XXIX. The two contracting parties mutually grant each other the right of maintaining, in their refpective ports, Confuls, Vice-Confuls, Agents and Commiffaries, whose business fhall be regulated by a particular con vention. XXX. In order farther to forward and facilitate the commerce between the fubjects of the United States and France, the Moft Chriftian King will allow them in Eu rope one or more free ports, to which they may bring and fell all the commodities and merchandifes of the Thirteen United States. His Majefty will also 'grant ta the subjects of the faid States, the free ports which have been, and are open, in the French Islands of America, all which free ports the said subjects of the United States fhall enjoy, conformably to the regulations which determine that matter. XXXI. The present treaty fhall be ratified by both parties, and the ratifications exchanged, within the space of fix months, or fooner if may be. In witnefs of which the refpective Plenipotentiaries have figned the above articles, both in the French and English language; nevers theless declaring, that the prefent treaty was originally digefted and fettled in the French language, to which they have affixed their hands and feals. Given at Paris the fixth day of the month of February, one thousand feven hundred and feventy-eight. C. A. GERARD. Treaty of Alliance, eventual and defensive, between his Moft Chriftian Majefty Louis the Sixteenth, King of France and Navarre, and the Thirteen United States of America, concluded at Paris, 6th February, 1778. OUIS, by the Grace of God, King of France and L Navarre. To all who fhall fee thefe prefents, greeting, The Congrefs of the Thirteen United States of North North America having, by their Plenipotentiaries refiding at Paris, notified to us their desire to establish with us and our States a good understanding and perfect correfpondence, and having for that purpose proposed to conclude with us a Treaty of Amity and Commerce: we having thought it our duty to give to the faid States a fenfible proof of our affection, determining us to accept the proposals for thefe caufes, and other good confiderations, us thereunto moving, we, repofing entire confidence in the abilities and experience, zeal and fidelity for our fervice, of our dear and beloved Conrad Alexander Gerard, Royal Syndic of the city of Strasburg, and Secretary of our Council of State, have nominated, appointed and commiffioned, and by thefe prefents figned with our hand, do nominate, appoint and commiffion him our Plenipotentiary, giving him power and special command for us, and in our name, to agree upon, conclude and fign, with the Plenipotentiaries of the United States, equally furnished in due form with full powers, fuch treaty, convention, and articles of commerce and navigation, as he fhall think proper; willing that he act with the fame authority as we might or could act, if we were perfonally prefent, and even as though he had more Ipecial command than what is herein contained; promifing in good faith, and on the word of a King, to agree to, confirm and establish for ever, and to accomplish and exe-. cute punctually, all that our faid dear and beloved Conrad Alexander Gerard fhall ftipulate and fign, by virtue of the present power, without contravening it in any manner, or fuffering it to be contravened for any caufe, or under any pretext whatfoever; and alfo to ratify the fame in due form, and cause our ratification to be delivered and exchanged in the time that fhall be agreed on. For fuch is our pleafure. In teftimony whereof we have hereunto fet our feal. Done at Verfailles, this thirteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand feven hundred and feventy-eight, and the fourth year of our reign. (Signed) (L.S.) LOUIS. By the KING. TREATY GRAVIER DE VERGENNES. TREATY of ALLIANCE. THE Moft Chriftian King, and the United States of North America, to wit, New Hampshire, Maffachufet's Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennfylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, having this day concluded a Treaty of Amity and Commerce, for the reciprocal advantage of their subjects and citizens, have thought it neceffary to take into confideration the means of ftrengthening thofe engagements, and of rendering them useful to the fafety and tranquillity of the two parties; particularly in cafe Great Britain, in refentment of that connection, and of the good correfpondence which is the object of the faid treaty, fhould break the peace with France, either by direct hoftilities, or by hindering the commerce and navigation, in a manner contrary to the rights of nations and the peace fubfifting between the two Crowns. And his Majesty and the United States having refolved in that cafe to join their councils and efforts against the enterprifes of their common enemy. The refpective Plenipotentiaries, empowered to concert the claufes and conditions proper to fulfil the faid intentions, have, after the most mature deliberation, concluded and determined on the following