ndence of the American Revolution, V.
viii, p. 209.]

Mr. Jay was so insanely suspicious of the French, that he was afraid
that the French ministry would send spies, to pick the locks in his
lodgings, and steal his important papers. He therefore always carried
them about his person. He also believed that Count de Vergennes had
actually proposed to the British minister, that they should unite
their armies, seize the United States, and divide America between
them.

Such were the colleagues united with Franklin, in the negotiations for
peace. It required all his consummate wisdom to be able to guide
affairs wisely under such difficult circumstances. It may be doubted
whether there was another man in America, who could have surmounted
the obstacles over which he triumphed. Both of Franklin's colleagues
regarded him with suspicion. They believed that he had been won over
to such sympathy with the French, that he would be willing to
sacrifice the interests of his own country to please them. They wrote
letters home severely denouncing him; and they seemed to stand more in
fear of France than of England.

"Dr. Franklin," wrote Mr. Adams, "is very staunch against the
Tories; more decided, a great deal, upon that point, than Mr.
Jay or myself."

The British ministers insisted that the confiscated estates of the
American Tories should be restored to them, and all their losses
reimbursed. Franklin silenced the demand by drawing from his pocket
the following articles, which he proposed should be added to the
treaty,

"It is agreed that his Britannic Majesty will earnestly
recommend it to his Parliament, to provide for and make a
compensation to the merchants and shop-keepers of Boston,
whose goods and merchandise were seized and taken out of
their stores, ware-houses and shops, by order of General
Gage, and others of his commanding officers there; and also
to the inhabitants of Philadelphia for the goods taken away
by his army there; and to make compensation also for the
tobacco, rice, indigo and negroes seized and carried off by
his armies, under Generals Arnold, Cornwallis and others,
from the States of Virginia, North and South Carolina and
Georgia, and for all the vessels and cargoes belonging to
the inhabitants of the said United States, which were
stopped, seized or taken, either in the ports or on the
seas, by his governors or b