"A very few hours ago," Oswald wrote to Shelburne on the 29th, "we thought it impossible that any treaty could be made. We have at last however brought matters so near a conclusion that we have agreed upon articles, and are to meet to-morrow for the purpose of signing. In such particulars as the treaty falls short of your Lordship's wish or expectation the imputation must be upon the inflexibility of uncommon circumstances."[1] Oswald and Whitefoord—they were both Scotchmen—noted as of good augury that it was St. Andrew's day on which the Treaty was signed. "If," wrote Strachey, "this is not as good a peace as was expected I am confident it is the best that could have been made. Now are we to be hanged or applauded for thus rescuing England from the American war?"[2]
While Oswald and Strachey were negotiating with the American Commissioners, the French and Spanish Ministers were considering the English reply to their proposals. The result of their deliberations was an offer on the part of Spain to cede West Florida to England for Gibraltar; but France still refused to accede to the retention by England of Dominica and of Trincomalee. With these proposals Rayneval returned to England on the 2nd of December, accompanied by M. de Vergennes' son, and was shortly after joined by M. de Heredia, Secretary to the Spanish Embassy in Paris, and by M. Tor on behalf of the States-General.
Rayneval was the bearer of a private letter from Vergennes to Shelburne, expressing a fervent hope that the propositions now sent over would be found acceptable. "Eh! que n'hasarderais-je pas," said the
- ↑ Oswald to Shelburne, November 29th, 30th, 1782. Strachey to Townshend, November 29th, 1782. The Preliminary Treaty was signed by Richard Oswald on behalf of Great Britain, and by John Adams, B. Franklin, John Jay, and Henry Laurens on behalf of the United States; and by Caleb Whitefoord, Secretary to the British Commission; and W. P. Franklin, Secretary to the American Commission.
- ↑ Strachey to Nepean, November 29th, 1782. It is worth observing here that both Oswald and Strachey express the very highest opinion of the value of the assistance given them at this stage of the proceedings by Mr. Fitzherbert. "You would have had no treaty without him." Strachey to Townshend, November 29th, 1782. The Duke of Grafton speaks in similar terms in his Autobiography, 353. Upon what the unfavourable character of this able diplomatist given by Mr. Bancroft (x. 556) is founded does not appear.
