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| Gen. George Washington Resiging his Commission painting by John Trumbull from Wikipedia |
Although the outcome was known from the beginning, the suspense of "Will America get her independence?" has made this book a very entertaining read. It has been at times a bit difficult to wade through, though, with trying to keep the names and positions straight of all the diplomats and government officials who were involved in negotiating the eventual treaty that gave us our independence as well as increased territory and fishing rights on the Grand Banks.
From this book I've gained quite a lot of awareness of as well as respect for the diplomatic function in government. These folks are quite brave and talented in navigating usually very turbulent waters to come up with what are sometimes brilliant agreements. What was also brought home to me is the necessity of compromise--each side giving up something to get something--in the establishment of any agreement. Very rarely, it would seem, does one side hold all the cards in a negotiation, and to hold out for everything when that stubborn position would prolong a war is unconscionable, in my opinion. This was brought home to France, England and America when it came time to set aside their most cherished desires and do what they needed to do to end a war that was emptying the coffers of all three nations.
For example, in hammering out the peace that gave America its independence, the U.S. wanted the British to compensate them for the property they destroyed during the war; the British wanted the Loyalists to be compensated for the property they gave up when the rebels confiscated it. The two countries agreed to add up the value of all the property on each side and whoever came out as being owed more would be paid by the other side.
What was especially interesting to me (and strangely comforting) is the realization that our congress was just as deeply divided back then as it is now and will always be, apparently, as that is what comes from putting together a nation composed of many sovereign states and expecting them to act in concert when they all have different, often competing interests. That we have managed that feat all these years, despite a civil war that threatened to destroy us, is testament to our belief (most of the time) that we are better together than we are apart. And I believe we will survive this latest chapter in our history as well because of our central pledge to uphold our brilliantly crafted and resilient constitution that binds us in our continuing quest to form a more perfect union.
I'm still reading this book, so stay tuned for my take on the aftermath of the Revolution.
