DOCUMENTS BEARING ON TREATY OF 1783. 19 



Nova Scotia ; southerly by the boundary settled between Georgia and 

 East and West Florida ; and westerly by the River Mississippi. 



2. That every post and place within the United States, and every 

 island, harbour, and road, to them, or any of them, belonging, be 

 absolutely evacuated by the land and sea forces of His Britannic 

 Majesty, and yielded to the powers of the states to which they re- 

 spectively belong. (Agreed.) 



3. That a right of fishing and curing fish on the banks and coasts 

 of the Island of Newfoundland, equally with the subjects of France 

 and Great Britain, be reserved, acknowledged, and ratified to the 

 subjects of the United States. 6 



4. That the navigation of the river Mississippi, as low down as 

 the southern boundary of the United States, be acknowledged and 

 ratified absolutely free to the subjects of the United States. 

 (Agreed.) 



5. That free commerce be allowed to the subjects of the United 

 States with some port or ports below the southern boundary of the 

 said states, on the river Mississippi, except for such articles as may 

 be particularly enumerated ; (rejected) and, 



6. In case the allies of these United States will agree to support 

 them in such claim, by continuing hostilities, then to insist that Nova 

 Scotia and its dependencies be ceded to the United States, or declared 

 independent. (Rejected.) 



11 Proceedings of Congress. 



On the second head, your committee are of opinion, 



1. That the claim to Nova Scotia ought to be given up in lieu of 

 the equal share in the Newfoundland fishery, or such share of the 

 fishery in lieu of Nova Scotia, if both cannot be obtained. (Rejected.) 



2. That in case neither of these can be obtained in lieu of the other, 

 then, if the Bermuda Islands can be obtained, the claim to Nova 

 Scotia be ceded in lieu thereof. (Rejected.) 



3. That it may be stipulated, that the subjects of the United States 

 shall not trade to the East Indies, or engage in the slave trade, if 

 adequate compensation can be obtained. (Agreed.) 



4. That the United States will not establish any settlement, or do- 

 minion, beyond the limits of the said States, as settled at the conclu- 

 sion of the treaty of peace. (Agreed.) 



5. That if Great Britain shall cede the Floridas to the United 

 States, the same may be ceded to the Crown of Spain for an adequate 

 compensation; and (agreed.) 



6. A reciprocal guarantee of all American possessions which shall 

 remain to the respective Powers at the conclusion of the treaty of 

 peace. (Agreed.) 



Your committee are further of opinion, that no truce ought to be 

 agreed to on the part of the United States. That a cessation of hos- 

 tilities, during the negotiation, may be admitted, in case all the force 

 of the enemy shall be withdrawn from every post and place within 

 the limits of the United States. That no exclusive privilege of 

 commerce be allowed to Great Britain with the United States. And 



Against this paragraph is written : "Amendt to the whole postponed." 



6 Against this paragraph is written : " Proposed amendmt to the whole." 



