登陆注册
5259600000005

第5章 CHAPTER I. THE TREATY OF PEACE(5)

These Loyalists comprised at least two groups. One of these was a wealthy, property-owning class, representing the best social element in the colonies, extremely conservative, believing in privilege and fearing the rise of democracy. The other was composed of the royal officeholders, which included some of the better families, but was more largely made up of the lower class of political and social hangers-on, who had been rewarded with these positions for political debts incurred in England. The opposition of both groups to the Revolution was inevitable and easily to be understood, but it was also natural that the Revolutionists should incline to hold the Loyalists, without distinction, largely responsible for British pre-Revolutionary policy, asserting that they misinformed the Government as to conditions and sentiment in America, partly through stupidity and partly through selfish interest. It was therefore perfectly comprehensible that the feeling should be bitter against them in the United States, especially as they had given efficient aid to the British during the war. In various States they were subjected to personal violence at the hands of indignant "patriots," many being forced to flee from their homes, while their property was destroyed or confiscated, and frequently these acts were legalized by statute.

The historian of the Loyalists of Massachusetts, James H. Stark, must not be expected to understate the case, but when he is describing, especially in New England, the reign of terror which was established to suppress these people, he writes:

"Loyalists were tarred and feathered and carried on rails, gagged and bound for days at a time; stoned, fastened in a room with a fire and the chimney stopped on top; advertised as public enemies, so that they would be cut off from all dealings with their neighbors; they had bullets shot into their bedrooms, their horses poisoned or mutilated; money or valuable plate extorted from them to save them from violence, and on pretence of taking security for their good behavior; their houses and ships burned; they were compelled to pay the guards who watched them in their houses, and when carted about for the mob to stare at and abuse, they were compelled to pay something at every town."

There is little doubt also that the confiscation of property and the expulsion of the owners from the community were helped on by people who were debtors to the Loyalists and in this way saw a chance of escaping from the payment of their rightful obligations. The "Act for confiscating the estates of certain persons commonly called absentees" may have been a measure of self-defense for the State but it was passed by the votes of those who undoubtedly profited by its provisions.

Those who had stood loyally by the Crown must in turn be looked out for by the British Government, especially when the claims of justice were reinforced by the important consideration that many of those with property and financial interests in America were relatives of influential persons in England. The immediate necessity during the war had been partially met by assisting thousands to go to Canada--where their descendants today form an important element in the population and are proud of being United Empire Loyalists--while pensions and gifts were supplied to others. Now that the war was over the British were determined that Americans should make good to the Loyalists for all that they had suffered, and His Majesty's Commissioners were hopeful at least of obtaining a proviso similar to the one relating to the collection of debts. John Adams, however, expressed the prevailing American idea when he said that "paying debts and compensating Tories" were two very different things, and Jay asserted that there were certain of these refugees whom Americans never would forgive.

But this was the one thing needed to complete the negotiations for peace, and the British arguments on the injustice and irregularity of the treatment accorded to the Loyalists were so strong that the American Commissioners were finally driven to the excuse that the Government of the Confederation had no power over the individual States by whom the necessary action must be taken. Finally, in a spirit of mutual concession at the end of the negotiations, the Americans agreed that Congress should "recommend to the legislatures of the respective states to provide for the restitution" of properties which had been confiscated "belonging to real British subjects," and "that persons of any other description" might return to the United States for a period of twelve months and be "unmolested in their endeavours to obtain the restitution."

With this show of yielding on the part of the American Commissioners it was possible to conclude the terms of peace, and the preliminary treaty was drawn accordingly and agreed to on November 30, 1782. Franklin had been of such great service during all the negotiations, smoothing down ruffed feelings by his suavity and tact and presenting difficult subjects in a way that made action possible, that to him was accorded the unpleasant task of communicating what had been accomplished to Vergennes, the French Minister, and of requesting at the same time "a fresh loan of twenty million francs." Franklin, of course, presented his case with much "delicacy and kindliness of manner" and with a fair degree of success. "Vergennes thought that the signing of the articles was premature, but he made no inconvenient remonstrances, ill procured six millions of the twenty."* On September 3, 1783, the definite treaty of peace was signed in due time it was ratified by the British Parliament as well as by the American Congress. The new state, duly accredited, thus took its place in the family of nations; but it was a very humble place that was first assigned to the United States of America.

* Channing, "History of the United States," vol. III, p. 368.

同类推荐
  • 观无量寿经义疏(本)

    观无量寿经义疏(本)

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 议兵

    议兵

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛母般若波罗蜜多圆集要义论

    佛母般若波罗蜜多圆集要义论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 道教三字经

    道教三字经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Can Such Things Be

    Can Such Things Be

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 龙武战神

    龙武战神

    神武大陆,强者为尊,弱者受欺。张子凡,一个地球人穿越到废物少主身上,受尽他人屈辱,偶然之间却发现,身怀着上古龙魂,龙魂等级越高,修炼则越快,实力则越强,从此废材除名,修龙魂,历千劫,破万钧,神武大陆任由穿梭。
  • 一剑天凰

    一剑天凰

    曾在青石潭边洗剑,无边剑气渲染九层天。曾用天雷地火锤炼手中之剑,退出锈迹之时,剑光遮掩了星辰日月的光辉。剑出鞘之后,我将无敌于天下。
  • 凤舞九天:邪王宠妻上天

    凤舞九天:邪王宠妻上天

    她是巫山族的传人,是巫女。有着超凡的未卜先知的能力。为守护宿命中的男子,自世外桃源,成为王妃。在这皇权至上、处处充斥着阴谋诡计的异世之中,她韬光养晦,淡然处事,只为求得一隅安宁之地,却终是不得所愿,不幸沦为他人手中的棋子。经历无情伤害后,她是否一如从前,还是决绝地反击,绽放光芒?
  • 宠妻无度之千金太腹黑

