It is proposed therefore, that the unmanufactured produce of the United States should be admitted into Great Britain without any other duties, (those imposed during the war excepted) than those to which they were formerly liable. And it is expected in return, that the produce and manufactures of Great Britain should be admitted into the United States in like manner. If there should appear any want of reciprocity in this proposal, upon the grounds of asking admission for British manufactures into America, while no such indulgence is given to American manufactures in Great Britain, the answer is obvious, that the admission of British manufactures into America is an object of great importance, and equally productive of advantage to both countries, while, on the other hand, the introduction of American manufactures into Great Britain can be of no service to either, and may be productive of innumerable frauds, by enabling persons, so disposed, to pass foreign European goods, either prohibited or liable to great duties by the British laws, for American manufactures.
With regard to the West Indies, there is no objection to the most free intercourse between them and the United States. The only restriction proposed to be laid upon that intercourse, is prohibiting American ships carrying to those Colonies any other merchandise, than the produce of their own country. The same observation may be made upon this restriction as upon the former. It is not meant to affect the interests of the United States, but it is highly necessary, lest foreign ships should make use of the American flag, to carry on a trade with the British West India Islands.
It is also proposed upon the same principle to restrain the ships, that may trade to Great Britain from America, from bringing foreign merchandise into Great Britain. The necessity of this restriction is likewise evident, unless Great Britain meant to give up the whole navigation act. There is no necessity for any similar restrictions on the part of the American States, those States not having as yet any acts of navigation.
TO THE SECRETARY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
Bath, June 27th, 1783.
Sir,
I beg leave to refer you to the contents of a letter, which I had the honor of writing from London the 17th instant, by the hands of Mr John Vaughan, and a copy by Mr Thomas Stoughton. Two days ago, I had the pleasure of receiving your letter of the 8th of May, together with an act of Congress of the 1st of April, giving leave for my return to America, agreeably to my request, for which I make the most sincere acknowledgments.
I am happy to find the provisional treaty had received the plaudit and ratification of Congress, and should have been ready to have given the best answers in my power to the inquiries which you allude to, had you been pleased to extend them. I know not whether any steps have been taken toward a definitive or other treaty since the 7th instant, when I left Paris, having received no letters from my colleagues, but they no doubt will keep you regularly informed.
You will have seen, Sir, in several of my former letters, which must have reached you before this day, that no exertions of mine were wanting, for delivering you from those troublesome guests of whom you complain. I foresaw the great uneasiness, which their long continuance at New York would create. I regret exceedingly, that so free a communication as “on the former footing” preceded the accomplishment of that great and necessary work. I had entertained ideas, that my country would have treated it with more solemnity.