l s o e x p e c t e d

F r en ch and S p a n i s h s h i p s t o a r r i v e from t h e i s l a n d s i n t h e West Ind ies, tio n .

c a r r y i n g F r ench and S p a n i s h o f f i c e r s and arms and ammuni­ These s h i p s would a p p e a r t o be .American p r o p e r t y , manned

p r i m a r i l y by American s a i l o r s ,

s o t h a t th ey would not cause

t r o u b l e f o r an y European c o u n t r y i f

t h e y wer e c a p t u r e d .

I t was t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e Frenchmen t h a t t h e Americans a s a w h o l e were e x t r e m e l y e n t h u s i a s t i c and c o n f i d e n t t h a t t h e y would be a b l e t o d e f e a t the B r i t i s h w i t h i n a few m o n t h s . th a t the le a d e r s used e v e r y p o s s i b l e a r t i f i c e il l good s p i r i t s ,

They r e p o r t e d

t o k ee p t h e s o l d i e r s

e v e n d r e s s i n g Amer icans i n B r i t i s h u n i f o r m s and

h a v i n g them come i n t o camp a s d e s e r t e r s .

But t h e y a l s o r e p o r t e d

" t h a t t h e C h i e f s begun [ s i c ] t o d e s p o n d , & t o r e f l e c t on t h e c o n ­ s e q u e n c e s o f t h e i r R e b e l l i o n , w h ic h i n time might d r i v e them t o c a l l in F orreign Succurs

[ s i c ] , which Is the s i t u a t i o n

th a t France

& S p a i n l o o k ou t f o r . "

The Americans seemed t o h a v e no " w e l l d i ­

g e s t e d p l a n , " and s i n c e

t h e r e was much j e a l o u s y and l a c k o f u n an ­

im ity,

i t would not be d i f f i c u l t f o r t h e B r i t i s h t o d i v i d e them

and f i n d an e a s y s o l u t i o n t o t h e c o n f l i c t . The B r i t i s h a g e n t who r e p o r t e d on B e a u v o u l o i r and h i s f r i e n d r e v e a l e d the method t h a t he u s e d :

(B onvouloir?)

" s tim u la tin g the

p r i d e o f Mon sie ur l e Comte," a t t h e "moment t h a t some v i n de Champagne produced th e d e s i r e d e f f e c t on h i s p r u d e n c e . "

By t h i s

means he l e a r n e d t h a t B e a u v o u l o i r had had two a u d i e n c e s w i t h the Comte de G u i n e s , who had "made him g r e a t o f f e r s b r o t h e r a l s o had v i s i t e d w i t h t h e c o u n t . the B r i t i s h a g e n t ,

of se r v ic e ."

"My o p i n i o n i s , "

said

" t h a t t h e Two f r e n c h O f f i c e r s are a t t h i s

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His

86

in stan t

i n t h e s e r v i c e o f t h e R e b e l A m e r i c a n s , & a r e p a i d b y them;

t h a t t h e y came o v e r e i t h e r w i t h p r o p o s a l s t o t h e C o u r t s o f F r a n c e & Spain,

o r some o t h e r c o m m i s s i o n i n the n m e r ic a n i n t e r e s t s ,

&

t h a t t h e y i n t e n d t o r e t u r n t o t h e i r e m p l o y e r s by means o f some E nglish s h i p .” rela tiv e

They seemed u n u s u a l l y w e l l in fo r m e d on a l l m a t t e r s

t o A m erica , but t h e a g e n t t h o u g h t t h a t t h e y were n o t t h e

o n l y o n e s o f t h e i r k in d i n L o n d o n . ! The n o t i o n t h a t B o n v o u l o i r was an a g e n t o f t h e Americans a p p a r e n tly d id n o t occur to Guines.

Yet i t i s l a r d

to b e l i e v e

t h a t B e a u v o u l o i r was any o t h e r t h a n B o n v o u l o i r , and i n t h a t c a s e it

i s p r o b a b l e t h a t he was i n t r i g u i n g w i t h the F r e n c h ,

cans,

and t h e E n g l i s h a t the same t i m e .

s p e c u l a t e on w h e t h e r i t

It is

t h e A m eri­

in t e r e s t in g to

c o u l d be t r u e t h a t F r a nc e h i r e d an a g e n t

a l r e a d y h i r e d by t h e A m e r i c a n s , b u t no p r o o f f o r or a g a i n s t t h a t sup p osition is a v a ila b le .

For G u i n e s ’ p u r p o s e s , h o w e v e r ,

would see m t o b e o f m in or i m p o r t a n c e i n e i t h e r c a s e .

it

In f a c t ,

if

B o n v o u l o i r was a l s o an American a g e n t , h i s e f f e c t i v e n e s s a s a g o b e t w e e n f o r F r a n c e w i t h t h e Am er ican s m ight c o n c e i v a b l y have b e e n enhanced.

C o r r e s p o n d i n g l y , i f he were i n t o u c h w i t h t h e E n g l i s h ,

i t w o u ld be d i m i n i s h e d . B o n v o u l o i r a t l a s t l e f t f o r A m e r ic a , s a i l i n g from London on S ep t em b er 8 , 17 7 5 on a v e s s e l bound f o r P h i l a d e l p h i a .

Fe n o s e d

a s a m erch an t from Antw erp , and h i s avowed p u r o o se i n g o i n g t o America was t r a d e .

T h i s would make i t e a s y f o r him t o t r a v e l

t h r o u g h the c o u n t r y , c o l l e c t i n f o r m a t i o n , and send i t b a c k t o ■'•Anon., ”Y/hat I ha ve b e e n a b l e t o c o l l e c t French O f f i c e r s , ” r e c e i v e d Aug. 6 , 1 7 7 5 , i b i d .

from t h e two

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

8V

Prance.

H is l e t t e r s would be s e n t i n a d o u b l e e n v e l o p e , a d d r e s s e d

t o Antw erp , v i a C a l a i s .

At C a l a i s a d e s i g n a t e d c o r r e s p o n d e n t

w ould f o r w a r d t h e l e t t e r s t o G u i n e s , Antwerp.

i n London, r a t h e r t han t o

Guin es g a v e B o n v o u l o i r two hundred g u i n e a s and a l e c t u r e

on how he was t o a c t i n A m er ica , s o t h a t under no c i r c u m s t a n c e s would he compromise anybody e x c e p t h i m s e l f . " e v e r e v e n t o m e n t i o n t h e word F r e n c h ,

He f o r b a d e B o n v o u l o i r

or t o engage i n any d i s c u s ­

s i o n on our a t t i t u d e w i t h r e g a r d t o the a m e r i c a n s . "

B onvouloir's

m i s s i o n would be l i m i t e d t o r e p o r t i n g t o the F r e n c h go vern ment e v e r y th in g th a t could i n t e r e s t i t .

I f h e d i d a good j o b , he

would have a c c o m p l i s h e d s om eth in g v e r y i m p o r t a n t . p l i m e n t e d G uin es on h i s

sage I n s t r u c t i o n s

Ver ge nnes com­

to Bonvouloir.^

I t w i l l be n o t i c e d t h a t t h e f i n a l o r d e r s t o B o n v o u l o i r d id not in c lu d e Vergennes'

in stru ctio n s

t h a t he s h o u l d r e a s s u r e

America abou t F r a n c e ' s i n t e n t i o n s and s h o u l d i n v i t e s h i p s t o Fr en ch p o r t s .

American

These were p r o b a b l y o m i t t e d b e c a u s e Ver­

g e n n e s chan ge d h i s mind ab out B r i t a i n ' s i n t e n t i o n s .

Toward the

end o f Augu st t h e F r e n c h go vern ment had d e c i d e d t h a t B r i t a i n had g i v e n ut> t h e i d e a o f s e t t l i n g h e r c o l o n i a l p ro b lem s by means o f a war a g a i n s t F r a n c e , and V e r g e n n e s had a p p la u d e d B r i t i s h wisdom. He c o u l d n o t b e l i e v e enough t o f o r g e t

t h a t t h e B r i t i s h m i n i s t r y w ou ld b e f o o l i s h

t h e i r i n t e r e s t s in t r y i n g t o save t h e i r d i g n i t y .

^-Guines t o V e r g e n n e s , S e p t . 8 , 1 7 7 5 , A. A . E . , C . P . Angle t e r r e , DXI, f o l s . 369-70.: W i t t , o p . c i t . , pp. 4 7 5 - 7 6 : r e c e i p t o f Achard B o n v o u l o i r , S e p t . 8 , 1 7 7 5 , A . A . E . , C. P . A n g l e t e r r e , DXI, f o l . 356: W i t t , o p . c i t . , p. 476: G u in es t o V e r g e n n e s , S e p t . 2 9 , 1 7 7 5 , A . A . E . , C . P . , A n g l e t e r r e , D X II, f o l . 28: W i t t , o p . c i t . . pp. 4 7 7 - 7 8 : G u in es t o V e r g e n n e s , O c t . 2 0 , 1 7 7 5 , A . A. L . , c . P . , A n g l e t e r r e , DXII, f o l . 105 : Verg ennes t o G u i n e s , S e p t . 1 8 , 1 7 7 5 , i b i d . , DXI, f o l . 4 1 2 .

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88

S u r e l y , he s a i d ,

t h e y wo uld n o t t r y t o p u t down t h e Am er ica n r e ­

b e l l i o n by f o r c e ,

fo r i f they tr ie d

force,

t h e y would s u r e l y f a i l . ^ -

On A u g u st 2 3 , 1 7 7 5 , h o w e v e r , George I I I i s s u e d a p r o c l a m a ­ tion la b e llin g subjects

the Am ericans t r a i t o r s and c a l l i n g on a l l

to a i d i n s u p p r e s s i n g th e r e b e l l i o n . 2

lo y a l

T h i s ch a n g ed

e v e r y t h i n g i n t h e 1e y e s of t h e F r e n c h g o v e r n m e n t , w h i c h now saw t h a t t h e B r i t i s h r e a l l y were n o t g o i n g path.

I t had see m ed i n c r e d i b l e

jo

follow a c o n c ilia to r y

t o Ver ge nnes t h a t the B r i t i s h

would r e l y on f o r c e , but he saw t h a t now t h e r e would be no t u r n i n g b a c k f o r them.

E i t h e r t h e Am erican s wo uld f a l l ,

or the B r i t i s h

m in is tr y i t s e l f w ould. 0 At t h e t im e o f t h e k i n g * s p r o c l a m a t i o n a g a i n s t A m erica , rumors s o r e a d t h r o u g h London t h a t t h e Am er icans were c l a i m i n g t o have d e f i n i t e a s su r a n c e of French a s s i s t a n c e B ritain .

if

they fought

T h i s e x c i t e d t h e B r i t i s h g o v e r n m e n t , 4 and V e r g e n n e s 1

r e o l y was a r e i t e r a t i o n o f h i s

s t a t e m e n t t h a t F r a n c e would n e v e r

s i d e w i t h America i n h e r d i f f i c u l t i e s .

"vVe do n o t know what t h e

h o p es o f t h e Am er icans can be and on w h i c h power t h e y r e s t : ^ V erg en n es t o G u i n e s , Aug. 2 7 ,

1775,

ib id ..

we

f o l s . 316-17.

^ P r o c l a m a t i o n r e p r i n t e d i n P e t e r F o r c e , Am er ican A r c h i v e s : F o u r t h S e r i e s , C o n t a i n i n g a Docum entary H i s t o ry of t h e E n g l i s h C o l o n i e s I n N o r t h Am erica, 'from t h e K i n g ' s Message t o P a r l i a m e n t , o f March 7 , 1 7 7 4 1 t o th e D e c l a r a t i o n o f I n d e p e n d e n c e by t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s T r a s h in g t o n : J V i. S t . ~ 0 l a i r C l a r k and P e t e r F o r c e , 1 8 4 0 ) , I I I , 246-41. ^ Ver gen nes t o G u i n e s , S e p t . 3 , 1 7 7 5 , A . A . E . , C . P . , A n g l e ­ t e r r e , DXI, f o l . 3 4 5 . 4 G u in e s t o V e r g e n n e s , S e p t . 1 , 1 7 7 5 , i b i d . , f o l s . 3 3 4 - 3 5 ? W i t t , on . c i t . , n . 4 7 4 : Gu in es t o V e r g e n n e s , b e p t . 8 , 1 7 7 5 , and Lord P o c h f o r d t o G u i n e s , e n c l o s e d i n t h i s l e t t e r , A . A . E . , C . P . , A n g l e t e r r e , DXI, f o l s . 361, 3 6 7 : W i t t , o p . c i t . , p . 4 7 5 .

R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f th e copyright ow n er. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission .

h a v e n o t had any r e q u e s t from them; i f

t h e y made i t ,

d i s m i s s them c o u r t e o u s l y and g u a r d t h e i r s e c r e t . " 1

we would V ergen nes

s a i d t h a t i t would h e t h e p o l i c y o f F r an c e t o d en y rumors o f F r e n c h a i d t o A m e r ic a , h u t he would n o t p u t t h e d e n i a l s i n t o w riting.

A l e t t e r w o u ld g i v e t h e B r i t i s h s o m e t h i n g c o n c r e t e t o

u s e i n d i s c o u r a g i n g t h e Am er icans from e v e r h o p i n g t o g e t a i d from F r a n c e .

F r a n c e , s a i d V e r g e n n e s , had no d e s i r e

the d i f f i c u l t i e s

to i n c r e a s e

o f t h e B r i t i s h gover n m en t or t o e n c o u r a g e Ameri­

c a n r e s i s t a n c e , but s h e would n o t s e r v e a s t h e i n s t r u m e n t f o r f o r c i n g America t o y i e l d . ^ I n S e p t e m b e r , 1 7 7 5 t h e p o l i c y o f th e F r e n c h gover nm en t w i t h r e g a r d t o America c o n t i n u e d t o be one o f w a t c h f u l w a i t i n g . V e r g e n n e s c o u l d n o t e n t i r e l y c o n c e a l h i s sym p ath y f o r t h e Ameri­ c a n s , b u t he would n o t a d m i t i t ad m it i t

openly.

In f a c t ,

he c o u l d n o t

o p e n l y , f o r L o u i s XVI l o o k e d w i t h d i s f a v o r on r e v o l u ­

t i o n a r i e s , and members o f t h e go ver nm en t t h a t wanted economy o p n o s e d any a c t i o n t h a t m ig h t i n v o l v e F r a nc e i n a n o t h e r war. h is in stru ctio n s

In

t o B o n v o u l o i r V erg en n es had made a s e m i - o f f i c i a l

a d m i s s i o n o f F r en ch s y m p a t h i e s , b u t Gu in es had r e p u d i a t e d t h i s i n h i s f a r e w e l l words t o B o n v o u l o i r , and Ver ge nnes hud a p p r o v e d . N o n e t h e l e s s , as we s h a l l s e e actions origin al

in the f o ll o w i n g

chapter, Bonvouloir

i n America were more c l o s e l y i n a c c o r d w i t h i n s t r u c t i o n s than w i t h G u i n e s '

B o n v o u l o i r s e n s e d , o r was t o l d , be an i d l e

Vergennes’

fin a l orders.

P erh aps

t h a t F r an c e wo uld n o t much l o n g e r

s p e c ta to r in the British-A m erican q u a rrel.

1 V erg en n es t o G u i n e s , S e p t . 1 0 , 1 7 7 5 , A . A . B . , C . P . , t e r r e , DXI, f o l s . 3 7 6 - 7 7 : W i t t , on. c i t . , p . 4 7 6 . ^ V er gen n es t o G u i n e s , S e p t . t e r r e , DXI, f o l . 4 1 0 .

18, 1775, A, a .a . ,

angle

C . P . , A ngle

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CHAPTER VI

BONVOULOIR ENCOURAGES AwERICa AND FRANCE The a r r i v a l o f B o n v o u l o i r i n P h i l a d e l p h i a i n December, 1 7 7 5 1 c o u l d n o t ha ve b e e n b e t t e r t i m e d , f o r he found the l e a d e r s o f t h e B r i t i s h c o l o n i e s d i s p o s e d to l i s t e n ment from B r i t a i n ' s t r a d i t i o n a l enemy.

t o words o f e n c o u r a g e ­

R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f the

c o l o n i e s had come t o g e t h e r i n P h i l a d e l p h i a t h e y e a r b e f o r e t o form the C o n t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s and t r y t o f i n d a s o l u t i o n t o the p rob lem of B ritish rela tio n s.

The more r a d i c a l men i n America had f e l t

t h a t B r i t a i n would males c o n c e s s i o n s t o h e r c o l o n i e s o n l y i f she were f a c e d w i t h a u n i t e d A m erica .

There were few men i n the Con­

g r e s s , h o w e v e r , who had s e r i o u s l y c o n s i d e r e d t h e n e e d f o r e x t r e m e m easures.

The p o l i c y o f c o n c i l i a t i o n was g e n e r a l l y f o l l o v i e d and

a n n e a l s f o r c o n c e s s i o n s were s e n t t o B r i t a i n .

But Am erican a p -

o e a l s went u n h eed ed , and t h e b e g i n n i n g o f a c t u a l w a r f a r e i n 17 7 5 a t the b a t t l e

o f L e x i n g t o n and l a t e r a t Bunker H i l l l e d more and

more Americans t o d e s p a i r o f g a i n i n g c o n c e s s i o n s by c o n c i l i a t i o n . I t was n o t e a s y f o r t h e more m o d e r a te Americans t o r e a l i s e t h a t B r i t a i n had no i n t e n t i o n o f y i e l d i n g

t o American demands.

Through the y e a r 1775 members o f C o n g r e s s and p e o p l e t h r o u g h o u t ^ B o n v o u l o i r t o G u i n e s , D ec. 2 8 , 1 7 7 5 , '.Yitt, on. c i t . , p . 478: Henri D o n i o l , H l 3 t o i r e de l a p a r t i c i p a t i o n de la. Franc e A 1 ' e t a b l i s s e m e n t d e s n t a t s - U n i s cl' Am&rique~ ( P a r i s : I m o rim erie n a t i o n a l © , l S S 6 - T S (.)2y^ ("Hereafter r e f e r r e d t o as D o n i o l , H i s t o i r e de l a p a r t i c i p a t i o n ) , I , 2 8 7 . 90 R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

91

the country r e i t e r a t e d t h e i r l o y a l t y to

t h e B r i t i s h crown.

d i d n o t know t b a t t h e k i n g b e l i e v e d t h a t t o y i e l d

They

t o one demand

wou ld o n l y open t h e g a t e s t o more American i n t r a n s i g e a n c e .

Even

a f t e r George I I I d e c l a r e d t h e Am er ican s t o be i n a s t a t e o f r e ­ b e l l i o n , many A m er ican s d i d n o t g i v e up hope o f a p e a c e f u l s e t t l e ­ ment o f t h e c o n t r o v e r s y .

