ing peace, he was glad of this opportunity of conferring with them on this subject, if they thought themselves at liberty to confer with him in that character. The committee observed that as they came to hear, he might consider them in what light he pleased, and communicate any propositions he might be authorized to make, but that they could consider themselves in no other character except that in which they were placed by order of congress. "You may view me in any light you please," said Mr. Adams, "except in that of a British subject."

Lord Howe then entered into a discourse of considerable length, in which the commissioners could perceive no explicit proposition, except one, namely, that the colonies should return to their allegiance and obedience to the government of Great Britain.

The committee gave it as their opinion that a return to the domination of Great Britain was not now to be expected, and added their reasons, at large; on which lord Howe put an end to the conference; and this fruitless negotiation resulted as unprofitably as Mr. Adams had predicted it would, when he opposed the appointment of a committee. Throughout the remainder of the year 1776, and all 1777, Mr. Adams continued in the closest attention to the affairs of congress. His labours were incessant. He was a member of ninety different committees, a greater number than any other delegate, and twice as many as any but Samuel Adams and Richard Henry Lee. He was chairman of twenty-five committees. He was also chairman of the board of war and of the board of appeals; he was on the committees to give instructions to foreign ministers, to give instructions and commissions to military officers, to prepare various addresses, on the medical department, the post office, and others of the highest responsibility, and requiring the closest attention. Certainly

his duties must have been more multifarious and severe than those of any officer under any government in the world. From these overwhelming labours Mr. Adams was relieved in December 1777, by the appointment which he received and accepted, of commissioner to France. This mission was founded on the anxiety generally felt to obtain open and efficient succours from the French government, in the war against its ancient and perpetual enemy or rival, Great Britain. The physical weakness of the United States was felt by all; the want of arms and equipments, but above all of money, was known to all those who had been concerned in public affairs; and it had become greatly important to arrange an explicit understanding with the king of France; which the marquis La Fayette and other chivalrous Frenchmen at that time serving in the American armies, represented to be altogether practicable. He was appointed to take the place of Silas Deane, who with Dr. Franklin and Arthur Lee had been appointed commissioners in the preceding year.

Mr. Adams felt the importance of this service, and reluctantly agreed to a long separation from his family and the perils of a winter voyage across an ocean covered with hostile cruisers, when capture would most certainly subject him to close imprisonment in the tower of London.

He embarked on board of the frigate Boston, in the month of February, 1778, from the shore of his native town, at the foot of Mount Wollaston, and had, in the course of the voyage, an opportunity, for the first time, of participating in the personal peril of the contest, and of firing a gun at the enemy. Captain Tucker, the commander of the Boston, discovering an enemy's ship, could not resist the temptation to give chase and engage her, although his immediate duty was to sail direct for France and land his passenger. The consent of Mr. Adams was first asked, and willingly given to

this deviation. The captain, however, stipulated that he should stay in the lower part of the ship, as a place of safety; but, as soon as the fight commenced, he was found with a musket in his hand, and acting as a marine on the forecastle, having volunteered his service in that station. The captain not approving of this exposure of his life, told him, "I am commanded by the continental congress to carry you in safety to Europe, and I will do it," and accordingly picked him up in his arms, and with good humoured force lifted him from the scene of danger.

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The efforts of Franklin and his colleagues in the commission had been fruitless, until the news reached France of the surrender of Burgoyne. This caused a change of policy on the part of the French government; so that when Mr. Adams reached Paris, he found that a treaty of amity and commerce as well as a treaty of alliance, had been signed in the month of February, and that there was but little business of a public nature for him to transact. Dr. Franklin too received soon after the appointment of minister plenipotentiary, to which his advanced age, great public services, and high standing with the French people, so well entitled him, and Mr. Adams believing that he would be more serviceable at home, asked and obtained permission to return there in the summer of 1779.

His fellow citizens of Massachusetts immediately put his talents in requisition, to assist in forming the new state constitution, for which a convention was about to be elected. He accepted a seat in this body, and was a member of the committee appointed to prepare a plan for their consideration; his draught was accepted and reported, and he had again the satisfaction of seeing his principles of equal rights and republican institutions made the basis of a practical government.

During the time of his attention to the business of the Massachusetts convention, and before the labours of that assembly

were terminated, congress came to the resolution that they would appoint a minister plenipotentiary to negotiate a treaty of peace with Great Britain. Mr. Adams, at that period, stood on particularly elevated ground as a negotiator, and representative of the United States abroad. Having served in that capacity during the greater part of the year 1778, and some part of 1779, he had been excepted from the reproach cast upon all the other diplomatic agents, by a vote of congress, passed on the twentieth of April, declaring that "suspicions and animosities had arisen among the late and present commissioners, injurious to the interests of the United States," recalling Mr. Arthur Lee, Mr. Izard, Mr. William Lee, and Mr. Deane, leaving only Dr. Franklin and Mr. Adams, and not exempting even Franklin from a share of censure.

He was, of course, in contemplation for this high and honourable employment; but Mr. Jay, the president of congress, was put in nomination, and his elevated character and known abilities, as well as his actual presence and station as presiding officer of the house, obtained for him a number of votes equal to those given to Mr. Adams, who was absent. There being no choice made at the first ballot, the subject was postponed; and, as a minister was to be sent to Spain, congress proceeded the next day to make a selection for that office, when Mr. Jay was almost unanimously elected, and immediately afterwards Mr. Adams received the appointment of "minister plenipotentiary for negotiating a treaty of peace and a treaty of commerce with Great Britain.”

It is somewhat remarkable, that the designation that ought to be given to Mr. Adams in his commission, was the topic of very grave and serious debate. The committee that prepared the draught entitled him "late commissioner of the United States at the court of Versailles, late delegate in con

gress from the state of Massachusetts Bay, and chief justice of the said state."

A motion was made, with very reasonable foundation it would seem, for striking out all this description of a man, whose name alone was quite sufficient designation; but after much discussion, the whole addition was retained.

The instructions under which the plenipotentiary was to act, were modified subsequently according to circumstances, but those with which he left his country were:

1. To make it a preliminary article to any negotiation, that Great Britain should agree to treat with the United States as sovereign, free and independent. And to agree to no treaty without a recognition of such independence.

2. To insist on certain boundaries, the same in all important particulars as those agreed upon subsequently in the definitive treaty.

2. The cession of Canada and Nova Scotia was not to be insisted on, nor their common right to the fisheries.

4. A cessation of hostilities during the negotiation might be stipulated. And,

5. In other matters he was to be governed by the principles of the alliance with France, the advice of our allies, his knowledge of our interests and his own discretion, in which was reposed" the fullest confidence."

He was also instructed as to the treaty of commerce :

1. To govern himself principally by the treaty of commerce already existing with the French king, and to grant no privilege to Great Britain which that convention did not accede to France.

2. To insist on the right to the fisheries.

Under these explicit instructions Mr. Adams accepted the appointment, and prepared for his departure. A liberal salary of twenty-five hundred pounds sterling was provided