158 APPENDIX TO BRITISH COUNTER CASE. 



ion by the language which the Commissioners held to you upon this 

 subject. 



This once provided for, it is impossible to suppose them so blind to 

 their real interests as wantonly to proscribe so large a number of 

 fellow-citizens, whose repossession of their property and reunion to 

 their country is as essential to the prosperity of America as to the 

 honour of Great Britain. 



If these reasonings are true, and satisfaction in this great point 

 necessary with a view to both countries, there can surely be no doubt, 

 but that it is essentially better to have them made the object of the 

 treaty, than to leave them to be matter of future discussion, and in all 

 probability the source of future jealousy and dispute. 



On the whole, it cannot be conceived, that America obtaining and 

 confirming to herself such great advantages by this treaty, can after 

 her professions to this country obstinately persist in refusing what 

 honour, justice, and good policy demand for no other purpose than to 

 offer an affront the most humiliating and degrading to Great Britain. 



I have now nothing more to add. I have enclosed to you a copy of 

 my letter to Mr. Oswald, and I must beg the favour of you to show 

 this to Mr. Fitzherbert. 



No. 99. Draft of the Preliminary Articles sent by Mr. Townshcnd to 



Mr. Strachey. 



ARTICLES agreed upon by and between Richard Oswald, Esq., the 

 Commissioner of His Britannic Majesty, for treating of peace with 

 the Commissioners of the United States of America, in behalf of 

 His said Majesty, on the one part, and John Adams, Benjamin 

 Franklin, and John Jay, three of the Commissioners of the said 

 States for treating of peace with the Commissioners of His said 

 Majesty on their behalf, on the other part, to be inserted in and to 

 constitute the treaty of peace proposed to be concluded between the 

 Crown of Great Britain, and the said United States, but which 

 treaty is not to be concluded, until terms of a peace shall be agreed 

 upon between Great Britain and France, and His Britannic Majesty 

 shall be ready to conclude such treaty accordingly. 



N. B. If the American Commissioners wish to have the remainder 

 of the title proposed by them, which follows the words " treaty 

 accordingly," they may be admitted. 



Whereas reciprocal advantages and mutual convenience are found 

 by experience to form the only permanent foundation of peace and 

 friendship between States, it is agreed to form the Articles of the 

 proposed Treaty on such principles of liberal equity and reciprocity, 

 as that partial advantages (those seeds of discord) being excluded, 

 such a beneficial and satisfactory intercourse between the two coun- 

 tries may be established as to promise and secure to both, perpetual 

 peace and harmony. 



Article 1st. His Britannic Majesty acknowledges the said United 

 States, viz., New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and 

 Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Penn- 

 sylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro- 



