are now, or may be, subject to, if imported by British subjects, in British ships, from any British island, or plantation in America; and that the subjects of his Britannic Majesty shall import to, and export from, any part of the territories of the United States of America, in British ships, any goods, wares, and merchandise, which might have been so imported, or exported, by the subjects of his Britannic Majesty, before the commencement of the war, paying the same duties and charges, as the like sort of goods, wares, and merchandises are now, or may be, subject to, if imported in American ships, by any of the citizens of the said United States.

This agreement to continue in force for all vessels, which shall sail from any port of either party, on or before the day of and no longer; provided always, that nothing in this agreement shall at any time hereafter be argued on either side, in support of any proposition, which may be made in the future negotiation of a permanent treaty of commerce.

JOHN JAY'S PROPOSED AGREEMENT.

June, 1783. Whereas a variety of circumstances and considerations oppose the forming at present a permanent treaty of commerce, between the Imperial Crown of Great Britain and the United States of America; and whereas it is expedient that a commercial intercourse should be without delay opened and regulated between the kingdon and territories of Great Britain and the said States, by a temporary convention, therefore,

It is agreed that for the term of

date hereof, &c. &c.

from the

Provided that the subjects of his Britannic Majesty shall not have any right or claim under the convention, to carry or import, into the said States any slaves from any part of the world; it being the intention of the said States entirely to prohibit the importation thereof.

And whereas questions may arise respecting the operation of this convention on Ireland, it is agreed that it shall not restrain that kingdom from accepting from, and granting to, the said States further and more extensive commercial privileges than that Island and the British American Colonies enjoyed with respect to each other before the late war.

And whereas this convention is dictated by temporary convenience, and the discussion of questions respecting reciprocity has, in forming it, been avoided; therefore, it is agreed, that no arguments shall be drawn from it, for or against any propositions or claims, which either party may make in treating of, and framing the proposed future treaty of commerce.

DAVID HARTLEY'S PROPOSED AGREEMENT.

June, 1783.

It is agreed, that the citizens of the United States of America shall be permitted to import into, and export from, any port or place of the territories belonging to the Crown of Great Britain, in American ships, any goods, wares and merchandise, which might have been so imported by the inhabitants of the British American Colonies before the commencement of the late war, upon payment of the same

duties and charges, as the like sort of goods or merchandise are now, or may be, subject and liable to, if imported or exported by British subjects, in British ships, into and from any port or place of the territories belonging to the Crown of Great Britain; provided, however, that the citizens of the United States shall not have any right or claim, under this convention, to carry on any direct intercourse of commerce between the British West India Islands and the ports of Great Britain.

It is agreed, likewise, that the subjects of Great Britain shall be permitted to import into, and to export from, any part of the territories of the United States of America, in British ships, any goods, wares, and merchandise, which might have been so imported, or exported, by the subjects of Great Britain before the commencement of the late war, upon payment of the same duties and charges, as the like sort of goods, wares, and merchandise are now, or may be, liable to, if imported, or exported, in American ships by the citizens of the United States of America.

REPORT OF A COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS.

By the United States in Congress assembled, June 12th,

1783.

The Committee, to whom was referred a report of the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, on a letter of the 20th of March last from M. Dumas, and sundry papers enclosed, report;

That it appears from the said letter and the papers euclosed, that propositions have been made, on the part of the States-General, to the Ministers of the United States of

America at Paris, in order to render an express stipulation in favor of the freedom of navigation less necessary in the treaty of peace between Great Britain and the United Provinces of the Netherlands, either to accede to the treaty of the armed neutrality already concluded between some powers of Europe, or to enter into similar engagements with France, Spain, and the United Provinces of the Netherlands, or, in case France and Spain, should refuse to enter into a Convention founded on the principles of the armed neutrality, or wish to delay it till after the general peace, to form a separate convention for similar purposes, between the United Provinces of the Netherlands and the United States of America. That the answers to these propositions do not appear from the papers transmitted, though there is room to infer from M. Dumas's letter of the fourth and eighteenth of February, that the two first of these propositions were encouraged by our Ministers, and that the States-General proposed to act in consequence thereof, and had made the last proposition, in order to be prepared in case either, or both, of the two first should fail.

It appears from the report of the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, that no powers are at present vested in any person in Europe, to agree to any treaty, similar to that entered into by Russia, Sweden, Denmark, and the United Provinces of the Netherlands, after the peace shall be concluded. The resolution of the 5th of October, 1780, empowers the Ministers of these States, if invited thereto, to accede to such regulations conformable to the spirit of the declaration of Russia, as may be agreed upon by the Congress expected to assemble, in pursuance of the invitation of her Imperial Majesty. Our Ministers received no invi

tation, and special powers were afterwards given to Mr. Dana, which, in their nature, superseded that resolution. Mr Dana was by his commission and instructions empowered to sign the treaty or convention, for the protection of commerce in behalf of the United States, either with her Imperial Majesty, in conjunction with the other neutral powers, or if that shall be inadmissible, separately with her Imperial Majesty, or any of those, that is, those neutral powers. The treaty being only made to continue during the war, his powers terminated with the war, or, at most, extended only to sign it with the neutral powers, and not to form a new separate treaty.

Whereupon Congress came to the following resolution.

Whereas the primary object of the resolution of October 5th, 1780, and of the commission and instructions to Mr Dana, relative to the accession of the United States to the neutral confederacy, no longer can operate, and as the true interest of the States requires, that they should be as little as possible entangled in the politics and controversies of European nations, it is inexpedient to renew the said powers either to Mr Dana, or to the other Ministers of these United States in Europe. But, inasmuch as the liberal principles, on which the said confederacy was established, are conceived to be, in general, favorable to the interests of nations, and, particularly, to those of the United States, and ought, in that view, to be promoted by the latter, as far as will consist with their fundamental policy;

Resolved, that the Ministers Plenipotentiary of these United States for negotiating a peace be, and they are hereby instructed, in case they should comprise in the definitive treaty any stipulation, amounting to a recognition of