TREATIES AND CONVENTIONS. 27 



respective countries, territories, cities, towns and people of every 

 degree, without exception of persons or places. 



ARTICLE II. 



His Majesty will withdraw all his troops and garrisons from all 

 posts and places within the boundary lines assigned by the treaty 

 of peace to the United States. This evacuation shall take place on or 

 before the first day of June, one thousand seven hundred and ninety- 

 six, and all the proper measures shall in the interval be taken by con- 

 cert between the Government of the United States and His Majesty's 

 governor-general in America, for settling the previous arrangements 

 which may be necessary respecting the delivery of the said posts: 

 the United States in the meantime, at their discretion, extending 

 their settlements to any part within the said boundary-line, except 

 within the precincts or jurisdiction of any of the said posts. All 

 settlers and traders, within the precincts or jurisdiction of the said 

 posts, shall continue to enjoy, unmolested, all their property of every 

 kind, and shall be protected therein. They shall be at full liberty 

 to remain there, or to remove with all or any part of their effects; 

 And it shall also be free to them to sell their lands, houses, or effects, 

 or to retain the property thereof, at their discretion ; such of them as 

 shall continue to reside within the said boundary lines, shall not be 

 compelled to become citizens of the United States, or to take any 

 oath of allegiance to the Government thereof; but they shall be at 

 full liberty so to do if they think proper, and they shall make and 

 declare their election within one year after the evacuation aforesaid. 

 And all persons who shall continue there after the expiration of the 

 said year, without having declared their intention of remaining sub- 

 jects of His Britannic Majesty, shall be considered as having elected 

 to become citizens of the United States. 



ARTICLE III. 



It is agreed that it shall at all times be free to His Majesty's subjects, 

 and to the citizens of the United States, and also to the Indians dwell- 

 ing on either side of the said boundary line, freely to pass and repass by 

 land or inland navigation, into the respective territories and countries 

 of the two parties, on the continent of America, (the country within 

 the limits of the Hudson's Bay Company only excepted,) and to navi- 

 gate all the lakes, rivers, and waters thereof, and freely to carry on 

 trade and commerce with each other. But it is understood that' this 

 article does not extend to the admission of vessels of the United States 

 into the sea-ports, harbours, bays, or creeks of His Majesty's said ter- 

 ritories; nor into such parts of the rivers in His Majesty's said terri- 

 tories as are between the mouth thereof, and the highest port of en- 

 try from the sea, except in small vessels trading bona fide between 

 Montreal and Quebec, under such regulations as shall be established 

 to prevent the possibility of any frauds in this respect. Nor to the 

 admission of British vessels from the sea into the rivers of the United 

 States, beyond the highest ports of entry for foreign vessels from the 

 sea. The River Mississippi shall, however, according to the treaty of 

 peace, be entirely open to both parties; and it is further agreed, that 

 all the ports and places on its eastern side, to whichsoever of the 



