provifional articles in America, it is agreed that the fame fhall be reftored without difficulty, and without requiring any compensation.

X. The folemn ratifications of the present treaty, expedited in good and due form, fhall be exchanged between the contracting parties in the space of fix months, or fooner, if poffible, to be computed from the day of the fignature of the present treaty.

In witness whereof, we, the underfigned, their minifters plenipotentiary, have in their name, and in virtue of our full powers, figned with our hands the present definitive treaty, and caused the feals of our arms to be affixed thereto.

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

(L, S.) D. Hartley.

(L. S.) John Adams.

(L. S.) B. Franklin.

(L. S.) John Jay.

His Britannic Majefty's Full Power.
GEORGE

R.

GEORGE the Third, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the faith, Duke of Brunfwic and Lunenburg, Arch-treafurer and Prince Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, &c.; to all to whom these presents fhall come, greeting. Whereas for the perfecting and establishing the peace, friendship, and good understanding, fo happily commenced by the provifional articles, figned at Paris the thirtieth day of November laft, by the commiffioners of us and our good friends the United States of America, viz, New Hampshire, Maffachufets 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 inter courfe of trade and commerce between our kingdoms

and the dominions of the faid United States, we have thought proper to inveft fome fit perfon with full powers, on our part, to meet and confer with the minifters of the faid United States, now refiding at Paris, duly authorized for the accomplishing of fuch laudable and falutary purpofes; Now know ye, that we, repofing special truft and confidence in the wisdom, loyalty, diligence, and circumfpection of our trufty and wellbeloved David Hartley, Efquire (on whom we have therefore conferred the rank of our minifter plenipotentiary) have nominated, conftituted, and appointed, and by these prefents do nominate, conftitute, and appoint him our true, certain, and undoubted commiffioner, procurator, and plenipotentiary; giving and granting to him all and all manner of faculty, power, and authority, together with general as well as fpecial order (fo as the general do not derogate from the fpecial, nor on the contrary) for us, and in our name, to meet, confer, treat, and conclude with the minister or minifters furnished with fufficient powers on the part of our faid good friends the United States of America, of and concerning all fuch matters and things as may be requifite and neceffary for accomplishing and completing the feveral ends and purposes herein-before mentioned; and alfo for us, and in our name, to fign fuch treaty or treaties, convention or conventions, or other inftruments whatsoever, as may be agreed upon in the premises, and mutually to deliver and receive the fame in exchange; and to do and perform all fuch 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 prefent, could do and perform the fame: engaging and promifing, on our Royal word, that we will accept, ratify, and confirm, in the most effectual manner, all such acts, matters, and things, as fhall be fo tranfacted and concluded by our aforefaid commif fioner, procurator, and plenipotentiary; and that we will never fuffer any perfon to violate the fame, in the

whole

whole or in part, or to act contrary thereto. In teftimony and confirmation of all which, we have caufed our great feal of Great Britain to be affixed to these prefents, figned 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 feven hundred and eighty-three, and in the twenty-third year of our reign.

Full Power of the United States of America.

THE United States of America, in Congrefs affembled, to all to whom thefe prefents fhall come, fend greeting. Whereas thefe United States, from a fincere defire of putting an end to the hoftilities between his moft Chriftian Majefty and thefe United States on the one part, and his Britannic Majefty on the other, and of terminating the fame by a peace, founded on fuch folid and equitable principles as reafonably to promife a permanency of the bleffings of tranquillity, did heretofore appoint the honourable John Adams, late a commiffioner of the United States of America at the court of Versailles, late delegate in Congrefs from the ftate of Maffachufets, and chief juftice of the said state, their minister plenipotentiary, with full powers, general and fpecial, to act in that quality, to confer, treat, agree, and conclude with the ambaffadors or plenipotentiaries of his most Christian Majesty, and of his Britannic Majefty, and thofe of any other princes or ftates whom it might concern, relating to the re-establishment of peace and friendship: and whereas the flames of war have fince that time been extended, and other nations and ftates are involved therein: Now know ye, that we still continuing earnestly defirous, as far as depends upon us, to put a stop to the effufion of blood, and to convince the Powers of Europe, that we wish for nothing more ardently, than to terminate the war by a fafe and honourable peace, have thought proper to renew the powers formerly given to the faid John Adams, and to join four other perfons in commiffion with him; and having full confidence in the integrity, prudence,

and

and ability of the honourable Benjamin Franklin, our minifter plenipotentiary at the court of Vérfailles, and the honourable John Jay, late prefident of Congress, and chief justice of the ftate of New York, and our minifter plenipotentiary at the court of Madrid; and the honourable Henry Laurens, formerly prefident of Congrefs, and commiffionated and fent as our agent to the United Provinces of the Low Countries; and the honourable Thomas Jefferfon, governor of the commonwealth of Virginia; have nominated, conftituted, and appointed, and by these presents do nominate, constitute, and appoint, the faid Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens, and Thomas Jefferfon, in addition to the faid John Adams, giving and granting to them the faid John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens, and Thomas Jefferson, or the majority of them, or of fuch of them as may affemble; or, in cafe of the death, abfence, indifpofition, 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 fuch 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 ambaffadors, commiffioners, and plenipotentiaries of the Princes and ftates whom it may concern, vested with equal powers, relating to the establishment of peace; and whatsoever fhall be agreed and concluded, for us, and in our name, to fign, and thereupon make a treaty or treaties; and to tranfact every thing that may be neceffary for completing, fecuring, and ftrengthening the great work of pacification, in as ample form, and with the fame effect, as if we were perfonally prefent, and acted therein; hereby promifing, in good faith, that we will accept, ratify, fulfil, and execute whatever fhall be agreed, concluded, and figned by our faid minifters plenipotentiary, or a majority of them, or of fuch of them as may affemble; or, in cafe of the death, abfence, indifpofition, or other impediment

of

538

THE TREATY, &c.

[1783.

of the others, by any one of them; and that we will never act, nor fuffer any perfon to act, contrary to the fame, in whole, or in any part. In witnefs whereof, we have caused thefe prefents to be figned by our prefident, and fealed with his feal.

Done at Philadelphia, the fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thoufand feven hundred and eighty-one, and in the fifth year of our independence, by the United States in Congress affembled.