Sir,
We have been honored with your favor of the 5th inst., and as our answer to a letter we received from Mr Oswald on the same subject contains our unanimous sentiments respecting it, we take the liberty of referring you to the enclosed copy of that answer.
We have the honor to be, &c.
JOHN ADAMS,
B. FRANKLIN,
JOHN JAY.
Third Set of Articles.
Monday, November 25th, 1782. The three Commissioners, Adams, Franklin, and Jay, met at Mr Oswald's lodgings at the Hôtel de Muscovie, and after some conferences Mr Oswald delivered them the following Articles, as fresh proposals of the British Ministry, sent by Mr Strachey, viz;
Articles agreed upon by and between Richard Oswald, the Commissioner of his Britannic Majesty, for treating of peace with the Commissioners of the United States of America, in behalf of his said Majesty, on the one part, and John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay, three of the Commissioners of the said States, for treating of peace with the Commissioner of his said Majesty, on their behalf on the other part, to be inserted in, and to constitute the treaty of peace, proposed to be concluded between the Crown of Great Britain and the said United States, but which treaty is not to be concluded, until the terms of a peace shall be agreed upon between Great Britain and France, and his Britannic Majesty shall be ready to conclude such treaty accordingly.
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 the proposed 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. His Britannic Majesty acknowledges the said United States, viz, New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, to be free, sovereign and independent States, that he treats with them as such, and for himself, his heirs and successors, relinquishes all claims to the government, propriety, and territorial rights of the same, and every part thereof; and, that all disputes which might arise in future on the subject of the boundaries of the said United States may be prevented, it is hereby agreed and declared, that the following are and shall be their boundaries, viz;
Article ii. From the northwest angle of Nova Scotia, viz; that angle which is formed by a line drawn due north from the source of St Croix river to the highlands, along the said highlands, 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 45th degree of north latitude; from thence by a line due west on said latitude until it strikes the river Iroquois or Cataroquy; thence 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 between that Lake and Lake Huron; thence along the middle of said water communication into Lake Huron; thence through the middle of the said Lake, to the water communication between that Lake and Lake Superior; thence through Lake Superior, northward of the Isles Royal and Philippeaux to the Long Lake; thence through the middle of said Long Lake, and the water communication between it and the Lake of the Woods, to the said Lake of the Woods; thence through the said Lake to the most northwestern point thereof; and from thence on a due western course to the river Mississippi, thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of the said river Mississippi until it shall intersect the northernmost part of the 31st degree of north latitude. South by a line to be drawn due east from the determination of the line last mentioned, in the latitude of 31 degrees north of the equator to the middle of the river Apalachicola, or Catahouchi; thence along the middle thereof to its junction with the Flint river, thence straight to the head of St Mary's river; and thence down along the middle of St Mary's river to the Atlantic ocean. East by a line to be drawn along the middle of the river St Croix, from its mouth in the Bay of Fundy to its source; and from its source directly north, to the aforesaid highlands, which divide the rivers that fall into the Atlantic ocean from those which fall into the river St Lawrence; comprehending all Islands within twenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States, and lying between lines to be drawn due east from the point where the aforesaid boundaries between Nova Scotia on the one part, and East Florida on the other shall respectively touch the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic ocean; excepting such Islands as now are, or heretofore have been, within the limits of the said Province of Nova Scotia.