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Browsing named entities in a specific section of George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 10. Search the whole document.

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July 8th, 1781 AD (search for this): chapter 22
he unreasonable pretensions of the British ministry; and Austria joined herself to the powers which held that the British government owed concessions to America. Meantime he consoled his emperor for the failure of the mediation by saying: As to us, there is more to gain than to lose by the continuation of the war, which becomes useful to us by the mutual exhaustion of those who carry it on and by the commercial advantages which accrue to us so long as it lasts. Kaunitz to Joseph II., 8 July, 1781, in Beer's Joseph II., Leopold II., und Kaunitz, ihr Briefwechsel. The British ministry was willing to buy the alliance of Catharine by the cession of Minorca, and to propitiate Joseph by opening the Scheldt; but the desires of both were mainly directed to the east and south. Catharine could not conceive why Europe should be unwilling to see Christianity rise again into life and power on the Bosphorus. We will guarantee to you, said Potemkin to Joseph, all the conquests that you may mak
March 29th, 1780 AD (search for this): chapter 22
ing Charles desired to retain them if possible in some kind of vassalage to Great Britain, Montmorin to Vergennes, 22 Jan., 1780. or give them up to helpless anarchy. Montmorin to Vergennes, 22 Feb., 1780. He would not receive Jay as an envoy, and declined even a visit from the late minister of France at Philadelphia, on his way back from his mission. If American independence was to be granted, it must be only on such terms as would lead to endless quarrels with England. Ibid., 29 March, 1780. It was the constant reasoning of Florida Blanca, that the northern colonies preserved a strong attachment for their mother country, and, if once possessed of independence, would become her useful ally; while if they were compelled to submit to her rule, they would be only turbulent subjects. Ibid., 20 Nov., 1780. Tossed by danger and doubt from one expedient to another, Spain, through the government of Portugal, sought to open a secret negotiation with England; and the king of France
February 7th, 1781 AD (search for this): chapter 22
! peace! Peace, replied Vergennes, is a good thing, only you should propose the means of attaining it in an honorable manner. Count von Mercy to Prince Kaunitz, 21 Jan., 1781. In his clamor for peace, Necker did but echo the opinion of all Paris. Maurepas, too, gave out that peace must be restored before the close of the year; and the king declared that he was tired of the war, and that an end must be made of it Chap. XXI.} 1781. before the year should go out. Mercy to Kaunitz, 7 Feb., 1781. The negotiations for peace belonged to Vergennes, and for their success he needed mediation or great results in the field. Thus far the war had been carried on without a plan, for which the cause lay in the heart of the government itself. There could be no vigorous unity of administration with a young, feeble, and ignorant king, who prided himself on personally governing, and left the government, without a real head, to be swayed by the different cabals which from day to day followed e
November 20th, 1780 AD (search for this): chapter 22
lphia, on his way back from his mission. If American independence was to be granted, it must be only on such terms as would lead to endless quarrels with England. Ibid., 29 March, 1780. It was the constant reasoning of Florida Blanca, that the northern colonies preserved a strong attachment for their mother country, and, if once possessed of independence, would become her useful ally; while if they were compelled to submit to her rule, they would be only turbulent subjects. Ibid., 20 Nov., 1780. Tossed by danger and doubt from one expedient to another, Spain, through the government of Portugal, sought to open a secret negotiation with England; and the king of France, in an autograph letter, acquiesced in the attempt. The king of France to the king of Spain, 25 April, 1780. When in February, 1780, John Adams arrived in Paris with full powers to treat with Great Britain for Chap. XXI.} 1780. peace and commerce, the French minister desired that the object of his commissio
January 22nd, 1780 AD (search for this): chapter 22
ontingent on events; Compare Vergennes to Montmorin, 22 Jan., 1781. and to conciliate independence with the honor of England, Ibid., 13 Jan., 1780. and quiet the apprehensions of Spain, he was willing to leave to England at the peace Canada, according to the old French claims, and the country west and north-west of the Ohio. Ibid., 26 April and 4 Dec., 1780. But King Charles desired to retain them if possible in some kind of vassalage to Great Britain, Montmorin to Vergennes, 22 Jan., 1780. or give them up to helpless anarchy. Montmorin to Vergennes, 22 Feb., 1780. He would not receive Jay as an envoy, and declined even a visit from the late minister of France at Philadelphia, on his way back from his mission. If American independence was to be granted, it must be only on such terms as would lead to endless quarrels with England. Ibid., 29 March, 1780. It was the constant reasoning of Florida Blanca, that the northern colonies preserved a strong attachment for their
