And his said Britannic Majesty, on the one part, and the said United States of America on the other, did lay the foundations of peace in the preliminaries, signed at Paris, on the thirtieth of November last, by the said Richard Oswald, on the part of his said Majesty, and by the said John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and Henry Laurens, on the part of the said United States, in virtue of their respective full powers aforesaid, and after having mutually shown to each other their said full powers in good form, and mutually exchanged authenticated copies of the same.
And his said Britannic Majesty did, on the twentyfourth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand, seven hundred and eightytwo, and in the twentysecond year of his reign, issue his Commission, signed with his royal hand, and under the great seal of Great Britain, to Alleyne Fitzherbert, in the following words, viz. [Here follows the Commission.]
And the said Alleyne Fitzherbert, on the part of his said Britannic Majesty, and John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, in the necessary absence of the said John Jay and Henry Laurens, on the part of the said United States, did, at Versailles, on the twentieth day of January last, communicate to each other their full powers aforesaid, in good form, and agreed upon an armistice in the words following; [See pp. [121], [123].]
And his Britannic Majesty did on the —— day of —— in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eightythree, and in the twentythird year of his reign, issue his Commission, signed with his royal hand, and under the great seal of Great Britain, to David Hartley, in the following words, viz.; [Here follows the Commission.]
And now the said David Hartley, Minister Plenipotentiary of his said Britannic Majesty, in behalf of his said Majesty on the one part, and John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay, Ministers Plenipotentiary of the said United States of America, in behalf of the said States on the other, having communicated to each other their aforesaid full powers in good form, and mutually exchanged authenticated copies of the same, have, by virtue thereof agreed, and do hereby agree and conclude upon the Articles, the tenor of which is as follows, viz.
Whereas reciprocal advantages and mutual convenience are found, by experience, to form the only permanent foundation of peace and friendship between States, it is agreed to form the Articles of this treaty on such principles of liberal equity and reciprocity, as that partial advantages, those seeds of discord, being excluded, such a beneficial and satisfactory intercourse between the two countries may be established, as to promise and secure to both perpetual peace and harmony.
ARTICLE I.
The same as Article 1st of the preliminary treaty, but finishing at "every part thereof."
ARTICLE II.
The same as Article 2d of the preliminary treaty, but commencing with the remaining part of Article 1st, "and that all disputes," &c. and ending with the words, "and the Atlantic ocean."