Portugal.]

In saying that Franklin was fond of society and pleased with the
admiration expressed for him by the ardent and courteous Frenchmen and
by other continental Europeans, Adams spoke correctly. Franklin was
always social and always a little vain. But much less would have been
heard of these traits if the distinction made between him and his
colleagues had been less conspicuous and less constant. That men of the
size of the Lees and Izard should inflate themselves to the measure of
harboring a jealousy of Franklin's preeminence was only ridiculous; but
Adams should have had, as Jay had, too much self-respect to cherish such
a feeling. It was the weak point in his character that he could never
acknowledge a superior, and the fact that the world at large estimated
Washington, Franklin, and Hamilton as men of larger calibre than his own
kept him in a state of exasperation all his life. Now the simple truth,
forced in a thousand unintended ways upon the knowledge of all American
envoys during the Revolution, was, that in Europe Franklin was a
distinguished man, while no other American was known or cared for at
all. Franklin received deference, where others received civility;
Franklin was selected for attentions, for flattery, for official
consultations and communications, while his colleagues were "forgotten
entirely by the French people." Jay, Dana, and Carmichael accepted this
situation in the spirit of sensible gentlemen, but Adams, the Lees, and
Izard were incensed and sought an offset in defamation. Compare
Carmichael's language with what has been quoted from Adams: he says:
"The age of Dr. Franklin in some measure hinders him from taking so
active a part in the drudgery of business as his great zeal and
abilities would otherwise enable him to execute. He is the Master, to
whom we children in politics look up for counsel, and whose name is
everywhere a passport to be well received." Still it must have been
provoking to be customarily spoken of as "Dr. Franklin's associates."
When Franklin was appointed minister plenipotentiary he was obliged to
explain that he was not the "sole representative of America in Europe."
De Vergennes always wished to deal only with him, and occasionally said
things to him in secrecy so close as to be exclusive even of his
"associates." Adams honestly admitted that "this court have confidence
in him alone." When a favor was to be asked, it was Franklin who could
best seek it; and when