I Became A Genius Of The French Royal Family [EN]: Chapter 116

< Fire the Gun >

From Philadelphia to Toronto, the distance could be considered both far and near.

American dignitaries, who visited Toronto for this important agreement, brought various documents and analysis materials and set foot on Canadian soil.

“Is this the temporary capital of New France? It’s not as bustling as I thought,” Edmund Randolph, the Secretary of State overseeing American foreign policy, remarked, carefully examining the cityscape.

John Adams, the Vice President of the United States and a strong supporter of this treaty, responded cautiously, “When you think about it, this place is also a new country like us. But if they continue to receive support from France, they may grow faster than we can imagine.”

“I suppose so. That’s why you’re trying to establish a cooperative relationship.”

“Do you think my idea is wrong?”

“Of course not. If I did, I wouldn’t have come all this way.”

Even for a new country, it was unusual for both the Vice President and a Secretary of State to visit together.

Of course, Toronto and Philadelphia were relatively close, and Christian had visited previously, but this visit underscored the importance the American side placed on the matter.

“But what suddenly made Prince Christian respond to our proposal? I know that when you made the proposal last time, he didn’t seem very receptive,” Randolph inquired.

“He must have thought about it in many ways. Even if he was tempted by my proposal, he couldn’t make a decision on the spot.”

“Well, New France is in the same position as us, needing to displace the Indigenous peoples to develop the land, so there’s no reason for them to refuse.”

“That’s right. Besides, we are allies. If this goes well, our party can take the lead in one fell swoop.”

A faint smile appeared on both men’s faces.

The current political landscape of the United States was largely divided between the Federalist Party, centered on figures like Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and John Adams (who maintained a neutral stance), and the Democratic-Republican Party, led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.

Edmund Randolph, working with John Adams on this initiative, was also a member of the Federalist Party.

In essence, the Federalist Party was spearheading this effort, and its prestige would naturally increase if it succeeded.

It was a golden opportunity to reverse the fiercely contested political climate.

“In order to unite the capabilities of the United States, a strong central government is needed above all else… To think that we have to go to such lengths because of those who can’t even understand such a simple principle,” John Adams muttered, tapping the floor irritably with the tip of his shoe.

Randolph clicked his tongue slightly in agreement.

“I agree. Now is a golden opportunity to form a stronger government, but it’s frustrating.”

“No, it may not just be a golden opportunity, but the *only* opportunity. That’s why I’m so anxious.”

The current federal government was a central government in name only, lacking substantial real power.

Adams and Randolph held grandiose titles like Vice President and Secretary of State, but their actual authority was limited.

In reality, the governments and governors of each state wielded considerable power.

However, there was one exception.

George Washington was an exception.

Washington was a president with absolute influence, a stark contrast to the weak federal government.

Federalists were confident that a president with as much power as Washington would never come again.

Therefore, while a strong president was in office, it was crucial to maximize the power of the president and the federal government.

If this moment was missed, the opportunity was likely to vanish forever.

“Come to think of it, Randolph, weren’t you Washington’s aide? Did he say anything to you privately?”

“No. I’ve spoken to him several times, but Washington doesn’t discuss such sensitive matters, even with close friends. He has no desire for power… It’s a little unfortunate.”

“That’s why Washington is so respected. He could have been the king of America if he wanted to.”

“Yes. He said that if he tried to strengthen the power of the president, he would become no different from a king. He probably meant that he had no intention of supporting our side’s opinion.”

The two men fully understood Washington’s intentions.

The Federalists aimed to establish a centralized democratic government, not a monarchy.

“Anyway, if things go well, these concerns will become meaningless, so let’s focus on finishing the immediate task first.”

“I understand. But there shouldn’t be any major problems, right? New France invited us on the premise of signing a treaty.”

“They did say there were some issues to be adjusted, so don’t let your guard down. Of course, I know you’ve prepared thoroughly.”

After receiving the invitation from New France, Randolph and his subordinates anticipated the proposals they might request.

They had already planned what interests they would demand and how to respond in each scenario.

They were confident that nothing would go wrong.

“I know Prince Christian’s reputation well. I won’t let my guard down.”

“Even if you don’t let your guard down, you never know what might happen, so stay alert.”

Unlike Randolph, who had never met Christian in person, John Adams remained cautious.

Based on Christian’s past actions, Adams believed he should be considered a formidable opponent to avoid future problems.

“Let’s go for now. Let’s hear what our allies are planning first. And I need to get some autographs.”

Adams slowly moved forward, recalling the face of his daughter, who was eagerly awaiting Prince Christian’s autograph.

※※※

“First of all, thank you for coming all this way. To be honest, I was a little surprised to hear that the Vice President would come in person,” I said.

At the request of the American side, the meeting skipped the usual welcoming formalities and began immediately.

Adams and Randolph represented the United States, and I decided to represent New France alone.

Of course, my secretary, Lavoisier, was present as an assistant, but the representatives of the Indigenous peoples were excluded from this meeting.

This was because the content might be sensitive for them to hear, and I didn’t want to give the Americans the impression that the Indigenous peoples were thriving here.

