Of course there were difficulties and such sharp differences of opinion that, even after long negotiation, some matters had to be compromised.

Some problems, too, were found insoluble and were finally left without a settlement.

But such difficulties as did exist were slight in comparison with the previous hopelessness of reconciling American and Spanish ambitions, especially when the latter were supported by France.

On the one hand, the Americans were the proteges of the French and were expected to give way before the claims of their patron's friends to an extent which threatened to limit seriously their growth and development.

On the other hand, they were the younger sons of England, uncivilized by their wilderness life, ungrateful and rebellious, but still to be treated by England as children of the blood.