citizens of the United States for losses experienced by the effect of measures intended to operate against the enemy of Great Britain, and which fell almost exclusively on a country, which was no party to the war. The United States have never ceased, and at this time continue to demand, from France, indemnity for the losses they have experienced by the effect of the decrees of her government, in violation of the law of nations.

The cases of the second part of this article apply equally to both the belligerent parties. They have been, during the war, subjects of crimination on both sides. The American government can give no stronger and more signal proof of its disapprobation of every departure, under colour of its authority, from the established usages of legitimate warfare between civilized nations, than by the offer of mutual reparation.

The article fixing a limitation for captures at sea, does not seem to require any comment.

The undersigned present their entire project in this specific form, with the full expectation of receiving from the British plenipotentiaries their explicit answer respecting all the articles embraced in it, and a project also reduced to specific propositions, and embracing all the objects which they intend to bring forward. The undersigned renew to the British plenipotentiaries the assurance of their high consideration.

To the Plenipotentiaries of His Britannic

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS,
J. A. BAYARD,

HENRY CLAY,

JONATHAN RUSSELL,
ALBERT GALLATIN

Majesty, &c. &c. &c. Ghent.

Copy of a project of a treaty of peace submitted by the American to the British Plenipotentiaries at Ghent, on the 10th day of Nov. 1814.

Treaty of Peace and Amity between his Britannic Majesty and the United States of America.

His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America desirous of terminating the war which has unhappily subsisted between the two countries, and of restoring, upon principles of perfect reciprocity, peace, friendship, and good understanding, between them, have for that purpose, appointed their respective plenipotentiaries, that is to say His Britannic Majesty on his part has appointed the right honourable James Lord Gambier, admiral of the White Squadron of his Majesty's fleet, Henry Goulburn, Esquire, a member of the Imperial Parliament and under Secretary of State, and William Adams, Esq. Doctor of Civil Laws; and the President of the Unit

ed States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, has appointed John Quincy Adams, James A. Bayard, Henry Clay, Jonathan Russell, and Albert Gallatin, citizens of the United States, who, after a reciprocal communication of their respective full powers, have agreed upon the following articles :

ARTICLE I. There shall be a firm and universal peace between his Britannic Majesty and the United States, and between their respective countries, territories, cities, towns, and people of every degree, without exception of persons or places. All hostilities both by sea and land shall immediately cease. All prisoners on both sides shall be set at liberty. All territory, places, and possessions, without exception, taken by either party from the other during the war, or which may be taken after the signing of this treaty, shall be restored without delay, and without causing any destruction, or carrying away any artillery or other public property, or any slaves or other private property; and all archives, records, deeds, and papers, either of a public nature or belonging to private persons, which, in the course of the war, may have fallen into the hands of the officers of either party, shall be forthwith restored and delivered to the proper authorities and persons, to whom they respectively belong.

ARTICLE II. Immediately after the respective ratifications of this treaty, orders shall be sent to the armies, squadrons, officers, subjects, and citizens of the two powers, to cease from all hostilities. And to prevent all causes of complaint which might arise on account of the prizes which may be taken at sea after the signing of this treaty, it is reciprocally agreed that the vessels and effects which may be taken in the Channel and in the North Seas after the space of from that of the signature hereof, shall be restored on each side: that the term shall be - from the Channel and the North Seas to the Canary Islands, inclusively, whether in the ocean or the Mediterranean : of from the said Canary Islands to the equinoctial line or equator, and of - in all other parts of the world, without exception.

ARTICLE III. Whereas that portion of the boundary between the dominions of his Britannic Majesty in North America, and those of the United States, from the mouth of the river St. Croix, (as the said mouth was ascertained by the commissioners appointed for that purpose,) to the bay of Fundy, has not yet been regulated and determined; and, whereas, the respective rights and claims of his Britannic Majesty and of the United States, to the several islands in the bay of Passamaquoddy, and to the island of Grand Menan, have never been finally adjusted and determined, the said islands being claimed on the part of the United States as lying within twenty leagues of their shores, and south of a line drawn due east from the mouth of the river St. Croix; and on the part of his Britannic Ma. jesty, as having been, at or before the former treaty of peace, be tween the two boundaries within the limits of the province of Nova Scotia In order, therefore, finally to decide these several ques

:

tions, it is agreed that they shall be referred to three commissioners, to be appointed in the following manner, viz: one commissioner shall be appointed by his Britannic Majesty, and one by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and the said two commissioners, shall have power to choose a third; and if they cannot agree, they shall each propose one person, and of the two names so proposed, one shall be drawn by lot, in the presence of the two original commissioners, and the three commissioners so appointed, shall be sworn impartially to examine and decide the said questions according to such evidence as shall respectively be laid before them, on the part of the British government and the United States. The said commismissioners shall meet at and shall have power to adjourn to such other place or places as they shall think fit. The said commissioners, or a majority of them, shall, by a declaration under their hands and seals, determine the boundary aforesaid, from the mouth of the river St. Croix to the bay of Fundy; and decide to which of the two contracting parties the several islands aforesaid do respectively belong, in conformity with the true intent of the former treaty of peace. And both parties agree to consider such decision as final and conclusive.