articles: Article I. If war fhould break out between France and Great Britain during the continuance of the prefent war between the United States and England, his Majesty and the faid United States fhall make it a common caufe, and aid each other mutually with their good offices, their councils and their forces, according to the exigency of conjunctures, as becomes good and faithful allies. II. The effential and direct end of the present defenfive alliance is, to maintain effectually the liberty, fovereignty and independence, abfolute and unlimited, of the faid United States, as well in matters of government as of commerce. III. The two contracting parties fhall each on its own part, and in the manner it may judge most proper, make all all the efforts in its power again ft their common enemy, in order to attain the end proposed. IV. The contracting parties agree, that in cafe either of them should from any particular enterprise in which the concurrence of the other may be defired, the party whofe concurrence is defired, fhall readily and with good faith join to act in concert for that purpose, as far as circumstances and its own particular fituation will permit, and in that cafe, they fhall regulate by a particular convention the quality and kind of fuccour to be furnished, and the time and manner of its being brought into action, as well as the advantages which are to be its compenfation. V. If the united States fhould think fit to attempt the reduction of the British power, remaining in the northern parts of America, or the islands of Burmudas, those countries or iflands, in case of fuccefs, fhall be confederated with, or dependent upon, the faid United States. VI. The Moft Chriftian King renounces for ever the poffeffion of the islands of Bermudas, as well as of any part of the continent of North America, which before the treaty of Paris, in 1763, or in virtue of that treaty, were acknowledged to belong to the Crown of Great Britain, or to the United States, heretoforé called British Colonies, or which are at this time, or have lately been under the power of the King and Crown of Great Britain. VII. If his Moft Chriftian Majefty fhall think proper to attack any of the islands fituated in the Gulph of Mexico, or near that gulph, which are at prefent under the power of Great Britain, all the faid ifles, in cafe of fuccefs, fhall appertain to the Crown of France. VIII. Neither of the two parties fhall conclude either truce or peace with Great Britain, without the formal confent of the other first obtained; and they mutually engage not to lay down their arms, until the independence of the United States fhall have been formally or tacitly affured by the treaty or treaties that fhall terminate the war. IX. The contracting parties declare, that, being refolved to fulfil, each on its own part, the claufes and conditions conditions of the present treaty of alliance, according to its own power and circumftances, there fhall be no afterclaims of compenfation, on one fide or the other, whatever may be the event of the war. X. The Moft Christian King and the United States agree, to invite or admit other powers, who may have received injuries from England, to make a common cause with them, and to accede to the prefent alliance, under fuch conditions as fhall be freely agreed to, and settled between all the parties. XI. The two parties guarantee mutually from the prefent time, and for ever, against all other powers, to wit, The United States to his Moft Christian Majesty the prefent poffeffions of the Crown of France in America, as well as those which it may acquire by the future treaty of peace; and his Moft Chriftian Majefty guarantees on his part to the United States, their liberty, fovereignty, and independence, abfolute and unlimited, as well in matters of government as commerce, and also their poffeffions, and the additions or conquefts that their confederation may obtain during the war, from any of the dominions now or heretofore poffeffed by Great Britain in North America, conformable to the fifth and fixth articles above written, the whole of their poffeffions shall be fixed and affured to the faid States, at the moment of the ceffation of their prefent war with England. ap XII. In order to fix more precifely the sense and plication of the preceding article, the contracting parties declare, that in cafe of a rupture between France and England, the reciprocal guarantee declared in the faid article fhall have its full force and effect the moment fuch war fhall break out; and if fuch rupture shall not take place, the mutual obligations of the faid guarantee fhall not commence until the moment of the ceffation of the prefent war between the United States and England, fhall have afcertained their poffeffions. XIII. The present treaty fhall be ratified on both fides, and the ratifications fhall be exchanged in the space of fix months, or sooner if poffible. In faith whereof the respectve Plenipotentiaries, to wit, on the part of the Moft Chriftian King, Conrad Alexander |