PRINCIPAL TREATIES AND CONVENTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES WITH OTHER POWERS-Continued.

C. Claims.
Oct. 29, 1883|| C.

PRINCIPAL TREATIES AND CONVENTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES WITH OTHER POWERS-Concluded

Foreign Power and Object

of Treaty.

Nov. 25, 1850
Mar. 1, 1882

Houston.... April 11, 1838
Washington. April 23, "

U. S.
Steamer

Oct. 2, 1886

GENERAL CONVENTIONS,

C. With Belgium, Brazil, Dominican Republic, France, Great Britain, Guatemala, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Salvador, Servia, Spain, Sweden, Swiss Confederation, and Tunis; conventions for the protection of industrial property; signed at Paris,, Mar. 20, 1883 C. With Belgium, Brazil, Italy, Portugal, Servia, Spain, and Switzerland, for exchange of official documents and literary publications; signed at Brussels.. Mar. 15, 1886 With Germany, Great Britain and Ireland, general act for neutrality of Samoan Islands; signed at Berlin..... ...June 14, 1889 With foreign powers for an international union Naples...... Oct. 14, 1832 to publish customs tariffs; signed at Brussels, Dec. 1, 1845 July 5, 1890 Jan. 13, 1855 C. With Great Britain for an international commis sion to arrange adjustments of controversies Oct. 1, between the United States and Canada.. May 30, 1898

( Mohican

Tripoli...

Nov. 4, 1796
June 4, 1805
Mar. 26, 1799

C.

Tunis.

TREATIES, ANGLO-AMERICAN

Treaties, ANGLO-AMERICAN. spring of 1782, Richard Oswald was sent by the British ministry to Paris, to confer with Dr. Franklin on the subject of peace. His mission was initiatory in character. In July following Oswald was vested with full power to negotiate a treaty of peace, and in September the United States appointed four commissioners, representing the various sections of the Union, for the same purpose. These were John Adams, of Massachusetts; John Jay, of New York; Dr. Franklin, of Pennsylvania; and Henry In April, 1783, the preliminary treaty Laurens, of South Carolina. These were of peace having been ratified by the United all in Europe at the time. Dr. Franklin States and Great Britain, the latter vested and Mr. Oswald had already prepared the David Hartley with full powers to negoway for harmonious negotiations. Frank- tiate a definitive treaty with the Amerilin had assured Oswald that independence, can commissioners. It was concluded and satisfactory boundaries, and a participa- signed at Paris, Sept. 3, 1783, by Hartley, tion in the fisheries would be indisputable on the part of Great Britain, and Dr.

In the requisites in a treaty. In July, Parliament had passed a bill to enable the King to acknowledge the independence of the United States, and all obstacles in the way of negotiations were removed. Laurens joined the other American commissioners at Paris, and on Nov. 30, 1782, a preliminary treaty of peace was signed by the commissioners and Mr. Oswald, without the knowledge of the French government. This was a violation of the treaty of alliance.

Vow.

Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay, on United States of America, in order to the part of the United States. The terms carry into full effect the provisional artiwere similar to those of the preliminary cles above mentioned, according to the treaty. When he had signed it, Franklin tenor thereof, have constituted and apput on the clothes he had laid aside about pointed: that is to say, his Britannic ten years before, in accordance with a Majesty on his part, David Hartley, Esq., On the same day definitive treaties member of the Parliament of Great Britbetween Great Britain, France, and Spain ain; and the said United States on their were signed, and one between Great Brit- part, John Adams, Esq., late a commisain and Holland was signed the day sioner of the United States of America before. 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, Esq., late dele

The following is the text of the definitive treaty of peace and friendship between his Britannic Majesty, and the United States of America, signed at Paris, the 3d day of September, 1783:

In the name of the most holy and un- gate in Congress from the State of Penndivided Trinity.

sylvania, president of the convention of It having pleased the Divine Providence the said State, and minister plenipotento dispose the hearts of the most serene tiary from the United States of America and most potent prince, George III., at the Court of Versailles; and John Jay, by the grace of God King of Great Brit- Esq., late president of Congress, and chiefain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the justice of the State of New York, and Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Lunen- minister plenipotentiary from the said burg, arch-treasurer and prince elector United States at the Court of Madrid; to of the Holy Roman Empire, etc., and of be the plenipotentiaries for the concludthe United States of America, to forget ing and signing the present definitive all past misunderstandings and differ- treaty, who, after having reciprocally ences that have unhappily interrupted communicated their respective full powthe good correspondence and friendship ers, have agreed upon and confirmed the which they mutually wish to restore, and following articles: to establish such a beneficial and satisfactory intercourse between the two countries, upon the ground of reciprocal advantages and mutual convenience, as may promote and secure to both perpetual peace and harmony; and having for this desirable end already laid the foundation of peace and reconciliation, by the provisional articles signed at Paris, on the thirtieth day of November, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-two by the commissioners empowered on each part; which articles were agreed to be inserted in, and to constitute the treaty of peace proposed to be concluded between the crown 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 concluded, his Britannic Majesty and the

Article 1. His Britannic Majesty acknowledges the said United States-viz., New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, to be free, sovereign, and independent States; that he treats with them as such, and for himself, his heirs, and successors, relinquishes all claim to the government, proprietary and territorial rights of the same, and every part thereof.

