forefathers of
ours thus promoted the general welfare is feebly appreciated by their
descendants. All this rum, said John Adams, has "injured our health and
our morals;" but "the taste for rum will continue;" and upon this
conviction the commissioners felt obliged to act. Accordingly they
proposed that it should be "agreed and concluded that there shall never
be any duty imposed on the exportation of molasses that may be taken by
the subjects of the United States from the islands of America which
belong or may hereafter appertain to his most Christian majesty." But
Gerard said that this was "unequal," since the States made no balancing
concession. It was not easy to suggest any "concession of equal
importance on the part of the United States," and so "after long
consideration Dr. Franklin proposed" this: "In compensation of the
exemption stipulated in the preceding article, it is agreed and
concluded that there shall never be any duties imposed on the
exportation of any kind of merchandise, which the subjects of his most
Christian majesty may take from the countries and possessions, present
or future, of any of the thirteen United States, for the use of the
islands which shall furnish molasses."

[Note 50: _Diplomatic Correspondence of the Amer. Rev._ i. 156.]

This pleased Lee as little as the other article had pleased Gerard; for
it was "too extensive, and more than equivalent for molasses only." He
was answered that "it was in reality nothing more than giving up what we
could never make use of but to our own prejudice; for nothing was more
evident than the bad policy of laying duties on our own exports."
Franklin was of opinion that export duties were "a knavish attempt to
get something for nothing;" that the inventor of them had the "genius of
a pickpocket." Britain had lost her colonies by an export duty on tea.
Moreover since the States produced no commodity which could not be
procured elsewhere, to discourage consumption of their own and encourage
the rivalship of others would be an "absolute folly" against which he
would protest even if practiced by way of reprisal. Gerard finally said
that he regarded these articles as "reciprocal and equal," that his
majesty was "indifferent" about them, and that they might be retained or
rejected together, but that one could not be kept without the other. Lee
then yielded, and Gerard was notified that both articles would be
inserted. He assented. Soon, however, William Lee a