G rad u ally, however,

t h e y were f o r c e d t o

t a k e t h e a c t i o n s t h a t c h a r a c t e r i s e an i n d e p e n d e n t g o v e r n m e n t . t h e f a l l o f 17 7 5 a cam paign a g a i n s t Canada was o r g a n i z e d , g r o u n d s tba t

In

or. the

i t was n e c e s s a r y f o r American d e f e n s e and t h a t i t

would make t h e B r i t i s h s e e t h e s e r i o u s n e s s o f c o l o n i a l demands. S e v e r a l o f t h e c o l o n i e s were a d v i s e d t o s e t up i n t e r i m g o v e r n m e n t s . More and more o f t h e members o f C o n g r e s s were m ovin g toward t h e f i n a l s t e p o f i n d e p e n d e n c e , and t h e s e men were o n l y t o o w i l l i n g to l i s t e n

t o t h e s y m p a t h e t i c words o f a Frenchman.

B o n v o u l o i r i m m e d i a t e l y e s t a b l i s h e d c o n t a c t w i t h t h e Con­ t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s t h r o u g h the i n t e r v e n t i o n o f a -frenchman who was l i b r a r i a n f o r t h e c i t y o f P h i l a d e l p h i a , 3- and he fo und t h e members o f C o n g r e s s i n a r e c e p t i v e frame o f m in d. 29 C o n g r e s s had s e t up a c o m m i t t e e o f f i v e

On November

" f o r th e s o l e rurr.ose

o f c o r r e s p o n d i n g w i t h our f r i e n d s

i n G reat B r i t a i n ,

o t h e r p a r t s o f the w o r l d . T h i s

d e c i s i o n had f o l l o w e d a l o n g

period of d i s c u s s i o n ,

I r e l a n d , and

i n C o n g r e s s and o u t , on t h e r e l a t i o n s o f

t h e American c o l o n i e s w i t h t h e n a t i o n s o f E u r o p e .

E arly in Ju ly,

1I b ld .

^J o u r n a l s o f t h e C o n t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s 1 7 7 4 - 1 7 3 9 e d i t e d from th e O r i g i n a l R eco rd s i n t h e L i b r a r y o f C o n g r e s s , e d . W o r t h in g t o n Chauncey Ford ( W ash in gto n : Government P r i n t i n g O f ­ f i c e , 1 9 0 4 - 1 9 3 7 ) ( h e r e a f t e r r e f e r r e d to a s J o u r n a l s o f C o n g r e s s ) . I l l , 392.

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1 7 7 5 Benj am in F r a n k l i n had w r i t t e n t o a B r i t i s h f r i e n d : not y e t a l l i e d

"We have

t o any f o r e i g n power f o r a s s i s t a n c e , n o r o f f e r e d

our Commerce f o r t h e i r f r i e n d s h i p . i s n a tu r a l to th in k of i t ,

Perhaps we n e v e r may: y e t i t

i f we a r e p r e s s e d . " !

That month b oth

F r a n k l i n and R i c h a r d Henry Lee o f V i r g i n i a had s u b m i t t e d r e s o l u ­ tio n s

t o C o n g r e s s f o r th e o p e n i n g o f Am erican p o r t s t o a l l f o r e i g n

n a t io n s but not to England,

Ireland,

and the B r i t i s h West I n d i e s .

The e x p o r t s from America would s e r v e a s a m ea n s, f o r c e an e a r l i e r

they thought, to

s e t t l e m e n t by B r i t a i n . ^

The e n t i r e month o f O ct o b e r had been t a k e n up w i t h d e b a t e s i n C o n g r e s s on t h e q u e s t i o n o f t r a d e : w h e t h e r American p o r t s s h o u l d be open or c l o s e d and w h e t h e r e x p o r t s o f American p r o d u c t s s h o u l d be a l l o w e d .

Samuel Chase o f Maryland had i n s i s t e d

t r a d e must be c a r r i e d on w i t h f o r e i g n n a t i o n s , a t a r i s k ,

that indeed,

b u t t o b a c c o m ig ht be e x p o r t e d i n e x c h a n g e f o r m i l i t a r y s u p p l i e s . A l t h o u g h he had n o t " d i s c a r d e d e v e r y g l i m p s e o f a hope o f a r e c o n ­ c i l i a t i o n , " he t h o u g h t t h a t t h e p r o s p e c t was "g loomy. "

Bu t, s a i d

he,

away w i t h

"when you once o f f e r you r t r a d e t o f o r e i g n n a t i o n s ,

a l l hones o f r e c o n c i l i a t i o n . "

Chase had r e p o r t e d l e t t e r s

from

Guadeloupe and M a r t i n iq u e p r o m i s i n g t o s u n p l y t h e c o l o n i s t s w i t h ^Franklin to Joseph P r i e s t l e y , July 7 , 1775, L e t t e r s of Members o f t h e C o n t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s , e d . Edmund C. B u r n e t t ( W a sh i n g to n : C a r n e g i e I n s t i t u t i o n o f 7 / a s h i n g t o n , 1 9 2 1 - 3 ? ) ( h e r e ­ a f t e r r e f e r r e d t o a s L e t t e r s o f Members o f C .C . ) , I , 1 5 6 . ^J o u r n a l s o f C o n g r e s s , I I , 2 0 0 - 0 1 ( J u l y 2 1 , 1 7 7 5 ) . 3 John Adams’ n o t e s on d e b a t e s , O c t . 4, 1 7 7 5 , John Adams, The Works o f John Adams, Becond P r e s i d e n t o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s : wi t h a L i f e o f t he A u t h o r, Motes and I l l u s t r a t i o n s , e d . C h a r l e s F r a n c i s Adams ("Boston: L i t t l e , Brown and Company, 1 8 5 0 - 5 6 ) , I I , 455.

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93

nowder i n e x c h a n g e f o r t o b a c c o . ^

I t was i n t h i s d e b a t e t h a t

C h r i s t o p h e r Gadsden o f S o u t h C a r o l i n a s a i d t h a t Fr anc e and S p a i n had two f e e l i n g s a b o u t A m e r i c a . B ritain despotic

They would be " g l a d t o s e e G reat

i n A m e r i c a , " f o r the f r e e r and b e t t e r s t a t e o f

the B r i t i s h c o l o n i e s caused co m p la in ts, lio n s

in th eir c o lo n ie s .

i n s u r r e c t i o n s and r e b e l ­

But i f America were t o w i n h e r i n d e n e n c>

d e n c e , Fr anc e and S o a i n w ou ld be e q u a l l y p l e a s e d . ' 0 P a t r i c k Henry o f V i r g i n i a ,

a s e a r l y as A u g u s t , 1 7 7 5 , i s

s u p p o s e d t o have e n v i s i o n e d t h e p o s s i b i l i t y and d e s i r a b i l i t y o f French a i d ,

f o r he b e l i e v e d t h a t war b e t w e e n B r i t a i n and America

wou ld s u r e l y come, and t h e A m er icans would n o t be a b l e t o c a r r y on a l o n e . H olland,

Henry s a i d :

"Do y o u s u p p o s e t h a t F r a n c e , S p a i n , and

the n a t u r a l e n e m i e s o f G r e a t B r i t a i n ,

l y and s e e us c r u s h e d ? "

w i l l l o o k on q u i e t ­

He was s u r e t h a t when t h e c o l o n i s t s had

d e m o n s t r a t e d , by v i g o r o u s r e s i s t a n c e and a d e c l a r a t i o n o f i n d e ­ p e n d e n c e , t h a t t h e y were i n e a r n e s t , p lies,

Franc e w o u ld sen d o v e r s u p ­

f l e e t s and a r m i e s and make an o f f e n s i v e and d e f e n s i v e a l l i ­

ance w it h th e A m ericans. 0 The p o s s i b i l i t y o f f o r e i g n a i d was a l s o i n t h e mind o f Thomas J e f f e r s o n

of V i r g i n i a .

In A u g u s t ,

was r e l u c t a n t t o a c c e p t f o r e i g n a i d ,

sin ce

" e v e r l a s t i n g a v u l s i o n from Gre at B r i t a i n . " a p lea sin g id ea,

1 7 7 5 , he w r o t e t h a t he i t would p r o b a b l y mean He d i d n o t f i n d t h i s

f o r he would r a t h e r be i n d e p e n d e n c e on B r i t a i n

I j o h n Adams' n o t e s on d e b a t e s ,

O ct. 2 0 , 1 7 7 5 ,

ib id .,

p . 474.

2Ibid .

% i 1 1 i a m V ; i r t , S k e t c h e s o f the L i f e and Cha r a c t e r o f P a t r i c k Henry ( 1 5 t h e d . : H a r t f o r d : S i l a s Andrus and S on , n . d . ) , pp. 111- 12.

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94

t h a n on a n y o t h e r c o u n t r y . ^

J e f f e r s o n seems n o t t o have v i s u a l ­

i z e d t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a i d w i t h o u t d e p e n d e n c e , and he b e l i e v e d t h a t F r a n c e would h e l p Am erica o n l y i f

she c o u l d c o n t r o l A m e r i c a .

I t was John Adams, a c c o r d i n g t o h i s own a c c o u n t , who was t h e l e a d e r i n a move t o e s t a b l i s h d i p l o m a t i c r e l a t i o n s w i t h France.

Adams’ " o f f i c i a l " b i o g r a p h e r s a y s

th a t "there i s reason

t o s u p p o s e t h a t a m o t i o n was c o n c e r t e d b e t w e e n him and Samuel Chase,

o f Maryland, which was d e s i g n e d t o a u t h o r i z e t h e d i s p a t c h

o f ambassadors t o F r a n c e." s e c o n d e d by Adams . 2

The m o t i o n was made by Chase and

The j o u r n a l s o f C o n g r e s s do n o t m e n t i o n the

m o t i o n , and t h e r e i s no way t o t e l l when i t was made, b u t Adams, w r i t i n g t o Chase i n J u l y ,

1 7 7 6 , r e f e r r e d to i t as t a k i n g d a c e

" l a s t f a l l " and h a v i n g b e e n "murdered.

'when Adams w r o t e o f t h e

m o t i o n t h i r t y y e a r s l a t e r , he s r o k e o f the s h o c k i t was t o C o n g r e s s "Whether t h e e f f e c t of t h e m o t i o n r e s e m b l e d the s h o c k o f e l e c t r i c ­ ity ,

o f mesm erism, or o f g a l v a n i s m ,

the most e x a c t l y ,

p h ilo s o p h e r s to d eterm ine: b u t the grim aces, c o n v u l s i o n s were v e r y g r e a t . " debate f o llo w e d ,

I l e a v e you

the a g i t a t i o n s and

He remembered t h a t a v e r y vehement

i n w h i c h he h i m s e l f was " u n u s u a l l y e l o q u e n t , " a t

no o t h e r tim e making "a g r e a t e r i m p r e s s i o n on C o n g r e s s . " m o t i o n t o s e n d a m b a ss a d o r s t o France was d e f e a t e d , b ut i t s

Chase’ s resu lt,

■^■Thomas J e f f e r s o n t o John Ran d olp h , Aug. 2 5 , 1 7 7 5 , Thomas J e f f e r s o n , The Works o f Thomas J e f f e r s o n , e d . Pau l L e i c e s t e r Ford (New York: G . P . Putnam’ s S o n s , 1 9 0 4 - 0 5 ) , I I , 1 3 5 - 3 6 . ^ C h a r le s F r a n c i s Adams, The L i f e o f John ndams i n John Adams, o p . c i t . , I , 1 9 9 . dTohn Adams t o Samuel C h a s e , J u l y 9, 1 7 7 6 ,

ib id .,

421.

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IX,

95

a c c o r d i n g t o Adams, was the c r e a t i o n o f t h e Committee o f S e c r e t Correspondence t o keep in touch w ith America’ s f r i e n d s

i n the

r e s t o f the w o r l d . - 1As Adams r e c a l l e d

it

i n h i s a u t o b i o g r a p h y , he a d v o c a t e d

i n the f a i l o f 1775 t h e t h r e e p o l i c i e s o f i n d e p e n d e n c e ,

confedera­

t i o n and n e g o t i a t i o n s w i t h f o r e i g n p o w e r s , p a r t i c u l a r l y F r a n c e . These t h r e e

"ought t o go hand i n ha nd, and be a d o p t e d a l l t o g e t h e r , "

f o r f o r e i g n n a t i o n s c o u l d n o t be e x p e c t e d to a c k n o w le d g e a m e r i c a u n t i l s he had d e c l a r e d h e r i n d e p e n d e n c e and e s t a b l i s h e d a w ork in g government.

The m a t e r i a l s f o r w a g i n g war were l a c k i n g i n a m e r i c a ,

and t h e s e c o u l d be s u p p l i e d o n l y by f o r e i g n commerce, and commerce would come o n l y w i t h i n d e p e n d e n c e .

"A s y s t e m o f m e a s u r e s ,

taken

w i t h u n a n i m i t y and p u r s u e d w i t h r e s o l u t i o n , would i n s u r e us t h e f r i e n d s h i p and a s s i s t a n c e o f F r a n c e . " members ica

adams r e p o r t e d t h a t some

o f C o n g r e s s were not s u r e how Fr anc e would r e a c t t o Amer­

and t h o u g h t tha t Fr anc e would p r o b a b l y shun the

idea o f d e a l ­

ing w ith r e b e l s . I r e p l i e d t o t h o s e g e n t l e m e n , t h a t I ap p re h en d ed t h e y had n o t a t t e n d e d t o t h e r e l a t i v e s i t u a t i o n o f Fr anc e and E n glan d ; t h a t i t was the u n q u e s t i o n a b l e i n t e r e s t o f Fr anc e t h a t t h e B r i t i s h C o n t i n e n t a l C o l o n i e s s h o u l d be i n d e p e n d e n t : t h a t B r i t a i n , by t h e c o n q u e s t o f Canada and h e r n a v a l t r i u m p h s d u r i n g the l a s t war, and by h e r v a s t p o s s e s s i o n s i n nm e r ic a and t h e E a s t I n d i e s , was e x a l t e d t o a h e i g h t o f power and p r e e m in e n c e t h a t France must env y and c o u l d n o t e n d u r e . Adams ( a t l e a s t a f t e r w a r d s )

saw t h a t so l o n g a s B r i t a i n

c o n t r o l l e d A m erica , she must a l m o s t o f n e c e s s i t y c o n t r o l the s e a s , b e c a u s e nm er ica p r o v i d e d h a r b o r s and n a v a l s u p p l i e s .

while th a t

s i t u a t i o n c o n t i n u e d , F r a n c e ’ s c o l o n i e s would be a t the mercy o f ^-John Adams t o Benjamin Bush, S e p t . 3 0 , 1 3 0 5 ,

i b i d . , I,

200-01.

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96

t h e B r i t i s h , and h e r navy would h a v e a l m o s t no ch ance t o ex p a n d . He f e l t

" t h a t the i n t e r e s t

t i v e s so c o g e n t,

o f F r a n c e was s o o b v i o u s , and h e r mo­

th at n othing b u t a j u d i c i a l in fa tx ia tio n o f her

c o u n c i l s c o u l d r e s t r a i n h e r from e m b ra cin g u s . "

adams recommended

c a u t i o i i s o t h a t America would n o t become p a r t y t o an a l l i a n c e wou ld e m b r o i l h e r i n Eu rop ean d i s p u t e s , com olete s u b j e c t i o n o f England, o r , s u b je c tio n of France.

that

and he d i d n o t f a v o r the

for that m atter,

t h e c o m p le t e

He s a i d t h a t he recommended a p u r e l y com­

m e r c i a l t r e a t y b e t w e e n France and America t h a t w ou ld be ample comn e n s a t i o n t o Fr anc e

for a l l necessary a id .

The o p e n i n g o f American t r a d e t o h e r , 'would be a v a s t r e ­ s o u r c e f o r h e r commerce and n a v a l t o w e r , and a g r e a t a s s i s t a n c e t o h e r i n p r o t e c t i n g h e r E a s t and Vvest I n d i a p o s s e s s i o n s , as w e l l a s h e r f i s h e r i e s : b u t . . . the b a r e dismemberment o f t h e B r i t i s h Empire would be t o h e r an i n c a l c u l a b l e s e c u r i t y and b e n e f i t , w orth more t h a n a l l t h e e x e r t i o n s we s h o u l d r e ­ q u i r e o f h e r , e v e n i f i t s h o u l d draw h e r i n t o a n o t h e r e i g h t or t e n y e a r s ’ war.-* I t i s r a t h e r d o u b t f u l t h a t Adams was so i n t e n s e a t t h e time as he l a t e r c l a i m e d t o b e .

James V.arren o f M a s s a c h u s e t t s

w rote i n November, 1 7 7 5 t h a t h i 3 dynamic w i f e ,

Mercy O t i s J a r r e n ,

wanted

Adams t o be t o l d t h a t C o n g r e s s " s h o u ld no l o n g e r

a t the

th resh old . " 2

In any e v e n t ,

the

re must

piddle

have beenc o n s i d e r ­

a b l e s p e c u l a t i o n i n C o n g r e s s a b o u t Franc e and rier r e a c t i o n t o t h e s i t u a t i o n in America.

This was the a t m o s p h e r e

in C o n g r e s s when

Bonvouloir a r r iv e d . I " A u t o b i o g r a p h y ," i b i d . , I I , 5 0 3 - 0 6 ; f o r s t a t e m e n t s not n e a r l y s o d r a m a t i c as h i s a u t o b i o g r a p h y makes one t h i n k he made and f o r v i e w s c o n s i d e r a b l y more c o n s e r v a t i v e , s e e Adams t o James Warren, O c t . 7 and 1 3 , 177 5, -Varren-adams L e t t e r s , B e i n g C h i e f l y a C o r r e s p o n d e n c e among John adam s, bamuel adam s, and James Wa r r e n (Bos t o n : M a s s a c h u s e t t s H i s t o r i c a l "Vocie t y , 1 9 1 7 ) , I , 1 2 6 - 2 3 , 133-39. 2 James A'arren to John Adams, Nov. 1 4 , 1 7 7 5 ,

ib id .,

i I R ep ro d u ced with p erm ission o f the copyright ow ner. Further reproduction prohibited w ithout p erm ission.

I, 134.

97

B o n v o u l o i r se em s t o have b e e n aware o f t h a t p a r t o f Vergennes’ in stru ctio n s to reassure

i n w h ich he s a i d

t h a t the F r e n c h a g e n t was

the American s a b o u t t h e a t t i t u d e o f F r a n c e — a t l e a s t

he i g n o r e d G u i n e s 1 i n s t r u c t i o n s t h e word F r e n c h .

t h a t h e was not e v e n t o m e n t i o n

Imm ediately a f t e r h i s a r r i v a l ,

Bonvouloir b e ­

g a n c o n f e r e n c e s w i t h Benjamin F r a n k l i n and " t h r e e o t h e r good h eads" who made up what he c a l l e d l e c o n s e l p r l v e .

