The Freeman 1972 - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

1972 THE AMERICAN TRIUMPH 481and international bon vivant. Agood diplomat is one who yieldseverything to the other party exceptthe substance for which theyare contending. For much of hislife Franklin had devoted himselfto the austere task of learning toget his way by subterfuge. Hisyears in Paris were a fitting epitometo a long life. These threematched and overmatched the bestEurope could send against them.Even before negotiations gotunder way, informal French andSpanish proposals had beenbrought to Jay's attention whichwould have turned the territorysouth of the Ohio over to Spainand allowed _B.ritain to keep theterritory north of the Ohio. "Ifthis French proposal, which sopleased the Spaniards, had beenadopted, the United States wouldnot have secured from Great Britaintitle to the region now composingthe present states of Ohio,Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin,and Minnesota, and wouldhave lost to Spain the westernpart of Kentucky and Tennessee,Mississippi, and part of Louisiana,along with most of Alabama."6 Inview of the fact that Spain wantedGibraltar from Britain and Britainwanted to hold on to Florida,the above dispositions might havebeen made if all interested·partieshad gathered around a table tonegotiate or if France had beenallowed the role of arbitrator.This did not happen. The Americansignored the instructions ofCongress to defer to France, negotiateda settlement with Britain,and saw to it that this settlementwas subsequently made a part ofthe overall treaty. They werefaithful to the terms of alliancewith France, for this was not aseparate peace, but they undoubtedlyexceeded the bounds Congresshad set for them.In the treaty, the United Statesgot all the territory west to theMississippi river, south to the31st parallel, and north to a linebisecting the Great Lakes, orsouth of Ca"nada. The British alsoconceded that the people of theUnited States could use the NorthAtlantic fisheries. The independenceof the states was affirmed,hostilities were to cease, and Britainagreed to remove .her armedforces from the United States"with all convenient speed."There were some concessionsmade by the United States. Bothsides agreed that creditors of eithercountry should have no obstaclesput in the way of collectingdebts owed them by citizens of theother. Most of the creditors involvedwere British. Congress wasto recommend to the states thatthe rights and property of Loyalistsbe restored, and the treatyprovided that the persecution of