DOCUMENTS BEARING ON TREATY OF 1*783. 207 



to admit the independence of America, he allowed, for without that 

 necessity admitted, those who made these articles could have no 

 defence, their opinion having been often declared against it. Amer- 

 ica then being independent in all her thirteen States, and considered 

 merely as a Power at war with Great Britain, what was the known 

 situation of each at the time of the treaty? Britain possessed the 

 strongest posts on the coast of America, all the back country, and the 

 River St. Laurence; the fishery was entirely hers; a great party in 

 the country uneasy at the continuance of the war, and dissatisfied 

 with a new government; many zealously attached to our interests. 



All the posts are given up ; an immense extent of territory, the fur 

 trade, the fishery, and, what is more than all the losses of all the 

 treaties, the faith and honour of the nation pledged to the thousands 

 who have been deserted and betrayed. This treaty stands unparal- 

 leled in the history of mankind. It sets out with a proposition that 

 never yet found a place in any treaty, and that subverts the very 

 purpose and end of every treaty. The preamble states in plain terms, 

 that advantage and convenience are the only foundation of peace 

 between States; the principles of justice, the laws of nations, the faith 

 of mutual compacts are then of no regard amongst States, when inter- 

 est and convenience are in view. The sequel of this introduction pro- 

 fesses to arrange matters upon a principle of reciprocal, not partial 

 advantage; and when we proceed in the articles, this reciprocity is 

 to take all to America, and neither give nor secure any thing to 

 Britain. Under the colour of ascertaining a boundary, a country 

 larger than Europe, settled in many parts of it, full of nations who 

 are under the alliance and protection of the Crown, is transferred 

 and done away without even the merit or the grace of making so 

 immense a cession. The coasts likewise are extended to twice their 

 ancient limits, and with so little attention, that part of the land and 

 harbours of Nova Scotia is within the line of the American Coast. 

 The fishery on the shores retained by Britain, is in the next article 

 not ceded, but recognised as a right inherent in the Americans, which 

 though no longer British subjects, they are to continue to enjoy unmo- 

 lested, no right on the other hand being reserved to British subjects to 

 approach their shores, for the purpose of fishing, in this reciprocal 

 treaty. Even in the article for the cessation of hostilities, which 

 in every treaty that ever yet was made is reciprocal, the period on 

 our part commences immediately ; on the part of the Americans, con- 

 fiscation, proscription, imprisonment, and captures at sea, are not de- 

 termined till after the ratification in America and the definitive 

 treaty. The articles respecting debts and private rights are conceived 

 in terms totally different from other treaties ; why the plain and usual 

 language was dropped, and the articles penned in terms totally unin- 

 telligible, it is difficult to conceive, unless it was, that the engagement 

 on one side should have no effect, which will not seem an unreasonable 

 suspicion to any one who considers the frame of the fifth article. 



That article has excited a general and just indignation. For what 

 purpose could it have been inserted? Those whom it pretends to 

 favour, receive no benefit from it ; for what is the purport of a recom- 

 mendation ; but to those the most entitled to our regard, the brave and 

 unhappy men who have not only given up their property, but ex- 

 posed their lives in our cause, the distinction admitted to their preju- 

 dice is cruel and injurious indeed. What is the defence set up for 



