Since the Family Compact between the Bour bon kingdoms in 1761, the relations of France and Spain in all matters of external policy had been of the closest alliance, and the French American treaty of 1778 contained a clause pro viding for the accession of the king of Spain to its terms. Nevertheless Spain found the general spirit and the precise terms of this alliance not at all to her liking and announced to England that she held herself free from any such engagement, and proceeded to offer mediation on terms which would leave England in possession of the Saint Lawrence Valley and the territory northwest of the Ohio, and herself in possession of everything west of the Alle ghanies and south of the Ohio. On the refusal of the British government to accede to such mediation, Spain at length, on 12 April 1779, allowed herself to be urged into war with France against Great Britain, but expressly refrained therein from alliance with, or recog nition of, American independence. In the mean time, Luzerne, the French Minister to the United States, was trying to persuade Congress that Spain's price for an alliance with the United States, namely, the Floridas and exclu sive navigation of the Mississippi, was not too high, and that the accession of Spain to the alliance would be likely to bring about peace speedily. In September of the same year, Jay was sent as United States Minister to Spain with instructions to the purport that if Spain would accede to the treaties with France she should not be precluded from receiving the Floridas, and that if she should wrest them from Great Britain, the United States would guarantee them to her, provided that the United States should enjoy the free navigation of the Mississippi, and this proviso was laid down as an ultimatum. Jay was further instructed to secure a port on the Mississippi below the 31st parallel. Jay's mission was entirely unsuccess ful, even after the change of his instructions, which abated the American claim to navigation of the Mississippi as an ultimatum.
In the meantime, in preparation for any opening that might develop, Congress had been preparing instructions for a commissioner to participate in negotiations for a general peace. In addition to recognition of independence, boundaries, substantially such as actually were finally adopted, the Newfoundland fisheries, free navigation of the Mississippi, with a port below the 31st parallel were laid down, at first, as ultimata, with John Adams, appointed as sole commissioner. But in 1781, under the influence of Luzerne, these instructions were revised, by referring to the claims therein indicated as ex pressing the desires and expectations of Con gress, but by leaving the commissioners at lib erty to secure the interests of the United States as circumstances might direct and enjoining them to undertake no negotiations for peace without the knowledge and concurrence of the French ministers and ultimately to be governed by their advice and opinion. Franklin, Jay, Laurens and Jefferson were joined with Adams as commissioners.
The news of Cornwallis' surrender had so strengthened the hands of the opposition in England that in March 1782 North resigned, and the recognition of American independence was made a condition of acceptance of office by Rockingham. In proceeding to negotiations, considerable difficulty was experienced over the matter of the relation between the recognition of independence and negotiation of other topics. For reasons of his own, Vergennes encouraged the American commissioners in holding out for unconditional acknowledgment as a prior con dition to negotiation. In the meantime Jay and Adams became convinced that Vergennes would, for the sake of Spain, as well as in conformity with his own plans for America, oppose the American claims in the matter of the western boundaries and of the fisheries. In conscious
disregard of their instructions, they independ ently suggested to Shelburne an arrangement which fully recognized independence before ne gotiation and at the same time allowed him to see that a majority of commissioners present in Paris were willing to proceed in negotiations with Great Britain separately from their ally. Shelburne immediately took advantage of the division of the allies and with Franklin's reluc tant consent, preliminary articles, exactly coinci dent with the treaty signed in connection with the treaties of the other belligerents, were signed 30 Nov. 1782. The arrangement was then re vealed to Vergennes, who, at first, indignant at the apparent bad faith, was pacified by Frank lin's soothing explanations. As a matter of fact, both Frenchmen and Americans had scrupu lously fulfilled the letter of their agreement in everything which had been exactly stipulated and in other matters, each nation equally had acted in accordance with its own views of interest.
The definitive treaty, signed in connection with the treaties between Great Britain and the other belligerents 3 Sept. 1783, recognized in its first article the independence of the several 13 States. The boundaries of the new na tion were, on the west, the Mississippi River south to the 31st parallel; on the south, the 31st parallel from the Mississippi to the Chat tahoochee, down that river to its junction with the Flint, thence in a straight line to the source, of the Saint Mary's and thence to the sea; on the north, practically the line of the Lakes and the Saint Lawrence, leaving stretches at the northeast and northwest corners so indefinitely described that much trouble was experienced at these points in later times. Both countries were to have free navigation of the Missis sippi. The United States was to enjoy the right of fishing at all places where the inhabit ants of both countries used at any time hereto fore to fish, and the liberty of drying and curing fish on lands, except Newfoundland, which were unsettled. Creditors on either side were to receive no impediment to the recovery of the full value of debts heretofore con tracted. Congress was earnestly to recommend to the States to pass acts in relief of the Loyal fists. Provision was made for bringing hos tilities to a close. By a separate and secret article it was provided that if Great Britain should win back the Floridas from Spain, the southern boundary of the United States between the Mississippi and the Chattahoochee should be the parallel of 32° and 30'. The con clusion of this peace has been generally regarded as a remarkable achievement on the part of the American commissioners and its successful outcome is to be attributed not only to the daring statesmanship which disregarded the instructions of Congress, but also to the influence of Franklin in France, and the skill with which appeal was made to the enlightened generosity of the sentiments of the ministry in power in Great Britain.
Fiske, J., 'The Critical Period of American History 1783-89> (1888) ; Fitzmaurice, E. G. F., 'Life of Shelburne' (1875-77) • Lecky, W. E. H. 'History of Eng land in the 18th Century> '(Vol. IV, London 1878-90); Wharton, F., ed., 'The Revolution ary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States> (6 vols., Washington 1889); Winsor, J., 'Narrative and Critical History of America> (Vol. VII, 1884-89) ; biographies in 'Ameri can Statesmen Series,' and works of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay.