1Continental Congress to the American Commissioners: Instructions, [7 May 1784–3 June 1784] (Franklin Papers)
On May 20, 1783, Vergennes proposed three additional articles to the Franco-American treaty, which affirmed that the United States and France would grant each other most-favored-nation status. The peace commissioners did not forward the proposal to Congress until after the definitive treaty with Britain had been concluded:
2To Benjamin Franklin from the Continental Congress: Instructions, [14 August–16 October 1779] (Franklin Papers)
, that Britain by so doing would break the peace and hence reactivate the defensive alliance between the United States and France (for which see
The Treaty of Alliance between the United States and France, signed in 1778, had stipulated that neither country should make peace without the concurrence of the other. During the peace negotiations Congress repeatedly had reminded the American commissioners of this treaty obligation to France and warned them against...
4To Benjamin Franklin from the Continental Congress: Instructions, Plan of an Attack upon Quebec and Observations on the … (Franklin Papers)
6thly. That it will secure the Fisheries to the United States and France their Ally to the total exclusion Of Great britain.