in Congrefs from the State of Maffachufets, and Chief Juftice of the faid State, and minifter plenipotentiary of the faid United States to their High Mightineffes the States General of the United Netherlands; Benjamin Franklin, Esq. late Delegate in Congrefs from the State of Pennsylvania, Prefident of the Convention of the faid State, and minifter plenipotentiary from the United States of America at the Court of Verfailles; John Jay, Efq. late Prefident of Congrefs, and Chief Justice of the State of New-York, and minifter plenipotentiary from the faid United States at the Court of Madrid; to be the plenipotentiaries for the concluding and figning the prefent definitive treaty who, after having reciprocally communicated their respective full powers, have agreed upon and confirmed the following articles :

ART. I. His Britannic Majesty acknowledges the faid United States, viz. New Hampshire, Maffachufets-Bay, Rhode-Ifland and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jerfey, Pennfylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, to be Free, Sovereign, and Independent States that he treats with them as fuch; and for himself, his heirs, and fucceffors, relinquishes all claims to the government, propriety and territorial rights of the fame, and every part thereof.

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II. And that all difputes which might arise in future on the fubject of the boundaries of the faid United States may be prevented, it is hereby agreed and declared, that the following are, and fhall be their boundaries, viz. from the north-weft angle of Nova Scotia, viz. That angle which is formed by a line drawn due north, from the fource of St. Croix River to the Highlands, along the faid Highlands which divide those Rivers that empty themselves into the River St. Lawrence, from those which fall into the Atlantic Ocean, to the north westernmoft head of Connecticut River; thence down along the middle of that River to the forty fifth degree of North Latitude; from thence by a line due Weft on faid Latitude until it ftrikes the River Iroquois or Cataraquy; thence along the middle of the faid River into Lake Ontario; through the middle of faid Lake, until it ftrikes the communication by water, between that Lake and Lake Erie; thence along the middle of faid communication into Lake Erie; through the middle of faid Lake, until it arrives at the water-communication between that Lake and Lake Huron; thence along the middle of faid water-communication into the Lake Huron; thence through the middle of faid Lake to the water-communication between that Lake and Lake Superior, thence through Lake Superior, northward of the Ifles Royal and Phelipeaux, to the Long Lake; thence through the middle of faid Long Lake, and the water-communication between it and the Lake of the Woods, to the faid Lake of the Woods; thence through the faid Lake to the most north-western point thereof, and from thence on a due west courfe to the river Miffifippi; thence by a line to be drawn along the middle of the faid river Miffifippi, until it fhall interfect the northernmost part of the thirty-first degree of Nor. Latitude.-South, by

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a line to be drawn due Eaft from the determination of the line laft mentioned, in the latitude of thirty-one degrees north of the Equator, to the middle of the River Apalachicola or Catahouche; thence along the middle thereof to its junction with the Flint River; thence ftrait to the head of Saint Mary's River, and thence down along the middle of Saint Mary's River, to the Atlantic Ocean. Eaft, by a line to be drawn along the middle of the River St Croix, from its mouth in the Bay of Fundy to its fource; and from its fource directly north to the aforefaid Highlands, which divide the rivers that fall into the Atlantic Ocean, from those which fall into the river St Lawrence; comprehending all Islands within twenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States, and lying between lines to be drawn due east from the points where the aforefaid boundaries between Nova Scotia on the one part, and East Florida on the other, fhall refpectively touch the Bay of Fundy, and the Atlantic Ocean; excepting fuch Islands as now are, or heretofore have been, within the limits of the faid Province of Nova Scotia.

III. It is agreed, That the people of the United States fhall continue to enjoy, unmolefted, the right to take fish of every kind on the Grand Bank, and on all other Banks of Newfoundland; also in the Gulph of St. Lawrence, and at all other places in the sea, where the inhabitants of both countries used at any time heretofore to fish. And alfo that the inhabitants of the United States fhall have liberty to take fish of every kind on fuch part of the coast of Newfoundland, as British fishermen fhall use, (but not to dry or cure the fame on that ifland) and also on the coafts, bays, and creeks of all other of his Britannic Majefty's dominions in America, and that the American fishermen fhall have liberty to dry and cure fish in any of the unfettled bays, harbours, and creeks, of Nova Scotia, Magdalen Ilands, and Labrador, so long as the fame fhall remain unfettled; but fo foon as the fame, or either of them, fhall be fettled, it fhall not be lawful for the said fishermen to dry or cure fish at fuch fettlement, without a previous agreement for that purpose with the inhabitants, proprietors, or poffeffors of the ground.

