figning the present definitive treaty; who af-
ter having reciprocally communicated their
respective full powers, have agreed upon and
confirmed the following articles.
ARTICLE I.

United

ed to be

His Britannic Majesty acknowledges the faid United States, viz. New-Hampshire, Massa- States ac chusetts-Bay, Rhode-Island and Providence knowledg Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New- indepenJersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, dent. Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia, to be free, fovereign and independent States; that he treats with them as such; and for himself, his heirs and fucceffors, relinquishes all claims to the government, propriety and territorial rights of the fame, and every part thereof.

ARTICLE II.

And that all disputes which might arise in future, on the fubject of the boundaries of the Boundarie faid United States may be prevented, it is here. by agreed and declared, that the following are, and shall be their boundaries, viz. From the north-west angle of Nova Scotia, viz. that angle which is formed by a line, drawn due north from the fource of Saint Croix river to the Highlands; along the said Highlands which divide those rivers, that empty themfelves into the river St. Lawrence, from those which fall into the Atlantic Ocean, to the northwesternmost head of Connecticut river, thence down along the middle of that river, to the forty-fifth degree of north latitude; from thence, by a line due west on faid latitude, until it strikes the river Iroquois or Cataraquy; thence along the middle of faid river into Lake Ontario, through the middle of faid lake until

it strikes the communication by water between that lake and Lake Erie; thence along the middle of faid communication into Lake Erie, through the middle of faid lake until it arrives at the water-communication between that lake and Lake Huron; thence along the middle ot faid water-communication into the Lake Huron; thence through the middle of faid lake to the water-communication between that lake and Lake Superior; thence through Lake Superior northward of the isles Royal and Philipeaux, to the Long Lake; thence through the middle of faid Long Lake, and the water communication between it and the Lake of the Woods, to the said Lake of the Woods; thence through the faid Lake to the most north-western point thereof, and from thence on a due west course to the river Miffifippi; thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of the faid river Missisippi until it shall interfect the northernmost part of the thirtyfirst degree of north latitude. South by a line to be drawn due east from the determination of the line last mentioned, in the latitude of thirty-one degrees north of the Equator, to the middle of the river Apalachicola or Catahouche; thence along the middle thereof to its junction with the Flint river; thence straight to the head of St. Mary's river; and thence down along the middle of St. Mary's river to the Atlantic ocean. East by a line to be drawn along the middle of the river St. Croix, from its mouth in the Bay of Fundy to its fource, and from its fource directly north to the aforefaid Highlands which divide the rivers that fall into the Atlantic ocean, from those which fall into the river St. Lawrence: comprehending all islands within twenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States, and lying be tween lines to be drawn due east from the points where the aforesaid boundaries between Nova-Scotia on the one part, and East-Florida on the other, shall respectively touch the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic ocean; excepting fuch islands as now are, or heretofore have been within the limits of the faid province of Nova-Scotia.

ARTICLE III.

cured.

It is agreed that the people of the United States Right of shall continue to enjoy unmolested the right to fishery fea take fish of every kind on the Grand Bank, and on all the other banks of Newfoundland; alfo in the gulph of St. Lawrence, and at all other places in the fea, where the inhabitants of both countries ufed at any time heretofore to fish; and also, that the inhabitants of the United States shall have liberty to take fish of every kind on fuch part of the coast of Newfoundland as British fishermen shall ufe (but not to dry or cure the fame on that island); and alfo on the coafts, bays and creeks of all other of his Britannic Majesty's dominions in America; and that the American fishermen shall have liberty to dry and cure fish in any of the unfettled bays, harbours and creeks of Nova-Scotia, Magdalen islands, and Labrador, fo long as the same shall remain unfettled; but so soon as the fame or either of them shall be fettled, it shall not be lawful for the faid fishermen to dry or cure fish at such settlement, without a previous agreement for that purpose with the inhabitants, proprietors or poffeffors of the ground.

:

ARTICLE IV.

It is agreed that creditors on either fide,
shall meet with no lawful impediment to the
VOL. I.
P3

Debts to be recovery of the full value in sterling money, of all bona fide debts heretofore contracted.

paid.

ARTICLE V.

It is agreed that the Congress shall earnestCongrefs ly recommend it to the legislatures of the refpective states, to provide for the reftitution of

to recommend to

the states

of confifca

all eftates, rights and properties, which have reftitution been confiscated, belonging to real British subted eftates. jects, and also of the estates, rights and properties of persons refident in districts in the poffeffion of his Majesty's arms, and who have not borne arms against the faid United States. And that persons of any other defcription shall have free liberty to go to any part or parts of any of the thirteen United States, and therein to remain twelve months, unmolested in their endeavours to obtain the restitution of fuch of their eftates, rights and properties, as may have been confifcated; and that Congress shall also earnestly recommend to the several states a reconfideration and revision of all acts or laws regarding the premises, fo as to render the faid laws or acts perfectly confiftent, not only with justice and equity, but with that spirit of conciliation, which on the return of the bleffings of peace should universally prevail. And that Congress shall also earnestly recommend to the feveral states, that the estates, rights and properties of fuch last mentioned persons shall be restored to them, they refunding to any perfons who may be now in poffeffion, the bona fide price (where any has been given) which fuch perfons may have paid on purchafing any of the faid lands, rights or properties, fince the confiscation. And it is agreed, that all persons who have any interest in confiscated lands, either by debts, marriage settlements,

۱

or otherwise, shall meet with no lawful impediment in the profecution of their just rights.

ARTICLE VI.

No further

tions.

That there shall be no future confiscations made, nor any prosecutions commenced against confifca any person or perfons for, or by reason of the tions or part which he or they may have taken in the profecupresent war; and that no person shall, on that account, fuffer any future lofs or damage, ei. ther in his person, liberty or property; and that those who may be in confinement on fuch charges, at the time of the ratification of the treaty in America, shall be immediately fet at liberty, and the profecutions so commenced be discontinued.

ARTICLE VII.

There shall be a firm and perpetual peace Hoftilities between his Britannic Majesty and the faid to ceafe, da States, and between the subjects of the one Britism arand the citizens of the other, wherefore all hof- withdrawn. tilities, both by fea and land, shall from henceforth ceafe: all prifoners on both fides shall be fet at liberty, and his Britannic Majesty shall, with all convenient speed, and without caufing any destruction, or carrying away any negroes or other property of the American inhabitants, withdraw all his armies, garrisons and fleets from the faid United States, and from every poft, place and harbour within the fame; leaving in all fortifications the American artillery that may be therein; and shall alfo order and cause all archives, records, deeds and papers, belonging to any of the faid states, or their citizens, which in the course of the war may have fallen into the hands of his officers, to be forthwith restored and delivered to the proper states and persons to whom they belong.