TheintrigantsofautocraticsystemshaveneverbeenabletounderstandthattheurgeofthespiritofindependenceinmenisnotprimarilytobreakshacklesbuttoSTANDALONEandthatthebreakingofbondsisincidentaltothetruedemonstrationoffreedom。TheBourbonsandtheiragentswerenomorenorlessblindtothegreatprinciplestirringtheheartsofmenintheirdaythanwerethePrussianizedhostsoverahundredyearslaterwho，havingthemselvesnoacquaintancewiththelawofliberty，couldnotforeseethathalfaworldwouldriseinarmstomaintainthatlaw。
WhentheWarofIndependencehadended，theFrenchMinister，Vergennes，andtheSpanishMinister，Floridablanca，secretlyworkedinunisontopreventEngland’srecognitionofthenewrepublic；andFloridablancain1782evenofferedtoassistEnglandifshewouldmakefurthereffortstosubdueher\"rebelsubjects。\"BothLatinpowershadtheirownaxestogrind，andAmericawastotendthegrindstone。FrancelookedforrecoveryofheroldprestigeinEuropeandexpectedtosupersedeEnglandincommerce。Shewoulddothis，inthebeginning，chieflythroughcontrolofAmericaandofAmerica’scommerce。VergennesthereforesoughtnotonlytodictatethefinaltermsofpeacebutalsotosaywhattheAmericancommissionersshouldandshouldnotdemand。
Ofthelattergentlemenhesaidthattheypossessed\"caracterespeumaniables！\"InwritingtoLuzerne，theFrenchAmbassadorinPhiladelphia，onOctober14，1782，Vergennessaid：\"itbehoovesustoleavethem[theAmericancommissioners]totheirillusions，todoeverythingthatcanmakethemfancythatwesharethem，andundertakeonlytodefeatanyattemptstowhichthoseillusionsmightcarrythemifourcooperationisrequired。\"Amongthese\"illusions\"wereAmerica’sdesiresinregardtothefisheriesandtothewesternterritory。ConcerningtheWest，VergenneshadwrittentoLuzerne，asearlyasJuly18，1780：\"Atthemomentwhentherevolutionbrokeout，thelimitsoftheThirteenStatesdidnotreachtheRiver[Mississippi]anditwouldbeabsurdforthemtoclaimtherightsofEngland，apowerwhoseruletheyhadabjured。\"BythesecrettreatywithSpain，furthermore，FrancehadagreedtocontinuethewaruntilGibraltarshouldbetaken，and——iftheBritishshouldbedrivenfromNewfoundland——tosharethefisheriesonlywithSpain，andtosupportSpainindemandingthattheThirteenStatesrenounceallterritorywestoftheAlleghanies。TheAmericanStatesmustbynomeansachieveagenuineindependencebutmustfeeltheneedofsureties，allies，andprotection。*
*SeeJohnJay，\"OnthePeaceNegotiationsof1782-1788asIllustratedbytheSecretCorrespondenceofFranceandEngland，\"
NewYork，1888。