1. See the editorial note “Anglo-American Relations,” above.

2. Article 4 stipulated that there should be no lawful impediment placed in the way of creditors of either side attempting to collect the full value of debts; Article 6 stipulated that there should be no future prosecutions of Loyalists or confiscations of their property, and that imprisoned Loyalists should be immediately freed. Article 7 provided that Britain would speedily withdraw its armed forces from the United States, would restore all archives belonging to its states or citizens, and would refrain from carrying away slaves or destroying other American property.

3. Congress’s resolutions of 21 Mar. stipulated that the states had no right to limit the operation of any treaty concluded by Congress, and that all state acts contravening the treaty ought to be repealed. As suggested in JJ’s report of 13 Oct. 1786, above, and JCC, description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends 31: 870, Congress also recommended that repeals be made in general terms. See JJ’s report of a draft circular to the states of 6 Apr. 1787, above, which Congress approved on 13 Apr. JA subsequently informed JJ that Carmarthen was greatly pleased by the resolutions and proclaimed that they did honor to Congress. See JA to JJ, 14 May 1787, ALS, DNA: PCC, item 84, 6: 477 (EJ: 11948); and OFA Journal description begins Daily Journals, Office of Foreign Affairs, 1784–1790, 2 vols., Papers of the Continental Congress, RG 360, item 127, National Archives (M247). Accessed Fold3.com. description ends , July 1787 (EJ: 3777).

The resolution of 20 July instructed JA to “inform his Britannic Majesty that Congress have taken measures for removing all cause of complaint relative to the infraction of the 4th. and 6th. Article of the treaty of peace, and that he communicate to his Majesty their resolutions of the 21st. March last together with their circular letter to the States, of the 13th day of April.” JCC, description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends 32: 378.

4. The OFA Journal description begins Daily Journals, Office of Foreign Affairs, 1784–1790, 2 vols., Papers of the Continental Congress, RG 360, item 127, National Archives (M247). Accessed Fold3.com. description ends for this date indicates that JJ’s report was transmitted to the President of Congress under cover of a letter of this date, in which he suggested that, if it was thought proper to instruct JA to conclude this convention, the states should be informed of it. See JJ to Arthur St. Clair, 23 Apr. 1787, LS, DNA: PCC, item 80, 3: 233 (EJ: 285); Dft, NNC (EJ: 5893); LbkC, DNA: Foreign Letters description begins Foreign Letters of the Continental Congress and Department of State, 1785–1790, RG 59, item 121, National Archives (M61). Accessed on Fold3.com. description ends , 212–13 (EJ: 2128); OFA Journal description begins Daily Journals, Office of Foreign Affairs, 1784–1790, 2 vols., Papers of the Continental Congress, RG 360, item 127, National Archives (M247). Accessed Fold3.com. description ends , April 1787 (EJ: 3774); JCC, description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends 32: 369, 375, 378–80; and LDC, description begins Paul H. Smith et al., eds., Letters of Delegates to the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (26 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1976–98) description ends 24: 212, 367–68, 469.

The resolution adopted by Congress on 20 July authorized JA “to propose and conclude a Convention with his Britannic Majesty whereby it shall be agreed that the value of slaves or other American property carried away contrary to the 7th Article of the Treaty of peace be estimated by Commissioners; and that he also endeavor to obtain an Article to fix the true construction of the declaration for ceasing hostilities, and to stipulate that compensation be made for all Captures contrary to it.”

In the course of the debate, Melancton Smith moved, and William Grayson seconded, an amendment to the above resolution that stipulated that Britain should make compensation for slaves carried off and evacuate the posts held in violation of the treaty within a reasonable time after the several states had passed acts conformable to Congress’s resolutions and Britain had been notified that the states had done so. The amendment failed. JCC, description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends 32: 378–80.

5. The preceding three words were eliminated from Congress’s resolution. See JCC, description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends 32: 379.

6. Beginning with “Frankness and Candor,” the resolution reads: “that the readiness with which they have taken measures to remove these complaints will create in him a full confidence in the purity of their intentions, and that he assure his Majesty that they fully repose and confide in his assurances “that. …” Ibid.

7. There was no resolution to this effect.

8. JJ enclosed certified copies of Congress’s resolutions of 21 Mar., 13 Apr., and 20 July under cover of his letter to JA of 31 July in which he mentioned that the resolution of 20 July differed substantially from the convention he had proposed in his report. To support his assertion that several states had acted to remove obstacles to the “full and fair Operation of the Treaty,” he enclosed an Act of New Hampshire of 15 Sept. 1786 passed in compliance with the treaty and founded on Congress’s recommendation of 14 Jan. 1784; an Act of Massachusetts passed 30 Apr. 1787 to repeal all acts infringing on the treaty; a letter from the Governor of Rhode Island to JJ of 4 Sept. 1786, informing that all prosecutions of loyalists had ceased and that British subjects were not prevented from seeking repayment of debts; an act from Connecticut passed the 2d Thursday in May 1787 repealing all acts repugnant to the definitive treaty; Acts of New York of 4 and 20 Apr. 1787 to repeal acts complained of by British merchants; a letter from the Governor of New Jersey to JJ of 15 June 1786, informing that the state had complied with Congress’s recommendation of 14 Jan. 1784; and an Act of Maryland of 15 May 1787, declaring the definitive treaty to be the supreme law within that state. JJ added that there was “great Reason” to think other states might pass such laws when their legislatures met, but that he did not expect universal compliance. See C, DNA: Foreign Letters description begins Foreign Letters of the Continental Congress and Department of State, 1785–1790, RG 59, item 121, National Archives (M61). Accessed on Fold3.com. description ends , 272–76 (EJ: 2511); and OFA Journal description begins Daily Journals, Office of Foreign Affairs, 1784–1790, 2 vols., Papers of the Continental Congress, RG 360, item 127, National Archives (M247). Accessed Fold3.com. description ends , July 1787 (EJ: 3777). JJ also forwarded copies of the resolutions and circular letter with his letter to TJ of 24 Apr., below.

9. JJ’s report was entered into Congress’s Journal on the same day, but Congress did not assign it to a committee (John Kean, Richard Henry Lee, and Nathan Dane) until 18 July. Its report of 19 July ordered JJ to instruct JA to provide the king with its resolutions of the 21st. Mar. and its circular to the states of 13 Apr. which, the committee contended, demonstrated that Congress had taken measures to remove all causes of complaint about American infractions of Articles 4 and 6 of the peace treaty. See JCC, description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends 32: 124–25, 229–30, 369, 375, 378–80.

Congress had, however, already received JA’s request to be allowed to return home. On 24 Sept., shortly after it received the report from the Constitutional Convention, Congress gave JA permission to return to the United States after the expiration of his appointment on 24 Feb. 1788. JCC, description begins Worthington C. Ford et al., eds., Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 (34 vols.; Washington, D.C., 1904–37) description ends 33: 516–17.