n ideas of what would be useful to both countries. (I
interrupt myself here to remind you of the obligation I must put
you under not to mention this). For this very interesting
communication, which I had long laboured to get, he fixed the
fourth day, which was last Saturday; but on Friday morning, Mr.
Oswald came, and having given me your letters, he went
immediately to Franklin, to carry some to him. I kept my
appointment at Passy the next morning, and in order to give
Franklin the greatest confidence, and at the same time, too, not
knowing how much Mr. Oswald might have told him, I began with
saying, that though under the difficulty which M. de Ve. and he
himself had made to my full power, it was not the moment as a
politician, perhaps, to make farther explanations till that
difficulty should be relieved; yet, to show him the confidence I
put in him, I would begin by telling him that I was authorized
to offer the independence in the first instance, instead of
making it an article of general treaty. He expressed great
satisfaction at this, especially, he said, because, by having
done otherwise, we should have seemed to have considered America
as in the same degree of connection with France which she had
been under with us; whereas, America wished to be considered as
a power, free and clear to all the world. But when I came to
lead the discourse to the subject which he had promised four
days before, I was a good deal mortified to find him put it off
altogether till he should be more ready; and notwithstanding my
reminding him of his promise, he only answered that it should be
in some days. What passed between Mr. Oswald and me will explain
to you the reason of this disappointment.

Mr. Oswald told me that Lord Shelburne had proposed to him, when
last in England, to take a commission to treat with the American
Ministers; that upon his mentioning it to Franklin now, it
seemed perfectly agreeable to him, and even to be what he had
very much wished; Mr. Oswald adding that he wished only to
assist the business, and had no other view; he mixed with this a
few regrets that there should be any difference between the two
offices; and when I asked upon what subject, he said, owing to
the Buckingham party being too ready to give up everything.

You will observe though, for it is on t