Diplomatist; born in
Groton, Conn., Dec. 24, 1737; graduated at Yale College in 1758; became a merchant in
Wethersfield, Conn.; and was a delegate to the first Continental
 |
|
Silas Deane. |
Congress.
He was very active in Congress, in 1775, in fitting out a naval force for the colonies, and in the spring of 1776 was sent to
France as a secret political and financial agent, with authority to operate in
Holland and elsewhere.
He was to ascertain the feeling of the
French government towards the revolted colonies and
Great Britain, and to obtain military supplies.
Mr. Deane went in the character of a Bermuda merchant; and, the better to cover his designs, he did not take any considerable sum of money or bills of exchange with him for his support.
The secret committee was to send them after him by way of
London, to arrive in
Paris nearly as soon as himself, lest a capture should betray his secret.
On his arrival in
Paris he sought an interview with the
Count de Vergennes, the minister for foreign affairs, but no notice was taken of him. He repeated his application in vain.
His remittances were all captured or lost.
He soon expended the cash he took with him, and was in great distress.
His landlady became importunate, and he was threatened with ejectment into the street.
He again repeated his application for an interview with
Vergennes, but was denied.
Which way to turn he knew not. He walked in the fields in the suburbs in despair.
There he met a citizen to whom he revealed his distressed condition.
The citizen invited him to make his house his home until remittances should arrive.
Losing hope of either funds or an interview with the minister, he resolved to return to
America, and was actually packing his wardrobe when two letters reached him, announcing the
Declaration of Independence by Congress and the action of
Arnold with the British fleet on
Lake Champlain. Two hours later he received a card from
Vergennes, requesting his company immediately.
Deane, indignant at the treatment he had received, refused to go. The next morning, as he was rising from his bed, an under-secretary called, inviting him to breakfast with the count.
He again refused; but, on the secretary's pressing him to go, he consented, and was received very cordially by
Vergennes.
A long conversation on American affairs took place, when
Deane acquainted the minister with the nature of his mission.
So began the diplomatic relations between
France and the
United States which resulted in the negotiation of a treaty of amity and alliance between the two nations.
To him were intrusted the receipts and expenditures of money by the commissioners to
Europe.
Dr. Franklin had deserved confidence in his ability and honesty.
The jealous, querulous
Arthur Lee (q. v.), who became associated with him and
Franklin, soon made trouble.
He wrote letters to his brother in Congress (
Richard Henry Lee), in which he made many insinuations against the probity of both his colleagues.
Ralph Izard, commissioner to the Tuscan Court, offended because he was not consulted about the treaty with
France, had written home similar letters; and
William Carmichael, a secretary of the commissioners, who had returned to
America, insinuated in Congress that
Deane had appropriated the public money to his own use.
Deane was recalled, by order of Congress, Nov. 21,
[
28]
1777; arrived at
Philadelphia Aug. 10, 1778; and on the 13th reported to Congress.
In that body he found false reports operating against him; and finally, exasperated by the treatment which he received at their hands, he engaged in a controversy with influential members.
Out of this affair sprang two violent parties,
Robert Morris and other members of Congress who were commercial experts taking the side of
Deane, and
Richard Henry Lee, then chairman of the committee on foreign affairs, being against him.
Deane published in the
Philadelphia Gazette an “Address to the people of the
United States,” in which he referred to the brothers
Lee with much severity, and claimed for himself the credit of obtaining supplies from
France through
Beaumarchais.
Thomas Paine (q. v.), then secretary of the committee on foreign affairs, replied to
Deane (Jan. 2, 1779), availing himself of public documents in his charge.
In that reply he declared that the arrangement had been made by
Arthur Lee, in
London, and revealed the secret that the supplies, though nominally furnished by a commercial house, really came from the
French government.
This statement called out loud complaints from the
French minister (
Gerard), for it exposed the duplicity of his government, and to soothe the feelings of their allies, Congress, by resolution, expressly denied that any gratuity had been received from the French Court previous to the treaty of alliance.
This resolution gave
Beaumarchais a valid claim upon Congress for payment for supplies which he, under the firm name of Hortales & Co., had sent to
America (see
Beaumarchais, Pierre Augustin).
Paine's indiscretion cost him his place.
He was compelled to resign his secretaryship.
The discussion among the diplomatic agents soon led to the recall of all of them excepting
Dr. Franklin, who remained sole minister at the French Court.
Deane, who was undoubtedly an able, honest man, preferred claims for services and private expenditures abroad, but, under the malign influence of the Lees, he was treated with neglect and fairly driven into poverty and exile, and died in
Deal, England, Aug. 23, 1789.
In 1842
Deane's long-disputed claim was adjusted by Congress, a large sum of money being paid over to his heirs.