“Since this was the matter I proposed, it’s only natural that I see it through. I would like to express my deep gratitude to Your Highness for accepting this meeting,” Adams said politely.

Following Adams, Randolph also bowed his head.

“I am Edmund Randolph, Secretary of State. It is an honor to meet Your Highness, the peerless hero born of France. I hope that today will bring results that satisfy both countries.”

“Of course. France and the United States have always been like that. It will be the same this time.”

“Well, that’s right! Hahaha!”

Friendly laughter filled the conference room, dispelling any tension.

The atmosphere was positive, as it was a meeting between friendly allies.

There was no reason for it to be otherwise, as the topic wasn’t about dividing interests but about identifying a common enemy and working together to defeat them.

“Come to think of it, I heard there was a battle with the Indigenous peoples in Pennsylvania recently,” I said.

“Yes, there were sporadic clashes a few months ago. There was almost no damage on our side, but unfortunately, they escaped into the territory of New France, so we couldn’t pursue them. I’m sorry if that caused a disturbance in your territory.”

“Some tribes came to our border.”

“Was that so? So how did they fare… I hope they’ve all been dealt with.”

“Those who surrendered were spared, and the others were wiped out. In fact, that’s why I decided to accept the proposal I received from Adams this time.”

Lavoisier, standing behind me, unfolded and handed over a map that he had prepared in advance.

The map showed the Native American tribes known to reside on the border between the United States and New France.

“The United States should have similar data, right? Is there anything different from your side among the information marked here?”

“It doesn’t seem to be much different from the data we have. We can continue the discussion based on this.”

“I understand. Let’s do that. First of all, as your country also experienced this time, it’s impossible to subdue the tribes residing on the borders of both sides without mutual cooperation. Unless they are fools, they will know that if they cross into another country’s territory, they won’t be easily pursued.”

“Yes. That’s why our cooperation is all the more urgent.”

Adams pointed his finger at the names of the tribes located on the border and continued, “Above all, the Mississippi River basin is an area that neither New France nor the United States has developed. It’s already difficult to explore, but if we can’t pursue them even if we are attacked, the damage will snowball.”

“I agree with that. And if we cooperate and push down from the north, the difficulty will be lower than if we were to engage in development alone.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Considering both cost and efficiency, there was no reason to operate an army alone.

Now, it was best to leverage the power of the United States as much as possible.

This was because New France also needed to secure the southern part of the Great Lakes and the Great Plains as a top priority.

“Then the basic agreement will be easily reached. When a Native American tribe that has entered into a state of war with one country escapes to the other country’s border, we will pursue and subdue them, and explain the circumstances afterward, right?”

“Yes. We have no objection to that. No matter how much we cooperate, it doesn’t make sense for armed soldiers to freely cross the border. It should only be in unavoidable cases, and with a thorough explanation.”

Of course, even with this alone, the commander in the field would be able to operate much more comfortably.

Randolph requested that one additional item be added here.

“And we must also consider the case where Indian tribes unite. In that case, I think that the damage will be minimized if we engage in battle through organic cooperation. Should we have norms and communication systems in place in advance for such times?”

“That’s a great idea. I have no objection either.”

I readily agreed to all the opinions they proposed.

As New France was being so agreeable, I could feel the tension on the American side gradually easing.

They must have come with their own preparations, but they must be feeling deflated.

Adams, who was happily continuing to sign, suddenly changed the subject as if he had remembered something.

“Come to think of it, the Iroquois Confederacy also lived on our border. I heard that they settled in Canada, but there doesn’t seem to have been any commotion on that side.”

“Yes. They expressed their intention to unconditionally surrender to New France. So I readily accepted them. I was lucky.”

“Unconditionally surrendered? Those fierce Indians?”

“Yes. When I found out later, it seemed that they had suffered more damage than I had imagined in the battle with the United States. So they said they no longer had the strength to continue the fight. In that sense, I can say that we owe a debt to the United States.”

It wasn’t a perfect truth, but it wasn’t a complete lie either.

Originally, a lie with a grain of truth is harder to distinguish than a completely false one.

Adams and Randolph seemed convinced and didn’t mention the issue again.

Instead, they accepted this in a different sense, as I intended.

“As expected… If you show a clear difference in power, they will bow down.”

“Isn’t that natural since they are human beings? Originally, there is no more certain method of ‘gyohwa’ [civilizing/reforming through influence] than fear. It’s just that there are many problems if you use it at will, so I’m refraining from it.”

“But there is no time to worry about that on the battlefield where the lives of precious soldiers are at stake.”

“I agree. Because the life of one allied soldier is more precious than the lives of 100 enemy soldiers.”

Someday, information that New France gave official positions to Native American figures will reach the American side, but I have prepared all the excuses.

First, the Shawnee tribe is primarily used to persuade the natives of the central region.

Of course, there will be those who do not listen, but they will be told the news of the United States, which is conducting a major cleanup right next to them.

Then, most of them will have no choice but to view New France more positively as a contrast effect [a psychological effect where perception of something is influenced by comparison to something else].

Of course, there will be those who do not listen even then, but I do not need to get my hands dirty.

Now, I have a reliable partner who will pull the trigger instead of New France.

End of < Fire the Gun >