otiation Franklin wrote to Laurens: "I have never yet
known of a peace made that did not occasion a great deal of popular
discontent, clamor, and censure on both sides, ... so that the blessing
promised to peacemakers, I fancy, relates to the next world, for in this
they seem to have a greater chance of being cursed." The prognostication
was fulfilled. The act which gave peace to the warring nations brought
anything but good will among the American negotiators. Jay was so just,
conscientious, and irreproachable a gentleman in every respect that he
escaped unvexed by any personal quarrel; moreover he was not so
distinguished as to have become the victim of envy and jealousy. But the
antipathy previously so unhappily existing between Franklin and Adams
became greatly aggravated, and their respective advocates in historical
literature have not to this day reached an accord. Adams was a
relentless hater, and has bequeathed bitter diatribes, which, as they
can never be obliterated, can never cease to excite the ire of the
admirers of Franklin. On the other side, Franklin has at least the merit
of having left not a malicious line behind him. I have no mind to
endeavor to apportion merits and demerits between these two great
foemen, able men and true patriots both, having no room for these
personalities of history, which, though retaining that kind of interest
always pertaining to a feud, are really very little profitable. Perhaps,
after all, the discussion would prove to be not unlike the classic one
which led two knights to fight about the golden-silver shield.

Yet one dispute, which has been long waged, no longer admits of doubt.
The suspicions of the good faith of de Vergennes which Jay first
entertained, which Adams adopted, and which Franklin rejected, were
undoubtedly correct. As the years go by and collections of private
papers and of hitherto suppressed public archives find their way to the
light, the accumulated evidence to this effect has become overwhelming.
Such being the case, it must be admitted that the vital merit in the
conduct of this difficult negotiation rests with Jay; that Adams has the
credit belonging to one who accepts a correct view when presented to
him; and that Franklin did more wisely than he knew in twice assenting
to a course which seemed to him based upon erroneous beliefs.

There is abundant evidence that from the very outset Franklin was not
less resolute than was Adams about the fisheries;