Art. 2. And that all disputes which might arise in future on the subject of the boundaries of the said United States may be prevented, it is hereby agreed and declared that 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 St. Croix River to the high lands, along the said high

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 unsettled bays, harbors, and creeks of Nova Scotia, Magdalen Islands, and Labrador, so long as the same shall remain unsettled; but so soon as the same 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.

lands which divide those rivers that one part and east Florida on the other, empty themselves into the river St. Law- shall respectively touch the Bay of Fundy rence, from those which fall into the At- and the Atlantic Ocean, excepting such lantic Ocean, to the northwesternmost islands as now are or heretofore have head of Connecticut River; thence drawn been within the limits of the said provalong the middle of that river to the ince of Nova Scotia. forty-fifth degree of north latitude; from Art. 3. It is agreed that the people of thence by a line due west on said lati- the United States shall continue to entude, until it strikes the river Iroquois or joy unmolested the right to take fish of Cataraquy; thence along the middle of every kind on the Great Bank, and on all said river into Lake Ontario; through the the other banks of Newfoundland; also middle of said lake, until it strikes the in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and at all communication by water between that other places in the sea where the inhabilake and Lake Erie; thence along the tants of both countries used at any time middle of the said communication into heretofore to fish; and also that the inLake Erie, through the middle of said habitants of the United States shall have lake until it arrives at the water com- liberty to take fish of every kind on such munication between that lake and Lake part of the coast of Newfoundland as Huron; thence through the middle of British fishermen shall use (but not to said lake to the water communication dry or cure the same on that island), between that lake and Lake Superior; and also on the coasts, bays, and creeks thence through Lake Superior northward to the isles Royal and Philipeaux, to the Long Lake; thence through the middle of said Long Lake and the water communication between it and the Lake of the Woods, to the said Lake of the Woods; thence through the said lake to the most northwesternmost point thereof, and from thence a due west course to the river Mississippi; thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of 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 Art. 5. It is agreed that Congress shall thereof, to its junction with the Flint earnestly recommend it to the legislatRiver; thence straight to the head of St. ures of the respective States to provide Mary's River, to the Atlantic Ocean; for the restitution of all estates, rights, east, by a line to be drawn along the and properties which have been confismiddle of the river St. Croix, from its cated, belonging to real British subjects; mouth in the Bay of Fundy to its source, and also of the estates, rights, and propand from its source directly north to erties of persons resident in districts in the aforesaid high lands, which divide the possession of his Majesty's arms, and the rivers that fall into the Atlantic who have not borne arms against the said Ocean from those which fall into the United States; and that persons of any river St. Lawrence, comprehending all other description shall have free liberty islands within twenty leagues of any part to go to any part or parts of any of the of the shores of the United States, and thirteen United States, and therein to lying between lines to be drawn due east remain twelve months unmolested in their from the points where the aforesaid endeavors to obtain the restitution of boundaries between Nova Scotia on the such of their estates, rights, and prop

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

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.

erties as may have been confiscated; and may be therein; and shall also order and that Congress shall also earnestly recom- cause all archives, records, deeds, and mend to the several States a reconsidera- papers belonging to any of the said tion 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 invariably 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 islands, rights, or properties since the confiscation.

And it is 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 persons, for or by reason of the part which he or they may have taken in the present war; and that no person shall on that account suffer any future loss or damage either in his person, liberty, or property; and that those who may be in confinement on such charges, at the time of the ratification of the treaty in America, shall be immediately set at liberty, and the prosecutions so commenced be discontinued.

Art. 7. There shall be a firm and perpetual peace between his Britannic Majesty and the said United States, and between the subjects of the one and the citizens of the other; wherefore all hostilities, both by sea and land, shall from henceforth cease; all prisoners, on both sides, shall be set at liberty; and his Britannic Majesty shall with all convenient speed, and without causing any destruction, or carrying away any negroes or other property of the American inhabitants, withdraw all his armies, garrisons, and fleets from the said United States, and from every post, place, and harbor within the same, leaving in all fortifications the American artillery that

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

Art. 9. In case it should so happen that any place or territory belonging to Great Britain or to the United States should have been conquered by the arms of either from the other, before the arrival of the said provisional articles in America, it is agreed that the same shall be restored without difficulty and without requiring any compensation.

Art. 10. The solemn ratifications of the present treaty, expedited in good and due form, shall be exchanged between 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.

DAVID HARTLEY,
JOHN ADAMS,
B. FRANKLIN,
JOHN JAY

For some years the British government omitted to execute the provisions of the treaty of peace with the United States concerning the delivering up of the forts on the northeastern frontier. Gouverneur Morris was directed by Washington to go to England from Paris (1791) to sound the British ministry on the subject of a full and immediate execution of the treaty. He remained there about nine months, endeavoring to obtain a positive answer to the questions, Will you execute the treaty? Will you make a treaty of