DOCUMENTS BEARING ON TREATY OF 1783. 43 



in a style and title not derogatory to the character of an independent and 

 sovereign people. 



That with respect to those persons who have either abandoned or been 

 banished from any of the United States, since the commencement of the war, 

 he is to make no stipulations whatsoever for their readmitance; and as to an 

 equivalent for their property, he may attend to propositions on that subject 

 only on a reciprocal stipulation, that Great Britain will make full compensa- 

 tion for all the wanton destruction which the subjects of that nation have 

 committed on the property of the citizens of the United States. 



That, in a treaty of peace, it is the wish of Congress not to be bound by any 



publick engagement to admit British subjects to any of the rights or privileges 



of citizens of the United States ; but at all times to be at liberty to grant 



27 or refuse such favours, according as the publick interest and honour 



may dictate; and that it is their determination not to admit them to 



a full equality in this respect with the subjects of his most Christian majesty, 



unless such a concession should be deemed by the said minister preferable to 



a continuance of the war on that account. 



No. 7. 1781, June 15: Appointment of Messrs. Franklin, Jay, 

 Laurens, and Jefferson, to assist Mr. Adams as Commissioners for 

 Peace. 



The United States of America in Congress assembled to all to whom 

 these presents shall come, send greeting: 



Whereas these United States, from a sincere desire of putting an 

 end to the hostilities between his most Christian majesty and these 

 United States on the one part, and his Britannic majesty on the other, 

 and of terminating the same by a peace founded on such solid and 

 equitable principles as reasonably to promise a permanency of the 

 blessings of tranquility, did heretofore appoint the honorable John 

 Adams, late a commissioner of the United States of America at the 

 court of Versailles, late delegate in Congress from the State of Massa- 

 chusetts, and chief justice of the said State, their minister plenipo- 

 tentiary, with full powers, general and special, to act in that quality, 

 to confer, treat, agree, and conclude with the ambassadors or plenipo- 

 tentiaries of his most Christian majesty and of his Britannic majesty, 

 and those of any other princes or states whom it might concern, re- 

 lating to the re-establishment of peace and friendship ; and whereas 

 the flames of war have since that time been extended, and other 

 nations and states are involved therein : 



Now know ye that we, still continuing earnestly desirous, as far as 

 it depends upon us, to put a stop to the effusion of blood, and to 

 convince the powers of Europe that we wish for nothing more 

 ardently than to terminate the war by a safe and honorable peace, 

 have thought proper to renew the powers formerly given to the said 

 John Adams, and to join four other persons in commission with 

 him; and having full confidence in tie integrity, prudence, and 

 ability of the honorable Benjamin Franklin, our minister plenipo- 

 tentiary at the court of Versailles, and the honorable John Jay, late 

 President of Congress, and chief justice of the State of New York, 

 and our minister plenipotentiary at the court of Madrid, and the 

 honorable Henry Laurens, formerly President of Congress, and com- 

 missioned and sent as our agent to the United Provinces of the Low 



