It was not until December, 1777, when the news arrived in France of the surrender of General Burgoyne and his army to the Americans at Saratoga, New York, in October, that Franklin had any encouragement.  Not until it was seen that the conquest of America was hopeless did the French government really come to the aid of the struggling cause, and then privately.  Spain joined with France in offers of assistance; but as she had immense treasures on the ocean liable to capture, the matter was to be kept secret.  When secrecy was no longer possible a commercial treaty was made between the United States and the allies, February 6, 1778, but was not signed until Arthur Lee, of Virginia, one of the commissioners, had made a good deal of mischief by his captious opposition to Franklin, whom he envied and hated.  The treaty becoming known to the English government in a few days, Lord North, who saw breakers ahead, was now anxious for conciliation with America.  It was too late.  There could be no conciliation short of the acknowledgment of American independence, and a renewal of war between France and England became certain.  If the conquest of the United States had been improbable, it now had become impossible, with both France and Spain as their allies.  But the English government, with stubborn malignity, persevered in the hopeless warfare.

After the recall of Silas Deane, the business of the embassy devolved chiefly on Franklin, who, indeed, within a year was appointed sole minister, Adams and Lee being relieved.  Besides his continuous and exhausting labors in procuring money for Congress at home, and for nearly all of its representatives abroad, Franklin was always effecting some good thing for his country.  He especially commended to the American authorities the Marquis de La Fayette, then a mere youth, who had offered to give his personal services to the conflict for liberty.  This generous and enthusiastic nobleman was a great accession to the American cause, from both a political and a military point of view, and always retained the friendship and confidence of Washington.  Franklin rendered important services in securing the amelioration of the condition of American prisoners in England, who theretofore had been treated with great brutality; after years of patient and untiring effort, he so well succeeded that they were now honorably exchanged according to the rules of war.  Among the episodes of this period largely due to Franklin’s sagacity and monetary aid, was the gallant career of John Paul Jones, a Scotchman by birth, who had entered the American navy as lieutenant, and in one short cruise had taken sixteen British prizes,—­the first man to hoist the “Stars and Stripes” on a national vessel.  He was also the first to humble the pride of England in its sorest point, since, with unparalleled audacity, he had successfully penetrated to the harbor of the town in which he was born.  The “Bon Homme Richard,” a large frigate of forty guns, of which, by the aid of Franklin, Jones secured the command, and which he named in honor of “Poor Richard” of the almanac, made his name famous throughout both Europe and America.