DEFINITIVE TREATY WITH GREAT BRITAIN. 1783. 83 sistent, not only with justice and equity, but with that spirit of concilia~ tion, which on the return of the blessings of peace should universally prevail. And that Congress shall also earnestly recommend to the several states, that the estates, rights and properties of such last mentioned persons, shall be restored to them, they refunding to any persons who may be now in possession, the bona fide price (where any has been given) which such persons may have paid on purchasing any of the said lands, rights or properties, since the confiscation. And it is agreed, that all persons who have any interest in confiscated lands, either by debts, marriage settlements, or otherwise, shall meet with no lawful impediment in the prosecution of their just rights. ARTICLE VI. That there shall be no future confiscations made, nor any prosecu- N,, g,,,,;,,, tions commenced against any person or persons for, or by reason of the conliscations on part which he or they may have taken in the present war; and that no P’°“°°""°”“· person shall, on that account, suffer any future loss or damage, either in his person, liberty or property; and that those who may be in confinement on such charges, at the time of the ratification df the treaty in America, shall be immediately set at liberty, and the prosecutions so commenced be discontinued. ARTICLE VII. There shall be a firm and perpetual peace between his Britannic Hcstilities tq Majesty and the said States, and between the subjects of the one and Q°;*°· **9*1 l?"' the citizens of the other, wherefore all hostilities, both by sea and land, 3: “ij:$$:w°:,_ shall from henceforth cease: all prisoners on both sides shall be set at liberty, and his Britannic Majesty shall, with all convenient speed, and without causing any destruction, or carrying away any negroes or other property of the American inhabitants, withdraw all his armies, garrisons and fleets from the said United States, and from every post, place and harbour within the same; leaving in all fortifications the American artillery that may be therein; and shall also order and cause all archives, records, deeds and papers, belonging to any of the said 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 persons to whom they belong. ARTICLE VIII. The navigation of the river Missisippi, from its source to the ocean, N¤vig¤§i¤9 vf shall for ever remain free and open to the subjects of Great-Britain, and :,"L£’I,l:;",;pP' the citizens of the United States. both nations, ARTICLE IX. In case it should so happen that any place or territory belonging to C,mqum, 5, Great-Britain or to the United States, should have been conquered by the fore arriyul ci arms of either from the other, before the arrival of the aid provisional g‘fn‘:¤?:;'3°;;° articles in America, it is agreed, that the same shall be restored without m,m,,,d_ difliculty, and without requiring any compensation. ARTICLE X. The solemn ratifications of the present treaty, expedited in good and Rua5cm0n_ due form, shall be exchanged between the contracting parties, in the space of six months, or sooner if possible, to be computed from the day of the signature of the present treaty. In witness whereof, we the undersigned, their Ministers Plenipotentiary, have in their name and in virtue of our full powers, signed with our hands the present definitive treaty, and caused the seals of our arms to be atlixed thereto. Done at Paris, this third day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three. D. HARTLEY, (i.. s.) JOHN ADAMS, (1.. s.) B. FRANKLIN, (1.. s.) JOHN JAY. (r.. s.)
