1783. January 20. world, without any exception, l'equateur; et enfin de cinq mois dans tous les autres endroits du monde, sans aucune exception ni autre distinction plus particulière de tems et de lieux. Full power of the American negotiators. FULL POWERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The United States of America, in Congress assembled, to all to whom these presents shall come, send greeting: Whereas these United States, from a sincere desire of putting an end to the hostilities, between his most Christian Majesty and these United States on the one part, and his Britannic Majesty on the other, and of terminating the same by a peace, founded on such solid and equitable principles as reasonably to promise a permanency of the blessings of tranquillity, did heretofore appoint the honorable John Adams, late a commissioner of the United States of America at the court of Versailles, late delegate in Congress from the state of Massachusetts, and chief justice of the said state, their minister plenipotentiary, with full powers, general and special, to act in that quality, to confer, treat, agree, and conclude with the ambassadors or plenipotentiaries of his most Christian Majesty, and of his Britannic Majesty and those of any other princes, or states, whom it might concern, relating to the re-establishment of peace and friendship: and whereas, the flames of war have since that time been extended, and other nations and states are involved therein: Now know ye that we still continuing earnestly desirous, as far as depends upon us, to put a stop to the effusion of blood, and to convince the powers of Europe, that we wish for nothing more ardently, than to terminate the war by a safe and honorable peace, have thought proper to renew the powers formerly given to the said John Adams, and to join four other persons in commission with him; and having full confidence in the integrity, prudence, and ability of the honorable Benjamin Franklin, our minister plenipotentiary at the court of Versailles, and the honorable John Jay, late president of Congress, and chief justice of the state of New York, and our minister plenipotentiary at the court of Madrid; and the honorable Henry Laurens, formerly president of Congress, and commissionated 1781. June 15. and sent as our agent to the United Provinces of the Low Countries; and the honorable Thomas Jefferson, governor of the commonwealth of Virginia; have nominated, constituted, and appointed, and by these presents do nominate, constitute, Full power of and appoint, the said Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry the American negotiators. Laurens, and Thomas Jefferson, in addition to the said John Adams, giving and granting to them, the said John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens, and Thomas Jefferson, or the majority of them, or of such of them as may assemble; or, in case of the death, absence, indisposition, or other impediment of the others, to any one of them, full power and authority, general and special conjunctly and separately, and general and special command, to repair to such place as may be fixed upon for opening negotiations for peace; and there for us and in our name, to confer, treat, agree, and conclude with the ambassadors, commissioners, and plenipotentiaries of the princes and states whom it may concern, vested with equal powers, relating to the establishment of peace; and whatsoever shall be agreed and concluded, for us, and in our name, to sign, and thereupon make a treaty or treaties; and to transact every thing that may be necessary for completing, securing and strengthening the great work of pacification, in as ample form, and with the same effect, as if we were personally present, and acted therein; hereby promising, in good faith, that we will accept, ratify, fulfil, and execute whatever shall be agreed, concluded, and signed by our said ministers plenipotentiary, or a majority of them, or of such of them as may assemble; or, in case of death, absence, indisposition, or other impediment of the others, by any one of them; and that we will never act, nor suffer any person to act, contrary to the same, in whole, or in any part. In witness whereof, we have caused these presents to be signed by our president, and sealed with his seal. Done at Philadelphia, the fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord, 1781, and in the fifth year of our Independence, by the United States in Congress assembled. (Signed) Attest, (Signed) SAM. HUNTINGTON, President. CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary. HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S FULL POWER. GEORGE R. the British ne George the Third, by the Grace of God, King of Great Bri- Full power of tain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, Duke of gotiator. Brunswic and Lunenburg, Arch-treasurer and Prince Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, &c. to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting. Whereas, for the perfecting and estab 1783. May 14. Full of lishing the peace, friendship, and good understanding, so happily commenced by the provisional articles, signed at Paris the thirtieth day of November last, by the commissioners of us, the British ne, and our good friends the United States of America, viz. New gotiator, Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, in North America, and for opening, promoting, and rendering perpetual, the mutual intercourse of trade and commerce between our kingdoms and the dominions of the said United States, we have thought to proper to invest some fit person with full powers, on our part, to meet and confer with the ministers of the said United States, now residing at Paris, duly authorized for the accomplishing of such laudable and salutary purposes; Now, know ye, that we, reposing special trust and confidence in the wisdom, loyalty, diligence, and circumspection of our trusty and well-beloved David Hartley, Esquire, (on whom we have therefore conferred the rank of our minister plenipotentiary) have nominated, constituted, and appointed, and by these presents do nominate, constitute, and appoint him our true, certain, and undoubted commissioner, procurator, and plenipotentiary; giving and granting to him all and all manner of faculty, power, and authority, together with general as well as special order (so as the general do not derogate from the