July 13th (search for this): chapter 22
st ground by his compliance, while Adams was supported more heartily than before. In midsummer, from his eagerness for peace, Maurepas forgot himself so far as to insinuate his wish in a letter to one Forth, a former secretary of the British embassy at Paris. Nothing came of the overture. Peace will be a great good, wrote Chap. XXI.} 1780. Marie Antoinette; but, if our enemies do not demand it, I shall be very much afflicted by a humiliating one. Marie Antoinette to Maria Theresa, 13 July and 11 Oct., 1780. After the capture of Charleston, and the rout of the army under Gates, the British parliament, which came together in November, granted all the demands of the ministry for money and for men by vast majorities; and the dread of disorder in the cities of England gave new strength to the government. At such a moment, Necker, who was ready Dec. 1. to take everything upon himself, wrote secretly to Lord North, proposing peace on the basis of a truce, during which each party
1778 AD (search for this): chapter 22
ap. XXI.} 1781. Atlantic. Ireland itself being left defenceless, its parliament offered the national remedy of a militia. This was refused by Lord North, and inconsequence, instead of a militia organized and controlled by the government, self-formed bands of volunteers started into being. After reflection, the militia bill was sent over for enactment: but the opportunity had been missed; the Irish parliament had learned to prefer volunteer corps supported by the Irish themselves. When, in 1778, it appeared how much the commissioners sent to America had been willing to concede to insurgents for the sake of reconciliation, the patriots of Ireland awoke to a sense of what they might demand. The man who had obtained the lead was Henry Grattan, who, in a venal age and in a venal house of commons, was incorruptible. No one heard the eloquence of Chatham with more delight; and no one has sketched in more vivid words the character of the greatest Englishman of that day. At the opening of
December 27th, 1780 AD (search for this): chapter 22
Chapter 21: France has need of peace. 1780, 1781. England, said Vergennes, has declared war Chap. XXI.} 1780. against the Netherlands from hatred of their accession to the neutrality. The more I reflect, the more I am perplexed to know whether we ought to be glad or sorry. Vergennes to Montmorin, 25 and 27 Dec., 1780. A new obstacle was created to the general peace for which we must now trace the negotiations. Spain had calculated every thing for a single campaign. Montmorin to Vergennes, 13 May, 1780. The invasion of England having failed, the querulous King Charles, after but seven months of hostilities, complained that France had brought Spain into the war for its own interests alone; Montmorin to Vergennes, 9 Jan., 1780. and had caused the first mishaps to his flag. Ibid., 26 June, 1780. Florida Blanca, speaking to the French ambassador, called himself a great fool for having induced his king to the declaration against England. With regard to the Unit
April 25th, 1780 AD (search for this): chapter 22
attachment for their mother country, and, if once possessed of independence, would become her useful ally; while if they were compelled to submit to her rule, they would be only turbulent subjects. Ibid., 20 Nov., 1780. Tossed by danger and doubt from one expedient to another, Spain, through the government of Portugal, sought to open a secret negotiation with England; and the king of France, in an autograph letter, acquiesced in the attempt. The king of France to the king of Spain, 25 April, 1780. When in February, 1780, John Adams arrived in Paris with full powers to treat with Great Britain for Chap. XXI.} 1780. peace and commerce, the French minister desired that the object of his commission should for the present remain unknown. Adams replied by enumerating the reasons for communicating it to Great Britain without delay; but he was not obstinate, and waited for the opinion of congress. A discussion next followed on applying to French creditors the reduction by congres
December 1st (search for this): chapter 22
but, if our enemies do not demand it, I shall be very much afflicted by a humiliating one. Marie Antoinette to Maria Theresa, 13 July and 11 Oct., 1780. After the capture of Charleston, and the rout of the army under Gates, the British parliament, which came together in November, granted all the demands of the ministry for money and for men by vast majorities; and the dread of disorder in the cities of England gave new strength to the government. At such a moment, Necker, who was ready Dec. 1. to take everything upon himself, wrote secretly to Lord North, proposing peace on the basis of a truce, during which each party should keep possession of all that it had acquired. The terms thus clandestinely offered were such as Vergennes always rejected, as inconsistent with the fidelity and honor of France. In England, they were no farther heeded than as a confession of exhaustion and weakness. I will express no opinion, said Vergennes, of Necker, in January, 1781, on his financial
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