DOCUMENTS BEAKING ON TBEATY OF 1783. 127 



Provinces, or through the Medium of Congress, their Expectations 

 that Demands of so equitable a Nature, shall be adjusted. 



And here I cannot help observing, that although the Congress 

 Commission expressly delegates complete Powers to negotiate, and 

 to conclude, a Treaty, yet from the language hitherto held, we are 

 given to understand that they are confined to receiving only, as if 

 a Treaty were not an Instrument of mutual Cession. The Ameri- 

 can Commissioners declare what they are ready to accept; but when 

 we state our Expectations, the} 7 decline giving us the smallest 

 77 satisfaction; they alledge a deficiency of Power in their In- 

 structions, and refer us to the separate Governments of the 

 several Provinces. The propriety of this Observation cannot fail to 

 strike you when you reflect upon the manner we have been dealt 

 with, in respect to the Two Points above mentioned; Points which 

 the American Commissioners themselves allow to be justly claimable, 

 and in which our National Honor is most peculiarly concerned. 



On the subject of the 3rd Article, I am commanded by the King 

 to observe to you, that He is of opinion, if the Americans are to 

 have the privilege of drying Fish on Newfoundland, it may be the 

 Source of frequent Disputes: and as they will have sufficient Ter- 

 ritory for their Accommodation in that respect, at no inconvenient 

 distance from the Fishery, His Majesty commands you to resist that 

 Demand ; exerting your endeavours at the same time, to convince the 

 American Commissioners, that He is induced to refuse the Privilege 

 here required, from an anxious desire to prevent any Interruption 

 hereafter to that Harmony which he wishes may ever subsist between 

 His Government and that of the United States, after the Conclusion 

 of the Treaty. 



The free Navigation of the River Mississippi as proposed in the 

 beginning of the 4th Article, is adopted. But with regard to the 

 universal idea contained in the remaining part of that Article, His 

 Majesty is pleased, for the present, to postpone any Determination 

 thereupon, because He thinks it will more properly come into discus- 

 sion, when we enter upon a Treaty of Commerce, which he is very 

 desirous shall take place. 



No. 81. 1782, October 23: Letter, Mr. Townshend to Dr. Franklin. 



WHITEHALL, October 23, 1782. 



SIR : As Mr. Strachey is going from hence to Paris with some par- 

 ticulars for Mr. Oswald, which were not easity to be explained in 

 writing, I take the liberty of introducing him to your acquaintance, 

 though I am not sure that he is not a little known to you. The con- 

 fidential situation in which he stands with me makes me particularly 

 desirous of presenting him to you. 



I believe, sir, I am enough known to you for you to believe me 

 when I say that there has not been from the beginning a single per- 

 son more averse to the unhappy war or who wishes more earnestly 

 than I do for a return of peace and mutual amity between Great 

 Britain and America. 



I am, with great regard, sir, your most obedient, humble servant, 



T. TOWNSHEND. 