special, nor on the contrary) for us, and in our name, to meet, confer, treat, and conclude with the minister or ministers furnished with sufficient powers on the part of our said good friends the United States o: America, of and concerning all such matters and things as may be requisite and necessary for accomplishing and completing the several ends and purposes herein before mentioned; and also for us, and in our name, to sign such treaty or treaties, convention or conventions, or other instruments whatsoever, as may be agreed upon in the premises, and mutually to deliver and receive the same in exchange; and to do and perform all such other acts, matters, and things, as may be any ways proper and conducive to the purposes above mentioned, in as full and ample form and manner, and with the like validity and effect, as we ourself, if we were present, could do and perform the same: engaging and promising, on our royal word, that we will accept, ratity, and confirm, in the most effectual manner, all such acts, matters and things, as shall be so transacted and concluded by our aforesaid commissioner, procurator and plenipotentiary; and that we will never suffer any person to 1 violate the same, in the whole or in part, or to act contrary thereto. In testimony and confirmation of all which, we have caused our great seal of Great Britain to be affixed to these presents, signed with our Royal hand. Given at our palace at St. James's, the fourteenth day of May. in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, and in the twenty-third year of our reign. 1783. May 14. No. 3.-Definitive treaty of peace between the United States of America, and his Britannic majesty. In the name of the most holy and undivided Trinity: Definitive trea ty of peace be tween the U. S. and Great Britain. It having pleased the Divine Providence to dispose the hearts of the most serene and most potent prince George the third, by the grace of God king of Great Britain, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, duke of Brunswick and Lunenburg, arch treasurer and prince elector of the holy Roman empire, &c. and of the United States of America, to forget all past misunderstandings and differences that have unhappily interrupted the good correspondence and friendship which they mutually wish to restore; and to establish such a beneficial and satisfactory intercourse between the two countries, upon the ground of re- this treaty is to ciprocal advantages and mutual convenience, as may promote establish a and secure to both perpetual peace and harmony: And having, course, peace, for this desirable end, already laid the foundation of peace and and harmony, reconciliation, by the provisional articles, signed at Paris, on two countries. the thirtieth of November, one thousand seven hundred and The object of ben eficial inter between the eighty-two, by the commissioners empowered on each part, Reference to which articles were agreed to be inserted in, and to constitute the provisional the treaty of peace proposed to be concluded between the crown articlesof peace &c. of Great Britain and the said United States, but which treaty was not to be concluded until terms of peace should be agreed upon between Great Britain and France, and his Britannic majesty should be ready to conclude such treaty accordingly; and the treaty between Great Britain and France having since been concíuded, his Britannic majesty and the United States of America, in order to carry into full effect the provisional articles abovementioned, according to the tenor thereof, have constituted and appointed, that is to say: his Britannic majesty on his part, David Hartley, esquire, member of the parliament of Great Britain; and the said United States on their part, 1783. John Adams, esquire, late a commissioner of the United States September 3. of America at the court of Versailles, late delegate in congress from the state of Massachusetts, and chief justice of the said state, and minister plenipotentiary of the said United States, to their high mightinesses the states general of the United Netherlands; Benjamin Franklin, esquire, late delegate in congress from the state of Pennsylvania, president of the convention of the said state, and minister plenipotentiary from the United States of America at the court of Versailles; John Jay, esquire, late president of congress, and chief justice of the state of New York, and minister plenipotentiary from the said United States at the court of Madrid, to be the plenipotentiaries for the concluding and signing the present definitive treaty; who, after having reciprocally communicated their respective full powers, have agreed upon and confirmed the following articles: His Britannic majesty acknowledges the ted States, viz: New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode thirteen United Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, sovereign, and New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, independent. North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, to be free, sov ART. 1. His Britannic majesty acknowledges the said Uni States to be free of the U. States ereign, and independent states; that he treats with them as such; and for himself, his heirs and successors, relinquishes all claims to the government, propriety, and territorial rights of the same, and every part thereof. The boundaries ART. 2. And that all disputes which might arise in future, & their territo- on the subject of the boundaries of the said United States ries defined and may be prevented, it is hereby agreed and declared, that admitted. the following are, and shall be their boundaries, viz: from the northwest angle of Nova Scotia, viz. that angle which is formed by a line drawn due north from the source of Saint Croix river to the highlands; along the said highlands, which divide those rivers that empty themselves 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 fortyfifth degree of north latitude; from thence, by a line due west on said latitude, until it strikes the river Iroquois or Cataraquy; thence along the middle of said river into lake Ontario, through the middle of said lake until it strikes the communication by water between that lake and lake Erie; thence along the middle of said communication into lake Erie, through the middle of said lake until it arrives at the water communication between that lake and lake Huron; thence |