He a l m o s t

s u r e l y r e f e r r e d t o the Committee o f S e c r e t C o r r e s p o n d e n c e , coin­ n o se d o f Benjamin H a r r i s o n o f V i r g i n i a ,

Benjamin F r a n k l i n o f

P e n n s y l v a n i a , Thomas Jo h n son o f Maryland, John D i c k i n s o n o f Pe nn­ sylvan ia,

and John Jay o f Hew York,

th o u g h Thomas Joh n so n was a b ­

s e n t from C o n g r e s s i n Decem ber, 1775 and J a n u a r y , 1 7 7 6 . The Frenchman e m p h a s iz e d t h a t h i s c o n v e r s a t i o n s were o n l y a s an i n d i vid u al,

and he d i d not make the c o n g r e s s m e n any o f f e r from F r a n c e ,

p r o m i s i n g o n l y t o do a l l t h a t h e c o u l d f o r America w i t h o u t com­ p r o m i s i n g h i s own s t a n d i n g .

He s a i d t h a t he c o u l d g u a r a n t e e

n o t h i n g to t h e Americans and c o u l d n o t c o n f i d e in them. accom plished a n y th in g ,

i t would be

I f he

thro ugh h i s a c q u a i n t a n c e s and

h i s good c o n n e c t i o n s . The co m m it te e i m m e d i a t e l y w an ted t o know i f F r a nc e would h e l p A m erica, and i f

s o , what would be the p r i c e of h e r a i d .

Bonvouloir c a u t io u s ly t o ld

them t h a t he b e l i e v e d

t h a t Franc e w i s h e d

them w e l l and t h a t s h e m i g h t g i v e them a s s i s t a n c e .

He knew' n o t h i n g

a bou t t h e term s on which t h i s a i d would be f o r t h c o m i n g , b u t he was s u r e t h a t t h e y would be " j u 3 t and eq u i c a b l e . "

The members o f the

^ J o u r n a l s o f C o n g r e s s , I Cl, 392 ( i.ov . 2 9 , o f Members o f C . C . , I , x l v i , l i v , l i x , l x i v .

1775): L e tte r s

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98

c o m m i t t e e wondered i f i t would be w i s e t o send an en v o y t o F r a n c e , b u t B o n v o u l o i r warned t h a t i t m ig h t w e l l be d a n g e r o u s , f o r e v e r y ­ t h i n g t h a t went on i n F r a nc e was known i n London. would g i v e him a d e f i n i t e

I f t h e c o m m i t te e

c o m m i s s i o n , he m ig h t be a b l e t o g e t a

r e s n o n s e t h a t would d e t e r m i n e A m e r i c a ' s f u t u r e c o u r s e o f a c t i o n . But B o n v o u l o i r a g a i n e m p h a s iz e d t h a t he c o u l d n o t p r e t e n d t o a d ­ vise

the c o n g r e s s m e n b e c a u s e he was o n l y a t r a v e l e r who happened

t o be i n t e r e s t e d

in A m erica's c a u s e .

He s a i d t h a t he would be ex­

t r e m e l y happy i f he c o u l d make u s e o f h i s a c q u a i n t a n c e s i n F r a n c e t o do them s e r v i c e , b u t the a f f a i r s

o f America were t o o d e l i c a t e

t o be h a n d l e d i n a h e e d l e s s manner, by someone l i k e a u t h o r i t y and pow er.

him, w i t h o u t

B o n v o u l o i r t o l d the members o f t h e co m m i t te e

t h a t he c o u l d g u a r a n t e e o n l y one t h i n g ,

t h a t he would n e v e r b e t r a y

t h e ir con fid en ce. A nparently B o n vou loir h e ld fr e q u e n t i n t e r v ie w s w ith the members o f the Committee of S e c r e t C o r r e s p o n d e n c e .

These m e e t i n g s

were c o n d u c t e d w i t h s e c r e c y , e a c h member p r o c e e d i n g by s t e a l t h t o a design ated snot. p lete

The American s t a l k e d t o B o n v o u l o i r w i t h com­

c o n f i d e n c e , i n s u i t e o f h i s e m p h a s i z i n g t h a t he prom ised

n o t h i n g , o f f e r e d n o t h i n g , assumed no r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , ing only as a p r iv a te w e ll- w is h e r .

It

and was a c t ­

i s amazing t h a t the Am eri­

ca n c o n g r e s s m e n t a l k e d s o f r e e l y t o a Frenchman w i t h o u t c r e d e n ­ tia ls

who f r a n k l y s a i d t h a t he had no o f f i c i a l p o s i t i o n .

But

from t h e s e i n t e r v i e w s B o n v o u l o i r l e a r n e d a good d e a l a b o u t the state

of a f f a ir s

i n A m erica.

In g e n e r a l , he t h o u g h t t h a t the

American c a u s e seemed t o be p r o g r e s s i n g , and the Americans were o p t i m i s t i c a b o u t t h e n e x t cam paign.

The I n d i a n s o f th e F i v e

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99

N a t i o n s 1' had announced t h a t t h e y w o u l d ,

i f necessary,

f i g h t on

t h e s i d e o f t h e A m er ican s (a p r o m is e t h a t most o f them u l t i m a ' c e l y d i d n o t k e e p ) ; and Lord Dunmore, r o y a l g o v e r n o r o f V i r g i n i a , had b e e n f o r c e d t o l e a v e V i r g i n i a and t a k e r e f u g e on b o a r d a B r i t i s h sh in . B o n v o u l o i r s a i d t h a t t h e Am er icans had become c o n v i n c e d th a t they could not s u s t a in them selves in a c o n f l i c t w ith B r it a in w i t h o u t t h e a i d o f a n a t i o n t h a t c o u l d p r o t e c t them by s e a .

The

o n l y two n a t i o n s t h a t c o u l d do t h a t were Pranc e and S o a i n , and B o n v o u l o i r r e p o r t e d t h a t he had " a d r o i t l y " c o n v i n c e d them o f t h e s u p e r i o r i t y o f h is king over S p a in ’ s .

As a m a t t e r of f a c t ,

he

t h o u g h t t h a t the American s f o r a l o n g t im e had b e e n d e t e r m i n e d t o a p p e a l to t h e F r e n c h k i n g .

B onvouloir thought th a t such a s te p

p r o b a b l y would n o t b e t a k e n u n t i l the n e x t campaign was under way , f o r t h e r e were s t i l l many p e o p l e i n Am erica who rem ain ed d e v o t e d t o th e k i n g o f E n g la n d and w o u ld be d i s t u r b e d a t t h e i d e a o f a f o r e i g n n a t i o n b e c o m in g i n v o l v e d i n t h e i r a f f a i r s .

I t was t h e

aim o f the Committee o f S e c r e t C o r r e s p o n d e n c e t o win o v e r t h e h e s i t a n t and make them s e e t h e n e c e s s i t y cf f o r e i g n a i d . t h o u g h t t h a t t h e y were b e i n g w i s e i n t h i s :

when the p e o p l e had

t h e i r homes burned and t h e i r towns d e s t r o y e d , le a r n to hate

the " l e o p a r d s . "

At any r a t e ,

t h e n t h e y would

the members o f the

c o m m it te e were c o n v i n c e d o f F r a n c e ' s good w i l l so Bonvouloir r e p o r te d .

Bonvouloir

toward A m e r ic a , or

This may have b e e n p a r t l y due t o t h e

f a c t t h a t B o n v o u l o i r had become e x t r e m e l y e n t h u s i a s t i c a b o u t the

Oneidas,

^Tbe c o n f e d e r a c y o f t h e flew York t r i o e s Onondagas, C a y u g a s , and S e n e c a s .

o f t h e Mohawks,

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100

A m e r i c a n s , and he b e g g e d t h e F r e n c h g o v e r n m e n t t o s e n d him i n ­ stru ction s.

C o n d i t i o n s were s o d e l i c a t e and e v e n t s moved s o r a p ­

i d l y t h a t, w ith a l l

the good w i l l

i n t h e w o r l d , h e d i d n o t have

t h e c o u r a g e t o move f o r w a r d , and s t a n d i n g s t i l l was i m p o s s i b l e . B onvouloir a r r iv e d a t the f a i r l y obvious c o n c lu sio n that t h e c o n g r e s s m e n d i d n o t b e l i e v e t h a t he was a m erch ant from A ntwero.

They t h o u g h t t h a t he would n o t have come t o America i n t h e

m i d d l e o f t h e w i n t e r e x c e p t f o r more i m p o r t a n t r e a s o n s t h a n t r a d e . A l t h o u g h he had b e e n c a r e f u l n o t t o l e t t h e A m er icans know t h a t h e 'was i n c o r r e s p o n d e n c e w i t h a member o f t h e F r en ch g o v e r n m e n t , B o n v o u l o i r was s u r e t h a t t h e y s u s p e c t e d t h a t he was i n America i n some s o r t o f o f f i c i a l c a p a c i t y .

Me was e q u a l l y s u r e t h a t h e knew

e v e r y t h i n g t h a t w e n t on i n C o n g r e s s ,

t h a t the members had no s e ­

c r e t s from him, and he t h o u g h t t h a t i f he f l a t t e r e d them a l i t t l e and g a v e them a f r e e hand, he c o u l d d i r e c t them a s he w i s h e d . The Committee o f S e c r e t C o r r e s p o n d e n c e t o l d B o n v o u l o i r t h a t t h e y i n t e n d e d t o make America f r e e , w h a t e v e r t h e p r i c e m ig ht b e , and t h a t t h e y would p e r i s h s o o n e r th an y i e l d

to the B r i t i s h .

B ut t h e y knew t h a t w i t h o u t t h e h e l p o f Franc e i n p r o t e c t i n g t h e i r commerce t h e y would n e v e r have t h e f l o u r i s h i n g c o u n t r y t h a t t h e y wanted.

They v/ondered i f F r a n c e ,

i n c a s e n e g o t i a t i o n s were u n d e r ­

t a k e n , would be s a t i s f i e d w i t h an e x c l u s i v e

commerce w i t h America

f o r a l i m i t e d tim e and an " i n v i o l a b l e a t t a c h m e n t " by America f o r France.

America had n o t h i n g e l s e

to o ffer,

they s a id .

Bonvouloir

re m inde d them t h a t b e g g a r s c o u l d n o t be c h o o s e r s , b u t a t t h e same t im e he r e o o r t e d t o Fr anc e t h a t the Amer icans were much s t r o n g e r th an an yon e would im a g in e and t h a t t h e y were a f r a i d o f n o t h i n g .

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P e r h a p s B o n v o u l o i r honed w i t h t h e s e words to e a s e t h e p o s s i b l e s e v e r i t y o f French terms. The c o m m i t t e e a s k e d 3 o n v o u l o i r t h e s e q u e s t i o n s :

(1) What

was t h e a t t i t u d e o f F r a n c e r e g a r d i n g America and how c o u l d t h e y be g iv e n a u th e n tic assurance concerning t h is ? c a p a b l e e n g i n e e r s i n F r a n c e?

( 2 ) Oould t h e y g e t two

(3) Could America g e t d i r e c t l y from

Fr anc e arms and m u n i t i o n s o f war i n e x c h a n g e f o r l o c a l p r o d u c t s ? And ( 4 ) Could t h e y ha ve f r e e e n t r a n c e i n t o F r e n c h p o r t s ?

To t h e

c o m m itte e 's q u e s t i o n s B on vou loir r e p l i e d t h a t the i n t e n t i o n s o f Franc e toward America were g o o d , b u t f o r d e f i n i t e would have to a d d r e s s F r a n c e d i r e c t l y .

statem ents they

He would n ot g i v e d e f i n i t e

a d v i c e b e c a u s e o f t h e d e l i c a c y and d i f f i c u l t y o f th e m a t t e r . France could f u r n i s h e n g i n e e r s ,

which he s a i d h e had a l r e a d y a s k e d

f o r , b u t he d i d not g u a r a n t e e t h a t th ey would come.

S i n c e the

m a t t e r o f s u p o l i e s would be c a r r i e d on b e t w e e n m e r c h a n t s , Bon­ v o u l o i r c o u l d n o t s e e t h a t t h a t would o f f e r any d i f f i c u l t i e s F r a n c e , and he h i m s e l f would be w i l l i n g

to give

for

the names o f some

o e o n l e t o c o r r e s p o n d w i t h , b u t he would assume no r e s p o n s i b i l i t y . Any t r a d e t h a t was c a r r i e d on would be a t the r i s k o f the Ameri­ cans th em selv es.

A l l t h e t r a d e s h o u l d n o t b e w i t h one p o r t , b e ­

c a u s e t h a t would c a u s e t o o much p u b l i c i t y .

He d i d n o t know i f

f r e e e n t r y i n t o F r e n c h p o r t s would b e g i v e n , f o r t h a t would amount t o an onen r e c o g n i t i o n o f American i n d e p e n d e n c e and war b e t w e e n F r an c e and B r i t a i n wou ld f o l l o w .

B o n v o u l o i r t h o u g h t , h ow ever,

t h a t the Fr en ch govern m ent would p r o b a b l y c l o s e went o n .

i t s e y e s t o what

Once more t h e Frenchman e m p h a s i z e d t h a t he assumed no

r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , and he s a i d

t h a t i f he was s u c c e s s f u l on b e h a l f

with permission o f the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.

102

o f t h e A m e r i c a n s , he would f e e l t h a t he had b e e n amply r e p a i d . B o n v o u l o i r was a s s u r e d t h a t

i f t h r o u g h h i s m e d i a t i o n t h e Am er ican s

c o u l d g e t a f a v o r a b l e h e a r i n g i n P r a n c e , he w o u ld r e c e i v e a l l the confidence

t h a t c o u l d be g i v e n t o "a man o f d i s t i n c t i o n . "

v o u lo ir heard r e o o r t s

Bon­

t h a t i f he s u c c e e d e d i n g e t t i n g a i d f o r

America i n F r a n c e , he would be r e g a r d e d a s one o f t h e members o f C o n g r e s s , and n o t h i n g would be done w i t h o u t h i s a d v i c e : he would be r e g a r d e d a s t h e " l i b e r a t o r " o f A m e r i c a . ^ About two y e a r s l a t e r ,

i n t h e f a l l o f 1 7 7 7 , G e n e r a l Wash­

i n g t o n was t o r e c e i v e a l e t t e r from P h i l a d e l p h i a ,

w r it t e n by

Ja cob D u c h e , a P h i l a d e l p h i a c l e r g y m a n , who had t u r n e d from a r d e n t p a trio t

to e q u a l l y a r d e n t l o y a l i s t .

I n t h i s l e t t e r Duche s a i d

t h e hope o f a d e c l a r a t i o n o f war on t h e p a r t o f Prance was "a f i c ­ t i o n from the f i r s t " and c l a i m e d as h i s a u t h o r i t y a F r en ch g e n t l e ­ man whom he had met e a r l y

i n 1776 and w i t h whom he had become " i n -

tir ra tely acquainted."

seem ed,

It

s a i d Duch e,

t h a t the g e n t le m a n

was i n P h i l a d e l p h i a t o e n g a g e i n c o m m e r c ia l s p e c u l a t i o n s , b u t he t h o u g h t i t wou ld b e fo und t h a t t h e f re nch m an "moved i n a h i g h e r sp h e r e " i n h i s own co un trjr .

T h i s would a p p ea r t o d e s c r i b e Bon­

v o u l o i r , b u t i t may b e one o f t h e i n P h i l a d e l p h i a a b o u t the

two F r e n c h m e r c h a n ts who were

same t i m e .

A c c o r d i n g t o Duche,

the

Frenchman was i n t r o d u c e d t o C o n g r e s s and made a c o m m e r c ia l c o n ­ tr a c t w ith i t . quite

Duche c l a i m e d t h a t t h e Frenchman had t o l d him

o f t e n t h a t he honed " the Americans would n e v e r t h i n k o f i n ­

d ep en d en cy" b e c a u s e t h e y c o u l d n e v e r g a i n t h e i r i n d e p e n d e n c e ^ B o n v o u l o i r t o G u i n e s , D e c . 2 8 , 1 7 7 5 , W i t t , o p . c i t . , pp . 4 7 3 - 8 7 : D o n i o l , Hls t o l r e de l a p a r t i c i p a t i o n , I , 2 6 6 - 7 0 , 2 8 7 - 9 2 .

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103

u n l e s s France e n t e r e d t h e war a g a i n s t E n g l a n d , and t h e r e was no c h a n c e t h a t t h e p r e c a r i o u s s t a t e o f Fr en ch f i n a n c e s would make o o s s i b l e a war w i t h E n g la n d f o r many years.-*-

I t h a r d l y seems

l i k e l y t h a t B o n v o u l o i r , or any o t h e r Frenchman i n P h i l a d e l p h i a , s a i d t h e s e t h i n g s , and Duche o b v i o u s l y was t r y i n g t o k i l l any hope t h e Arnericans might have o f a i d from f r a n c e . less,

Th is s h o w s, n e v e r t h e ­

t h a t t h e F r en ch m en 's v i s i t s made c o n s i d e r a b l e i m p r e s s i o n on

t h e Americans i f Duche t h o u g h t he c o u l d u s e remarks a l l e g e d t o come from B o n v o u l o i r or some o t h e r Frenchman i n P h i l a d e l p h i a as effectiv e

pro p a g a n d a .

At t h e same t im e t h a t C o n g r e s s was t r y i n g t o d i s c o v e r t h e e x t e n t t o w h i c h America c o u l d c o u n t on t h e f r i e n d s h i p and a s s i s t ­ ance of F rance,

i t was a l s o o c c u p i e d 'with the prob lem o f w h e t h e r

Am erica s h o u l d take t h e momentous s t e p o f d e c l a r i n g h er i n d e p e n ­ dence.

The two q u e s t i o n s were c l o s e l y r e l a t e d i n the minds o f

many A m e r i c a n s , f o r i f

t h e y annou nce d t h e i r i n d e p e n d e n c e from

B ritain ,

t h e y would h a v e no have sorre o u t s i d e a s s i s t a n c e i n g a i n ­

ing i t .

In America t h e r e were a l m o s t no m u n i t i o n s o f war, and

t h e r e was l i t t l e they needed.

chance t h a t t h e Amer icans c o u l d m a n u f a c t u r e what

Many members o f C o n g r e s s r e a l i z e d t h a t America

c o u l d n o t wage a s u c c e s s f u l war a l o n e and t h a t she would have t o make enough c o n c e s s i o n s

t o seme f o r e i g n power t o s e c u r e a t l e a s t

t h e m i l i t a r y s u p p l i e s s he n e e d e d .

American s w i t h f o r e s i g h t and

u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f European p o l i t i c s

realized

that to secure f o r e i g n

■^-Jacob Duche t o 'Washington, O c t . 8 , 1 7 7 7 , W o r t h in g t o n Chauncey Ford ( e d . ) , The '.Vashlngton-Duchfe L e t t e r s . how P r i n t e d , f or the F i r s t Time, from the O r i g i n a l M a n u s c r i p t s ( B r o o k l y n , h . Y, : P r i v a t e l y P r i n t e d , 1 8 9 0 ) , cu 1 8 .

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assista n ce,

America would have t o d e m o n s t r a t e t o t u r c p e h er a b ­

s o l u t e d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o s e p a r a t e p e r m a n e n t l y from B r i t a i n and s e t up

an i n d e p e n d e n t s t a t e .

