gacity, and
disinterestedness" of Jay and Adams that these mischiefs were escaped.

Such were the fault-findings and criminations to which the diplomatic
complexities, which it was impossible then to unravel, gave rise.
Fortunately they were soon rendered mere personal and abstract disputes,
of little practical consequence, by the simultaneous execution of
definitive treaties by France and the United States with Great Britain
on September 3, 1783. Many efforts had been made to insert additional
articles, especially as to commercial matters; but they were all
abortive. The establishment of peace had exhausted the capacity of the
States and England to agree together; and the pressure of war being
removed, they at once fell into very inimical attitudes. So the
definitive treaty was substantially identical with the provisional one.

Franklin, after a while, finding that these charges of his having
preferred France to his own country were being reiterated with such
innuendoes as to bring his integrity into serious question, felt it
necessary to appeal to his colleagues for vindication. He wrote to them
a modest, manly letter,[87] and in reply received from Jay a generous
testimonial,[88] and from Adams a carefully narrow acquittal.[89] The
subsequent publication of Franklin's papers written at, and long before,
the time of the negotiation, shows that he was inclined to demand from
Great Britain fully as much as any American upon either side of the
ocean.

[Note 87: _Works_, viii. 340; and see _Ibid._ 353.]

[Note 88: _Ibid._ 350.]

[Note 89: _Ibid._ 354.]

In taking leave of the subject it is interesting to know that in point
of fact the secret action of the American commissioners was very nearly
fraught with serious injury to France. For when the States were
practically eliminated from active war by the signing of the provisional
articles, five members of Shelburne's cabinet were in favor of breaking
off negotiations with France, and continuing the contest with her.[90]

[Note 90: I have not endeavored to give a detailed account of this
negotiation, though the narrative would be very interesting, because it
finds its proper place in the life of _John Jay_ in this Series. In that
volume there is a very full and accurate presentation of this entire
affair, drawn from those sources which have only very recently become
public, and which go far to remove former questions out of the realm of
discussion.]

During the neg