d agreed to terms of peace on
January 20, 1783. France gained little beyond sundry West India
Islands, but Spain profited to the extent of {126} regaining Minorca
and also Florida. It was at best a defeat for England, and the Whig
Ministry, which carried it through, was unable to prevent such an
outcome.

The American peace was made the pretext for Shelburne's fall, since a
coalition of dissatisfied Whigs and Tories united in March, 1783, to
censure it, thereby turning out the Ministry. But, although Fox
regained control of diplomatic matters and made some slight moves
toward reopening negotiations, he had no serious intention of
disturbing Shelburne's work, and the provisional treaty was made
definitive on September 3, 1783--the day on which the French treaty was
signed. Thus the Americans technically kept to the terms of their
alliance with France in agreeing not to make a separate peace, but as a
matter of fact hostilities had entirely ceased in America since
January, 1783, and practically since the fall of the North Ministry.
The British had remained quietly in New York and Charleston,
withdrawing from all other points, and Washington with his small army
stood at Newburg-on-the-Hudson. In October, 1783, the last British
withdrew, taking with them into exile thousands of Tories who did not
dare to remain to test the value of the clauses in the treaty of peace
intended to protect them. So the last traces of the long contest
disappeared, {127} and the United States entered upon its career.

The treaty, as must have been foreseen by the commissioners themselves,
remained a dead letter so far as the Tories were concerned. Congress
performed its part and gave the promised recommendation, but the States
paid no heed. The loyalists were not restored to civil or property
rights. The plain provision of the treaty prohibiting further
legislation against loyalists was defied in several States, and
additional disqualifications were placed upon those who dared to remain
in the country. The provision regarding the payment of debts remained
unfulfilled, since there was no mechanism provided in the treaty
through which the article could be enforced. Only from the British
government could the Tories receive any recompense for their
sufferings, and there they were in part relieved. Very many received
grants of land in Canada, where they formed a considerable part of the
population in several districts. More went to New