44 APPENDIX TO BRITISH COUNTER CASE. 



Countries, and the honorable Thomas Jefferson, governor of the 

 Commonwealth of Virginia, have nominated, constituted, and ap- 

 pointed, and by these presents do nominate, constitute, and appoint, 

 the said Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry Laurens, and Thomas 

 Jefferson, in addition to the said John Adams, giving and granting 

 to them, the said John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry 

 Laurens, and Thomas Jefferson, or the majority of them, or such of 

 them as may assemble, or, in the case of the death, absence, indisposi- 

 tion, or other impediment of the others, to any one of them, full 

 power and authority, general and special, conjunctly and separately, 

 and general and special command to repair to such place as may be 

 fixed upon for opening negotiations for peace and there for us, and 

 in our name, to confer, treat, agree, and conclude with the ambas- 

 sadors, commissioners, and plenipotentiaries of the princes and states 

 whom it may concern, vested with equal powers relating to the estab- 

 lishment of peace, and whatsoever shall be agreed and concluded for 

 us, and in our name to sign, and thereupon make a treaty or treaties, 

 and to transact everything that may be necessary for completing, 

 securing, and strengthening the great work of pacification in as 

 ample form and with the same effect as if we were personally present 

 and acted therein, hereby promising in good faith that we will accept, 

 ratify, fulfil, and execute whatever shall be agreed, concluded, and 

 signed by our said ministers plenipotentiary, or a majority of them, 

 or of such of them as may assemble, or, in case of the death, absence, 

 indisposition, or other impediment of the others, by any one of them; 

 and that we will never act, nor suffer any person to act, contrary to 

 the same, in whole or in part. 



In witness whereof we have caused these presents to be signed by 

 our President and sealed with his seal. 



Done at Philadelphia the fifteenth day of June, in the year of our 

 Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one, and in the fifth 

 year of our Independence, by the United States in Congress as- 

 sembled. 



SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, President. 



No. 8. 1781, June 15: President Huntington's Instructions to the 

 Commissioners for Peace. 



IN CONGRESS, June 15, 1781. 



To the Hon. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Henry 



Laurens, and Thomas Jefferson, ministers plenipotentiary in behalf 



of the United States to negotiate a treaty of peace: 



GENTLEMEN : You are hereby authorized and instructed to concur, 



in behalf of these United States, with his most Christian majesty 



in accepting the mediation proposed by the Empress of Russia and 



the Emperor of Germany. 



28 You are to accede to no treaty of peace which shall not be 



such as may, 1st. effectually secure the independence and sov- 

 ereignty of the thirteen United States, according to the form and 

 effect of the treaties subsisting between the said United States and 

 his most Christian majesty; and. 2dlv, in which the said treaties shall 

 not be left in their full force and validity. 



