If it required all the skill and energy of a Franklin to _negotiate_ a treaty of alliance with France, it required the combined skill of all Congress to preserve it. The French is the most effervescent nation known to history. A republican form of government is ever repugnant to kingly power. That the French officers and soldiers in the American army would drink freely at the fountain of liberal principles no one could doubt. That the thrones of Europe would be endangered on their return was truly predicted. By this very natural course of reasoning the British ministry exerted a powerful influence against the continuation of the alliance. Franklin and his colleagues anticipated all their dark intrigues--penetrated and frustrated them up to the time Great Britain was compelled to comply with the terms of an honorable peace and acknowledge the Independence of the United States of America by a definitive treaty of peace concluded at Paris on the 3d of September 1783. Although anxious to be discharged from further public service it was not until 1785 that Franklin was permitted to return to his beloved country where he could breathe the pure air of republican FREEDOM--no longer polluted by kingly power. During his stay he concluded treaties of commerce between the United States and the Kings of Sweden and Prussia. On his departure from Europe every mark of respect was paid to him by Kings, courts, _literati_ and by all classes of society whose adulation the loftiest ambition could desire. He was beloved by the millions--his departure was deeply regretted by all. His reputation was the personification of purity. At the age of eighty years, borne down by disease, he returned to Philadelphia. He was hailed with enthusiastic joy, affection, esteem and veneration by all the friends of liberty--from the humblest citizen up to the illustrious Washington. He had been a pillar of fire to the American cause--a pillar of smoke to the enemies of human rights. As Thurgot truly observed--"He snatched the thunder bolt from Jove and the sceptre from Kings." He stood--the Colossus of Liberty among the monarchs of Europe and wrung from them the homage due to a nation that dared to be FREE.