IV. It is agreed, that creditors on either fide, fhall meet with no lawful impediment to the recovery of the full value in fterling money of all bona fide debts heretofore contracted.

V. It is agreed, that the Congrefs fhall earneftly recommend it to the legiflatures of the respective States, to provide for the restitution of all eftates, rights, and properties which have been confifcated, belonging to real British fubjects; and alfe of the eftates, rights, and properties, of perfons refident in diftricts in poffeffion of his Majefty's arms, and who have not borne arms against the said United States: and that perfons of any other description fhall have free liberty to go to any part or parts of any of the Thirteen United States, and therein to remain twelve months unmolested in their endeavours to obtain the reftitution of fuch of their eftates, rights, and properties, as may have been confifcated: and that Congrefs fhall alfo carneftly recommend to the feveral States, a reconfideration and revifion of

all

all acts or laws regarding the premises, fò as to render the faid laws or acts perfectly confiftent, not only with justice and equity, but with that fpirit of conciliation, which, on the return of the bleffings of peace, should univerfally prevail. And that Congrefs fhall alfo earneftly recommend to the feveral States, that the eftates, rights, and properties of fuch laft-mentioned perfons fhall be restored to them, they refunding to any perfons who be now in poffeffion the bona fide price (where any has been given) which such persons may have paid on purchafing any of the faid lands, rights, or properties, fince the confifcation.

And it is agreed, That all perfons who have any intereft in confifcated lands, either by debts, marriage fettlements, or otherwise, fhall meet with no lawful impediment in the profecution of their just rights.

VI. That there shall be no future confifcation made, nor any profecutions commenced against any person or perfons, for or by reason of the part which he or they may have taken in the present war; and that no person shall, on that account, fuffer any future lofs or damage either in his person, liberty, or property; and that those who may be in confinement on fuch charges at the time of the ratification of the treaty in America, shall be immediately fet at liberty, and the prosecutions fo commenced be discontinued.,

VII. There shall be a firm and perpetual peace between his Britannic Majefty and the faid States, and between the fubjects of the one and the citizens of the other, wherefore all hoftilities both by fea and land fhall from henceforth cease: All prifoners on both fides shall be set at liberty, and his Britannic Majefty fhall with all convenient speed, and without caufing any destruction, or carrying away any negroes, or other property of the American inhabitants, withdraw all his armies, garrifons, and fleets, from the faid United States, and from every port, place, and harbour, within the fame; leaving in all fortifications the American artillery that may be therein and fhall alfo order and cause all archives, records, deeds, and papers, belonging to any of the faid States, or their citizens, which in the course of the war may have fallen into the hands of his officers, to be forthwith restored and delivered to the proper States and perfons to whom they belong.

VIII. The navigation of the river Miffifippi, from its fource to the ocean, shall for ever remain free and open to the subjects of Great Britain, and to the citizens of the United States.

IX. In case it should so happen that any place or territory belonging to Great Britain, or to the United States, fhould have been conquered by the arms of either, from the other, before the arrival of the faid provifional articles in America, it is agreed, that the fame fhall be restored without difficulty, and without requiring any compenfation.

X. The folemn ratifications of the prefent treaty, expedited in good and due form, fhall be exchanged between the Contracting

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Parties in the space of fix months, or fooner, if poffible, to be computed from the day of the fignature of the prefent treaty.

In witnefs whereof, we, the undersigned, their ministers plenipotentiary, have in their name, and in virtue of our full powers, figned with our hands the prefent definitive treaty, and caused the feals of our arms to be affixed thereto.

Done at Paris, this 3d day of September, in the year of our Lord, 1783.

Note 337. Account of the Mutiny at Portsmouth, &c. in March 1783.

