1Definitive Treaty of Peace between the United States and Great Britain, 3 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two), Public Record Office; copies: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives (two.) Early on the morning of September 3, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and William Temple Franklin rode into Paris carrying four official copies of the treaty that would end the War for American Independence. Joined by Adams,...
2To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 2 September 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania; copy: William L. Clements Library I find that the Answer wch I received in form from the American Ministers to that note wch I transmitted by Mr Adams, runs, that they will come to my Lodgings at Paris, tomorrow morning, for the purpose of signing the Treaty in Question. Mr Adams and Mr Jay understand it so and propose to come. Upon so great a Crisis...
As the Day is now fixed for the signatures of the Definitive Treaties between Great Britain, France & Spain, I beg leave to inform your Excellencies that I am ready to sign the Definitive Treaty between Great Britain & the United States of America, whenever it shall be convenient to you. I beg the Favour therefore of you to fix the Day. My Instructions confine me to Paris as the Place...
4David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, 29 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : William L. Clements Library; copies: Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives; press copy of copy: National Archives As the day is now fixed for the signatures of the Definitive treaties between Great Britain France and Spain I beg leave to inform you that I am ready to sign the Definitive treaty between Great Britain and the united States of America...
5David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, 12 August 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Public Record Office, Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society August 12 and 13 were of far greater diplomatic consequence than this exchange of formal letters about the birth of an English princess (the present letter and the commissioners’ answer of the following day) would suggest. On Tuesday, August 12, at the weekly meeting of ministers at Versailles, Franklin and...
6Proposals for an Anglo-American Commercial Agreement, June 1783 (Adams Papers)
[ Paris ], June 1783. LbC-Tr ’s in Jean L’Air de Lamotte’s hand ( Adams Papers ); APM Reel 103. The two proposals calendared here, one by David Hartley and the other by John Jay, are dated June in the Letterbook, but any effort to arrive at an exact date is problematical. They were likely done sometime after 21 May but prior to Hartley’s letter to the commissioners of 14 June , above, and...
1. That Lands belonging to Persons of any description which have not actually been sold shall be restored to the old Possessors without Price. 2. That an equal and free Participation of the different carrying Places, and the Navigation of all the Lakes and Rivers of that Country thro’ which the Water Line of Division passes between Canada and the United States shall be enjoyed fully and...
8David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners: Propositions for the Definitive Treaty, [19 June 1783] (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society (two), William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, National Archives (two); transcript: National Archives When the American peace commissioners saw David Hartley at Versailles on Tuesday, June 17, they told him that Congress had issued an order on April 24 opening American ports to British vessels—or so they understood from credible private...
C , undated, DNA: PCC , item 85, 322–23. Endorsed: “M r Hartley’s / C Propositions / & our Ans rs ”. Additional texts listed in PJA Robert J. Taylor, Gregg L. Lint, et al., eds., Papers of John Adams (16 vols. to date; Cambridge, Mass., 1977–) , 15: 43–44. Enclosed in American Peace Commissioners to the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, 27 July , below. JA ( Diary
10David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners: Revised Article, [14–18] June 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Library of Congress (two), William L. Clements Library, Massachusetts Historical Society, National Archives; press copy of copy: National Archives It is agreed, that the Citizens of the United States of America shall be permitted to import into and to export from any Port or Place of the Territories belonging to the Crown of Great Britain in American Ships, any Goods, Wares &...
11David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, 14 June 1783 (Adams Papers)
Permit me to address the enclosed Memorial to your Excellencies, and to explain to you my Reasons for So doing. It is because many Consequences now at a great Distance, and unforeseen by Us may arise between our two Countries, perhaps from very minute and incidental Transactions, which in their beginnings may be impercepteble and unsuspected as to their future Effects. Our respective...
12David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners, 14 June 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: Library of Congress, William L. Clements Library, Massachusetts Historical Society; two incomplete copies and incomplete transcript: National Archives The American peace commissioners grew increasingly suspicious as they waited for Fox to respond to the article that Hartley had presented to them without prior approval on May 21. Hartley drafted another memorial for them on June 1, but...
Permit me to address the enclosed Memorial to your Excellencies, and to explain to you my reasons for so doing. It is because many consequences, now at a great distance, and unforeseen by us, may arise between our two Countries, perhaps from very minute & incidental transactions, which in their beginnings may be imperceptible & unsuspected as to their future effects. Our respective territories...
14David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners: Memorial, 1 June 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: National Archives (two), Library of Congress, Massachusetts Historical Society, Public Record Office; transcript: National Archives The proposition which has been made for an universal & unlimited reciprocity of Intercourse & Commerce, between Great-Britain and the American United-States, requires a very serious Consideration on the part of Great-Britain, for the reasons already stated...
15To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 29 August [i.e., May?] 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress Will you be so good as to send me Mr Maddison’s pamphlet, the time is come for me to return. Be so good as to send me the memorials of the merchants trading to Carolina & Georgia. I must take copies in case of any future correspondence upon the Subject— Can you & Mr Franklin do me the favour to dine with me on Saturday next at 3 o’clock Addressed: A Son Excellence /...