Therefore,

in C ongress the w in te r o f

1 7 7 5 - 1 7 7 6 was p a s s e d i n d i s c u s s i o n o f t h e r e l a t e d q u e s t i o n s o f i n d e p e n d e n c e and f o r e i g n a i d . R i c h a r d S m it h , a c o n g r e s s m a n from New J e r s e y , n o t e d i n h i s d i a r y f o r J a n u a ry 9, 1 7 7 6 t h a t C o n g r e s s had b e e n b u s y w i t h a movement f o r a d e c l a r a t i o n o f i n d e p e n d e n c e and a c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f an o f f e r o f two F r e n c h m e r c h a n t s tioned)

( p r e s u m a b ly t h e two a l r e a d y men­

t o s u p p l y America w i t h armaments from F r a n c e .

men had h i n t e d

The F r e n c h ­

t h a t American s h i p s m ig h t t r a d e i n France w i t h t h e

c o n n i v a n c e o f the F r ench go v e r n m e n t and t h a t t h e F r e n c h were e v e n w illin g

t o se nd t h e i r s h i p s t o American p o r t s . ^

t o n w rote t o P h i l a d e l p h i a

G en er al Was hing­

t o a s k what were " th e c o n j e c t u r e s o f t h e

w i s e ones" a b o u t the p o s s i b i l i t y o f a F r e n c h armament i n t h e West Ind ies.*'

Merchants i n P h i l a d e l p h i a s e n t a c a r g o t o a F r ench com­

pany i n N a n t e s , w i t h t h i s [sic]

observation:

"The r e a d y and c h e a r f u l

a s s i s t a n c e a f f o r d e d u s by many o f y o u r Me rc han ts .

mands our g r a t e f u l a c k n o w l e d g m e n t s . "

. . de­

The P h i l a d e l p h i a m e r c h a n ts

s a i d t h a t t h e a t t i t u d e o f t h e F r e n c h m e r c h a n ts had b e e n s o f r i e n d ­ l y t h a t i t e n c o u r a g e d them t o a p p l y f o r f u r t h e r a i d i n o p p o s i n g -'-Richard S m it h , " Diary o f R ic h a r d Sm ith in t h e C o n t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s , 1 7 7 5 - 1 7 7 6 , " The American H i s t o r i c a l R e v i e w , I ( J a n u a r y , 1 8 9 6 ), 507. ton.

.Vashingtcn t o J o s e p h Reed, J a n . 1 4 , 1 7 7 6 , George Washing The Wri t i n g s o f George W a s h i n g t o n f r om t h e O r i g i n a l kanu . - .

,

Government P r i n t i n g O f f i c e ,

.

1931-44),

IV, 2 4 5 .

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_

105

" t h e a r b i t r a r y and t y r a n n i c a l p r o c e e d i n g s o f t h e C ourt o f Great B rita in . " 1 R i c h a r d Henry L e e , Congressman from V i r g i n i a , r e c e i v e d a l e t t e r from a f e l l o w

V ir g in ia n u rg in g th a t Congress apply fo r

foreign a ssista n c e .

He s a i d t h a t he d i d not want s o l d i e r s s e n t

t o America from F r a n c e , b u t he was s u r e t h a t a s y s t e m o f e x c h a n g e o f p r o d u c e c o u l d be worked o u t t h a t would be a d v a n t a g e o u s t o b o t h co u n tries.^ and a l s o

F r a n c i s L i g h t f o o t L e e , b r o t h e r o f R i c h a r d Henry Lee

in C ongress,

t h o u g h t t h a t t h e Fr en ch and S p a n i s h d i d n o t

seem i n c l i n e d t o f u r n i s h America w i t h m i l i t a r y s u p p l i e s . p o litics

P l a i n l y t e n d t o d r i v e us t o e x t r e m i t y ,

" Thei r

t h a t we may be

fo r c e d to break o f f a l l c o n n e c tio n w ith G freat] B [ r i t a i n ]

and

j o i n w i t h them, w h i c h t h e y know n o t h i n g b u t h a r d n e c e s s i t y can ever e f f e c t . J o h n

Penn o f North C a r o l i n a a p p a r e n t l y a g r e e d

t h a t F r a n c e and S o a i n wan te d a d e f i n i t e b r e a k b e t w e e n America and B r i t a i n , b u t he welcomed t h e i d e a .

He t h ought t h a t t h e r e was

n o t h i n g f o r America t o do b u t t o make f o r e i g n a l l i a n c e s .

W ith ou t

f o r e i g n a s s i s t a n c e t h e r e wou ld be no hope o f c a r r y i n g on a war, f o r t r a d e was g r e a t l y n e e d e d , b o t h t o s e c u r e e s s e n t i a l s u p p l i e s and t o g i v e v a l u e t o p a p e r mon ey .* ^-Messrs. Eayard , J a c k s o n & C o . , P h i l a d e l p h i a , t o M e s s r s . Montandouin h f r e r e , N a n t e s , J a n . 1 3 , 1 7 7 6 , A . A . H . , C . P . , A n g l e t e r r e , DXIV, f o l . 91 ( c o p y ) . ^Adam S t e p h e n t o Rich ar d Henry L e e , F e b . 4 , 1 7 7 6 , Alderman L i b r a r y , U n i v e r s i t y o f V i r g i n i a , C h a r l o t t e s v i l l e , V i r g i n i a , The Lee P a n e r s . '-’F r a n c i s L i g h t f o o t Lee t o Landon C a r t e r , J a n . 2 2 , 1 7 7 6 , V i r g i n i a H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y , Richmond, V i r g i n i a , Lee T r a n s c r i p t s , I I , 84. 4 John Penn t o Thomas P e r s o n , F e b . 1 4 , 1 7 7 6 , L e t t e r s o f Uembers o f C . C . , I I , 3 4 9 .

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106

I n t h e c o a r s e o f d e b a t e s In C o n g r e s s on t h e o p e n i n g o f Am erican p o r t s t o f o r e i g n v e s s e l s , ^ George Wythe o f V i r g i n i a p r e ­ s e n t e d a o r o p o s i t i o n t h a t the c o l o n i e s had a r i g h t A l l i a n c e s w i t h F o r e i g n P o w e r s." meant

to " c o n t r a c t

The o b j e c t i o n was made t h a t t h a t

i n d e o e n d e n c e , and t h e m o t i o n was d i s c u s s e d and p o s t p o n e d . ^

John Adams has l e f t n o t e s o f s p e e c h e s t h a t he a p p a r e n t l y made on th is

issu e.

He b e l i e v e d

t h a t t h e r e s h o u l d be no p o l i t i c a l or

m i l i t a r y c o n n e c t i o n w i t h P r a n c e and t h a t America s h o u l d n o t s u b ­ m i t t o F r e n c h a u t h o r i t y or r e c e i v e g o v e r n o r s from h e r or a l l o w F r e n c h t r o o n s t o e n t e r A m erica . c o m m e r c ia l c o n n e c t i o n ,

He f a v o r e d , h o w e v e r , a s t r i c t l y

i n w h i c h American s h i p s would be r e c e i v e d

i n t o Fr ench p o r t s and Fr anc e would s en d h e r s h i p s t o A m eric a, s u p ­ p l y i n g t h e war m a t e r i a l s t h a t the c o l o n i e s l a c k e d . ^

Adams seems

t o have b e e n r e l a t i v e l y s u r e t h a t Franc e c o u l d n o t but be i n t e r ­ e s t e d i n A m erica . em nir e b r o k e n ?

Was i t n ot t o h e r i n t e r e s t t o s e e t h e B r i t i s h

Would n o t A m e r i c a n - B r i t i s h f r i e n d s h i p c o n s t i t u t e

a t h r e a t t o F r en ch p o s s e s s i o n s i n the West I n d i e s ?

Adams p o i n t e d

o u t t h a t t h e American s were s t r o n g e r and more w a r l i k e than t h e y had e v e r b e e n , and he was s ure t h a t t h e r e would be g r e a t d a n g e r t o France I f

the B r i t i s h made up t h e i r q u a r r e l w i t h t h e A m e r i c a n s .

A B r i t i s h f l e e t and army combined w it h American f o r c e s , c onq u er a l l t h e Fr ench I s l a n d s and a l i t t l e

i n t h e West I n d i e s i n s i x m onth s,

more tim e t h a n t h a t would be r e q u i r e d t o d e s t r o y

■^Journals o f C o n g r e s s , IV, 153 (Feb . 1 4 , ^Richard S m it h , o p . c l t . . II,

"might

'--Tiotes on d e b a t e s , h a r c h , 438-39.

I,

1776) .

502-3 (Feb. 16, 1 7 7 6 ) .

1776 [ ? ] ,

John Adams, on. c l t . ,

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107

a ll

t h e i r m a r i ne and c o m m e r c e ." ! I t was e a r l y i n March, 177 6 t h a t C o n g r e s s f i n a l l y d e c i d e d

t o f o l l o w B o n v o u l o i r 1s a d v i c e and t a k e t h e d r a s t i c s t e p o f s e n d i n g an a g e n t t o F r a n c e .

S i l a s D e a n e , a f o r m e r member o f C o n g r e s s fr om

C o n n e c t i c u t , was i n s t r u c t e d by t h e Committee o f S e c r e t C o r r e s p o n d ­ e n c e t o go t o F r a n c e ,

in the g u ise o f a m erchant,

t o sound o u t t h e

Fr e n c h g o v e r n m e n t a s to t h e amount o f a i d t h e y m i g h t be w i l l i n g to g iv e

to the s t r u g g l i n g c o l o n i e s .

A p p a r e n t l y t h e a c t i o n was

t a k e n a s a r e s u l t of B o n v o u l o i r ’ s t e l l i n g

the c o m m it t e e t h a t i f

t h e A m erican s wa nte d t o know F r a n c e ’ s a t t i t u d e , some one t o f i n d o u t . Vergennes,

if p ossib le,

Deane was t o l d

t h e y s h o u l d send

t o g a i n an i n t e r v i e w w i t h

t e l l him t h a t America f o u n d i t n e c e s s a r y

t o s e e k a s u p p l y o f arms and ammunition i n E u r o p e , and t h a t F r a n c e was t h e power t o whom Americe f i r s t that i f

ap p lied .

He was t o e x p l a i n

America s h o u l d come t o "a t o t a l s e p a r a t i o n from Gre at

B r i t a i n , ” a s t h e r e was " g r e a t a p p e a r a n c e " s h e w o u l d , F r a n c e would be t h e n a t i o n t o " o b t a i n and c u l t i v a t e . "

Deane was t o s a y t h a t

Fr ance m i g h t w e l l f a l l h e i r t o the American t r a d e power and w e a l t h t o B r i t a i n .

t h a t he b r o u g h t

I f Ver ge nnes seemed f r i e n d l y , Deane

was t o t e l l him t h a t America was a n x i o u s to know w h et h er France would r e c o g n i z e an i n d e p e n d e n t A m e r ic a , r e c e i v e h e r a m b a s s a d o r s , and make a t r e a t : / or a l l i a n c e w i t h h e r " f o r commerce or d e f e n s e or b o t h . "

I f F r a nc e w o u l d , Deane was t o ask t h e term s on w h ic h

she would r e c o g n i z e A m e r i c a . ' 2 ^Notes on D e b a t e s ,

Mar. 1 ,

1776,

ib id .,

pp . 4 3 7 - 3 8 .

2The Committee o f S e c r e t C o r r e s p o n d e n c e t o S i l a s D ean e, Mar. 3 , 1 7 7 6 , F r a n c i s Wharton ( e d . ) , The R e v o l u t i o n a r y D i p l o m a t i c C o r r e s p o n d e n c e o f the U n i t e d S t a t e s ( W ash in gto n : Government P r i n t i n g ' O f f i c e ,3 389T, I I , 78-79.

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108

T his was i n d e e d a l o n g s t e p i n the d i r e c t i o n o f F r e n c h American a l l i a n c e and a f a r a d v a n c e from the p o s i t i o n o f many c o n g r e s s m e n t h a t a l l i a n c e w i t h F r a n c e was w h o l l y u n d e s i r a b l e . P e r h a p s the co m m it te e i n s t r u c t e d Deane i n t h i s way w i t h o u t the c o n s e n t o f th e body o f C o n g r e s s : p e r h a p s B o n v o u l o i r n o t o n l y e n ­ c o u r a g e d t h e c o n g r e s s m e n a b o u t F r e n c h a i d but a l s o overcame a good d e a l o f t h e i r d i s t r u s t f o r F r a n c e ; o r p erh ap s C o n g r e s s saw t h a t t h e e x t e n t o f a i d t h e y were g o i n g t o nee d c o u l d be s e c u r e d o n l y on t h e b a s i s o f a l l i a n c e and r e c i p r o c a l a g r e e m e n t s .

Whatever the

r e a s o n , t h e i n s t r u c t i o n s t o Deane ar e r e a l l y a m i l e s t o n e i n the s t o r y o f F r e n c h -A m e r ic a n r e l a t i o n s . A f t e r th e d e c i s i o n was made t h a t Deane s h o u l d go t o F r a n c e , t h e Americans seem n o t t o ha ve d o u b t e d t h a t France would ccmfc t o t h e i r a s s i s t a n c e , and many o f them seem t o have a c c e n t e d w i l l i n g l y the

i d e a o f an a l l i a n c e w i t h F r a n c e .

But many A m er ican s were i n

a g r e e m e n t t h a t a i d would be f o r t h c o m i n g o n l y i f th eir

i n d e p e n d e n c e from B r i t a i n .

It

they d e c la r e d

i s true th at Congress q u es­

t i o n e d t h e Committee o f S e c r e t C o r r e s p o n d e n c e a b o u t news from Europe and showed some a n x i e t y t o know F r a n c e ' s a t t i t u d e America.-^

toward

But James warren w r o t e from M a s s a c h u s e t t s t h a t a l l

t h a t s t o o d i n t h e way o f Fr en ch a s s i s t a n c e was "a more e x p l i c i t d e c l a r a t i o n o f i n d e p e n d e n c e ," t o l e t was i n e a r n e s t .

the F r e n c h know t h a t America

He s a i d t h a t he was n o t f o n d o f e i t h e r E n g l i s h

or F r e n c h t y r a n n y , b u t i f he had t o have o n e , he o r e f e r r e d the French brand.

Hot t h a t he wanted t o s e e a F r e n c h army i n A m erica,

■^Pichard S m it h , op. c i t . , I ,

510 (Mar. 1 1 , 1 7 7 6 ) .

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109

b u t he w a n t e d a F r e n c h army In a c t i o n a g a i n s t B r i t a i n . ^ Two d a ys b e f o r e Y.'arren w r o t e t h i s l e t t e r ,

The B o s t o n

G a z e t t e c a r r i e d a s t o r y from Newbern, N o r t h C a r o l i n a , fect

to the e f ­

t h a t t h e F r e n c h a p p e a r e d " e x c e e d i n g l y f r i e n d l y t o the Am eri­

can c a u s e ."

A l t h o u g h r e p r i n t e d a s from N o r t h C a r o l i n a ,

p r o b a b l y came from t h e F r e n c h .Vest I n d i e s .

t h e news

The pap er r e p o r t e d

t h a t t h e F r e n c h would have d e m o n s t r a t e d t h e i r f r i e n d s h i p f o r Amer­ i c a by much l a r g e r s h i p m e n t s o f arms an d am munition had t h e y n o t f e a r e d t h a t t h e Am eric an s would y i e l d t o t h e c l a i m s o f P a r l i a m e n t , and t h e n q u a n t i t i e s o f arms would h a v e b e e n l e f t d ies

f o r w h ic h t h e r e would b e no s a l e .

"The common t o a s t among

t h e F r e n c h from t h e G e n e r a l down t o the m e r c h a n t , p en d en ce o f A m e r i c a ."

i n the West I n ­

is,

the i n d e ­

U n t i l i n d e p e n d e n c e was d e c l a r e d ,

would be r e g a r d e d o n l y a s a " d o m e s t i c b r o i l ,

t h e war

unworthy t h e p u b l i c

c o u n t e n a n c e o f t h o s e powers who w ou ld c h e e r f u l l y e n t e r i n t o f r i e n d s h i p and a l l i a n c e w i t h them, c o u l d i t ety ."

be done w i t h p r o p r i ­

The r e p o r t s a i d t h a t "a c e r t a i n g r e a t man" i n the I n d i e s

w i s h e d t h e honor o f t r a n s m i t t i n g an a p p l i c a t i o n from t h e C o n t i ­ n e n t a l C ongress to the c o u r t of F rance, t h e f i r s t y e a r of t h e r e p u b l i c

" p r o v i d e d i t was d a t e d

o f A m e r ic a ." ^

A w r i t e r i n W e s tm o r e la n d ,

V i r g i n i a , answ ering a s u g g e s ­

t i o n t h a t t h e " p u ls e o f France" s h o u l d be f e l t b e f o r e the s t e p o f in d e p e n d e n c e was t a k e n , s a i d

t h a t he was s u r e t h a t t h e r e would be

im m ed ia t e a i d from a b r o a d and t h a t i t would be s e n t w i l l i n g l y . ^-Tames Aar re n t o John Adams, Lay 8 , 1 7 7 6 , '.varren-Adams L e t t e r s , I , 241. p 'The B o s t o n Ga z e t t e , a nd Cou ntry J o u r n a l , .'ay 6 , 1 7 7 6 .

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110

He b e l i e v e d t h a t F r a n c e ' s p u l s e had a l r e a d y b e e n f e l t ,

f o r he had

b e e n t o l d t h a t t h e s e n t i m e n t s o f t h e c o u r t s o f Fr anc e and S p a i n had b e e n "found t o be a s f a v o r a b l e as c o u ' d be w i s h ' d . "

Even i f

s u c h s o u n d i n g s had n o t b e e n made, he t h o ug h t t h a t t h e r i s k o f i n ­ dependence should be ta k en . chances of

. . . success,

Am erica had the "most p r o b a b l e

f o u nd ed on uhe c e r t a i n a d v a n t a g e s which

must m a n i f e s t t h e m s e l v e s t o F r e n c h u n d e r s t a n d i n g s , by a t r e a t y o f a l l i a n c e w i t h A m e r ic a ."

I t could not p o s s i b l y escap e the a t t e n ­

t i o n o f t h e Fr en ch t h a t B r i t a i n ' s on t h e American c o l o n i e s .

t r a d e and h e r navy were f ou nd ed

I t was r i d i c u l o u s t o t h i n k t h a t th e

F r e n c h m ight a c c e p t a p o s s i b l e

B r it is h proposal of p a r t it io n

r a t h e r t h a n t h e g r e a t a d v a n t a g e s fro m t h e c e r t a i n a n n i h i l a t i o n o f B r i t i s h o o w er, e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e F r en ch p o l i c y was o p n ose d t o a c ­ q uiring c o lo n ia l p o s s e s s io n s . French:

The w r i t e r o b s e r v e d ab ou t t h e

"They must be w r e t c h e d p o l i t i c i a n s

indeed,

i f They wou'd

p r e f e r t h e u n c e r t a i n a c q u i s i t i o n , and t h e p r e c a r i o u s e x p e n s i v e p o s s e s s i o n o f one or two p r o v i n c e s t o the g r e a t e r o n r t o f t h e Commerce o f t h e w h o l e . "

Take a c t i o n , he s a i d , and i s s u e a d e c l a ­

r a t i o n o f in d e p e n d e n c e f i r s t :

t h e n arm3 and s u p p l i e s o f war c o u l d

be a c q u i r e d from F r a n c e , w i t h o u t any doubt."^ R ich a rd Henry Lee urged i n d e p e n d e n c e "as the o n l y means by which f o r e i g n A l l i a n c e can b e o b t a i n e d , a n d he s a i d t h a t a foreign a llia n c e

s h o u l d be s o u g h t a t o n c e , s i n c e

1-Anon. t o a n o n . , Lay of V irg in ia , C h a r lo tt e s v ille ,

8

i t was e s s e n t i a l

, 1 7 7 6 , Alder man L i b r a r y , V i r g i n i a , The Lee P a p e r s .

