1785. September 8.

The boundaries

of the U. States

tories defined

along the middle of said water communication into the lake Huron; thence through the middle of said 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 said Long Lake and their terriand the water communication between it and the Lake of the and admitted. Woods, to the said Lake of the Woods; thence through the said lake to the most northwestern point thereof, and from thence on a due west course to the river Mississippi; thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of the said river Mississippi until it shall intersect the northernmost part of the thirty-first 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 source, and from its source directly north to the aforesaid 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 between 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 such islands as now are, or heretofore have been within the limits of the said province of Nova Scotia.

the Grand and

Newfoundland,

in the gulf of St.

ART. 3. It is agreed that the people of the United States The people of shall continue to enjoy unmolested, the right to take fish of the U. States to have the right every kind on the Grand Bank, and on all the other banks of to take fish on Newfoundland; also in the gulf of St. Lawrence, and at all other banks of other places in the sea, where the inhabitants of both countries used at any time heretofore to fish; and also that the Lawrence, on inhabitants of the United States shall have liberty to take fish the coast of of every kind on such part of the coast of Newfoundland as &c. and to dry British fishermen shall use (but not to dry or cure the same on for the present, that island) and also on the coasts, bays and creeks of all other in the unsettled of his Britannic majesty's dominions in America; and that the Nova Scotia, &c American fishermen shall have liberty to dry and cure fish in

any of the unsettled bays, harbors, and creeks of Nova Scotia,

Newfoundland, and cure them,

bays, &c. of

1783. September 3.

No impediment allowed to the

Magdalen islands, and Labrador, so long as the same shall remain unsettled; but so soon as the same or either of them shall be settled, it shall not be lawful for the said fishermen to dry or cure fish at such settlement, without a previous agreement for that purpose with the inhabitants, proprietors, or possessors of the ground.

ART. 4. It is agreed that creditors on either side, shall 'recovery of meet with no lawful impediment to the recovery of the full debts on either value in sterling money, of all bonâ fide debts heretofore

side.

Congress to recommend to the

restitution of

contracted.

ART. 5. It is agreed that the congress shall earnestly recom

respectivestates mend it, to the legislatures of the respective states, to provide to provide the for the restitution of all estates, rights, and properties, which confiscated pro have been confiscated, belonging to real British subjects, and perty belonging also of the estates, rights and properties of persons resident in subjects and o- districts in the possession of his majesty's arms, and who have thers, &c.

not borne arms against the said United States. And that persons of any other description 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 endeavors to obtain the restitution of such of their estates, rights, and properties as may have been confiscated; and that congress shall also earnestly recommend to the several states a reconsideration and revision of all acts or laws regarding the premises so as to render the said laws or acts perfectly consistent, not only with justice and equity, but with that spirit of conciliation, which on the return of the blessings of peace should universally prevail. And that congress shall also earnestly recommend to the several states, that the estates, rights, and properties of such last mentioned persons, shall be restored to them, they refunding to any persons who may be now in possession, the bona fide price (where any has been given) which

such persons may have paid on purchasing any of the said No lawful im- lands, rights or properties, since the confiscation. And it is pediment in the prosecution of just rights.

All confiscations, and prosecutions of

agreed, that all persons who have any interest in confiscated lands, either by debts, marriage settlements, or otherwise, shall meet with no lawful impediment in the prosecution of their just rights.

ART. 6. That there shall be no future confiscations made,

nor any prosecutions commenced against any person or perpersons, for the sons for, or by reason of, the part which he or they may have part they may have taken in taken in the present war; and that no person shall, on that the war to account, suffer any future loss or damage, either in his person, liberty, or property, and that those who may be in confine

1

1783

ment on such charges, at the time of the ratification of the
treaty in America, shall be immediately set at liberty, and September 3.
the prosecutions so commenced be discontinued.

ART. 7. There shall be a firm and perpetual peace between A firm and per-
his Britannic majesty and the said states and between the sub-petual peace.
jects of the one and the citizens of the other, wherefore all Hostilities to
hostilities both by sea and land shall then immediately cease: cease.
all prisoners on both sides shall be set at liberty, and his Bri- Prisoners to be
tannic majesty shall, with all convenient speed, and without released, &c.
causing any destruction, or carrying away any negroes or other
property of the American inhabitants, withdraw all his armies, Armies & fleets
garrisons, and fleets, from the said United States, and from from the U. S.
every port, place, and harbor within the same; leaving in all
fortifications the American artillery that may be therein; and Artillery to re-
shall also order and cause all archives, records, deeds, and main.

to be withdrawn

papers, belonging to any of the said states, or their citizens, Archives, rewhich in the course of the war may have fallen into the hands cords, &c. to be of his officers, to be forthwith restored and delivered to the

proper states and persons to whom they belong.

restored.

of the Missis

ART. 8. The navigation of the river Mississippi, from its The navigation source to the ocean, shall forever remain free and open to the sippi to be free subjects of Great Britain, and the citizens of the United to both nations. States.

ART. 9. In case it should so happen that any place or ter- Conquests on ritory belonging to Great Britain or to the United States should fore the arrival either side, behave been conquered by the arms of either from the other, be- of these articles fore the arrival of the said provisional articles in America, it be restored. in America, to is agreed, that the same shall be restored without difficulty, and without requiring any compensation.

