Ben Franklin, Peace Titan

Investor's Business Daily ^ | 05/25/201 | REINHARDT KRAUSE

[Pharmboy]

Benjamin Franklin owed the French for recognizing American independence, loaning money and entering the Revolutionary War against Britain.

None of that, though, stopped Franklin from putting America's interests first and risking antagonizing the French when he negotiated a peace treaty with Britain.

America won much better terms from the Treaty of Paris, signed in September 1783, than the Colonists had hoped for.

On top of Britain's acceptance of U.S. independence, the treaty set America's boundary in the West at the Mississippi River — giving the young nation plenty of room and resources to grow.

The problem was France, as well as its ally Spain. Both were also at war with Britain.

The Patriot

The U.S. had promised the French not to negotiate a separate peace with Britain. Franklin broke that agreement and secretly bargained with Britain. When the U.S. and Britain signed a preliminary treaty in November 1782, it changed the dynamics of peace talks as the war lingered in Europe.

"The deal was basically cut at the end of July 1782," Jonathan Dull, who wrote "Benjamin Franklin and the American Revolution," told IBD. "We (America) got what we wanted. The French and Spain didn't."

[Pharmboy]

Lotsa facts here that were new to me, especially putting the RevWar into a global perspective. Who knew that Gibraltar had an effect on the peace negotiations?

I would recommend clicking through and reading the 3-page article at the IBD site...no registration or fee required.

[Pharmboy]

Reminds me of "The Apotheosis of Washington" in the Capitol Rotunda...this was painted by Benjamin West

The RevWar/Colonial History/General Washington ping list

[MHGinTN]

Looks like Franklin to me ...

[Captain Kirk]

Those darn Americans. Always breaking treaties!

[Lancey Howard]

I once handled a mortgage on the farmhouse where Franklin allegedley flew his kite. Most of the land was subdivided long ago, and standing at the front door of the house the view is of a large shopping mall.

[SunkenCiv]

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[Cheburashka]

The French wanted a weak United States, one that would be a permanent French client. Under their proposal the land that would become the Northwest Territory would have been left in British hands. Mississippi, Alabama, the western half of Tennessee and the western tip of Kentucky would go to Spain. The U.S. would get the eastern half of Tennessee, and most of Kentucky, but not all the way to the Mississippi River.

The result would have been a U.S. with a built-in permanent hostility towards Britain and the desire to acquire the land north of the Ohio, but too weak to go to war without French aid. A dependent country that would always be hostile to Britain, and the French could use it as an ally when France wanted war with Britain, but that would be forced to make peace when France wanted to make peace.

[bushpilot1]

http://www.franklinpapers.org/franklin/framedVolumes.jsp

[Pharmboy]

Thanks for your addition. From the article and your post, it sounds like Old Ben knew that info also.

[Pharmboy]

Thanks much for the great link.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Franklin (1706-90) had been sent as ambassador to France in December 1776, when he was 70 years old.

Interesting fact...