U n iversity

^ R i c h a r d Henry Lee t o Land o n C a r t e r , .Tune 2, 1 7 7 6 , R i c h a r d He nr 7/ L e e , The L e t t e r s o f P i c h a r d Henry L e e , e d . James C u r t i 3 R a l l a g h (TJew Y ork : The Y a c .m i l l a n Company, l ' J l l - 1 9 1 4 ) , I , 1 9 3 .

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f o r the s u c c e s s f u l p r o s e c u t i o n of the s t r u g g l e f o r in d e p e n d e n c e . P a t r i c k Henry was c o n v i n c e d o f the im p o r t a n c e o f t e l l i n g France what t h e Americans wanted from h er and what t h e i r i n t e n t i o n s were w ith regard to B r it a in .

He f e a r e d t h a t F r a n c e ,

America had t o o f f e r , m ig h t succumb t o the w i l e s

i g n o r a n t o f what o f the B r i t i s h . 2

Thomas J e f f e r s o n , h a v i n g a p p a r e n t l y overcome h i s e a r l i e r r e l u c t a n c e honed t h a t V i r g i n i a was " r i p e 1’ f o r a f o r e i g n a l l i a n c e ,

f o r he saw

t h a t a s the o n l y n r o s p e c t f o r i m p o r t i n g s u c h e s s e n t i a l a r t i c l e s a s s a l t and b l a n k e t s . ^ Fad some Frenchmen h ea rd t h e s e s t a t e m e n t s o f c o n f i d e n c e i n t h e s u r e n e s s o f F r e n c h a i d and r e s o l u t i o n t o win i n d e p e n d e n c e for

A m erica , t h e y p r o b a b l y would have b e e n r e l i e v e d .

Garnier,

the

F r en ch c h a r g e i n London, warned Vergennes in the

m id d l e o f

Hay, 1 7 7 6 , France.

t h a t th e Americans were d i s c o u r a g e d by t h e a p a t h y o f

The A m e r i c a n s, he s a i d ,

bad b e e n s o s u r e t h a t t h e i r i n ­

t e r e s t s and t h o s e o f F r a nc e were i d e n t i c a l t h a t t h e y had r e g a r d e d F r e n c h a i d , e i t h e r s e c r e t or op en , a s a s s u r e d .

But the French

had b e e n s o s lo w t h a t G a r n i e r f e a r e d t h e A m e r i c a n s , r e s e n t i n g t h e d e l a y , would j o i n w i t h t h e B r i t i s h a g a i n s t F r a n c e . ”* l e t t e r had b e e n r e c e i v e d ^R. H. Lee t o T, 19 1: s e e a l s o John Joh n Adams, on. c i t . , 2 3 , 1 7 7 6 , i b i d . . IX,

i n France by t h i s

B onvouloir's

tim e, but Garnier did

[Ldmund P e n d l e t o n ? ] , Hay 1 2 , 1 7 7 6 , i b i d . , Adams to W i l l i a m C u s h i n g , June 9, 1 7 7 C, IX, 390: John Adams t o John W i n th r o o , June 409.

■ 2? a t r i c k Henry t o John Adams,

May 20, 17 7 6 ,

ib id .,

IV,

201. 'Z

’■'Thomas J e f f e r s o n to John P « g e , May 1 7 , 1 7 7 6 , Le t t e r s Members o f C .C . , I , 4 3 4 .

of

^ Garn ier t o V e r g e n n e s , May 1 5 , 177 6 , A . A . L . , C . ° . , a n g l e t e r r e , DXVI, f o l . 1 3 5 .

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112

n o t know i t ,

f o r t h e l e t t e r was s e n t t o t h e Comte de G u i n e s , who

had a l r e a d y l e f t London.

G uin es f o r w a r d e d t h e l e t t e r t o V e r g e n n e s ,

w h i l e G a r n i e r , n o t aware o f i t s

a rrival,

com plained t h a t B o n v o u lo ir 's

m i s s i o n had n o t o r o d u c e d a n y t h i n g and n e v e r would."1'

The c h a r g e

t h o u g h t t h a t France had s o much t o g a i n from h e l p i n g America t h a t he u r g e d F r a n c e t o a c t a t once t o k e e p t h e B r i t i s h and t h e Am er i­ cans a p a r t . 2 As a m a t t e r o f f a c t , F rance must a s s i s t

V e r g e n n e s had a l r e a d y d e c i d e d t h a t

t h e A m e r i c a n s , and by the s o r i n g o f 1776 t h e

F r e n c h gov er nm en t was c o m m it ted t o a program o f s e c r e t a i d t o t h e reb ellin g B ritish colon ies.

'.Thile G a r n i e r was w o r r y i n g a b o u t

F r e n c h a o a t h y , F r e n c h m e r c h a n t s , e n c o u r a g e d by t h e g o v e r n m e n t , were making s u c h a r r a n g e m e n t s f o r a i d t o America t h a t when S i l a s Deane a r r i v e d i n F r a n c s he f o u n d s u p p l i e s and c h a n n e l s a l l r e a d y f o r him. zation, ican s.

These d e v e l o p m e n t s were t h e r e s u l t o f s in c e 1775,

Vergennes*

r ea li­

t h a t France must e n c o u r a g e t h e r e b e l l i n g Amer­

.e h ave s e e n how he wanted B o n v o u l o i r t o a s s u r e t h e Ameri­

c a n s o f F r e n c h good w i s h e s and i n v i t e th em t o v i s i t F r e n c h h a r b o r s . V e r g e n n e s was p r e p a r e d t o g i v e asked fo r i t ,

the Am er ican s a s s i s t a n c e

and he was p r a c t i c a l l y c e r t a i n

i f they

t h a t t h e y would a s k

for i t . I t was n e c e s s a r y , h o w e v e r , t o w in t h e k i n g and t h e o t h e r m in isters

t o h i s way o f tr i n k i n g .

come t h e i r d i s t a s t e

Not o n l y would he have t o o v e r ­

f o r r e v o l u t i o n , b u t he had t o have p r o o f t h a t

th e Am eric an s r e a l l y would p e r s i s t •'•Garnier t o V e r g e n n e s , Kar.

i n t h e i r r e b e l l i o n and t h a t 11, 1776,

^ G^rn ier t o V e r g e n n e s , hay 1 5 , 177C,

i b i d . , DXV, f o l . l l l . ib id .,

DXVI, f o l . 1 3 5 .

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113

t h e B r i t i s h would n o t b e l a t e d l y a d o p t a co n e i l i a t o r y p o l i c y t o ­ ward t h e i r c o l o n i e s .

I t was t o s e c u r e such i n f o r m a t i o n ab ou t

America t h a t he had em p loy ed B o n v o u l o i r .

French i n t e r v e n t i o n in

Am er ican a f f a i r s had a l r e a d y b e e n u r g e d on Vergennes and the k i n g by Caron de B e a u m a r c h a is , wa tchma ker, p l a y w r i g h t and u n o f f i c i a l d i p l o m a t , who had become e x c i t e d ab ou t America when he met the Am erican Ar th ur l e e

i n London.

I n 17 75 and 1776 Beaumarchais

b e g g e d and demanded t h a t the F r e n c h gov er nm en t g i v e a i d

to the

A m e r i c a n s , and h e s e n t from London r e o o r t s on the B r i t i s h g o v e r n ­ ment and news from America."'-

The F r e n c h em b ass y s t a f f i n London

was a l s o b u sy g a t h e r i n g i n f o r m a t i o n , b u t d e f i n i t e o r o o f o f Am er i­ ca n d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o p e r s e v e r e i n r e b e l l i o n d i d n o t come u n t i l t h e end of F e b r u a r y , 1 7 7 6 , when B o n v o u l o i r * s l e t t e r r e a c h e d France. 7 / i t h the news t h a t t h e A m er ican s 'would f i g h t B r i t a i n , g a r d l e s s of the c o s t ,

Ver gen nes now had a n answ er t o t h o s e

re­

in the

F r e n c h government who b e l i e v e d t h a t an accom modation o f B r i t i s h and American d i f f e r e n c e s would y e t be f o u n d . was t h e r e f o r e i n a p o s i t i o n

The f o r e i g n m i n i s t e r

t o u r g e t h a t Franc e e n c o u r a g e the

Americans w i t h a l l means s h o r t o f war, f o r he was s u r e t h a t Fr anc e m ig h t t h u s s t r i k e a f a t a l b l o w a t B r i t i s h p r e s t i g e .

I t was i n t h e

s o r i n g o f 1776 t h a t K in g L o u i s XVI app ro ved a p o l i c y o f s e c r e t a i d ^-The s t o r y o f B e a u m a r c h a i s ' a c t i v i t i e s i s so w e l l known t h a t i t w i l l not be r e p e a t e d h e r e . Bee L o u is de L om en ie, Beaum a r c h a is e t son temps e t u d e s s u r l a s o c lS t f e en F r a n c e au XVIII'e s i £ c l e d ' a o r £ 3 d e s documents i n f e d l t s ( P a r i s : iviichel Levy F r & res , 1 8 5 6 ) , TT~, 8 3 - 1 1 2 : L l i z a b e t h L. K i t e , Be au m ar ch ais and t h e Jiar o f Am erican I n d ep en d en ce ( B o s t o n : R. G. Bad ger, 1 9 1 3 ) , IT, 3 1 - 7 6 : ~ G eo rg es L e m a i t r e , B ea um ar ch ais (New York: A l f r e d A. Knoof, 1 9 4 9 ) , -'P. 1 7 3 - 3 6 .

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114

and e n c o u r a g e m e n t t o the A m e r i c a n s , 1 and when Deane a r r i v e d i n J u l y , 1 7 7 6 ,^ the way was a l r e a d y open f o r him t o s e c u r e t h e s u p p l i e s he n e e d e d . I t would he an o v e r s i m p l i f i c a t i o n

to say th at French g ov­

ernment s p o n s o r s h i p o f a i d t o America was due t o B o n v o u l o i r 1s mis s i o n ,

f o r V erg en n es was d e t e r m i n e d t o undermine B r i t i s h power

e v e n b e f o r e he r e c e i v e d B o n v o u l o i r ' s r e o o r t .

and t h e Am er icans

wou ld n r o b a b l y have a s k e d f o r F r e n c h a s s i s t a n c e encouragement.

without B o n v o u lo ir’s

But p erh ap s B o n v o u l o i r h u s t e n e d t h e d e v e l o p m e n t ,

by r e a s s u r i n g th e American C o n g r e s s o f F r e n c h f r i e n d s h i o and by s u p p l y i n g V er gen nes w i t h the argu m en ts he needed t o win t h e k i n g ’ s s u o n o r t f o r a program o f a i d t o t h e c o l o n i s t s . I f B o n v o u l o i r d i d good s e r v i c e f o r Fr anc e and A m erica , he received l i t t l e

rew ard f o r i t .

H is n a t r o n ,

had b e e n d i s g u s t e d when h i s l e t t e r s

t h e Due de G u i n e s ,

from America had n o t a r r i v e d

a s q u i c k l y a s t h e y had b e e n e x p e c t e d , 0 t h o u g h l a t e r G uin es showed n le a s u r e a t h i s accom plishm ents in A m erica .4

V er gen n es became

a n g r y when B o n v o u l o i r ’ s f a m i l y , w o r r i e d o v e r h i s l o n g a b s e n c e , s o u g h t o f f i c i a l o r o t e c t i o n f o r h im .

The f o r e i g n m i n i s t e r r e f u s e d

t o do a n y t h i n g f o r B o n v o u l o i r , who, he s a i d ,

had gene t o America

^For an e x c e l l e n t , c o n c i s e a n a l y s i s o f t h e a t t i t u d e o f th e F r e n c h government d u r i n g t h i s o e r i o d , s e e Leng ( e d . ) , D e s ­ p a t c h e s and I n s t r u c t i o n s o f t'otirad ^-lexandre G e r a r d , pp. 4 3 - 6 1 : s e e a l s o D o n i o l , H T s t o i r e de l a p a r t i c i p a t i o n , I^ £ 4 0 - 8 6 . 2Deane t o t h e Committee o f S e c r e t C o r r e s p o n d e n c e , 1 3 , 1 7 7 5 , 7/hart o n , o o . c i t . , I I , 1 1 2 . ^C-uines to G a r n i e r , Feb. 2 5 , t e r r e , DXIV, f o l s . 3 5 0 - 5 1 . ^Guines t o L o u i s XVI, June 3 ,

1776, 1776,

Aug.

. B . , C . p .^ a n g l e ib id .,

DXVI, f o l .

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296.

a t h i s own r i s k , w i t h

the u n d e r s t a n d i i i g t h a t he would be d i s a v o w e d

i f he e n c o u n t e r e d t r o u b l e .

Anyway, B o n v o u l o i r ' 3 f a m i l y was n o t

s u n r o s e d t o know where he had g o n e .

Furthermore,

Vergennes s a i d

t h a t he t h o u g h t t h a t B o n v o u l o i r hud done a v e r y p o o r job i n america,

and he w i s h e d t h a t he would come h o m e - - t h o u g h Vergennes

w o u ld do n o t h i n g t o h e l p him g e t horne.^ h i s second y e a r ' s s a l a r y , ity

but he would not assume the r e s p o n s i b i l ­

f o r g e t t i n g the money to h im . ^

defense,

He d i d a g r e e t o nay him

Guines t h e n r o s e t o B o n v o u l o i r

s a i d t h a t he t h o u g h t the a g e n t was d o i n g w e l l , and he

w o u ld t r y t o send him word t o come home. V er gen nes *

o n i n i o n , he s a i d , he would have

Had he known e a r l i e r o f tried

t o s e n d word t o

B o n v o u l o i r by a n o t h e r a g e n t g o i n g t o A m erica , named M ich el C h a r t i e r de L o t b i n i & r e b u t he was a f r a i d L o t b i n i f c r e had a l r e a d y sa iled . I n S e p t e m b e r , 177G a n o t h e r l e t t e r reporting

from B o n v o u l o i r a r r i v e d ,

the s i t u a t i o n i n Canada and the U n i t e d S t a t e s .

Garnier

was r e l u c t a n t t o b e l i e v e some o f t h e t i l i n g s 'Bonvouloir r e p o r t e d , b u t Ver ge nnes v:as e n c o u r a g e d by t h e news o f Fr ench d i s a f f e c t i o n ^Guines t o V e r g e n n e s , June 1 1 , 1 7 7 6 , i b i d . t DXVI, f o l . 32 6 : S t e v e n s , Fa c s i m i l e s , IX, no. 3 7 4 : V er gen n es t o G u i n e s , June 1 3 , 1 7 7 6 , A . a .ST., C . P . , A n g l e t e r r e , DXVI, f o l . 329: S t e v e n s , F a c s i m i l e s , IX, no. 37 5. ''Vergennes t o G u i n e s , June 1 9 , 1 7 7 6 , . , C .P ., a n g le ­ t e r r e , DXVI, f o l . 3 5 6 : S t e v e n s , F a c s i m i l e s , IX, n o . 8 7 7 . %

'"'Guines t o V e r g e n n e s , June 1 6 , 1 7 7 6 , a . A . r . , C . P . , A n g l e ­ t e r r e , DC VI, f o l s . 3 4 9 - 5 0 : S t e v e n s , Facs i m l l e s , X I I I , n o. 1 3 3 5 . ^For d i s c u s s i o n o f L o t b l n i e r e ,

see the next ch a p ter.

''The l e t t e r i t s e l f , a l t h o u g h e n c l o s e d t o Ver gen nes from G e r n i e r , i s n o t i n the French a r c h i v e s , s o f a r as I can t e l l .

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116

i n Canada.^

B o n v o u l o i r h i m s e l f a r r i v e d i n F r a nc e i n J u n e , 1 7 7 7 .

He had l e f t P h i l a d e l p h i a toward t h e end o f lla r c h , b u t had b e e n c a p t u r e d on the way, and he a r r i v e d i n Fr anc e i n u t t e r d e s t i t u t i o n . The Due de G uin es t r i e d t o i n t e r e s t Ver genn es ir. h e l p i n g B o n v o u l o i r , s u g g e s t i n g t h a t t h e a g e n t would have i n t e r e s t i n g i n f o r m a l . i o n t o s u p p l y , ^ b u t we do n o t know w h e t h e r Ver gen nes e v e r u s e d B o n v o u l o i r again.

A l t o g e t h e r B o n v o u l o i r had w r i t t e n s e v e n t e e n l e t t e r s

Am erica, o n l y two tad a r r i v e d

in France.

S t i l l h is presence in

America and h i s f i r s t l e t t e r from America had s e r v e d b en eficia l

from

p u r p o se s

t o France and t o A m e r ic a .

■'■Gamier t o V e r g e n n e s , S e p t . 2 7 , 1 7 7 6 , A. A .m ., C . ? . , A n g l e t e r r e , DXVIII, f o l s . 1 7 6 - 7 7 : V er gen n es t o G a m i e r , O c t . 5, 1 7 7 6 , i b i d . , f o l . 2 50. ^Guines t o V e r g e n n e s , June 2 2 , 1 7 7 7 , b t e v e n s , F a c s i m i l e s , XVI, n o . 1 5 5 4 .

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CHAPTER VII LOTSIKIriRE, FRUSTRATED AGEITT The p o l i c y o f c o - o p e r a t i o n w i t h the r e b e l Amer icans a d o o t e d by the French government, a v e r y onen s e c r e t .

though i t

was s u p p o s e d t o be s e c r e t , was

I t seem s t o h a v e b e e n g e n e r a l l y known In

P a r i s t h a t S i l a s Deane had a r r i v e d from A m e r ic a , for

the r e b e l l i n g c o l o n i e s ,

seek in g su p p lie s

and t h a t he was s e c u r i n g s u n p l i e s w i t h

the u n o f f i c i a l e n c o u r a g e m e n t o f t h e F r e n c h government.-'fo u nd a warm welcome i n F r a n c e : ly,

^eane

V e r g e n n e s r e c e i v e d him u n o f f i c i a l ­

was f r i e n d l y and s y m p a t h e t i c , and n r o m is e d him the p r o t e c t i o n

o f the F r e n c h g o v e r n m e n t : s 0 nrad ^ l e x a n d r e G er ar d , fir st

Vergennes’

s e c r e t a r y , m a i n t a i n e d c l o s e r e l a t i o n s b e t w e e n Deane and t h e

foreign o ffic e : su o r lies

and B eaum arch ais was r e a d y w i t h o l a n s f o r s e n d i n g

to n n erica.

