other inftruments, during the courfe of the negociation, or in the preamble of the prefent treaty, not being generally acknowledged, it has been agreed that no preju dice fhould ever refult therefrom to either of the faid contracting Parties; and that the titles taken or omitted, on either fide, upon occafion of the faid negociation, and of the prefent treaty, fhall not be cited, or quoted as a precedent. fhall Art. II. It has been agreed and determined, that the French -language, made ufe of in all the copies of the prefent treaty, not form an example which may be alledged, or quoted as a precedent, or, in any manner, prejudice either of the contracting powers; and that they fhall conform, for the future, to what has been obferved, and ought to be ob. ferved, with regard to, and on the part of powers, who are in the practice and poffeffion of giv ing and receiving copies of like treaties in a different language from the French; the prefent treaty having, nevertheless, the fame force and virtue as if the aforefaid practice had been therein obferved. In witnefs whereof, we the under-written ambaffador extraor dinary, and minifters plenipotentidry, of their Britannic and Catholic majefties, have figned the prefent feparare articles, and have caufed the feals of our arms to be affixed thereto. Done at Verfailles, the third of September, one thousand se. ven hundred and eighty-three. Le Comte d'Aranda. (L.S.) DECLARATION. THE new ftate in which comall parts of the world, will demerce may perhaps be found, in mand revifions and explanations of the fubfifting treaties; but an enin whatever period it might be, tire abrogation of thofe treaties, would throw commerce into fuch confufion as would be of infinite prejudice to it. In fome of the treaties of this fort there are not only articles which relate merely to commerce, but many others which enfure rejects, privileges, facilities for con. ciprocally, to the respective subducting their affairs, perfonal protections, and other advantages, which are not, and which ought not to be of a changeable nature, fuch as the regulations relating merely to the value of goods and merchandize, variable from cir. cumstances of every kind. When therefore the ftate of the trade between the two nations thall be treated upon, it is requifite to be understood, that the alterations which may be made in the fubfifting treaties are to extend only to arrangements merely commercial; and that the privi leges and advantages, mutual and particular, be not only preferved on each fide, but even augmented, if it can be done. In this view, his majefty has confented to the appointment of commiffaries, on each fide, who fhall treat folely upon this object. Done at Versailles, the third of September, one thousand feven hundred and eighty-three. Manchefter. VOL. XXVI. (L. S.) COUNTER DECLARATION. THE Catholic king, in propofing new arrangements of commerce, has had no other defign than to remedy, by the rules of reciprocity and mutual convenience, whatever may be defective in preceding treaties of commerce. The king of Great Britain may judge from thence, that the in.tention of his Catholic majefty is not in any manner to cancel all the ftipulations contained in the above-mentioned treaties; he declares, on the contrary, from henceforth, that he is difpofed to maintain all the privileges, facilities and advantages expreffed in the old treaties, as far as they fhall be reciprocal, or compenfated by equivalent advantages. It is to attain this end, defired on each fide, that commiffaries are to be named to treat upon the ftate of trade between the two nations, and that a confiderable space of time is to be allowed for compleating their work. His Catholic majefty hopes that this object will be purfued with the fame good faith, and with the fame fpirit of conciliation, which have prefided over the difcuffion of all the other points included in the definitive treaty; and his faid majefty is equally confident, that the refpective commiffaries will employ the utmost diligence for the completion of this important work. Done at Versailles, the third of (L. S.) WE, ambaffador plenipotentiary of his Imperial and royal apoftolic majefty, having acted as mediator in the work of pacification, deciare that the treaty of peace figned this day at Verfailles, between his Britannic majefty and his Catholic majefty, with the two separate articles thereto annexed, and of which they form a part, as also with all the claufes, conditions, and ftipulations which are therein contained, was concluded by the mediation of his Imperial and royal apoftolic majefty. In witnefs whereof, we have figned thefe prefents with our hand, and have caufed the feal of our arms to be affixed thereto. Done at Versailles, this third of September, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three. LeCompte de Mercy Argenteau. (L. S.) WE, minifters plenipotentiary of her Imperial majesty of all the Ruffias, having acted as mediators in the work of pacification, declare that the treaty of peace, figned this day at Verfailles, be tween his Britannic majefty and his Catholic majefty, with the two feparate articles thereto annexed, and of which they form a part, as alfo with all the claufes, conditions, and ftipulations which are therein contained, was concluded by the mediation of her Imperial majefty of all the Ruffias. In witnefs whereof, we have figned thefe prefents with our hands, and have caused the feals of our arms to be affixed thereto. Done at Versailles, the third of September, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three. Prince Iwan Bariatinfkoy. (L.S.) 4. Marcoff. (L.S.) A. The The definitive Treaty of Peace and Friendship, between his Britan. nic Majefty, and the United States of America, figned at Paris the 3d Day of September, 1783. In the Name of the Moft Holy and Undivided Trinity. IT having pleafed the divine Providence to difpofe the hearts of the molt ferene and most potent prince George the Third, by the grace of God, king