In all the mutinous and diforderly proceedings at Portsmouth, none of the marines joined in that difgraceful affair; on the contrary they conducted themselves in fo becoming a manner, (when both navy and army shook off all discipline) that they were employed in keeping the peace and guarding the town; for which their officers were particularly thanked by Lord George Lenox, who commanded. The commanding officer having acquainted the Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty with this, received inftructions to affure his men, that their Lordships highly approved their conduct.

Notwithstanding the beft advised steps were taken by Lord Howe, during his vifit to Portfmouth, and after his departure every poffible exertion was made by Sir Thomas Pye and Rear Admiral Hood to quell the fpirit of diffenfion among the crews of the fhips at Spithead, it was a confiderable time before it could be fubdued. Some of the fhips companies, at the head of which were the crews of the Ganges, Janus and Profelyte, had infifted upon being inftantly paid their wages and difcharged, otherwife they were determined to run the ships on fhore and deftroy them. Incendiary letters were alfo addreffed to the Commander in Chief, and the Commiffioner, threatening to commit outrages upon them, unless they exerted every means in their power to obtain their pay.. Every measure that feemed practicable to give a favourable termination to thefe disturbances was adopted. A cabinet council was held, to take into confideration the most effectual means of preventing the alarming confequences which threatened; and with that view Lord Howe was expected to fet off for Portsmouth.

During his Lordship's visit to Portsmouth, he went on board every fhip at Spithead to enquire into the cause of the discontents which prevailed among the crews. His Lordship's prefence was regarded by the tars with the highest veneration; and having enquired into their complaints from the quarter-deck of each fhip, he promised fuch

redress

redress as was reasonable, and recommended them to return to their duty as became feamen. His Lordfhip's affurances and admonitions operated fo forcibly, that he left them all in a state of perfect obedience. The crew of one thip which his Lordship vifited, the moment he afcended the quarter-deck, cut away her ladder ropes, and for fome time appeared refractory; but upon his addreffing them, their refpect for their favourite Admiral returned, and they declared themselves fatisfied in the affiftance and relief he had directed to be given to them.

Admiral Hood went on board his Majefty's thip the Portland, in confequence of a mutiny on board her, and her people having fent threatening letters to Admiral Pye, when the Rear-Admiral, by his excellent conduct, had the fatisfaction of feeing them return to their duty, with the fulleft affurance of future implicit obedience to their officers, of whom they spoke in very warm terms.

Sir Hyde Parker, at this time, gave an aftonishing proof of his fortitude, by going on board a ship, where there were a hundred men who rejected all difcipline, hoifting his flag, and infitting upon navigating their ship to Plymouth, or that any man who did not immediately betake himself to his duty, fhould be hoifted to the main mast and flogged: this refolution, enforced with fome round oaths, brought the gentlemen to the fenfe of their duty, and they inftantly failed.

The mutiny on board the Janus, of 44 guns, was occafioned, like the others, by her being ordered for fervice, instead of being paid off. This fhip was in the Weft Indies the greateft part of the war, and distinguished herself on many dangerous expeditions; the crew, therefore, prefumed, that after a long and laborious fervice, they had a good right to be paid off. The men held a confultation to determine what was to be done on this occafion; the confultation was foon over; and the refult of it was, that the authority of the officers fhould be no longer obeyed, and that there fhould be full fufpenfion of all duty on board. The men, however, were not fatisfied with merely taking this refolution; they knew that force might be used to compel them to return to their duty, and therefore they took meafures to refift force, by preparing for a ftout defence: in order, therefore, to guard against surprise, they lashed up all their hammocks, got in the bays forward, and made a fine barricado, they then pointed two 18 pounders aft in the gun room, and loaded them with a double charge of grape shot. Almost all the officers, except the Captain, were on board all this time; they did every thing in their power to maintain difcipline, but in vain: finding at laft that their power was at an end, they begged the men would hoift out a boat for the Captain, who wanted to get on board but this they refused, telling their officers, that they might take the long-boat and man her with marines, but that not a feamen would get into her. The Captain (O'Hara) at length got on board; the crew all affembled to give him a hearing; he was proceeding to fay all that was proper to be faid upon the occafion: but having faid in the beginning that the Janus

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