chieved through the recognition of
independence, then the commercial treaty alone would remain. This
somewhat enigmatical remark doubtless indicated nothing more than that
the States would not continue active and aggressive hostilities in order
to further purely French designs. Clearly it would depend upon the
demands of France whether the States might not find themselves in a
somewhat delicate position. Their obligation to make no separate peace
with England had been contracted upon the basis that France should ally
herself with them to obtain their independence; and the injury expected
to result therefrom to England, with the chance of commercial advantages
accruing to France, had been regarded as a full consideration. Yet it
would seem ungrateful, to say the least, to step out of the fight and
leave France in it, and to refuse to back her demands for the recoupment
of some of the losses which she had suffered in the previous war. But
now the French alliance with Spain threatened grave complications; she
had joined France in the war, and the two powers were held closely
together by the Bourbon family interests. Spain now had demands of her
own in the way of territory on the American continent, where she had
made extensive conquests, and even for the cession of Gibraltar. But the
States owed little to Spain, vastly less, indeed, than they had tried to
owe to her; for their incessant begging had elicited only small sums,
and they were more irritated at their failure to obtain much than
thankful for the trifles they had extorted. So they now easily and
gladly took the position of entire freedom from any obligation, either
by treaty or of honor, towards that power. But in the probable event of
France standing by Spain, peace might be deferred for the benefit of a
country with which the States had no lien, unless the States could treat
separately. It was not within the purview of the treaty that they should
remain tied to France for such purposes; and to this purport Fox wrote
to Grenville. But though it might be tolerably easy to enunciate a
theory by which the States could justly control their own affairs, with
no regard to France, it was only too probable that the application of
that theory to circumstances would be a very nice and perplexing task.
It strongly behooved a new country to preserve its good name and its
friendships.

If Fox had been able to carry his point, matters might have moved more
expeditiously. But p