In the naval race between the British Navy and the French Navy in the Atlantic Ocean, the veteran British Navy emerged victorious, and the British Parliament's bill reached the Continental Congress first.
However, when the British Navy was racing against time, they picked the wrong opponent; they outran the French Navy, but they didn't outrun Charles.
By this time, Charles had already finished his affairs in Pittsburgh and returned to Philadelphia, arriving just one day before the British Navy delivered the peace proposal, allowing him to participate in the discussion of this peace agreement.
If Charles hadn't been present at the time, even with the cunning John Hancock and others presiding over the situation, it's likely this peace agreement would have been passed, falling into the British trap.
Because everyone originally wanted to sign a peace agreement with Britain, even sending the peace envoy Mr. Jefferson. Now, seeing the British proactively deliver this peace proposal, these Continental Congress Representatives didn't suspect it was a British ploy, naturally assuming it was a peace agreement Mr. Jefferson had negotiated.
From the content of the agreement alone, there were no demands particularly beyond what the Continental Congress expected; it basically referenced the peace agreement American envoys had requested from the British king before the war of Independence erupted. The only relatively unusual clause was that the United States was not allowed to ally with France again and, conversely, had to unite to prevent France from expanding its interests in America.
Although these Continental Congress Representatives felt such a demand was unnecessary—once a peace agreement with Britain was signed, they had no intention of allying with France again, and as for interests in America, many of them wished to treat America as their own backyard, so how could they tolerate France expanding? Now, seeing it specifically mentioned in the peace agreement, they felt a bit uncomfortable, after all, France had just helped them fight Britain. There was no need to turn hostile so quickly.
However, these "lenient" Continental Congress Representatives, even if they felt Britain was forcing them to change their foreign policy, were still very willing to quickly pass this peace proposal for the future of the country.
Originally, this was also very much in line with Charles' original plan. Other Continental Congress Representatives had almost no major objections. Wanting to sign the peace agreement early meant they could start utilizing Britain's vast market sooner, so Charles was prepared to approve this peace proposal.
However, just before the vote, Charles found it strange that Mr. Jefferson, as the peace envoy, hadn't returned with it, so he casually asked the British secret envoy Wentworth:
"Mr. Wentworth, before discussing this peace proposal, I would like to presumptuously ask, why has our United States' peace envoy, Mr. Thomas Jefferson, not returned with you? And why are the other members of the envoy delegation also not present?"
"Mr. Jefferson and the other envoys have already gone to France to visit Franklin. This agreement was originally a proactive arrangement by our British Parliament. I am the true peace envoy, here for the peace of the American continent. As for Mr. Jefferson, I have always considered him a radical, and he probably isn't very supportive of negotiating with us." The British secret envoy Wentworth deliberately hinted that Mr. Jefferson was unaware of this agreement.
After all, Britain is a great power, and it can employ some diplomatic tactics. But if it's clearly a deceptive matter, it cannot be done brazenly. So, by stating beforehand that this was a unilateral peace initiative by the British Parliament, if you couldn't see the loopholes in it, then don't blame me for not warning you when we renege in the future.
"Are you saying Mr. Jefferson is unaware of this peace agreement?" Charles understood Wentworth's meaning.
He still felt very confused: even if Mr. Jefferson didn't support this agreement, it was impossible for him not to support peace. Moreover, he had proactively proposed going to Britain for negotiations in the first place, so it was unlikely he was a radical who didn't support negotiations, as this envoy claimed. According to Charles' understanding of Mr. Jefferson, he was a person who could change his beliefs for the sake of principles. For peace, he would fully support negotiations with the British.
"Mr. Jefferson is definitely a pro-French faction; he is indeed not interested in our agreement," Wentworth replied impatiently.
He was afraid that the longer the questioning dragged on, the more difficult it would be for the peace agreement to pass.
Charles grew more and more suspicious the more he asked.
That Mr. Jefferson was pro-French was beyond doubt. However, to say that he was completely uninterested in negotiating with Britain because he was pro-French was absolutely impossible. Because this British man forgot that Mr. Jefferson was also a democrat; he greatly desired peace, and as long as there was an opportunity to break free from the British king, he would not mind immediately concluding a peace treaty with the British Government.
"Your Excellency Wentworth, since Mr. Jefferson has not yet returned, then this peace agreement cannot be signed yet. The main people responsible for foreign affairs in The Continental Congressare Mr. Franklin and Mr. Jefferson, and they are both still in Europe. This peace agreement should be approved by their foreign affairs committee before being submitted for full assembly review. I will immediately send a fast ship to Europe to call them back." Charles decisively refused to vote on the agreement immediately.
Wentworth's behavior was clearly abnormal, wasn't it?
Even if the British disliked Mr. Jefferson, even if they felt it was embarrassing to come to America with someone they had once rejected, out of diplomatic courtesy, Mr. Jefferson should not have been prevented from returning with them, and even more so, this peace agreement should not have been kept from Mr. Jefferson and his colleagues.
Although Charles had read this peace agreement, he didn't know much about it. After all, they weren't specialized in foreign affairs, and at the time, he didn't suspect that Britain might use a fake peace agreement to deceive them, so he merely gave it a quick read. Now, however, he had decided that even if Franklin and other diplomatic experts were not present, he must ask other people with more professional knowledge to see if this peace agreement had any problems.
