sent to Boston to confer with Washington, 209;
to Montreal to confer with Arnold, 210;
president of Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention, 211;
willing to join a New England confederacy rather than none, 212;
connection with Declaration of Independence, 212;
his famous jests, 212;
in the Articles of Confederation wishes votes of States
according to population, 212;
correspondence with Lord Howe, who wishes reconciliation, 213;
replies condemning the English, 213, 214;
member of committee of Congress to confer with Howe, 214;
remarks, 215;
says nothing short of independence is possible, 216;
his indignation at British attacks, 217;
suggests, in humorous form, to Priestley, the impossibility
of conquering the Americans, 217, 218;
depth of his feeling, 218.
_Minister to France._ Appointed, 219, 232;
the only American with diplomatic experience, 220, 221;
voyage, 232, 233;
alarm of English at news of his arrival, 234;
French enthusiasm, 234, 235;
settles at Passy, 235;
avoids thrusting himself upon the government, 236;
presents credentials at audience given by Vergennes, 236, 237;
gains a secret loan, 237;
not involved in Deane's schemes, 238;
befriends Deane, 240;
much annoyed by the complications, 241, 242;
and by French officers previously encouraged by Deane, 243, 244;
discourages them, 245;
uses an unvarnished form of letter of recommendation, 245;
recognizes value of Lafayette and Steuben, 246;
impressed with feeling for liberty in Europe, 247;
expects great liberal immigration, 247;
advises privateering, 248;
charged with duty of regulating it, 249, 250;
protects privateers against French government, 250;
works to gain time, 251;
tries to exchange prisoners with England, 253;
tart correspondence with Stormont, 253;
indignant at treatment of American prisoners by English, 254, 255;
correspondence with Hartley on the subject, 256-262;
urges humane treatment, 257, 258;
proposes liberation by English "on account," 258, 259, 260;
threatens retaliatory treatment, 260, 263;
finally succeeds, 261, 262;
difficulties raised by English, 262, 263;
sends money to prisoners, 263;
appoints Williams naval agent, 264;
acquiesces in his dismissal, 266;
predicts in 1777 the ultimate success of the war, 268;
prevents desperate measures on Deane's part, 269;
receives news of Burgoyne's surrender, 270;
sends