A l t h o u g h V e rg en n es was n o t a n x i o u s

a b r e a k w i t h E n g l a n d , Vie was d e t e r m i n e d

to r i s k

t h a t t h e Am ericans s h o u l d

be e n c o u r a g e d and p r o v i d e d w i t h the war m a t e r i a l s t h ey n e e d e d . He a s s u r e d Deane t h a t Am erican s h i p s would be welcomed i n F r e n c h oorts,

and he made it

c l e a r t h a t a i d s h o r t o f war would be e a s i l y

found i n F r a n c e . * -'-For B r i t i s h kn owled ge o f t h e d e t a i l s o f D e a n e ’ s work, s e e The Deane P a t e r s ( ’’C o l l e c t i o n s o f t h e Dew f o r k H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y , " TTf [ fe w hork: ^ r i r t e d f o r the S o c i e t y , 1 3 8 7 ] ) , I , 1 7 7 - 3 4 . “Deane t o t h e Committee o f S e c r e t C o r r e s p o n d e n c e , rtd g . 1 8 , 177 6, '.Thar t o n , o o . c i t . , I I , 1 1 2 - 2 1 . 117

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118

V ergen n es1 a t t i t u d e probably r e f l e c t e d the a t t i t u d e o f Frenchmen i n g e n e r a l , a d e s i r e t o s e e America s u c c e e d i n h e r r e ­ b e l l i o n s o t h a t B r i t a i n m i g h t be humbled.

Though Frenchmen may

n o t have appro ved o f American i d e a s o f r e p u b l i c a n i s m and e q u a l i t y , t h e i r h a t r e d o f B r i t a i n was s u f f i c i e n t f a v o r on the American R e v o l u t io n . - ' -

to l e a d then, t o l o o k w i t h

Frenchmen who r e a l i z e d the

im o o r t a n c e t o France o f a r e v o l t i n America o f f e r e d t h e i r s e r v i c e s i n the c a u s e o f s t r e n g t h e n i n g F r e n c h - a m e r i c a n r e l a t i o n s .

There

a r e numerous memoirs by s u c h Frenchmen s t i l l a v a i l a b l e i n t h e French a r c h i v e s ,

s h o w in g t h e i r w i l l i n g n e s s t o s e r v e a s F r e n c h

p r o p a g a n d i s t s i n Am erica. One o f f e r was made by a man s i g n i n g h i m s e l f Du P o n t , who c o u l d h a r d l y have b e e n any o t h e r t h a n P i e r r e Samuel du Po nt de Nemours, a member o f t h e gro up o f p h i l o s o n h e r s and e c o n o m i s t s known a s ''the P h y s i o c r a t s . " tia l

Du P o n t b e l i e v e d

t h a t i t was e s s e n ­

t o have a F r e n c h a g e n t i n America t o i n f l u e n c e

the d e c i s i o n s

o f C o n g r e s s , b u t the a g e n t s h o u l d a c t i n s u c h s e c r e c y t h a t e v e n C o n g r e s s would not be aware o f h i s work.

Du Pont assumed t h a t

F rance d i d n o t want t o r i s k a war b y a i d i n g

the Am er ican s t o o

s o o n , and so t h e B r i t i s h s h o u l d r o t know o f t h e e x i s t e n c e agent.

o f the

For t h a t r e a s o n he s h o u l d n o t be a man o f i m o o r t a n c e .

Nor s h o u l d he be a m i l i t a r y man, b e c a u s e , a c c o r d i n g t o Du P o n t , F r e n c h o f f i c e r s c o u l d n o t be t r u s t e d : t i o n and v a n i t y , w i t h l i t t l e

th ey were men o f i n d i s c r e ­

kn ow ledge o f p o l i t i c a l m a t t e r s .

Having e l i m i n a t e d a l l o t h e r p o s s i b i l i t i e s ,

Du Pont

■^Louis G o t t s c h a l k , The P l a c e o f t h e American R e v o l u t i o n i n t h e C a u s a l P a t t e r n o f theT F r en ch Etevolut i o n (h as t o n . P a . : The American F r i e n d s of L a f a y e t t e , 1 9 4 8 ) , p o l 3 - 5 .

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119

suggested

t h a t he h i m s e l f c o u l d w e l l s e r v e t h e F r e n c h k i n g i n

America.

He was s u f f i c i e n t l y w e l l known t o command t h e r e s p e c t

o f t h e A m e r i c a n s , and he c o u l d a v o i d t h e a t t e n t i o n o f t h e B r i t i s h b y c l a i m i n g t o be a p o l i t i c a l e x i l e .

He w o u ld t e l l

Phe Am ericans

t h a t he was s e e k i n g a p h i l o s o p h i c r e t r e a t i n t h e i r c o u n t r y , a s h is many American f r i e n d s had s o o f t e n s u g g e s t e d .

Through h i s f r i e n d s ,

he wo uld e s t a b l i s h c o n t a c t s w i t h C o n g r e s s and i n f l u e n c e t h e i r d e ­ cision s

to the advantage o f F ra n c e.

more e f f e c t i v e

if

ths

Hi3 work would be a l l t h e

Am er icans would n o t be aware t h a t he was

s e n t by t h e F r e n c h as a p r o p a g a n d i s t :

t h e y would b e l i e v e t h a t he

was a c t i n g o n l y as t h e i r i n t e r e s t e d f e l l o w c i t i z e n . a c t as in te r m e d ia r y f o r Congress w ith h is

He c o u l d a l s o

f r i e n d s i n Europ e, and

t h i s would g i v e him added i n f l u e n c e , w h ich he would u s e a s Ver­ gennes thought b e s t . Du P o n t s a i d t h a t h i s p l a n was p a r t i c u l a r l y a p p e a l i n g b e ­ cause he b e l i e v e d

t h a t he would not b e a c t i n g u n d e r f a l s e

and he would be s e r v i n g b o t h Franc e and A m e r ic a .

pretenses,

He would do a

g r e a t s e r v i c e f o r t h e k i n g o f F r a n c e , he t h o u g h t , by i n f l u e n c i n g the B r i t i s h c o l o n i e s

to form an i n d e p e n d e n t s t a l e

t h a t would be

r i c h and f l o u r i s h i n g and w i t h w h ic h t h e French would have e x t e n s i v e r ig h t s of tr a d e .

I f he a c h i e v e d t h i s , he s a i d , he would c e r t a i n l y

be d o i n g a n e v e n g r e a t e r s e r v i c e p h a s i z e d t h a t he was n o t a c t i n g were many o t h e r t h i n g s

t o the A m e r i c a n s .

Du P on t em­

out o f s e l f - i n t e r e s t ,

for there

t h a t wou ld b r i n g him g r e a t e r g l o r y .

aim was t o a c c o m p l i s h t h i s

His

t a s k t h a t would c o n t r i b u t e so much t o

t h e w e l f a r e o f h i s c o u n t r y , and he b e l i e v e d

t h a t he c o u l d s e r v e

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120

Fr anc e b e t t e r i n P h i l a d e l p h i a t h a n i n P a r i s . 1

r e n t l y Du Pont

d i d n o t r e c e i v e t h e a p p o i n t m e n t he s o u g h t , f o r he d i d n o t go t o America u n t i l l o n g a f t e r i n d e p e n d e n c e had b e e n a c h i e v e d . in f a c t forced to seek refuge

He was

t h e r e fro m r e v o l u t i o n i n h i s own

country. A p r o p o s a l by Du Pont t o go t o America a s a s e c r e t a g e n t i s o f p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t b e c a u s e he had b e e n a member o f t h e F r e n c h go ver nm en t u n t i l ab ou t memoir t o

Vergennes.

two week s b e f o r e he p r e s e n t e d the

He had s e r v e d u n d er t h e f i n a n c e m i n i s t e r ,

Anne-Robert Turgot, u n t i l

t h e m i n i s t e r and h i s

f r i e n d s were d i s ­

m i s s e d from o f f i c e on May 1 2 , 1 7 7 6 , and t h e n Du Pont had r e t i r e d t o the c o u n t r y .^

I t seems p o s s i b l e t h a t Du Pont s u g g e s t e d th e

American m i s s i o n b e c a u s e he had h e a r d members o f t h e gove rn m en t t a l k a b o u t the need f o r d i r e c t i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e B r i t i s h c o l o ­ n ies.

A lm o st s u r e l y he was aware o f th e deep i n t e r e s t o f t h e

g o v e r n m e n t i n American a f f a i r s ,

and he would t h u s f e e l e n c o u r a g e d

t o n r o p o s e a t r i p t o A m e r ic a . The Marquis de P o t e r a t , a c a p t a i n o f c a v a l r y , was s u r e that F r an c e c o u l d n o t be i n d i f f e r e n t t o e v e n t s i n A m e r ic a , and s o he o f f e r e d t o s e r v e F r a n c e i n America i f o b s e r v e r o f z e a l and a b i l i t y t h e k i n g would l i k e

t h e k i n g wanted t o have an

in the r e b e l l i n g c o l o n i e s .

Perh aps

t o h ave sa ne one i n America t o c a r r y on a

s e c r e t n e g o t i a t i o n w i t h d i s c r e t i o n and a l s o t a k e Dart i n m i l i t a r y ^ u Pont t o V e r g e n n e s , May 3 0 , 1 7 7 6 , t e r r e , DXVI, f o l s . 2 3 8 - 3 9 .

a. a.E .,

C .P ., Angle-

^ D e n i s e Aime, Du Pont de Nemours -iS nn ete homme ( P a r i s : P h i l i o n e O r t i z , [ 1 9 3 4 ] ) , pp. 1 2 0 , 1 2 3 .

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121

one r a t i o n s ,

s i n c e the r e b e l s seemed t o be a c t i n g w i t h more c o u r a g e

than a b i l i t y .

A l t h o u g h he i s now d i f f i c u l t t o i d e n t i f y ,

Poterat

b e l i e v e d t h a t h i s name would c a r r y s u c h g r e a t w e i g h t w i t h t h e Am ericans t h a t he would be a b l e t o c a r r y o u t a c o m m i s s i o n i n Amer­ ic a with s ig n a l s u c c e s s .

He d i d nou ask f o r money or h o n o r s , b e ­

c a u s e he s a i d t h a t i t was g l o r y e n o u g h t o s e r v e the k i n g i n a t a s k worthy of h i s n o s i t i o n .

And i f h i s o f f e r were n o t a c c e p t e d ,

he would f e e l t h a t he had a t l e a s t d e m o n s t r a t e d h i s d e s i r e t o serve

the k i n g .

ceived,

This a p p a r e n t l y was t h e o n l y s a t i s f a c t i o n he r e ­

f o r he seem s n o t t o have gone t o A m erica . A s i m i l a r o f f e r was made i n t h e f o l l o w i n g month by a man

named t h e Baron de P l a n t s , who was recommended b y G a r n i e r , c h a r g e i n London, as one w e l l s u i t e d

to go to A m e r ic a .

the

Ga r n i e r

h i m s e l f t h o u g h t t h a t i t would be w e l l t o h a v e someone from Fr anc e i n America t o c l a r i f y

the v i e w s and a c t i o n s o f t h e r e b e l s .

Since

P l a n t a had b e e n r a i s e d in S w i t z e r l a n d , he was a c c u s t o m e d t o e q u a l ­ i t y — a g r e a t advantage i n d e a l i n g w ith Am ericans, s a i d G a rn ier. P l a n t a ’ s f a m i l y had l o n g b e e n i n t h e s e r v i c e and s o h i s l o y a l t y

to Franc e was a s s u r e d . 2

o f the k in g o f F r a n c e, But P l a n t a a p p a r e n t l y

was an i m o o s t e r , w i t h f a l s e c l a i m s t o m i l i t a r y s e r v i c e and m i l i t a r y orders.

G arn ie r h a s t i l y a p o l o g i z e d t o V er gen n es when he l e a r n e d

t h i s , b u t he had b e e n l e d t o b e l i e v e

t h a t P l a n t a was on th e m ost

^Marquis de P o t e r a t t o [ V e r g e n n e s ] , J u l y 5 , 1 7 7 6 , i b i d . , DXVII, f o l . 1 9 . I t i s p o s s i b l e t h a t t h i s was t h e marquis de P o t e r a t (bor n 1 7 4 0 ) who was an i m p o r t a n t s e c r e t a g e n t i n F r e n c h diolom acv du rin g the French R e v o l u t io n . See "Le m arq uis de Poterat, B i o g r a o h i e u n l v e r s e l l e (Michaud) a n c i e n n e e t m o d e r n e , v o l . XXXIV. 2G a r n ie r t o V e r g e n n e s , * u g . 2 7 , 1 7 7 6 , t e r r e , DXVII, f o l . 2 4 9 .

a .A.- c. . ,

C .P ., Angle-

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122

i n t i m a t e t erm s w i t h V erg en n es and s o would be an e x c e l l e n t c h o i c e f o r o b s e r v e r i n A m e r i c a .^ A n o t h er o f f e r t o go t o America on b e h a l f o f Fr anc e was c o n ­ t a i n e d i n an u n s i g n e d p a p e r s e n t t o the F r e n c h f o r e i g n o f f i c e 1776, b e a r in g the t i t l e ,

in

"Summary o f my i d a a s on the p r e s e n t s i t u ­

a t i o n o f A m e r ic a , and what I t h i n k i n d i s p e n s a b l e ,

if

it

i s d esired

t o m a i n t a i n t h e i n s u r g e n t s i n t h a t s u o e r i o r i t y t h a t was o b s e r v e d i n them d u r i n g the w h o le o f the l a s t c a m p a ig n . "

The w r i t e r o u t l i n e d

t h e s t r a t e g y t h a t h e b e l i e v e d t h e Am er icans s h o u l d f o l l o w , h i s a s ­ s u m p t io n b e i n g t h a t t h e B r i t i s h c o u l d n o t m a i n t a i n an American v/ar o v e r any l o n g p e r i o d .

He s a i d

t h a t t h e Am er icans s h o u l d r e s i s t

B ritain 's f ir s t

s t r o n g e f f o r t as b e s t they c o u l d ,

points of le a s t

i m p o r t a n c e and h o l d i n g on t o t h o s e from w hich t h e y

would he a b l e

t o make a r a p i d r e c o v e r y .

y i e l d i n g the

The w r i t e r t h e n s a i d ,

I t i s because I f e a r th at th ey are n o t so con vin ced of t h i s n e c e s s i t y a t t h e moment a s I am, t h a t I s h o u l d much l i k e t o go s t r a i g h t t o trie G e n e r a l C o n g r e s s , t o w h ich I s h o u l d w i s h t o u n f o l d a l l my i d e a s on t h i s s u b j e c t , and w h i c h I s h o u l d i n d u c e , I f l a t t e r m y s e l f , t o c on form e n t i r e l y t o my system r e g a r d in g p re se n t a f f a i r s . ^ The a u t h o r o f t h i s p a p er was a p p a r e n t l y i l i c h e l C h a r t i e r de L otbiniere, fam ily. ters

member o f a w e a l t h y and p r o m i n e n t Fr en ch Ca nadian

A c o m p a r i s o n o f t h e h a n d w r i t i n g o f t h i s memoir w i t h l e t ­

t o w h i c h h i s name i s s i g n e d shows f a i r l y c l e a r l y

t h e a u t h o r o f t h i s memoir.

t h a t he was

The a u t h o r o f t h e "Summary" was f a m i l ­

i a r w i t h yueb ec and knew Canada w e l l : L o t b i n i e r e was an e n g i n e e r ^Farnier to [V erg en n es], S e n t. 13, 1776, ib id ♦, f o l . 91. The P l a n t a f a m i l y was an a n c i e n t S w i s s f a m i l y , members o f w h ic h were l i v i n g i n England a t t h i s t i m e . See " P l a n t a , " b i o g r a p h i a u n l v e r s e l l e (Vichau d) a n c i e n n e e t m o d e m e , v o l . XXXIII. ^Anon., " P r e c i s de mes i d e e s s u r l a s i t u a t i o n a c u u e l l e de I ' A m e r i q u e , e t ce que j e c r o i s i n d i s p e n s a b l e s i 1 1 or. e u t t e n i r l e s i n s u r p e n s avec. c e t t e S u p e r i o r i t e q u ' o n l e u r a vu t o u t e l a camnagne S e r n i S r e , 1 7 7 6 , A . A . E . , C . ? . , A n g l e t e r r e , D/.IX, f o l . 44 1 : S t e v e n s , F a c s i m i l e s , X I I I , n o . 1 5 1 1 .

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123

on t h e f r o n t i e r s Canada.

o f Canada and had s e r v e d i n t h e F r e n c h army i n

I t i s h i s c l a i m t o fame t h a t i n the s i e g e

d u r i n g the S e v e n Y e a r s ' War, he i s

o f Quebec,

supposed to have f o r e s e e n the

d a n g e r o f t h e o a t h t h a t t h e B r i t i s h commanding g e n e r a l , James W o l f e , a c t u a l l y u s e d i n s c a l i n g t h e h e i ^ a t s o f th e c i t y and d e ­ f e a t i n g the French.'*’

The L o t b i n i e r e f a m i l y h e l d v a s t e s t a t e s i n

Canada, i n c l u d i n g tw o g r a n t s o f b a r o n i a l s i z e

on Lake Champlain

t h a t M i c h e l C h a r t i e r de L o t b i n i e r e had r e c e n t l y a c q u i r e d .

These

two e s t a t e s , h o w e v e r , were i n c l u d e d i n g r a n t s t h a t t h e B r i t i s h made t o the p r o v i n c e

o f New f o r k and d e s i g n a t e d f o r o f f i c e r s o f

t h e B r i t i s h army, when t h e B r i t i s h c o n q u e s t o f Canada was com­ p lete .^

L o t b i n i e r e was a n x i o u s t o e s t a b l i s h h i s r i g h t s t o t h e s e

l a n d s , and he s p e n t y e a r s i n London t r y i n g t o s e c u r e B r i t i s h r e c ­ o g n itio n of h is

claim s,

b u f f e d on e v e r y

h a n d .

