two powers whose expensive armaments oblige CHAP. XVI. England to divide her efforts, manifest the inter- 1777. est of the two crowns in the success of the Americans. The king will not incommode them in deriving resources from the commerce of his kingdom, confident that they will conform to the rules prescribed by the precise and rigorous meaning of existing treaties, of which the two monarchs are exact observers. Unable to enter into the details of their supplies, he will mark to them his benevolence and good-will by destining for them secret succors which will assure and extend their credit and their purchases." Of this communication, which was due to the confidence inspired by Franklin, - of Arthur Lee Vergennes did not so much as notice the name, — the promises were faithfully kept. Half a million of livres was paid to the banker of the commissioners quarterly, the first instalment on the sixteenth. After many ostensible hindrances, the "Seine," the "Amphitrite," and the "Mercury," laden with warlike stores by Deane and Beaumarchais, were allowed to set sail. Of these, the first was captured by the British; but the other two reached their destination in time for the summer campaign. The commissioners were further encouraged to enter into a contract with the farmers-general to furnish fiftysix thousand hogsheads of tobacco; and on this contract they received an advance of a million livres. Thus they were able to send warlike supplies to America. To France the British ministry sent courteous remonstrances; towards the weaker power of Hol Jan. Feb. XVI. Feb. CHAP. land they were overbearing. A commerce existed between St. Eustatius and the United States: the 1777. British admiral at the Leeward islands was "ordered to station proper cruisers off the harbor of that island, and to direct their commanders to search all Dutch ships and vessels going into or carrying out of the said harbor, and to send such of them as shall be found to have any arms, ammunition, clothing, or materials for clothing on board, into some of his majesty's ports, to be detained until further orders."1 The king "perused, with equal surprise and indignation," the papers which proved that the principal fort on the island had returned the salute of the American brigantine "Andrew Doria," and that the governor had had "the insolence and folly "2 to say: "I am far from betraying any partiality between Great Britain and her North American colonies." The British ambassador at the Hague, following his instructions, demanded of their high mightinesses the disavowal of the salute and the recall of the governor: "till this satisfaction is given, they must not expect that his majesty will suffer himself to be amused by simple assurances, or that he will hesitate for an instant to take the measures that he shall think due to the interests and dignity of his crown." This language of contempt and menace incensed all Holland, especially the city of Amsterdam; and a just resentment influenced the decision of the States and of the 1 Suffolk to the Lords of the Admiralty, 15 Feb. 1777. 2 Suffolk to Sir Joseph Yorke, 14 Feb. 1777. 3 De Graaf, governor of St. Eus tatius, to Mr. President Greathead, 23 Dec. 1776. 4 Memorie van den heer Yorke te 's Gravenhage. Exhibitum den 21 February, 1777. XVI. 1777. Feb. Prince of Orange. Van de Graaf, the governor, who CHAP. was the first person abroad to salute the congress colors with their thirteen stripes,' was recalled; but the States returned the paper of Yorke, and the Dutch minister in London made answer directly to the king, complaining of "the menacing tone of the memorial, which appeared to their high mightinesses too remote from that which is usual, and which ought to be usual, between sovereigns and independent powers." "I am pretty callous," wrote Yorke privately to the foreign office; "a long residence in these marshes has not blinded me in favor of Nic Frog." As the result, the States demanded a number of armed ships to be in readiness; and thus one step was taken towards involving the United Provinces in the war. The measures sanctioned by the king of France were a war in disguise against England; but he professed to be unequivocally for peace, and was so dull as not to know that he was forfeiting his right to it. After long research, with the best opportunities, I cannot find that on any one occasion he expressed voluntary sympathy with America; and he heard the praises of Franklin with petulance. It was the philosophic opinion of France which swayed the cabinet to the side of the young republic. Since Turgot and Malesherbes had been discharged, there was no direct access for that opinion to give advice to the monarch; and it now 1 Deposition of James Fraser: "The congress colors, with thirteen stripes in them." It [the salute] was by the governor's order." 2 Franklin, viii. 208. Welderen te Londen aan den Grif- 4 Sir Joseph Yorke to William 3 Missive van den heer J. W. v. Eden, 18 April, 1777. XVI. 1777. CHAP. penetrated the palace through the intrigues of the author of "Figaro." With profuse offers to MaureMarch. pas of devoted service, and a wish to make his administration honored by all the peoples of the world, Beaumarchais, on the thirtieth of March, besought him imploringly to overcome his own hesitation and the scruples of the king, in words like these: "Listen to me, I pray you. I fear above all, that you underrate the empire which your age and your wisdom give you over a young prince whose heart is formed, but whose politics are still in the cradle. You forget too much that this soul, fresh and firm as it may be, has many times been bent, and even brought back from, very far. You forget that as dauphin Louis the Sixteenth had an invincible dislike to the old magistracy, and that their recall honored the first six months of his reign. You forget that he had sworn never to be inoculated, and that eight days after the oath he had the virus in his arm. There is no one who does not know it, and no one who excuses you for not using the proudest right of your office, that of giving effect to the great things which you bear in your soul. I shall never have a day of true happiness if your administration closes without accomplishing the three grandest objects which can make it illustrious: the abasement of the English by the union of America and France, the reëstablishment of the finances, and the concession of civil existence to the Protestants of the kingdom by a law which shall legally commingle them with all the subjects of the king. XVI. 1777. These three objects are to-day in your hands. CHAP. What successes can more beautifully crown your noble career? After such action, death would be no more the dearest life of man, his reputation, survives over all, and becomes eternal."1 The disfranchisement of Protestants already began to be modified: the office of comptroller-general, of which the incumbent was required to take an oath to support the Catholic religion, was abolished in favor of the Calvinist, Necker, a rich Parisian banker, by birth a republican of Geneva, the defender of the protective system against Turgot; and on the second of July, after a novitiate as an assistant, he was created director-general of the finances, but without a seat in the cabinet. The king consented because he was told that the welfare of France required the appointment; Maurepas was pleased, for he feared no rivalry. As an able and incorrupt financier, Necker brought aid to the credit of the government; he boldly promised to provide for a war of two years without new taxes; but he was not suited to become a leading statesman, for his vanity could get the better of his public spirit. The king could not suppress the zeal that prevailed in France, though "he would break out into a passion whenever he heard of help furnished to the Americans."2 After a stay of three weeks on the north side of the channel, Lafayette travelled, with Kalb as his companion, from Paris to Bordeaux. He and his party hastened in the 1 Copie de ma lettre à M. le Comte de Maurepas du 30 May, 1777, in Beaumarchais to Vergennes, 30 March, 1777, in French Archives, Angleterre, T. cccccxxii. The date 2 Words of Count d'Artois, as re- |