CHAPTER XII FRENCH AID AND FRENCH ALLIANCE (1775-1778) HE arrival in France of the news of the sur THE render of Burgoyne proved to be the decisive event in bringing about a treaty of alliance. So momentous was that treaty, and so effective the aid of France in establishing American independence, that every step towards it is of the greatest interest. The fundamental causes of French interference in the American war lie centuries back of the Revolution; the more immediate causes began with the treaty of Paris in 1763. That humiliating peace with England, a French minister reminded the king, "was bought at the price of our possessions, of our commerce, and of our credit in the Indies; at the price of Canada, Louisiana, Isle Royale, Acadia, and Senegal." It left France with neither power nor resource; "she had lost credit with her allies, and she had no consideration from other powers." 1 When the Duc de Choiseul signed the treaty he is said to have consoled himself in that moment of humiliation with the thought that it would soon 'Doniol, Participation de la France, I., 2. be broken. From that hour he watched for a weak spot in England's armor. At the time of the Stamp Act he foresaw revolution in America, and he devised a plan to be followed by France at the moment when the colonies should declare independence. He sent the Baron de Kalb to America in 1768 that the progress of rebellion might be watched and aided. Then he fell from power, and his plans were for the moment forgotten. When Louis XVI. came to the throne, in 1774, he chose as minister of foreign affairs Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes, one who was ready to carry to the end Choiseul's plans for revenge. To Vergennes England was France's enemy in peace as well as in war, though not an enemy to be attacked unwarily. If Spain could also be induced to attack, because of her own danger from British aggression, the two states, striking while England was weakened by the rebellion in her colonies, might hope to reduce her power and regain their own prestige. A quarrel between Spain and Portugal, in which England interfered in the latter's behalf, was most opportune in causing Spain to look with favor upon a proposal by Vergennes to aid the rebellious American colonies. It remained for Vergennes to win the other French ministers and the Bourbon king, who was no friend to "insurgents." In a secret paper, long and impassioned, Vergennes urged the king that England 'Doniol, Participation de la France, I., 637-638. "She is an was the natural enemy of France. enemy at once grasping, ambitious, unjust, and perfidious. The invariable and most cherished purpose in her politics has been, if not the destruction of France, at least her overthrow, her humiliation, and her ruin "-an hostility which obliged France, declared Vergennes, "to seize every possible opportunity to reduce the power and the greatness of England . . . it is a duty for us to do so... now is France's opportunity.' . . . The Americans are at open war with their central government. . . . They appeal to us to give them aid and succor." As a sop to the king's conscience, Vergennes suggested that "if the English are foolish enough to destroy their power by their own force, to exhaust their finances and to engulf themselves in a civil war, why should we interrupt them? Let us quietly watch them consume themselves. Our rela These extracts reveal the motives that most influenced the French minister; but upon the highminded king he urged most, not revenge but the glory of France and her future peril from her remorseless enemy. Vergennes, indeed, found it convenient to use the king's honor as a foil when charged by the British government with showing favor to the Americans. "Even if his majesty's interest lay in feeding the flame of rebellion in America," wrote the wily minister, "his feeling of justice would 1 Doniol, Participation de la France, I., 243-249. forbid him to do so; and justice is the strongest impulse of his soul." 1 In winning the approval of the king, Vergennes was ably seconded by Caron de Beaumarchais, author of Le Mariage de Figaro, and one of the most remarkable characters of the time. He was fired with the zeal of a fanatic to avenge the shame that England had brought to France in the treaty of Paris. He was in deadly fear that Louis would decide against aid to America. He begged the king in mercy not to make a decision without allowing him a single quarter of an hour to plead the cause in the royal presence. He wished to demonstrate the certainty of success and the immense harvest of glory to be obtained from so small a seed planted at the right time.2 The gay composer of operas became fairly devout in his zeal. "May the guardian angel of this state turn favorably the heart of the king," he prayed. Not trusting all to the angel, however, Beaumarchais submitted to the king (February 29, 1776) a most insidious paper, entitled "Peace or War?" in which he disclosed a suggestion which he said came from a secret agent of the colonies. This agent, Arthur Lee, had said, "We offer France, as the price of her secret aid, a secret commercial treaty by which we shall turn over to her for a 1 Doniol, Participation de la France, I., 149. certain number of years after the declaration of peace all the advantages by which we have enriched England for a century past." America was also to guarantee France's possessions in the western hemisphere so far as that was possible. This was not all. Lee had threatened, according to Beaumarchais, that if this offer were refused America would at once make the same proposition to all the nations of Europe. Then, to retaliate upon France, she would send her first prizes into French ports and force France either to admit or forbid them. Forbid, and America would accept peace and join with England in an attack on the French islands; admit them, and a rupture with England would follow. Such was the striking and terrible situation, said Beaumarchais. To escape the dilemma, he suggested a plan to give America secret aid while still avoiding a rupture with England.' Beaumarchais was just the man to aid Vergennes in working upon the king's fears and weaknesses, to drag him into an alliance with America. He delighted the king with his ingenious watch-making, his musical talents, and his skill as a dramatist. An indirect influence came through his popularity with the court, where his bold address and chivalrous bearing made him a favorite. His business talents had placed in his hands money enough to buy an office that gave him a standing with the nobility. The literary world and the philosophers were won to 'Doniol, Participation de la France, I., 402. VOL. IX.-13 |