4

a c c o r d i n g t o h i s own a c c o u n t , he was r e ­ He t r a v e l e d b e t w e e n Canada and

olanning e v e n tu a lly to s e t t l e

E u r o p e ,

5

i n Canada when h i 3 c l a i m s had b e e n

■^Archibald de Lery Macdonald, The S e l g n e u r i e o f A l a l n v i l l e on Lake Champlain ("The Order o f C o l o n i a l Lords o f Manors i n Amer­ ica , No. 20 [Ba1 t i m o r e , 1 9 2 9 ] ) , o n . 6 - 2 1 . ^Cop ies o f l a n d g r a n t s , Apr. 2 0 , 1 7 4 3 , a o r . 1 , 1 7 4 5 , Nov. 1 5 , 1 7 5 8 , i n o h o t o s t a t i c c o n i e s i n t h e M a n u s c r ip t s D i v i s i o n o f t h e L i b r a r y o f C o n g r e s s o f P u b l i c R ecord O f f i c e ( B r i t a i n ) , C o l o n i a l O f f i c e , No. 3 2 4 , V o l . XLIX, f o l s . 2 2 9 - 3 6 . ^ I s a a c J . Greenwood, "The De L o t b i n i & r e s . A B i t o f Cana­ d i a n Romance and H i s t o r y , " The New -England H i s t o r i c a l and Genea ­ l o g i c a l R e g i s t e r , L ( J a n . , T 8 9 6 ) , 57. ^ L otb in iere to the p r e s id e n t o f C ongress, Dec. 24, 1776, L i b r a r y o f C o n g r e s s , P ap er s of t h e C o n t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s , No. 7 8 , V o l . XIV, f o l . 104 ( t h e F r e n c h ) o r 139 ( t h e E n g l i s h ) . 5C . - A . de L o t b i n i S r e - H a r w o o d , "L'Honora ble M. E . - G . - a . C h a r t i e r de L o t b i n i e r e , " Le b u l l e t i n d e s r e c h e r c h e s h l s t o r l q u e s , XL ( f e v r i e r , 1 9 3 4 ) , 7 4 .

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124

recognized.

He l e f t

i n Canada h i s w i f e , h i s s o n , and h i s d a u g h t e r ,

h i s son having charge o f the f a m i l y e s t a t e s . 1 In s p i t e

o f many y e a r s ’ s w o r k , L o t b i n i e r e d i d n o t r e g a i n

h i s e s t a t e s on Lake C h a m p la in , b u t i n 177 6 t h e B r i t i s h go vernm en t g r a n t e d h im , i n

c o m p e n s a t i o n , a p e n s i o n and a t r a c t o f la n d t o be

t a k e n up i n Canada. p en sion .2

He d i d n o t a c c e p t e i t h e r t h e l a n d or t h e

A c c o r d i n g t o L o t b r i n i e r e ’ s own a c c o u n t , he gave

p en sio n of 10,000 l i v r e s a year

u p

the

(he d i d n o t m e n t io n t h e l a n d ) b e ­

c a u s e i n 17 7 6 one o f h i s f r i e n d s i n P r a n c e a s k e d him t o r e f u s e t h e p e n s i o n , l e a v e E n g l a n d , and g o t o Am erica on a m i s s i o n f o r P ran ce.3 it

A l t h o u g h he may have l e f t E n g la n d f o r t h e s a k e o f F r a n c e ,

s ee m s l i k e l y

P e r h a p s he f e l t too sm all.

th a t other fa cto rs

in flu en ced h is d e c is io n to go.

t h a t t h e c o m p e n s a t i o n f o r h i s l o s t e s t a t e s was

P r o b a b l y he was i n t e r e s t e d i n e v e n t s i n A m e r i c a , b e ­

c a u s e h e had made f r i e n d s w i t h Ben ja m in F r a n k l i n i n London.^ F r a n k l i n may h a v e c o n v i n c e d him o f t h e w o r t h o f t h e Am erican c a u s e , b u t L o t b i n i b r e saw i n t h e American r e v o l t a l s o an o p p o r t u ­ n ity to reg a in h is l o s t e s t a t e s .

He b e l i e v e d

t h a t t h e r e was a

c h a n c e t h e Am ericans would d e f e a t t h e B r i t i s h , and i f he h e l p e d t h e A m e r i c a n s , he t h o u g h t t h a t t h e y m ig h t r e c o g n i z e h i s c l a i m s i n ^ L o t b in i & r e t o h i s s o n , Nov. 1 0 , 177C, P a p e r s o f t h e C o n t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s , No. 7 8 , V o l. XIV, 3 ' o ls . 1 2 9 - 3 0 . 2i.'acd onald , o p . c i t . , p . 2 8 . ^ L o t b i n i d r e t o M. de l a C o s t e , June 4, [1780*?], A r c h i v e s N a t i ' - n a l e s ( F r a n c e ) , C o l o n i e s , s d r i e n , c a r t o n 7 5 , p i i c e 20 ( C an ad ia n A r c h i v e s t r a n s c r i p t s ) . ^ L o t b in i& r e t o [ P r e s i d e n t o f C o n g r e s s ] , D e c . 2 4 , 1 7 7 6 , P a p e r s o f t h e C o n t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s , No. 7 8 , Vol. XIV, f o l . 104 or 140.

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125

t h e Lake Champlain r e g i o n . 1 France,

L o t b i n i e r e h a t e d En gland and l o v e d

and h e w o u l d be more t h a n hanpy t o s e r v e F r a n c e i n any­

way t o i n j u r e B r i t a i n .

Thu3, s e l f - i n t e r e s t and p a t r i o t i s m were

j o i n e d t o make L o t b i n i e r e w i l l i n g t o r e f u s e th e B r i t i s h p e n s i o n and go on a French m i s s i o n t o A m er ica . The f i n a l p o i n t i n l e a d i n g him t o Franc e and t h u s t o Amer­ i c a was t h e news t h a t h i s

s o n had b e e n t a k e n o r i s o n e r by t h e Amer­

i c a n s when t h e y had i n v a d e d Canada i n 1 7 7 5 . “

The y o u n g e r L otbin i' ere,

who d i d n o t s h a r e h i s f a t h e r ' s h a t r e d o f the B r i t i s h , had j o i n e d t h e B r i t i s h army f o r t h e d e f e n s e o f Canada and had b e e n c a p t u r e d b y t h e Am er icans i n the f a l l o f 1 7 7 5 . 3

He was t a k e n t o P e n n s y l ­

v a n i a 4 and was n o t e x c h a n g e d u n t i l December, 1 7 7 6 , r e a c h i n g Canada a g a in o n ly in the s o r in g o f 1 7 7 7 .3

By t h e end o f 1775 or the b e ­

g i n n i n g o f 1 7 7 6 , L o t b i n i e r e had l e a r n e d o f h i s h i s o r o b a b l e im o r is o n m e n t i n P e n n s y l v a n i a .7

s o n ' s c a p t u r e ° and

L o tb in ie r e learned at

^ L o t b i n i & r e ' s j o u r n a l , c u o t e d i n Lou is L. P a r a d i s , Les a n r . a le s de L o t b i n i e r e 1 6 7 2 - 1 9 3 5 (Quebec: Des a t e l i e r s de 1 ’ A c t i o n C a t h o l iq u e , 1 9 3 5 ), pp. 1 5 6 -5 7 . 2 V a u d r e u i l t o L o t b i n i e r e , J a n . 1 4 , 1 7 7 6 , Hew f o r k H i s t o r i ­ c a l S o c i e t y , Canada MSS, Box I I ( 1 7 6 0 - 1 8 1 4 , 1 8 7 4 ) . ^ L o t b i n i e r e - H a r w o o d , l o c . c l t . . p. 7 8 . 4J o u r n a l s o f C o n g r e s s , (Nov. 8 , 1 7 7 6 ) . 5L o t b i n i d r e - H a r w o o d ,

IV, 184 (Mar. 4, 1 7 7 6 ) :

loc.

c it.,

p . 78: P a r a d i s ,

VI, 934 op . c i t .

p. 154. ^ le and have an L otbiniere, MSS, Box I I

knew o f i t e a r l y enough t o w r i t e from London t o P a r i s answer d a t e d from P a r i s , J a n . 1 4 , 1 776: V a u d r e u i l t o Ja n . 1 4 , 1 7 7 6 , New York H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t v , Canada (1760-1814, 1874).

^ L o t b i n i e r e t o h i s s o n , Nov. 1 0 , 1 7 7 6 , P a p e r s o f t h e Con­ t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s , No. 7 8 , V ol. XIV, f o l s . 1 2 9 - 3 0 : L o t b i n i e r e t o F r a n k l i n , Nov. 1 1 , 1 7 7 6 , i b i d . , f o l . 133..

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126

t h e same tim e t h a t t h e r e was no hope o f g a i n i n g s u p p o r t , e i t h e r i n Prance o r Canada, f o r h i s l a n d c l a i m s . ^ By t h e end o f t h e w i n t e r o f 1 7 7 6 ,

want,^

in great

the e l d e r L o t b i n i e r e was

and s o he l e f t London a t t h e end o f L a r c h , c o n ­

v i n c e d t h a t he c o u l d g a i n n o t h i n g w o r t h w h i l e from t h e B r i t i s h g o v ­ ernm ent.5

B e f o r e he l e f t ,

he r e c e i v e d a l e t t e r

from a f o r m e r com­

p a n i o n o f the C an ad ia n c a m p a ig n s , a s k i n g him t o b r i n g t o F r a n c e maos and n l a n s o f t h e c o u n t r y where t h e y had f o u g h t t o g e t h e r . Soon a f t e r he a r r i v e d i n Pa r i s , L otbiniere

offered

ernm ent.^

Th is p r o b a b l y i s

probably e a r l y in A p r il,

t o go t o America i n b e h a l f o f the F r e n c h g o v ­ the d a t e o f t h e "Summary," i n w h ic h

he p r o n o s e d t o become a m i l i t a r y a d v i s o r in A m e r ic a .

H i s i d e a s of

what he would do t h e r e i n c l u d e d more than j u s t g i v i n g m i l i t a r y advice.

A f t e r he had s e t t l e d t h e s t r a t e g y o f t h e American army,

he would p r o c e e d t o Canada, armed w i t h a u t h o r i t y from C o n g r e s s t o d e a l w i t h the Canadian l e a d e r s .

He a n t i c i p a t e d

t h a t he would h a v e

g r e a t i n f l u e n c e w i t h t h e C a n a d i a n s , and he e x p e c t e d t o p e r s u a d e them t o j o i n th e A m e r i c a n s .

I t would be w i s e , he b e l i e v e d ,

t o go

^•Vaudreuil t o L o t b i n i f e r e , J a n . 1 4 , 1 7 7 6 , uew York H i s t o r i ­ c a l S o c i e t y , Canada MSS, Box I I ( 1 7 6 0 - 1 8 1 4 , 1 8 7 4 ) . ^ L o t b i n i e r e 1s j o u r n a l ,

q u o t e d i n Pa r a d i s ,

op. c i t . ,

n .1 5 6 .

3Ibid. ^Marquis de L e v i s t o [ L o t b i n i e r e ? J, Mar. 1 6 , York H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y , Canada MSS, Box I I .

1776,

Hew

5L o t b i n i e r e ’ s j o u r n a l , q u o t e d i n P a r a d i s , op. c i t . , on. 156-67. L o t b i n i e r e s a i d t h a t he was i n P a r i s and V e r s a i l l e s more t h a n two months b e f o r e he l e f t f o r S t . Malo, t o s a i l t o A m erica, and he w e n t to S t . Malo i n J u n e , L o t b i n i e r e t o F r a n k l i n , Kov. 1 1 , 1 7 7 6 , P a p e r s o f t h e C o n t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s , Ho. 7 8 , V o l. XIV, f o l . 125 or 1 3 1 .

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127

t o America a t once and i n s i n u a t e t o t h e l e a d e r s o f t h e r e v o l t t h e co n c e r n of the French k ing ov er the f a t e o f the A m ericans. would l e t

them know t h a t t h e k i n g f e l t

l e a s t w i t h money,

in clin ed

t o h e l p them, a t

" i f i t became i n d i s p e n s a b l y n e c e s s a r y . "

A m erican s s h o u l d be e n c o u r a g e d b e c a u s e and saw "no hooe on any s i d e , "

He

The

i f t h e y were hard p r e s s e d

t h e y m i g h t become d i s c o n t e n t e d and

"lend t h e m s e lv e s t o a r e c o n c i l i a t i o n w it h t h e i r m o th e r - c o u n tr y , a t t h e s l i g h t e s t a p p r o a c h t h e l a t t e r m ig h t make i n s u c h a c r i t i c a l moment f o r t h e m . " 1

There was g r e a t d a n g e r t h a t t h e B r i t i s h g o v ­

ern m en t would use any remedy t h a t the moment o f f e r e d , and t o p r e ­ v e n t t h e i r s u c c e s s L o t b i n i e r e d e c l a r e d , '1 engage t h e f o r t u n e and n e r h a p s the s a f e t y o f France t o p r e v e n t i t s b e i n g a p p l i e d . " ^

A

man c o u l d h a r d l y s p e a k more b o l d l y t h a n t h a t , b u t he t h e n drew back a l i t t l e

and a s k e d from t h e k i n g "a most p r e c i s e s t a t e m e n t "

as t o the proper a t t i t u d e sa id ,

t o assume when i n n m e r i c a .

T e l l me, he

"what I ca n a s s u r e them a s c e r t a i n , what I o u g h t o n l y t o i n ­

s i n u a t e t o them b u t w i t h o u t any a s s u r a n c e ,

a lth o u g h always d i s ­

p o s e d t o em ploy a l l my r h e t o r i c t o p e r s u a d e them c o n c e r n i n g a l l t h a t I s h o u l d f i n d u s e f u l t o the s e r v i c e and p r o f i t o f His Maj­ esty ." 2 L o t b i n i e r e had the d e t a i l s

o f h i s t r i p a l r e a d y worked o u t .

He s u g g e s t e d t h a t he t a k e p a s s a g e on a s h i p g o i n g t o M i q u e lo n , o f f t h e c o a s t o f Can ada, w i t h o r d e r s f o r t h e c a p t a i n t o put him ashore "among t h e i n s u r g e n t s . "

44 1:

Or h e c o u l d land on M i q u e l o n , w i t h an

1A n o n . , "Summary," A . a . L . , C . P . , a n g l e t e r r e , DXIX, f o l . S te v e n s, F a c s i m l l e s , X III, no. 1311. 2Ibid .

3Ib id .

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128

order to the governor o f the Isla n d to f a c i l i t a t e the m ainland.

As companions on h i s voyage h e wanted h i s nephew,

who was a c a o t a i n i n the a r t i l l e r y ,

and an aged c a o t a i n o f m a r i n e s

who had s e r v e d i n Canada and would be i n v a l u a b l e the I n d ia n s .

h is passage to

in d e a l i n g w ith

So t h o r o u g h l y had L o t b i n i e r e made h i s p l a n s t h a t he

even suggested

t h a t t h e b i s h o p o f Canada s h o u l d be rem ove d, s i n c e

t h e c l e r g y would o f f e r t h e g r e a t e s t h i n d r a n c e t o p e r s u a d i n g the C a n a d ia n s t o j o i n t h e American r e b e l s .

Furthermore, L o tb in ie r e

i n s i s t e d t h a t he must n o t be d i s a v o w e d by t h e F r ench gover n m en t a f t e r he r e a c h e d America.-* The p l a n o f a o p r o a c h i n g C o n g r e s s as an e m i s s a r y o f France and t h e n a p o r o a c h i n g t h e C a n ad ia ns a s a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e

o f Congress

was changed b y t h e tim e a s e c o n d memoir was p r e s e n t e d t o t h e f o r ­ eign o f f ic e .^ he was s u r e

Now L o t b i n i e r e p r o p o s e d t o go f i r s t

t h a t Quebec was i n t h e hands o f

he would r o u s e

the A m e r i c a n s .

There

the C a n a d ia n s by w a r n in g them t h a t t h e y c o u l d e x -

o e c t only the h a r s h e st treatm ent i f trol.

t o Quebec, f o r

At t h e same t i m e ,

the B r i t i s h e v e r r e g a i n e d c o n ­

t o draw t h e C a nad ian s c l o s e r t o t h e r e b e l

A m e r i c a n s , he would a s s u r e them t h a t i n a r e p u b l i c r e l i g i o u s and o o l i t i c a l f r e e d o m .

t h e y would have

L o t b i n i e r e hoped t h a t t h e Cana­

d i a n s would se nd him t o the C o n t i n e n t a l C on gres s a s t h e i r l e a d i n g •*-A.A.E., C . P . , A n g l e t e r r e , DXIX, f o l s . F a c s i m il e s , X III, no. 1311.

441-42: S tev en s,

^This memoir, u n s i g n e d and d a t e d o n l y 1 7 7 6 , i s p l a c e d s e c o n d i n t h e Fr ench a r c h i v e s and from i t s c o n t e x t i t i s c l e a r t h a t i t was not t h e f i r s t memoir w r i t t e n t o the f o r e i g n o f f i c e . The h a n d w r i t i n g i s t h e same a s i n t h e f i r s t memoir, and t h e s t a t e ­ ments o f m i l i t a r y e x p e r i e n c e i n Ca nada c o r r e s p o n d t o L o t b i n i f e r e ’ s service. " O f f r e s de ma p a r t , e t o b s e r v a t i o n s s u r l e s a f f a i r e s o r e s e n t e s e n A m er iq ue, " A . a . L . , C . P . a n g l e t e r r e , DXIX, f o l . 4 4 4 .

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129

d elegate:

i n t h a t c a p a c i t y h e would t r y t o u n i t e Canada and t h e

th irteen colon ies

so c l o s e l y

that they could never se p a r a te .

L o t b i n i e r e p l a n n e d t h a t w h i l e he was a c t i n g a s a p r o p a g a n ­ d i s t i n Canada he would a l s o g i v e

the Am er ican s i n Canada t h e a d ­

v a n t a g e o f h i s m i l i t a r y e x p e r i e n c e and would show them t h e schem es t h a t would b e b e s t f o r t h e c o u n t r y . for the d e fe n se

o f Canada, i f

He had p l a n s a l r e a d y p r e p a r e d

i t was i n t h e han ds o f the A m e r i c a n s ,

a l t e r n a t e p l a n s f o r c a p t u r i n g Quebec i f

the B r i t i s h h eld i t ,

and,

as a l a s t r e s o r t , olan s for Preventing fu r th e r B r i t i s h v i c t o r i e s . He a n t i c i p a t e d

t h a t he m i g h t be o f s u c h g r e a t s e r v i c e

t o th e Cana­

d i a n s t h a t t h e y would n o t b e w i l l i n g f o r him t o l e a v e t h e c o u n t r y and go t o P h i l a d e l p h i a .

I n t h a t c a s e , he would a d v i s e

o f t h e r e v o l t on t h e d e f e n s e

the l e a d e r s

o f Canada and m ig h t assume t h e l e a d e r ­

s h i p a s " c h i e f o f a l l t h e p r o v i n c e , " b u t he w o u ld s e e t o i t t h e C a n a d ia n d e l e g a t e t o C o n g r e s s s h a r e d h i s o p i n i o n s . b i n i e r e wen t t o C o n g r e s s , he p l a n n e d t o t e l l

I f Lot­

the Am er icans t h a t

Fr a n c e and S p a i n were a n x i o u s f o r Am er ica n v e s s e l s p o r t s , b o t h i n Europe and i n t h e i r c o l o n i e s .

that

to use t h e i r

He t h o u g h t t h a t

C o n g r e s s m ig h t u s e him a s a r o v i n g m i l i t a r y a d v i s e r ,

g o i n g where

he was m o s t n e e d e d and g i v i n g a d v i c e w h e r e v e r an a t t a c k was e x ­ pected.

