s
successor;" and we may be sure that the Frenchmen appreciated and fully
agreed with an expression of courtesy which chimed so well with their
own customs of speech. Later, in 1818, Jefferson wrote an interesting
letter concerning the calumnies from which Franklin's reputation still
suffered:--

"Dr. Franklin had many political enemies, as every character must
which, with decision enough to have opinions, has energy and talent
to give them effect on the feelings of the adversary opinion. These
enmities were chiefly in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. In the
former they were merely of the proprietary party. In the latter
they did not commence till the Revolution, and then sprung chiefly
from personal animosities, which, spreading by little and little,
became at length of some extent. Dr. Lee was his principal
calumniator, a man of much malignity, who, besides enlisting his
whole family in the same hostility, was enabled, as the agent of
Massachusetts with the British government, to infuse it into that
State with considerable effect. Mr. Izard, the doctor's enemy also,
but from a pecuniary transaction, never countenanced these charges
against him. Mr. Jay, Silas Deane, Mr. Laurens, his colleagues
also, ever maintained towards him unlimited confidence and respect.
That he would have waived the formal recognition of our
independence, I never heard on any authority worthy notice. As to
the fisheries, England was urgent to retain them exclusively,
France neutral, and I believe that, had they ultimately been made a
_sine qua non_, our commissioners (Mr. Adams excepted) would have
relinquished them rather than have broken off the treaty. To Mr.
Adams's perseverance alone, on that point, I have always understood
we were indebted for their reservation. As to the charge of
subservience to France, besides the evidence of his friendly
colleagues before named, two years of my own service with him at
Paris, daily visits, and the most friendly and confidential
conversation, convince me it had not a shadow of foundation. He
possessed the confidence of that government in the highest degree,
insomuch that it may truly be said that they were more under his
influence than he under theirs. The fact is that his temper was so
amiable and conciliatory, his conduct so rational, never urging