CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION IN ENGLAND; CHANGE OF POLICY
FOR BOTH ENGLAND AND THE COLONIES; PEACE NEGOTIATIONS AT
PARIS; CAUSE OF THE UNITED EMPIRE LOYALISTS; CHANGE OF MINISTRY;
THE KING COMPELLED TO YIELD 53-65
Names of the new Ministers; death of the Marquis of
Rockingham, the Premier, succeeded by the Earl of Shelburne,
in consequence of which several Ministers resign, and are
succeeded by others, among whom was Pitt, as Chancellor of
the Exchequer (in a note) 53
Correspondence between Dr. Franklin, at Paris, and the Earl
of Shelburne, which led to negotiations for peace 54
Parliament does not pass an Act to authorize peace with
America until three months after the accession of the new Ministry 54
Dr. Franklin proposes to include _Canada_ in
the United States 54
English and American Commissioners meet at Paris and hold
protracted negotiations, with many delays, in regard to terms
of peace 56
Two most difficult questions of the treaty--The fishing
grounds of Newfoundland and the Loyalists 56
It was agreed that the Americans should have the right
to take fish on the Banks of Newfoundland, but not to
dry or cure them on any of the King's settled dominions 56
Preamble and articles of the treaty (in a note) 56
The most important question of the Loyalists 57
They constituted the majority of the population of the
Colonies at the beginning of the contest 57
It was at length agreed that the Congress should recommend
to the several States to compensate the Loyalists; but Dr.
Franklin anticipated no success from it, as of course he
did not desire it 58
Dr. Franklin's counter-scheme to defeat the proposition of
the English Commissioners, who gave way 58
Dr. Ramsay on the Loyalists being "sacrificed" to their sufferings 59
Mr. Hildreth on the same subject 61
What was demanded for the Loyalists had been sanctioned by
all modern civilized nations in like circumstances 61
How honourable to the United States to have imitated such examples 62
The fallacy of the plea or pretext that Congress had no
power to grant an amnesty and compensation to the Loyalists 62
Severe censure of the royal historian, Dr. Andrews, upon
the English Commissioners for having agreed to sacrifice the
Loyalists (in a note) 62
"All parties in the Commons unanimously demand amnesty
and indemnity for the Loyalists." (Bancroft, in a note) 62
Dr. Franklin and his colleagues outwitted the English
Commissioners not only in regard to the Loyalists but also in
regard to immense territories 63
Deplorable condition of the Loyalists during the war;
utter abandonment by the English Commissioners 64