George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 10

[220] Netherlands. Burke, of North Carolina, seconded

Chap. IX.} 1779.

by Duane, of New York, wished no more than that independence should be tacitly acknowledged; but congress required that, previous to any treaty of peace, the independence of the United States should, on the part of Great Britain, be ‘assured.’ Further; Gerard wished America to bring about the accession of Spain to the alliance by trusting implicitly to the magnanimity of the Spanish king; otherwise, he said, ‘you will prevent his Catholic majesty from joining in our common cause, and from completing the intended triumvirate.’ But congress was not ready to give up the navigation and left bank of the Mississippi. It therefore escaped from an immediate decision by resolving to send a plenipotentiary of its own to Spain.

The minister to be chosen to negotiate a peace was, by a unanimous vote, directed to require ‘Great Britain to treat with the United States as sovereign, free, and independent,’¹ and the independence was to be effectually confirmed by the treaty of peace. Nova Scotia was desired; but the minister might leave the north-eastern boundary ‘to be adjusted by commissioners after the peace.’ The guarantee of an equal common right to the fisheries was declared to be of the utmost importance, but was not made an ultimatum, except in the instructions for the treaty of commerce with England. At the same time the American minister at the court of France was instructed to concert with that powder a mutual guarantee of their rights in the fisheries as enjoyed before the war.