He w o u ld do a l l

t h a t he c o u l d

to b r i n g v i c t o r y t o the

A m e r i c a n s , f o r he was c o n v i n c e d o f t h e tremen dous i m p o r t a n c e o f p r e v e n t in g a r e c o n c i l i a t i o n between 3 r i t a i n

and A m erica .

I t seemed c e r t a i n t o L o t b i n i e r e th an t h e s e p a r a t i o n o f B r i t a i n and America c o u l d be a s s u r e d o n l y i f F r a n c e h e l p e d Americans. feelers

the

C o n s e q u e n t l y , he w i s h e d t h a t F r a n c e would p u t ou t

t o C o n g r e s s , a c t i n g wit h

a l l p ossib le d isc r e tio n ,

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of

130

c o u r s e , b u t w i t h t h e s i n c e r e i n t e n t i o n o f g i v i n g America h e l p i f she n e e d e d i t . s ta te d in h is

L o t b i n i e r e w i s h e d t h a t suc h a p urpose m ig h t be in stru ctio n s.

If,

however, the k in g ,

in s u ite of

t h e many good r e a s o n s f o r an u n o f f i c i a l a l l i a n c e w i t h A m er ica , d i d n o t w i s h t o tak e p a r t i n t h e q u a r r e l w i t h B r i t a i n , one s t e n t h a t L o t b i n i e r e

t h o u g h t c o u l d be s a f e l y t a k e n .

c o u l d b e t o l d t h a t Franc e and B pa in h e s i t a t e d two r e a s o n s :

(1)

t h e r e was Congress

t o h e l p America f o r

t h e f e a r t h a t t h e .Americans would make p e a c e

w i t h B r i t a i n and t h e n j o i n h er i n an a t t a c k on Fr anc e and S o a i n : and ( 2 )

t h e f e a r t h a t an open d e c l a r a t i o n i n f a v o r o f America

would l e a d t h e o t h e r Euro pea n n a t i o n s t o form an a l l i a n c e w i t h B r i t a i n a g a i n s t France and S p a i n .

C o n g r e s s m ig h t be a s s u r e d , he

t h o u g h t , t h a t F r a n c e and S p a i n would ward o f f any a l l i a n c e s w i t h B r i t a i n by m a i n t a i n i n g n e u t r a l i t y i n t h e A m e r i e a n - B r i t i s h q u a r r e l . L o t b i n i d r e t h u s s e t h i m s e l f up as a p r o p o s e d m i l i t a r y a d v i s e r and d i p l o m a t i n A m erica , and he a l s o u n d e r t o o k t o f u r n i s h i n f o r m a t i o n t o the F r en ch government on what was h a p p e n i n g i n America.-* As h i s p r o p o se d t a s k s i n c r e a s e d , com pensation.

He f e l t

so did h i s r e q u e s ts f o r

t h a t he s h o u l d n o t ap pear i n America w i t h ­

ou t a t l e a s t t h e rank o f c o l o n e l ,

and he r e a l l y would have l i k e d

t o be made a m a r q u i s , an honor t h a t he t h o u g h t was due him b e c a u s e of h is e x c e lle n t fam ily.

I t seemed t o him t h a t h i s c o m m is s i o n a s

c o l o n e l s h o u l d be d a t e d b a c k t o 1 7 6 1 ,

s o t h a t he would r e c e i v e a

h i g h e r rank from the American s and would have more i n f l u e n c e i n t h e i r army.

Not c o n t e n t w i t h t h a t , he a s k e d t h a t f'rance th e n c o n ­

f e r on him w h a t e v e r rank he r e c e i v e d from the A m e r ic a n s . 1I b l d .,

fo ls.

444-45.

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131

L o t b i n i & r e a l s o r e q u e s t e d t h e rank o f c a p t a i n i n t h e a r t i l l e r y f o r h is

son --th is,

in s p i t e of the f a c t

t h a t he knew t h a t h i s

s o n had

f o u g h t w i t h t h e B r i t i s h and had b e e n t a k e n p r i s o n e r by t h e Am eri­ cans.

F u r t h e r m o r e , he a s k e d t h a t he be made a member o f the o r d e r

o f t h e C ros s o f S t . L o u i s , d a t i n g from 1 7 6 0 , and he hoped t h a t he m ig h t be g i v e n t h e r a n k o f commander i n the o r d e r a s s o o n a s t h e k i n g deemed i t due him. h i s b e c a u s e o f the

In h i s o p i n i o n a l l

t h e s e h o n o r s s h o u l d be

s e r v i c e s he was s u r e he would r e n d e r i n A m e r i c a .

S i n c e he c l a i m e d t h a t he had b e e n r e d u c e d t o p o v e r t y by t h e i n j u s ­ tices

o f the B r i t i s h g o v e r n m e n t , he e x p e c t e d t h e F r e n c h g o v e r n m e n t

t o g i v e him enough money t o make t h e t r i p t o America and t o c o n t i n ­ ue t o pay him a f t e r h i s

return to France.

I f he were t o d i e i n

A m erica , he assumed t h e F r e n c h gover n m en t would l o o k a f t e r h i s f a m i l y .^ L o t b i n i ^ r e ' s p r o p o s a l t o go t o America was t a k e n i n t o c o n ­ s i d e r a t i o n by an anonymous w r i t e r who a p p a r e n t l y was a member o f the f o r e i g n o f f i c e .

This w r i t e r s a i d t h a t

i f L o t b i n i & r e were s e n t

t o Canada, h i s p u r p o s e s h o u l d b e to d i s c o v e r t h e s t a t e

of a ffa ir s

and the f e e l i n g s o f t h e o e o p l e o f Canada and the r e b e l l i o u s c o l o ­ n ies,

and t h e n r e n o r t b a c k t o F r a n c e .

I t wou ld be d a n g e r o u s f o r

L o t b i n i e r e and e m b a r r a s s i n g , p e r h a p s e v e n d a n g e r o u s , f o r F r a n c e , were he t o s e e k a d m i t t a n c e

t o t h e C o n t i n e n t a l C o n g r e s s a s an

a u t h o r i z e d spokesman f o r F r a n c e . F r a n c e i n t o a war on the

That,

o f c o u r s e , would draw

s i d e o f t h e A m e r i c a n s , and g i v i n g L o t -

b i n l S r e suc h a u t h o r i t y would r e q u i r e France t o d e c i d e w h e t h e r s h e w a n t e d the A m e r i c a n s i n d e p e n d e n t o r su b d u ed . 1I b id .,

fo l.

I t was d i f f i c u l t

446.

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to

132

know what i n s t r u c t i o n s L o t b i n i d r e s h o u l d be g i v e n b e c a u s e t h e r e was no a c c u r a t e i n f o r m a t i o n a s t o w h e t h e r t h e Americans h e l d Quebec, and under the c ir c u m s t a n e e s i t was i m p o s s i b l e t o t e l l what the C a n ad ia ns would d o . would be b e n e f i t e d

i f Canada b ro k e w i t h the B r i t i s h and formed a

s e p a r a te governm ent, n ies.

The w r i t e r t h o u g h t t h a t F r a n c e

e i t h e r a l o n e or w i t h the o t h e r American c o l o ­

F r a n c e ' s o l d t i e s w i t h Ca nada would t h e n be r e - e s t a b l i s h e d ,

and Fr anc e m igh t a c q u i r e a p r o f i t a b l e

trade.

Canada c o u l d be e n ­

c o u r a g e d toward i n d e p e n d e n c e , and the w r i t e r t h o u g h t t h a t L o t b i n i e r e ’ s m i s s i o n s h o u l d be l i m i t e d t o t h i s

point.

Lotbinr.dre

would know how t o m o d if y h i s

l a n g u a g e and make t h e n e c e s s a r y i n ­

sin u a tio n s.

th a t Lotbini&re could never be g iv e n

The w r i t e r s a i d

onen s u p n o r t by t h e F r en ch g o v e r n m e n t , and i f he f e a r e d t o be d i s ­ avowed, he s h o u l d a c t w i t h s u c h c i r c u m s p e c t i o n t h a t d i f f i c u l t i e s would n o t a r i s e . A l t h o u g h t h e w r i t e r was n o t s u r e o f t h e e x t e n t o f L o t b in ie r e ’s m ilita ry serv ice,

he t h o u g h t t h a t

i f L o t b i n i e r e was

w o r t h y , he s h o u l d be prom ised the d e c o r a t i o n s and rank he s o u g h t . The awards would have t o be d e l a y e d b e c a u s e crecy.

The w r i t e r t h o u g h t t h a t L o t b i n i S r e

stipend, well

reversib le

of

s h o u l d be g i v e n a good

to h i s f a m i l y on h i s d e a t h :

s h o u l d be w e l l r e c o m p e n s e d .

the need f o r s e ­

a man t h a t s e r v e s

This wo aid be a d e l i c a t e m i s s i o n ,

in w h ic h L o t b i n i f e r e would be e n t i r e l y on h i s own."*L o t b i n i e r e became i m p a t i e n t f o r a d e c i s i o n on h i s e x p e d i ­ tio n ,

and he reminded Ver ge nnes on Lay 19 t h a t a v e s s e l was l e a v i n g

^■Anon. , abou t 1 7 7 6 , A . a . h . , It. e t D . , a n g l e t e r re (Can ad ian a r c h i v e s t r a n s . ) , XLVII, f o l s . 3 0 7 - 0 B.

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135

f o r '-’i q u e l o n ,

in th e f i r s t h a l f of June.

n e s s to carry out h i s

he snoke o f h i s e a g e r ­

p r o n o s e d m i s s i o n end e x p l a i n e d

t h a t he should

j o i n the Americans b e f o r e t h e o n e n i n g o f t h e n e x t camnaigri, or a t l e a s t so on a f t e r i t b e g a n . vice

L o t b i n i e r e d i d not dou bt t h a t h i s a d ­

on m i l i t a r y m a t t e r s would be a c c e p t e d by C o n g r e s s ,

since h is

m i l i t a r y a b i l i t y had b e e n s o w e l l d e m o n s t r a t e d i n t h e d e f e n s e o f Canada d u r i n g the l a s t war.

He was e s p e c i a l l y s u r e o f a hearty-

r e c e n t ion b e c a u s e , a s he c l a i m e d ,

Benjamin F r a n k l i n ,

t h e C o n g r e s s , " had g r e a t c o n f i d e n c e i n h i s

a b ility .

the " s o u l o f He and F r a n k ­

l i n had had many m e e t i n g s i n London, i n w h i c h t h e y had d i s c u s s e d n o t o n l y m i l i t a r y b u t a l s o n o l i t i c a l m a t t e r s , and he was e s p e c i a l l y c e r t a i n o f F r a n k lin 's adm iration f o r h i s

n o l i t i c a l wisdom.

Once

more he rem in de d the F r e n c h government o f t h e h on ors he s o u g h t by t e l l i n g Vergen n es t h a t a l t h o u g h he was s u r e o f w i n n i n g the e s t e e m of the le a d e r s

i n A m eric a , he s h o u l d have some mark o f d i s t i n c t i o n

i n o r d e r t o win o v e r t h e n e o n l e i n g e n e r a l and c o n v i n c e them o f h is a b ility .

C o n f i d e n t t h a t he would b r i n g honor t o t h o s e who

had c h o s e n him t o go to A m erica, and e v e r l a s t i n g g l o r y and rn’o f i t t o F r a n c e , L o t b i n i e r e urg ed a s p e e d y d e c i s i o n on h i s m i s s i o n . L o t b i n i e r e seems t o h a v e become d i s c o u r a g e d a b o u t the o o s s i b i l i t y o f h i s p l a n b e i n g a d o p t e d , 2 but the l a s t

o f hay a l e t t e r

was s e n t o u t t o the i s l a n d o f M iq u e lo n , a s k i n g t h a t L o t b i n i e r e be v / e l l t r e a t e d when h e g o t t h e r e and t h a t lie be p r o v i d e d w i t h means ^ L o t b i n i e r e to V e r g e n n e s , May 1 9 , 177G, L t a t s - H n i3 , 1, f o l s . 9C-7. “ [ L o t b i n ' e r e ] to V e r g e n n e s ,

May 2 4 ,

1770,

C .P ., ib id .,

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f o l . 93.

134

t o go t o Q u e b e c . -

V e r g e n n e s a o n a r e n t l y was n o t c o n v i n c e d o f the

wisdom o f t h i s v e n t u r e ,

f o r even a f t e r L o t b i n i e r e reached the p o rt

fr om w h ic h he was t o s a i l f o r A m e r ic a , t h e f o r e i g n m i n i s t e r won­ d e r e d w h e t h e r he s h o u l d be a l l o w e d t o c o n t i n u e .

V erg en n es w r o t e

t o L o t b i n i e r e t h a t he had l e a r n e d t h a t t h e American s had had t o raise

the s i e g e

o f Quebec and l e a v e Canada e n t i r e l y ,

and he a p ­

p a r e n t l y b e l i e v e d t h a t now t h e B r i t i s h c o u l d e a s i l y b r i n g t h e p A m e r ic a n s t o an a g r e e m e n t . L o t b i n i e r e , h o w e v e r , was n o t so e a s i l y d i s c o u r a g e d .

In

t h e f i r s t o l a c e , he was n ot s u r e t h a t the news was s u f f i c i e n t l y a c c u r a t e t o be t r u s t e d , not b e l i e v e

b ut e v e n i f the r e p o r t was t r u e , he would

t h a t the Am ericans would g i v e uo so e a s i l y .

were d i s c o u r a g e d ,

t h e n t h e y must b e s t r e n g t h e n e d by t h e o r o m i s e

o f im m ed iate a s s i s t a n c e .

He b e l i e v e d t h a t the d a n g e r t o Fr anc e

and S o a i n 'would b e v e r y gre.-it i f

an a g r e e m e n t were r e a c h e d b e t w e e n

B r i t a i n and h e r r e b e l l i o u s c o l o n i e s ! a t once a t t a c h Fr anc e and S o a i n . t o A m erica , b u t he s t i l l court.

I f they

t h e i r u n i t e d f o r c e s would

Re d e c i d e d , t h e r e f o r e ,

t o go on

hoped f o r g r e a t h o n o r s from the f r e n c h

I n d e e d , he w i s h e d f o r s u c h l i b e r s 1

g e n t l e m e n o f Canada w o u l d f l o c k t o h i s c a l l , i n g s u c h em olum en ts a s he h ad.

grants that a l l

the

i n t h e ho pe o f g a i n ­

Then, he p r o m is e d ,

a l l the p e o o le

'*'Comte de S a r t i n e t o Baron de l ' E s p e r a n c e e t B e a u d e d u i t , May 2 7 , 1 7 7 6 , A r c h i v e s R a t i o n a l e s , C o l o n i e s (Can. Ar. t r a n s . ) , s e r i e E, c a r t o n 7 5 , n i e c e 2. ^Vergennes* l e t t e r i s a p n a r e n t l y l o s t , b u t t h e s e s t a t e ­ ments may be i n f e r r e d from t h e answer t h a t he r e c e i v e d from L o t ­ b i n i e r e ; L o t b i n i e r e t o V e r g e n n e s , June 2 6 , 1 7 7 6 , a . A . E . , C . P . , fe ta t s - U n is , I , f o l . 107.

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135

o f Canada would f o l l o w

t h e i r l e a d and t a k e up arms a g a i n s t B r i t ­

ain.^With t h a t o p t i m i s t i c f a r e w e l l , L o t b i n i e r e s a i l e d f o r Amer­ i c a and a r r i v e d on t h e i s l a n d o f M iq u elon the f i r s t week i n S e p ­ tember.

He found t h a t t h e Amer icans were c a r r y i n g on a t h r i v i n g

t r a d e on M i q u e l o n , and he o n l y w i s h e d t h a t g r e a t e r f a c i l i t i e s irnght be p r o v i d e d t o draw the Am er icans c l o s e r t o F r a n c e and a c ­ c u s t o m them t o t r a d i n g w i t h t h e F r e n c h .

He a l s o

thought th a t

American s t r a d i n g on M iq uelo n would p r o v i d e an e x c e l l e n t s o u r c e o f i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t e v e n t s i n A m er ic a. L o t b i n i e r e g a v e o n l y e n c o u r a g i n g news from t h e r e b e l l i n g colon ies.

Although the b a t t l e

o f Long I s l a n d o f A u g u s t , 1776 was

r e p o r t e d a s a d e f e a t f o r the A m e r i c a n s , L o t b i n i e r e s a i d t h a t the B r i t i s h had s u f f e r e d trem end ou s l o s s e s .

He had h e a r d t h a t t h e

B r i t i s h had a l s o l o s t a good many s h i p s a t t h e hands o f t h e Am er i­ c a n s , and t h e Americans were o n l y w a i t i n g f o r t h e r i g h t moment t o l a u n c h a n o t h e r a t t a c k on Canada.

L otbiniere resolved

t h a t he

would n r e s s on t o America and wouLd c a r r y ou t h i s m i s s i o n w i t h great r e s u l t s . 2 He r e a c h e d t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s i n November, a f t e r a d a n g e r ­ ous t r i o ,

l a n d i n g on Cape Cod and t h e n g o i n g on t o B o s t o n .

he was s t i l l Franklin.

While

on Ca pe Cod he w r o t e t o h i s s on and t o Benjamin

He t o l d F r a n k l i n t h a t he was on h i s way to P h i l a d e l p h i a ,

t o b r i n g news from F r a n c e .

He had r e c e n t l y had c o n f e r e n c e s , he

s a i d , w i t h Verg en nes and o t h e r i m p o r t a n t p e o p l e i n F r a n c e , and he 1Ibid . 2L o t b i n i e r e t o V e r g e n n e s ,

O ct. 8 ,

1776,

ib id . . fo ls.

56.

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255-

136

t o l d F r a n k l i n t h a t t h e y were g r e a t l y c o n c e r n e d o v e r t h e f a t e o f A m e r ic a .

"I

ca n e v e n a s s u r e y o u , ” he w r o t e ,

more c o n c e r n ' d a b o u t i t

than o f

"that th ey appeared

t h e i r own a f f a i r s . "1

He a s k e d

F r a n k l i n t o d e l i v e r a l e t t e r t o h i s s on and have h i s s o n b r o u g h t t o P h ila d e ln h ia to aw ait h is

a r r i v a l . 2

He w r o t e h i s s o n t h a t he

had co n e t o America t o r e s c u e h im , e v e n i f he had t o t a k e h i s p l a c e as a p r i s o n e r . der great se r v ic e

His p u rp ose

to his

in co m in g , he s a i d , was t o r e n ­

s o u ' s c o u n t r y and show t h e C a n a d ia n s

where t h e i r b e s t i n t e r e s t s

l a y .

3

L o tb in iere explained to F ranklin

t h a t he was hampered i n a c c o m p l i s h i n g h i s work i n America by h i s w o r r y ab ou t h i s f a m i l y , and he p r o p o s e d t h a t F r a n k l i n sen d h i s s o n t o Canada t o b r i n g t h e r e s t o f h i s f a m i l y w i t h him, w h i l e h e , the f a th e r , as h ostage

served in p riso n in h is p la c e .