eval adds; "Lord Shelburne said he had foreseen that there would
be a great deal of difficulty with the Americans, as well in regard to
boundaries, as to the fishery of Newfoundland; but he hoped that the
king would not sustain them in their demands. I answered, that I did
not doubt the earnest desire of the king to do all in his power to
restrain them within the bounds of justice and reason. As to the
extent of the boundaries, I supposed the Americans would regulate it
by their charts; but the discussion was not continued far, _because it
did not pertain to me either to uphold or weaken the pretension of
America_, with which I was unacquainted. I added only, that the
English Ministry ought to find in the negotiations of 1754, relative
to the Ohio, the limits which England, then the sovereign of America,
believed it proper to assign."

The above extracts, it must be kept in mind, are from the confidential
letters written at the time between M. de Rayneval and Count de
Vergennes. The purport of them is corroborated by testimony that might
be drawn from other sources. They show most clearly, that Mr Jay's
suspicions were in reality erroneous, on whatever grounds he might at
the time suppose them to rest. M. de Rayneval's visit to London had
nothing to do with American affairs, except to insist on unconditional
independence.

Nor is it improbable, that the change in Mr Oswald's commission was
effected in consequence of M. de Rayneval's representations; for the
agreement on the part of the British Minister to cede independence
"_without restriction_" was made before Mr Vaughan's arrival in
London, as a messenger from Mr Jay.

These facts go far to rescue the French Ministry from the censure,
which it has been usual to cast on them, respecting their supposed
policy in the negotiations for peace. Whoever will examine all the
testimony that exists on the subject will be convinced, that some
grave particulars have crept into our history, which have a slender
foundation in fact, and which bestow but scanty justice on the
motives, conduct, and policy of the first ally of the United
States.[7]

JARED SPARKS.

FOOTNOTES:

[7] For a further elucidation of this subject see the North American
Review for January, 1830, No. LXVI, p. 15. Also Mr Livingston's letter
to Mr Jay, dated January 4th, 1783, in the present volume.

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