e
to a sought-for alliance with France and Spain against the mother
country, notwithstanding they had sought for a hundred years to
extirpate the colonists, and had been prevented from "driving them into
the sea" by the aid of the army and navy and vast expenditure of the
mother country.

It seems difficult to reconcile with truthfulness, fairness, and
consistency, the intrigues and proposed terms of alliance between the
leaders of Congress and the King of France. These intrigues commenced
several months before the Declaration of Independence, when the authors
of it were disclaiming any wish or design to separate from England, and
their desire for reconciliation with the mother country by a recognition
of their rights as they existed in 1763. As early as December, 1775, six
months before the Declaration of Independence, a Congress Secret
Committee of Correspondence wrote to Arthur Lee, in London (a native of
Virginia, but a practising barrister in London), and Charles Dumas, at
the Hague, requesting them to ascertain the feeling of European Courts
respecting America, enjoining "great circumspection and secrecy."[409]
They hoped most from France; but opposition was made in Congress when it
was first suggested to apply for aid to the ancient enemy both of the
colonies and England. Dr. Zubly, of Georgia, said: "A proposal has been
made to apply to France and Spain. I apprehend the man who would propose
it (to his constituents) would be torn to pieces like De Witt." Within
three months after the utterance of these words in Congress, M. de
Bouvouloir, agent of the French Government, appeared in Philadelphia,
held secret conferences with the Secret Committee, and assured them that
France was ready to aid the colonies on such conditions as might be
considered equitable. These conferences were so secret that De
Bouvouloir says that "the Committee met him at an appointed place after
dark, each going to it by a different road."[410]

A few weeks later, the Secret Committee appointed Silas Deane commercial
agent to Europe (March 3), to procure military supplies, and to state to
the French Minister, Count Vergennes, the probability of the colonies
totally separating from England; that France was looked upon as the
power whose friendship they should most desire to cultivate; and to
inquire whether, in case of their independence, France would acknowledge
it, and receive their Ambassadors.

In April, 1776, three months before the D