of Great Britain, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, Duke of Brunfwick and Lunenburg, arch-treasurer and prince elector of the holy Roman empire, &c. and of the United States of America, to forget all paft mifunderstandings and dif. ferences that have unhappily interrupted the good correfpondence, and friendship which they mutually wish to reftore, and to eftablifh fuch a beneficial and fatiffactory intercourfe between the two countries upon the ground of reciprocal advantages and mutual convenience as may promote and fecure to both perpetual peace and harmony; and having for this defirable end already laid the foundation of peace and reconciliation by the provifional articles figned at Paris on the 30th of November, 1782, by the commiffioners empowered on each part, which articles were agreed to be inferted in and to constitute the treaty of peace proposed to be concluded between the crown of Great Bri tain and the faid United States, but which treaty was not to be concluded until terms of peace fhould be agreed upon between Great Britain and France, and his Britannic majefty fhould be ready to conclude fuch treaty accord- tuted and appointed, that is to Art. I. His Britannic majefty acknowledges the faid United States, viz. New Hampshire, Maffachufetts Bay, Rhode Island [r] 2 and and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jer. fey, Pennfylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, to be free, fovereign, and indepen. dent ftates; that he treats with them as fuch, and for himself, his heirs and fucceffors, relinquishes all claims to the government, propriety, and territorial rights of the fame, and every part thereof. II. And that all difputes which might arife in future on the fubject of the boundaries of the faid United States may be prevented, it is hereby agreed and declared, that the following are and fhall be their boundaries, viz. From the north.weft angle of Nova Scotia, viz. that angle which is formed by a line drawn due north from the fource of St. Croix river to the Highlands, along the faid Highlands, which divide thofe rivers that empty themselves into the river St. Laurence, from those which fall into the Atlantic ocean, to the north-westernmost head of Connecticut river; thence down along the middle of that river to the forty-fifth degree of north Jatitude; from thence by a line due weft on faid latitude, until it ftrikes the river Irroquois or Caatraquy; thence along the middle of faid river into Lake Ontario; through the middle of faid lake until it ftrikes the communication by water between that lake and Lake Erie; thence along the middle of the faid communication into Lake Erie, through the middle of faid lake, until it arrives at the water communication between that lake and Lake Huron; thence through the middle of faid lake to the water communication be tween that lake and Lake Superior; thence through Lake Superior northward of the Ifles Royal and Philapeaux to the Long Lake; thence through the middle of faid Long Lake and the water communication between it and the Lake of the Woods, to the faid Lake of the Woods; thence through the faid lake to the most northwesternmost point thereof, and from thence on a due weft course to the river Miffiffippi; thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of the faid river Miffiffippi until it fhall interfect the northernmoft part of the thirty-first degree of north latitude. South, by a line to be drawn due eaft from the determination of the line laft mentioned in the latitude of thirtyone degrees north of the equator, to the middle of the river Apalachiola or Catahouche; thence along the middle thereof to its junction with the Flint River; thence ftraight to the head of St. Mary's River, and thence down along the middle of St. Mary's River to the Atlantic ocean. Eaft, by a line to be drawn along the middle of the river St. Croix from its mouth in the Bay of Fundy to its fource, and from its fource directly north to the aforefaid highlands which divide the rivers that fall into the Atlantic ocean from thofe which fall into the river St. Laurence, comprehending all iflands within twenty leagues of any part of the fhores of the United States, and lying between lines to be drawn due eaft from the points where the aforefaid boundaries between Nova Scotia on the one part, and Eaft Florida on the other, fhall refpec tively touch the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic ocean, excepting fuch iflands as now are or heretofore have been within the limits of the faid province of Nova Scotia. Art. III. It is agreed that the people of the United States hall continue to enjoy unmolefted the right to take fish of every kind on the Great Bank, and on all the other banks of Newfoundland; alfo in the Gulf of St. Laurence, and at all other places in the fea where the inhabitants of both Countries used at any time heretofore to fish. And alfo that the inhabitants of the United States fhall have liberty to take fish of every kind on fuch part of the coaft of Newfoundland as British fishermen shall ufe (but not to dry or cure the fame on that ifland), and alfo on the coafts, bays, and creeks, of all other of his Bri. in tannic majefty's dominions America; and that the American fishermen fhall have liberty to dry and cure fish in any of the unfettled bays, harbours, and creeks of Nova Scotia, Magdalen islands and Labrador, fo long as the fame fhall remain unfettled; but fo foon as the fame or either of them fhall be fettled, it fhall not be lawful for the faid fishermen to dry or cure fish at such fettlement, without a previous agreement for that with purpose the inhabitants, proprietors, or poffeffors of the ground. Art. IV. It is agreed that the creditors on either fide fhall meet with no fawful impediment to the recovery of the full value in fterling money of all bona fide debts heretofore contracted. Art. V. It is agreed that con grefs fhall earneilly recommend it And it is agreed that all perfons, wife, A ་ |