to place any article or articles over
against that of molasses, which would be of equal consequence, and in
which the States of America were at the same time equally interested.
After long consideration had on the subject, Dr Franklin proposed the
article nearly as it now stands; Mr Lee objected to it, as being too
extensive, and more than equivalent for that of molasses only; to
which I answered, that though the concession might appear great, it
was in reality nothing more than giving up what we never could make
use of but to our own prejudice, for nothing was more evident than the
bad policy of laying duties on our own exports; that molasses, though
apparently but an article of small value, was the basis on which a
very great part of the American commerce rested; that the manufacture
of it into rum, was every year increasing, especially in the middle
and southern states, where it had been more lately introduced.

Doctor Franklin agreed with me, and argued on much the same ground,
but neither of us insisted on the article at the time, but that the
proposition should be made for the consideration of Mons. Gerard,
reserving to ourselves the power of agreeing to it or not afterwards.
A few evenings after, and nearly as I can remember about five or six
days before the actual signing of the treaty, we met Mons. Gerard at
my house in Paris; he brought the proposed treaty with him, in which
he had inserted the 11th and 12th articles as they now stand. The
treaty was read, considered, and agreed to, article by article, except
the 11th and 12th, respecting which M. Gerard observed at first, that
he considered them as they then stood reciprocal and equal, but that
he left it entirely with us to retain them both, or to reject them
both, it being indifferent with his Majesty, but that one could not be
retained without the other. On our having agreed to all the other
articles, we told him we would confer together on the 11th and 12th,
and write to him what our determination should be. As soon as he was
gone, the subject was taken up; the arguments before used were again
considered, and finally we unanimously agreed to retain both the
articles; on which I desired Mr Lee to write a letter to Mons. Gerard,
informing him of it, and that I would send it out to Versailles the
next morning, from Passy, that there might be no more delay in
transcribing and executing the treaties. Mr Lee accordingly wrote, and
Dr Franklin, he, and myself si