was making itself felt ; notably in the loss of
the "great commoner's majority in the House
of Commons. The policy that followed, lack
ing the sagacity of that
. of Pitt, possessed
neither the vigor which had made possible
the " world power " of Great Britain, nor the
liberality which could make it lasting. Now
began the usurious treatment of the colonies
which resulted in the Declaration of Inde-
pendence.
Unaided, three million people thinly scat
tered along the Atlantic Coast from New
England to Florida, never hoped to success
fully cope with the power of the " mother
country." To France the Colonies must
look for aid. Accordingly, the Continental
Congress appointed as Commissioners to that
country Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane and
Arthur Lee.
Dr. Franklin took passage in the sloop-of
war " Reprisal," October 26, 1776, and
arrived in Paris on the 21st of December of
that year. He shortly after rented a com
fortable .house in Passy—a village near Paris
—where he lived during nine memorable
years.
Franklin was now ready to begin his work,
and it remained to be seen whether he pos
sessed the power to persuade the French
—broken as they were in resources—
that now, by aiding the Colonies, could be
struck the blow that would break the
menacing power of Great Britain. In the
meantime his countrymen hoped and
fought.
That the United States in this crisis of
her history had one such a man to send upon
this difficult diplomatic mission was indeed
fortunate. It is extremely doubtful if any
other available person could have filled his
place. It is noticeable that further on so
able a patriot as John Adams was scarce in
France before he caused upon the part of the
French Government chafing which was only
relieved by the persuasive wisdom of Frank-
THE FREE LANCE.
The French historian quoted by Sparks
says : " Courtiers were struck with his native
dignity, and discovered in him the profound
statesman. They personified in him the
Republic of which he was a representative.
Men imagined they saw in him a sage of
antiquity come back to give austere lessons
and generous example to the moderns. His
virtues and his renown negotiated for him,
and before the second year of hiSliiis
sion no one conceived it possible to refuse
fleets and an army to the compatriots of
Franklin."
When Franklin first reached France he
received an audience from the •Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Vergennes, who requested
an exact statement of the condition of aff airs
in the United States. This was prepared
and presented, but no immediate reply was
made to it, although the French people were
almost unanimous in the desire to aid the
American cause, and did covertly aid it.
Nearly a year elapsed from the time of Frank
lin's arrival before the French 'Government
manifested any desire to give open aid and re
cognition to the Colonies. The king had always
shown great impatience when the subject
was brought before his notice, and behind the
"dull reluctance" of Louis XVI. who may
say what forebodings of bankruptcy and revo
lution may have disquieted ! But at length,
on December 4, 1777, a packet arrived with
the stirring tidings of the surrender of Bur
goyne. The arguments of Franklin were
now supplemented by the proven fact that
the Colonies would not be but weak and
helpless allies. France no longer hesitated.
A treaty in which reciprocity. was the con
trolling idea was at once concluded.
The alarm of England at the success of
Franklin was clearly shown by her secretly
sending agents with offers of peace more
advantageous than any she had as yet
offered. These were mercilessly ridiculed by
Franklin.