ARTICLE IV. Whereas neither that point of the high-lands lying due north from the source of the river St. Croix, and designated in the former treaty of peace between the two powers, as the northwest angle of Nova Scotia, nor the northwesternmost head of Connecticut river, has yet been ascertained: And whereas that part of the boundary line between the dominions of the two powers, which extends from the source of the river St. Croix, directly north, to the above mentioned northwest angle of Nova Scotia ; thence, along the said high lands, which divide those rivers, that empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence, from those which fall into the Atlantic ocean, to the northwesternmost head of Connecticut river; thence, down, along the middle of that river, to the forty-fifth degree of north lattitude; thence, by a line due west, on said latitude, until it strikes the river Iroquois, or Cataraguy, has not yet been surveyed; It is agreed, that, for these several purposes, three commissioners shall be appointed, sworn, (mutatis mutandis) and authorized to act exactly in the manner directed with respect to those mentioned in the next preceding article; the said commissioners shall meet at and shall have power to adjourn to such other place or places as they shall think fit. The said commissioners, or a majority of them, shall have power to ascertain and determine the points above mentioned, in conformity with the provisions of the said treaty of peace, and shall cause the boundary aforesaid, from the source of the river St. Croix to the river froquois, or Cataraguy, to be surveyed and marked according to the said provisions. The said commissioners, or a majority of them, shall make a map of the said boundary, and annex to it a declaration, under their hands and seals, certifying it to be the true map of the

said boundary, and particularizing the latitude and longitude of the northwest angle of Nova Scotia; of the northwesternmost head of Connecticut river, and of such other points of the said boundary as they may deem proper and both parties agree to consider such map and declaration as finally and conclusively fixing the said boundary.

ARTICLE V. Whereas, by the former treaty of peace, that portion of the boundary of the United States from the point where the forty-fifth degree of north latitude strikes the river Iroquois, or Cataraguy, to the lake Superior, was declared to be along the middle of said river, into lake Ontario, through the middle of said lake, until it strikes the communication by water between that lake and lake Erie; thence, along the middle of said communication, into lake Erie; through the middle of said lake until it arrives at the water communication into the lake Huron; thence, through the middle of said lake, to the water communication between that lake and lake Superior: And whereas doubts have arisen what was the middle of the said river, lakes, and water communications, and whether certain islands lying in the same were within the dominions of his Britannic Majesty or of the United States: In order, therefore, finally to decide these questions, they shall be referred to three commissioners, to be appointed, sworn, (mutatis mutandis) and authorized to act exactly in the manner directed with respect to those mentioned in the next preceding articte. The said commissioners, shall meet, in the first instance, at and shall have power to

adjourn to such other place, or places, as they shall think fit. The said commissioners, or a majority of them, shall, by a declaration under their hands and seals, designate the boundary through the said river, lakes, and water communications, and decide to which of the two contracting parties the several islands lying within the said rivers, lakes, and water communications, do respectively belong, in conformity with the true intent of the former treaty of peace. And both parties agree to consider such decision as final and conclusive.

ARTICLE VI. It is further agreed, that the said last-mentioned commissioners, after they shall have executed the duties assigned to them in the preceding article, shall be, and they, or a majority of them, are hereby, authorized, upon their oaths, impartially to fix and determine, according to the true intent of the said former treaty of peace, that part of the boundary between the dominions of the two powers which extends from the water communication between lake Huron and lake Superior, to the most northwestern point of the Lake of the Woods; to decide to which of the two parties the several islands lying in the lakes, water communications, and rivers, forming the said boundary, do respectively belong, in conformity with the true intent of the said former treaty of peace, and to cause such parts of the said boundary as require it to be surveyed and marked. The said commissioners, or a majority of them, shall, by a declaration, under their hands and seals, designate the boundary

aforesaid, state their decision on the questions thus referred to them, and particularize the latitude and longitude of the most northwestern point of the Lake of the Woods, and of such other points of the said boundary as they may deem proper. And both parties agree to consider such decision as final and conclusive.

ARTICLE VII. The several boards of commissioners mentioned in the four preceding articles shall, respectively, have power to appoint a secretary, and to employ such surveyors, or other persons, as they shall judge necessary. Duplicates of their respective declarations and decisions, of the statement of their accounts, and of the journal of their proceedings, shall be delivered by them to the agents of his Britannic Majesty, and to the agents of the United States, who may be respectively appointed, and authorized to manage the business in behalf of their respective governments. The said commissioners shall be respectively paid in such manner as shall be agreed between the two parties; such agreement being to be settled at the time of the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty. And all other expenses attending the said commissions shall be defrayed, jointly, by the two parties, the same being previously ascertained and allowed by a majority of the commissioners. And in the case of death, sickness, resignation, or necessary absence, the place of every such commissioner, respectively, shall be supplied in the same manner as such commissioner was first appointed, and the new commissioner shall take the same oath or affirmation, and do the same duties.

It is further agreed between the two parties, that, in case any of the islands mentioned in any of the preceding articles, which were in the possession of one of the parties prior to the commencement of the present war between the two countries, should, by the decision of any of the boards of commissioners aforesaid, fall within the dominions of the other party, all grants of lands made previous to that time, by the party having had such possession, shall be as valid as if such island or islands had, by such decision or decisions, been adjudged to be within the dominions of the party having had such possession.

ARTICLE VIII. It is agreed that a line, drawn due north or south, (as the case may be) from the most northwestern point of the Lake of the Woods, until it shall intersect the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, and from the point of such intersection, due west, along and with the said parallel, shall be the dividing line between his majesty's territories and those of the United States to the westward of the said lake, as far as their said respective territories extend in that quarter; and that the said line shall, to that extent, form the southern boundary of his majesty's said territories, and the northern boundary of the said territories of the United States: Provided, that nothing in the present article shall be construed to extend to the northwest coast of America, or to the territories belonging to, or claimed by, either party, on the continent of America, to the westward of the Stony Mountains.