"There's no need for that, Representative. We have a large number of soldiers stationed on the front lines, and they are costing our Government money every moment. For the benefit of both our sides, it's better to sign the peace agreement quickly now. If Representative and your colleagues are deliberately trying to delay and continue fighting our British army, then please say so directly. We don't need to waste time, and I can also quickly return home to inform His Majesty the king of England to send more soldiers to resolve this damned American problem sooner!" Wentworth, of course, strongly opposed delaying the signing.
These words already carried a hint of threat!
If it were before the city battle, Charles might have flinched for his reputation and fear of taking on the role of instigator. But now his prestige was high. Proposing peace talks was his original idea, so there was no need to worry about others saying he started the war. Therefore, even with Wentworth's threats, he still insisted that it could not be passed immediately before a thorough review of the agreement.
Wentworth was completely helpless against Charles regarding this.
He was merely a spy-like diplomat, and without a strong British army standing guard behind him, he dared not confront a leader of a force that had just won a battle.
Many in the Continental Congress believed that signing a peace agreement with Britain was wise. However, after seeing the exchange between Wentworth and Charles, they also sensed something unusual and ultimately largely sided with Charles.
However, when Charles handed this unilateral peace agreement from Britain to other specialized personnel for review, he discovered it was a very formal peace agreement. Except for the clause prohibiting alliance with France and requiring joint action against France, which was rather strange, all other aspects were completely fine.
Just as the Continental Congress was reluctantly preparing to vote, the French Navy, which had lost the naval race, finally arrived in Philadelphia. When they delivered the Franco-American Treaty to the Continental Congress, the truth was immediately guessed.
Upon receiving the alliance agreement from France and learning that the British king had formally rejected peace talks, everyone immediately understood Wentworth's intention. They were clearly deliberately using a insincere peace agreement to snatch away America's chance to gain a true alliance.
If Britain had used an open and fair approach, through equal competition, to seek friendly negotiation, Charles, for the commercial future of his company, would have actually preferred to choose Britain as a peaceful and friendly partner. But now, Britain had used a semi-deceptive method to eliminate America's other alliance opportunity, clearly indicating that their own peace agreement had no intention of lasting long.
Charles was furious!
Fortunately, he had been extra cautious and had a sudden feeling that this unilaterally delivered contract was not right. If this contract had truly passed, the mistake he and the Continental Congress would have made would have been enormous.
Upon learning that the true ally was France, the Continental Congress Representatives from various states were overjoyed. Compared to that peace agreement with little profit to be gained, this alliance agreement could bring them more benefits. Two days later, the Continental Congress officially convened a full assembly to approve the "Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and France" and the "Franco-American Alliance Treaty."
When the Continental Congress voted, the Ambassadors of both Britain and France were summoned to the side. After both treaties were passed, the President of the Continental Congress, John Hancock, announced that France would become an ally of the United States, and Britain would enter a state of war with France while continuing to fight the United States.
Wentworth, at this moment, displayed the demeanor of a diplomat, saying politely to Hancock:
"On behalf of the British Government, I regret the rash decision Your Excellency and yThe Continental Congresshave made today. You have insulted a brother who extended an olive branch to you, and chosen a neighbor who can provide weapons. I believe that before long, you will regret this decision."
President of the Continental Congress, Mr. John Hancock, paid no mind to Wentworth's blatant threat. Instead, he maintained a polite smile and slowly replied:
"This is the unanimous decision of three million compatriots in America. We need a long-term friend, not a brother with a temporary agreement."
Charles felt helpless about the way these two, despite clearly having broken ties, still spoke in such euphemistic tones.
Finally, he just said one thing to Wentworth himself:
"Mr. Wentworth, as a diplomatic envoy, you represent the image of a country and a nation. Using an agreement with such obvious hidden deceit not only shames your Government but also shames yourself. I find your actions despicable."
Hearing Charles directly accuse him without diplomatic jargon, Wentworth's old face couldn't help but flush slightly.
"I acted on behalf of my Government; that was neither His Majesty the king of England's will nor my own intention."
The peace talks and alliance negotiations officially concluded. The United States decided to ally with France to jointly fight the British army on the American continent.
With France's recognition of the United States and the establishment of the Franco-American Alliance, America's status on Europe rapidly changed. The nascent United States began to be recognized by other countries on the continent and was asked to exchange envoys.
In October 1777, before Mr. Jefferson left Europe, there was a personnel change within the American diplomatic mission in Europe. Richard Henry Lee was appointed Spanish Ambassador, William Lee, another brother of Arthur Lee, was ordered to serve as envoy to Berlin and Vienna, while Ralph Izard was sent as envoy to Tuscany. As for Franklin, Deane, and Arthur Lee, the three remained as special envoys overseeing European diplomatic affairs, stationed in France.
Also in October, a French fleet led by Comte d'Estaing successfully broke the British Navy's blockade and appeared at the mouth of the Delaware River.
When the french ambassador disembarked from the warship and set foot on American soil, he became the first official dispatched by a foreign government to the United States after its recognition.
Seeing the powerful French Navy fleet appear in Philadelphia, most Continental Congress Representatives breathed a sigh of relief, feeling they no longer had to endure the taste of a blockaded city.
When the French's large battleship fleet first appeared, it was indeed very shocking, causing the British blockade fleet to flee at the sight of them. However, what these people didn't know was that this was because the warships the British used for the blockade were mostly cruisers, which were fast but lacked firepower, making them unable to contend with a fleet composed of French battleships (ships of the line). Soon after, when Britain transferred similar battleships from home, Comte d'Estaing would have to obediently take his fleet and hide in the West Indies.