16Memorial from David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners (Adams Papers)
Paris, 21 May 1783. PRINTED: JA , D&A , 3:131–134 . LbC ( Adams Papers ); APM Reel 109. LbC-Tr ( Adams Papers ); APM Reel 103. This memorial was Hartley’s response to the article that the commissioners had proposed on 29 April to open American and British ports to virtually unrestricted free trade, to which Hartley had at least tentatively agreed ( calendared, above
17David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners: Memorial and Proposed Article, [19 May 1783] (Franklin Papers)
(I) Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society (four), William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, National Archives (four); press copy of copy: National Archives; (II) Copies: Massachusetts Historical Society (four), Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères, William L. Clements Library, Library of Congress, National Archives (four); press copy of copy: National Archives Formal...
18To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 3 May 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress The Duke of Manchester is come. I have seen Mr Adams & Mr Jay this Morning. They both intend to pay their respects to his Grace I believe this evening or tomorrow morning— I have not seen Mr Jay but I presume he will do the same. I take the liberty to inform you of this. Yours ever affecly Addressed: To Dr Franklin / &c &c &c / Passy Endorsed: Mr Hartley May 3. 1783...
19Proposed Article Regarding Article 7 of the Preliminary Peace Treaty, 28 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
Article. His Britannic Majesty agrees, that within Months from this Date, and as much Sooner as may be, he will withdraw all his Armies, Garrisons and Fleets, from the Said United States, and from every Port Place and Harbour within the Same, and without causing any Destruction, or carrying away any Negroes, or other Property of the American Inhabitants, and leaving in all Fortifications the...
20David Hartley to the American Peace Commissioners: Memorandum, [before 27 April 1783] (Franklin Papers)
D : Massachusetts Historical Society; copy: Public Record Office David Hartley arrived in Paris on April 24. The following day he called on the individual American peace commissioners and found them eager to arrange for the opening of British and American ports to each other’s trade and to conclude as quickly as possible a definitive treaty of peace. On April 26 he went to Versailles,...
21Draft Articles to Supplement the Preliminary Anglo-American Peace Treaty, [ca. 27 April 1783] (Adams Papers)
Articles agreed upon by and between David Hartley Esquire, Minister Plenipotentiary of his Britannic Majesty for &c in behalf of his Said Majesty on the one Part, and J.A. B.F. J.J. and H.L, Ministers Plenipotentiary of the United States of America for treating of Peace with the Minister Plenipotentiary of his Said Majesty, on their behalf, on the other Part, in Addition to those Articles...
22Proposed Explanatory Article Regarding Article 6 of the Provisional Peace Treaty, [ca. 27 April 1783] (Adams Papers)
Whereas, by the 6 th. Article of the Provisional Treaty of the 30 th of November 1782, it was agreed in these Words vizt “That there Shall be no future Confiscations made, nor any Prosecutions commenced, against any Person or Persons, 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, Suffer any future Loss or Damage,...
Article. Manufactures. foreign Commodities. It is agreed, that American Merchants shall be allowed to import into any Part of the Dominions of his Britannic Majesty and there Sell and dispose of any Manufactures of the said United states or any other Merchandizes, of whatever kind of the Growth Production or Manufacture of any Part of the World, for the Purpose of making Remittances and paying...
Article. Commerce to be in force for Five Years unless sooner altered by a Treaty of Commerce 1. It is agreed that so soon as his Britannic Majesty, shall have withdrawn all his Armies Garrisons and Fleets, from the Said United states and from every Port Place and Harbour within the Same, according to the 7 Article of the Provisional Treaty of 30 Nov. 1782 all Ports in the Dominions of either...
25To John Adams from David Hartley, 25 April 1783 (Adams Papers)
M r Hartley presents his Comp ts to M r Adams and if it be convenient to him, w d be glad to have the honour of waiting upon him and the gentlemen who are the other Commissioners and Ministers from the united States of America at 11 O’clock on Sunday morning, at M r Adams’s hotel, or any where else if more convenient. M r Hartley has had the pleasure of seeing D r Franklin who lives at the...
26To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley: Letter and Two Memoranda, 31 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
(I) Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society; (II) copies: Massachusetts Historical Society, Public Record Office; (III) copy: Massachusetts Historical Society I send you a Paper entitled Supplemental Treaty , the Substance of which I sent you some time ago, as I read it, in part of a Speech in the H. of Commons. I have given a Copy of it to M. L [Laurens], as the Grounds upon which my Friend...
27To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 12 March 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Massachusetts Historical Society It is a long while since I have heard from you or indeed since I writ to you. I heartily congratulate you upon those pacific events which have already happened and wish to see all other final Steps of Conciliation succeed speedily. I send you Copies of two Papers which I have already communicated to Mr. Laurens the one called conciliatory Propositions in...
28To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 4 February 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As I enclose this in the same cover as one from my Brother, his letter anticipates every thing that I have to say to you at present. I beg leave to join in the recommendation to you of Mr Joshua Grigby who with the Spirit of Youth & activity wishes to see the new world. I hope the future intercommunication between this Country and America will obliterate...
29To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 19 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I take the opportunity of Mr Laurens going to Paris to transmitt one line to you, only to express to you my constant & affectionate remembrance of you, in your public character, & as a private friend; And my sincerest wishes for your personal health & happiness, and for success to all your pacific Counsels. The report wch prevails at present on this side of the water,...
30To Benjamin Franklin from David Hartley, 8 November 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I beg leave to recommend to your attention the enclosed case of Mr James Nassau Colleton. I do it the more readily because it seems to me to be an equitable claim and because I think every example of compliance on any side with claims of equity and justice will at some time or other emerge in the general account of benevolence & conciliation. Mrs Margaret Colleton...