by the commiffioners empowered on each part; which articles were agreed to be inserted in, and to constitute, the treaty of peace, propofed to be concluded between the Crown of Great Britain and the faid United States, but which treaty was not to be concluded until terms of peace fhould be agreed upon between Great Britain and France, and his Britannic Majefty fhould be ready to conclude fuch treaty accordingly; and the treaty between Great Britain and France having fince been concluded, his Britannic Majefty and the United States of America, in order to carry into full effect the provifional articles above-mentioned, according to the tenor thereof, have conftituted and appointed, that is to fay, his Britannic Majefty, on his part, David Hartley, Efq; member of the parliament of Great Britain; and the said United States, on their part, John Adams, Efq; late a commiffioner of the United States of America at the court of Versailles, late delegate in Congrefs from the state of Maffachufets, and chief juftice of the faid ftate, and minifter plenipotentiary of the faid United States to their High Mightineffes the States General of the United Netherlands; Benjamin Franklin, Efq; late delegate in Congress from the state of Pennsylvania, president of the convention of the faid ftate, and minifter plenipotentiary from the United States of America at the court of Versailles; John Jay, Efq; late prefident of Congrefs, and chief justice of the ftate of New York, and minifter plenipotentiary from the faid United States at the court of Madrid; to be the plenipotentiaries for the concluding and figning the present definitive treaty: who, after having reciprocally communicated their respective full powers, have agreed upon and confirmed the following articles:

I. His Britannic Majefty acknowledges the faid United States, viz. New Hampshire, Maffachufets Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jerfey, Pennfylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South VOL. II. Carolina,

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Carolina, and Georgia, to be free, fovereign, and independent ftates; that he treats with them as fuch; and for himself, his heirs and fucceffors, relinquishes all claims to the government, propriety, and territorial rights of the fame, and every part thereof.

II. And that all difputes which might arife in fu ture on the fubject of the boundaries of the faid United States may be prevented, it is hereby agreed and declared, that the following are and shall be their boundaries, viz. from the north-weft 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 faid Highlands which divide thofe rivers that empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence, from those which fall into the Atlantic ocean, to the north-westernmoft 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 weft 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 ftrikes 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 watercommunication between that lake and lake Huron; thence along the middle of 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 ifles Royal and Phelipeaux, 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 faid Lake of the Woods; thence through the faid lake to the most north-western point thereof, and from thence on a due weft courfe to the river Miffiffippi; thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of the faid river Miffiffippi, until it fhall interfect the northernmost part of the

thirty

thirty-first degree of north latitude :-South, by a line to be drawn due east from the determination of the line laft-mentioned, in the latitude of thirty-one de+ grees 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 ftrait 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 thofe which fall into the river St. Lawrence: comprehending all iflands within twenty leagues of any part of the fhores of the United States, and lying between lines to be drawn due east from the points where the aforefaid boundaries between Nova Scotia on the one part, and East Florida on the other, shall refpectively touch the bay of Fundy, and the Atlantic ocean; excepting fuch iflands as now are, or heretofore have been, within the limits of the faid province of Nova Scotia.

III. It is agreed, that the people of the United States fhall continue to enjoy unmolefted the right to 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 fifh. And alfo that the inhabitants of the United States fhall have liberty to take fifh of every kind on fuch part of the coaft of Newfoundland, as British fishermen fhall ufe (but not to dry or cure the fame on that ifland) and alfo on the coafts, bays, and creeks of all other of his Britannic Majesty'. dominions in America; and that the American fishermen fhall 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 fame fhall remain unfettled; but fo foon as the fame,

or either of them, fhall be settled, it shall not be lawful for the faid fishermen to dry or cure fish at fuch fettlement, without a previous agreement for that purpose with the inhabitants, proprietors, or poffeffors of the ground.

IV. It is agreed, that creditors on either fide fhall meet with no lawful impediment to the recovery of the full value in fterling money of all bona fide debts heretofore contracted.

V. It is agreed, that the Congrefs fhall earnestly recommend it to the legislatures of the respective states, to provide for the reftitution of all eftates, rights, and properties which have been confifcated, belonging to real British fubjects: and alfo of the eftates, rights, and properties of perfons refident in districts in the poffeffion of his Majefty's arms, and who have not borne arms against the faid United States: and that perfons of any other description fhall 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 reftitution of fuch of their eftates, rights, and properties, as may have been confiscated: and that Congress fhall also earnestly recommend to the feveral states, a re-confideration and revifion 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 fpirit of conciliation, which, on the return of the bleffings of peace, fhould univerfally prevail. And that Congress fhall also earnestly-recommend to the feveral ftates, that the eftates, rights, and properties of fuch laft-mentioned perfons shall be reftored to them, they refunding to any persons 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 confifcation.

And it is agreed, that all perfons who have any intereft in confifcated lands, either by debts, marriage fettlements,

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

VI. That there fhall be no future confifcations made, nor any profecutions commenced against any perfon or perfons, for or by reafon of the part which he or they may have taken in the prefent war; and that no person shall on that account fuffer any future lofs or damage either in his perfon, 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, fhall be immediately fet at liberty, and the profecutions fo commenced be difcontinued.

VII. There shall be a firm and perpetual peace between his Britannic Majefty and the faid States, and between the fubjects of the one and the citizens of the other, wherefore all hoftilities, both by fea and land, fhall from henceforth ceafe: all prifoners on both fides fhall be fet at liberty; and his Britannic Majefty fhall with all convenient fpeed, and without caufing any destruction, or carrying away any negroes, or other property of the American inhabitants, withdraw all his armies, garrifons, and fleets from the faid United States, and from every port, place, and harbour within the fame; leaving in all fortifications the American artillery that may be therein: and fhall alfo order and cause all archives, records, deeds, and papers belonging to any of the faid States, or their citizens, which in the courfe of the war may have fallen into the hands of his officers, to be forthwith restored and delivered to the proper states and perfons to whom they belong.

VIII. The navigation of the river Miffiffippi, from its fource to the ocean, fhall for ever remain free and open to the fubjects of Great Britain, and the citizens of the United States.

IX. In case it should fo happen that any place or territory belonging to Great Britain, or to the United States, fhould have been conquered by the arms of either, from the other, before the arrival of the faid