As early as September 27th, 1779, John Adams was appointed by Congress Minister Plenipotentiary for negotiating a treaty of peace and commerce with Great Britain, whenever that power should be prepared to acknowledge the independence of the United States, and enter into a treaty. Mr Adams went to Europe on this mission, but as no opportunity occurred for putting it into execution, he received another appointment as Minister to Holland.

Meantime Congress, on the 14th of June, 1781, annulled Mr Adams's first commission for negotiating a treaty, and associated with him four other persons for this purpose, namely, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens, and Thomas Jefferson. To these five commissioners, or to a majority of them, or any one of them alone, in case accident prevented the presence of the others, was assigned the power of making a treaty of peace with such commissioners, as should be appointed for the same object on the part of the English Court. Richard Oswald was the British Commissioner. He went to Paris in the Spring of 1782, and commenced the negotiation with Dr Franklin, who was then the only one of the American Commissioners present. Mr Jay arrived in Paris from Spain on the 23d of June, and united with Dr Franklin in the labors of the mission. As Mr Adams was then employed in completing a treaty with Holland, he did not join his colleagues

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till near the end of October.

The Provisional articles were signed on the 30th of November. Mr Laurens was present at the signature of the treaty, having arrived only two days previous to that event. Mr Jefferson did not engage in the mission.

Adams, Franklin, and Jay remained in Paris after the signature of the preliminary articles, as Commissioners for making a Definitive Treaty. The English government sent David Hartley to Paris for the same purpose. Many propositions passed between the Commissioners of the respective countries, but after ten months' fruitless discussion, the Definitive Treaty was signed in the exact words of the Provisional Articles, on the 3d of September, 1783.

As the Commissioners corresponded singly with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and the President of Congress, during the whole period of the negotiation, they wrote but few letters in concert. The records of the Commissioners, kept by their Secretary, have also been lost. Nearly all the papers, which have much value, have been found and arranged for the present publication, but there are yet some deficiencies. The history of the negotiation can only be understood by reading carefully, in connexion with these papers and letters, the correspondence of each of the Commissioners during the same period.

THE

CORRESPONDENCE

OF THE

COMMISSIONERS

FOR NEGOTIATING A PEACE WITH GREAT BRITAIN.

COMMISSION TO TREAT OF PEACE.

The United States of America, in Congress assembled, to all to whom these presents shall come, send greeting.

Whereas, these United States, from a sincere desire of putting an end to the hostilities between his Most Christian Majesty and these United States, on the one part, and his Britannic Majesty on the other, and, of terminating the same by a peace founded on such solid and equitable principles as reasonably to promise a permanency of the blessings of tranquillity, did heretofore appoint the honorable John Adams, late a Commissioner of the United States of America at the Court of Versailles, late Delegate in Congress from the State of Massachusetts, and Chief Justice of the said State, their Minister Plenipotentiary, with full powers, general and special, to act in that quality, to confer, treat, agree, and conclude with the Ambassadors, or Plenipotentiaries, of his Most Christian Majesty, and of his Britannic Majesty, and those of any other Princes or States, whom it might concern, relating to the re-establishment of peace and friendship; and whereas, the flames of war

have since that time been extended, and other nations and States are involved therein,

Now know ye, that we, still continuing earnestly desirous, as far as it depends upon us, to put a stop to the effusion of blood, and to convince the powers of Europe, that we wish for nothing more ardently, than to terminate the war by a safe and honorable peace, have thought proper to renew the powers formerly given to the said John Adams, and to join four other persons in commission with him, and having full confidence in the integrity, prudence, and ability of the honorable Benjamin Franklin, our Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Versailles, and the honorable John Jay, late President of Congress, and Chief Justice of the State of New York, and our Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Madrid, and the honorable Henry Laurens, formerly President of Congress, and commissioned and sent as our Agent to the United Provinces of the Low Countries, and the honorable Thomas Jefferson, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, have nominated, constituted, and appointed, and by these presents do nominate, constitute, and appoint, the said Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Heary Laurens, and Thomas Jefferson, in addition to the said John Adams, giving and granting to them, the said John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens, and Thomas Jefferson, or the majority of them, or of such of them as may assemble, or, in the case of the death, absence, indisposition, 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 such 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 Am