    宠妻无度之千金太腹黑

    父母被谋害葬身火海,至交好友夺权,亲人背叛,这一切对夜若霏来说就是一个噩梦.,在一贯对她宠爱有加的丈夫手上死去的那一刻,她才知道一切不过是为了夜氏,她发誓,若有来生,她定必让他们一个个生不如死!十倍尝还!再次睁眼,她重回十五岁,重回到父母陷入火海那一天。既然老天给她新生,她定要重新来过,改变自己和家人的命运。然而她没想到,重生的那一霎那,她得到了一种特殊的能力——兽语!同时拥有操纵水的能力!一次偶然的机会她收养了一只小白猫。却不想此猫非彼猫,竟然是号令百兽的山中之王——白虎!一个偶然的机会认识了他。一个霸道!狂妄!冷峻!桀骜不驯的他!一个同样懂得操纵火的他!一个天生是她克星的他!一个宠她如命的他!女人你就算把天捅破了,我也会给你补好的,一切有他!权倾东市?早晚让你滚下来!商业霸主?街边乞丐就是你的下场!亲人的背叛?没关系,早晚让你知道后悔怎么写!高高在上?开玩笑,有我在什么时候轮到你?白莲花?高人一等?笑话,我会让你尝尝变成地上泥的滋味!…只要对她,对她在乎的人有威胁的,她绝不放过,一定铲草除根!看她如何利用异能与智慧,不断成长,展开璀璨徇丽又精彩的人生!看她如何利用上天赐予她的一切,铲恶锄奸,遏恶扬善,造福人民,挽救苍生!宠妻片段:“老大!大嫂把你刚拍回来的孤本拿去给闹闹…垫…垫屁股了。”许铮满头大汗的奔进来说道,心里外加了一句,是刚刚拉完粑粑的屁股。某男纹风不动的点头回了一句:“在你工资里面扣。”“为什么?!”许铮满脸惊讶。“看到不会换一本娱乐杂志给你大嫂,不扣你的钱扣谁的?扣你大嫂的?”某男理所当然的道,一副你敢说扣大嫂试试,你就知道花儿为什么这样红了。许铮欲哭无泪,某男接着又道,“告诉你大嫂,书房还有很多。”许铮当即踉跄栽倒,你狠!书房里的都是孤本多啊…“老大!大嫂把冥辰的业绩给拉下来了!”许铮可怜兮兮的说道。“让她慢慢玩,玩的开心点,不够在你工资里面扣。”某男继续淡定的说道。“老大,我工资已经扣到2050年了,还扣?”“噢,那就在你分红里面扣。”“你狠!”“老大!大嫂把我…”许铮顶着熊猫眼跑进来话都还没说完就被踹开了“敢让你大嫂亲自动手打你?活腻了是吧!”许铮心里哀嚎着:妻奴!我以前的护短老大去哪了!还我护短老大!我不要患了妻管炎的老大!呜呜…
  • 野人劫

    野人劫

    光盘,广西第四、六、七届签约作家,中国作家协会会员、广西作家协会理事。获广西、全国报纸副刊好作品二等奖以上30余次。创作及出版长篇小说6部,在花城、上海文学、作家、钟山、北京文学等中国核心刊物发表作品若干,迄今共发表各类作品150余万字。
  • 异能家庭

    异能家庭

    一场突如其来的大火将高家烧的面目全非,接踵而来的巨额索赔又让高家人倾家荡产;却不料这一连串的变故竟然逼出一家人体内潜在的异能,比如高家弟弟利用瞬移帮助姥爷在广场舞前排占座,姥爷点火供大伙烧烤,高家姐姐暂停时间挽救弟弟考场作弊等等,但是等等,这是异能的正确打开方式吗?接下来随着LEE的出场,事情变得扑朔迷离起来。
  • 重生之我要上头条

    重生之我要上头条

    一个一生都默默无闻,最后猝死在电脑前的扑街写手,穿越到一个娱乐至上的世界,成为千亿家族的唯一继承人。在一个顶尖科学家、大富豪、总统都会疯狂追星的世界,一个娱乐至上,又极其缺乏娱乐的世界,前世的经典之作,在这被奉为神作,让这个只知剽窃的无耻家伙,被人推上神坛。一样又一样的科技,在他的手中出现,让全世界都为他而疯狂。“我要搞个大新闻,不如就在月球举办演唱会?”他如是说道。
  • 中国现当代文学名著解读

    中国现当代文学名著解读

    中国现当代文学名著解读,本书解读了中国电大《中国现当代文学名著》教材中所收录的名著,共20篇。
  • 想入妃妃:娘子,晚上约

    想入妃妃:娘子,晚上约

    新书推荐《辣女当家:傻夫撩妻成瘾》,欢迎来看喔~~1v1,她身为第一皇商家族的嫡长女,身上肩负的是与叔叔斗智斗勇,维护家族的重任!奈何,这个道路实在坎坷,前后有绊脚石,左右是打都打不走的小绿茶。见她空闲了再来一记勾人心弦的桃花眼……〖小剧场:柳:娘子,晚上约一炮吧!*南宫漾随即将一旁的肉团塞进他的怀里,勾起一抹荡人心魂的笑,幽幽的回道:丑拒!〗
  • 网游之天下独行

    网游之天下独行

    一个被爱伤害的当代阿Q,再游戏中把这个精神继续发扬光大!看阿Q如何在游戏中展现自我!