ART. 10. The solemn ratifications of the present treaty, Ratifications to
expedited in good and due form, shall be exchanged between six month
be exchanged in
the contracting parties, in the space of six months, or sooner
if possible, to be computed from the day of the signature of the
present treaty. In witness whereof, we, the undersigned,
their ministers plenipotentiary, have, in their name, and in
virtue of our full powers, signed with our hands the present
definitive treaty, and caused the seals of our arms to be affixed
thereto.

Done at Paris, this third day of September, in the year of
our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three.

1794. November 19.

Treaty of amity, commerce,

No. 4.-Treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation, between his Britannic majesty and the United States of America, by their president, with the advice and consent of their senate.

His Britannic majesty and the United States of America, and navigation, being desirous, by a treaty of amity, commerce and navigation, between the U. to terminate their differences in such a manner, as, without,

States and G.
Britain.

reference to the merits of their respective complaints and pretensions, may be the best calculated to produce mutual

satisfaction and good understanding; and also to regulate Commerce and the commerce and navigation between their respective counnavigation to be reciprocally be- tries, territories, and people, in such a manner as to render

neficial.

Firm and inviolable peace.

the same reciprocally beneficial and satisfactory; they have, respectively, named their plenipotentiaries, and given them full powers to treat of, and conclude the said treaty; that is to say: his Britannic majesty has named for his plenipotentiary, the right honorable William Wyndham, baron Grenville, of Wotton, one of his majesty's privy council, and his majesty's principal secretary of state for foreign affairs; and the president of the said United States, by and with the advice and consent of the senate thereof, hath appointed for their plenipotentiary, the honorable John Jay, chief justice of the said United States, and their envoy extraordinary to his majesty; who have agreed on and concluded the following

articles:

ART. 1. There shall be a firm, inviolable, and universal peace, and true and sincere friendship, between his Britannic majesty, his heirs and successors, and the United States of America: and between their respective countries, territories, cities, towns, and people of every degree, without exception of persons or places.

Great Britain to ART. 2. His majesty will withdraw all his troops and garriwithdraw her sons from all posts and places within the boundary lines assigntroops from cer tain posts with- ed by the treaty of peace to the United States. This evacuain the boundary tion shall take place on or before the first day of June, one on or before the thousand seven hundred and ninety six, and all the proper measures shall in the interval be taken by concert between the government of the United States, and his majesty's governor general in America, for settling the previous arrangements which may be necessary respecting the delivery of the said posts: the United States in the meantime, at their discretion, extending their settlements to any part within the said boundary line, except within the precints or jurisdiction of any of

1794. November 19,

the said posts. All settlers and traders, within the precincts or jurisdiction of the said posts, shall continue to enjoy, unmolested, all their property, of every kind, and shall be pro- Settlers & tratected therein. They shall be at full liberty to remain there, ters residing in or to remove with all or any part of their effects; and it shall the precincts of also be free to them to sell their lands, houses, or effects, or surrendered, to the posts to be to retain the property thereof, at their discretion; such of them enjoy their proas shall continue to reside within the said boundary lines, ted, &c. perty unmolesshall not be compelled to become citizens of the United States, These settlers or to take any oath of allegiance to the government thereof; pelled becomebut they shall be at full liberty so to do if they think proper, come citizens of and they shall make and declare their election within one year nor to take the after the evacuation aforesaid. And all persons who shall continue there after the expiration of the said year, without having declared their intention of remaining subjects of his Britannic majesty, shall be considered as having elected to become citizens of the United States.

not to

the U. States,

oath of allegi

ance, &c.

ART. 3. It is agreed that it shall at all times be free to his Freedom of inmajesty's subjects, and to the citizens of the United States, and tercourse and also to the Indians dwelling on either side of the said boundary allowed to cititrade mutually line, freely to pass and repass, by land, or inland navigation, jects of the two zens and subinto the respective territories and countries of the two parties, parties, and to on the continent of America, (the country within the limits the continent of the Indians, on of the Hudson's bay company only excepted,) and to navigate America; the all the lakes, rivers, and waters thereof, and freely to carry son's bay comon trade and commerce with each other. But it is understood, pany excepted. that this article does not extend to the admission of vessels of

the United States into the seaports, harbors, bays, or creeks

limits of Hud

of vessels of

of his majesty's said territories; nor into such parts of the Exceptions as rivers in his majesty's said territories as are between the mouth to theadmission thereof and the highest port of entry from the sea, except in either party. small vessels trading bonâ fide between Montreal and Quebec, under such regulations as shall be established to prevent the possibility of any frauds in this respect. Nor to the admission of British vessels from the sea, into the rivers of the United States, beyond the highest ports of entry for foreign vessels from the sea. The river Mississippi shall, however, accord- The river Mising to the treaty of peace, be entirely open to both parties; and sissippi to be open to both it is further agreed, that all the ports and places on its eastern parties. side, to whichsoever of the parties belonging, may freely be resorted to and used by both parties, in as ample a manner as any of the atlantic ports or places of the United States, or any of the ports or places of his majesty in Great Britain.

All goods and merchandise whose importation into his ma- Goods and mer jesty's said territories in America, shall not be entirely pro- chandise not