CHAPTER XXVII.. Alliance Between Congress and France Not Productive of the

ALLIANCE BETWEEN CONGRESS AND FRANCE NOT PRODUCTIVE OF THE EFFECT ANTICIPATED; EFFORTS OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FOR RECONCILIATION WITH THE COLONIES 1-16

Alliance deferred twelve months by France after it was applied for by Congress, until the King of France was assured that no reconciliation would take place between England and the Colonies 1

Lord Admiral Howe and his brother, General Howe, Commissioners to confer with Congress with a view to reconciliation; their power limited; Congress refuses all conference with them, but the vast majority of the Colonists in favour of reconciliation 2

Reasons of the failure of the two Commissioners 4

New penal laws against the Loyalists 5

Three Acts of Parliament passed to remove all grounds of complaint on the part of the Colonists, and the appointment of five Commissioners; Lord North's conciliatory speech; excitement and opposition in the Commons, but the bills were passed and received the royal assent 6

Lord North's proposed resignation, and preparations for it 8

Opinions of Lords Macaulay and Mahon as to the success of a commission; proposed terms of reconciliation if appointed and proposed by the Earl of Chatham 8

The large powers and most liberal propositions of the five Royal Commissioners for reconciliation between the Colonies and the Mother Country 11

The refusal of all negotiation on the part of Congress; bound by treaty to the King of France to make no peace with England without the consent of the French Court 12

The three Acts of Parliament, and proposals of the five Commissioners of all that the Colonists had desired before the Declaration of Independence; but Congress had transferred allegiance from England to France, without even consulting their constituents 12

Appeal of the representative of France to the Canadians to detach Canada from England (in a note) 12

Sycophancy of the leaders of Congress to France against England 13

The feeling of the people in both England and America different from that of the leaders of Congress 14

The war more acrimonious after the alliance between Congress and the Kingof France and the failure of the British Commissioners to promote reconciliation between Great Britain and the Colonies 16