Papers of John Adams, volume 14
14 February 1783]1
By the KING.
A PROCLAMATION,
Declaring the Cessation of Arms, as well by Sea as Land, agreed upon between His Majesty, the Most Christian King, the King of Spain, the States General of the United Provinces, and the United States of America, and enjoining the Observance thereof.
GEORGE R.
WHEREAS Provisional Articles were signed at Paris, on the Thirtieth Day of November last, between Our Commissioner for treating of Peace with the Commissioners of the United States of America and the Commissioners of the said States, to be inserted in and to constitute the Treaty of Peace proposed to be concluded between Us and the said United States, when Terms of Peace should be agreed upon between Us and His Most Christian Majesty: And whereas Prelimininaries for restoring Peace between Us and His Most Christian Majesty were signed at Versailles on the Twentieth Day of January last, by the Ministers of Us and the Most Christian King: And whereas Preliminaries for restoring Peace between Us and the King of Spain were also signed at Versailles on the Twentieth Day of January last, between the Ministers of Us and the King of Spain: And whereas, for putting an End to the Calamity of War as soon and as far as may be possible, it hath been agreed between 265Us, His Most Christian Majesty, the King of Spain, the States General of the United Provinces, and the United States of America, as follows; that is to say,
That such Vessels and Effects as should be taken in the Channel and in the North Seas, after the Space of Twelve Days, to be computed from the Ratification of the said Preliminary Articles, should be restored on all Sides; That the Term should be One Month from the Channel and the North Seas as far as the Canary Islands inclusively, whether in the Ocean or in the Mediterranean; Two Months from the said Canary Islands as far as the Equinoctial Line or Equator; and lastly, Five Months in all other Parts of the World, without any Exception, or any other more particular Description of Time or Place.2
And whereas the Ratifications of the said Preliminary Articles between Us and the Most Christian King, in due Form, were exchanged by the Ministers of Us and of the Most Christian King, on the Third Day of this instant February; and the Ratifications of the said Preliminary Articles between Us and the King of Spain were exchanged between the Ministers of Us and of the King of Spain, on the Ninth Day of this instant February; from which Days respectively the several Terms above-mentioned, of Twelve Days, of One Month, of Two Months, and of Five Months, are to be computed: And whereas it is Our Royal Will and Pleasure that the Cessation of Hostilities between Us and the States General of the United Provinces, and the United States of America, should be agreeable to the Epochs fixed between Us and the Most Christian King:
We have thought fit, by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council, to notify the same to all Our loving Subjects; and We do declare, that Our Royal Will and Pleasure is, and We do hereby strictly charge and command all Our Officers, both at Sea and Land, and all other Our Subjects whatsoever, to forbear all Acts of Hostility, either by Sea or Land, against His Most Christian Majesty, the King of Spain, the States General of the United Provinces, and the United States of America, their Vassals or Subjects, from and after the respective Times above-mentioned, and under the Penalty of incurring Our highest Displeasure.
Given at Our Court at Saint James's, the Fourteenth Day of February, in the Twenty-third Year of Our Reign, and in the Year of Our Lord One thousand seven hundred and eighty-three.
God save the King.
Reprinted from broadside (Adams Papers); endorsed: “King of G. B. Proclama / tion declaring the Cessa / tion of Hostilities. dated / 14. Feb. 1783.” Printed at the bottom of the page is the following publication information: “LONDON: Printed by CHARLES EYRE and WILLIAM STRAHAN, Printers to the King's most Excellent Majesty. 1783.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 109. LbC-Tr (Adams Papers); APM Reel 103.
See the reciprocal proclamation of 20 Feb. by the American Peace Commissioners, below.
The Anglo-American preliminary treaty of 30 Nov. 1782 had taken effect on 20 Jan. with the signing of the Anglo-French preliminaries on that date. However, the 30 Nov. agreement contained no provision for implementing, throughout the world, the Anglo-American cessation of hostilities also agreed to on 20 Jan., calendared above. Therefore, this and the corresponding paragraph in the American proclamation of 20 Feb. are translations of Art. 22 of the Anglo-French preliminary treaty of 20 Jan., a copy of which is in the Adams Papers at that date.
The Morceau inclosed, is translated from a Pamphlet lately published in London, in which this Piece is inserted.
It is curious in itself, but considering the time and Place when and where it was first published, it is a document of History, for it was a political Machine, which had great Effects.
As Such I should be obliged to you, if you would insert it at length in the Politique Hollandais, but if you cannot, or do not choose to do that, you may print it in a Pamphlet by itself, or give it to Mr Holtrop, who will be glad to print it, with a french Translation of the History of the Rise, and Progres of the Disputes with America.1
I sent you, Some days ago, a few Lines with seven Papers inclosed.2 I should be glad to know if you have recd them as well as this. You see I confide much in your Discretion.
What do you think of our Peace? Is it well made? Will it last?
your most obedient
LbC (Adams Papers); internal address: “Mr A. M. Cerisier.”; APM Reel 110.
The enclosed “Morceau” is
JA's “A Dissertation on the Canon and the Feudal Law,” which was included in the London edition of A Collection of State-Papers in late November 1782 (vol. 13:258, note 3). JA had apparently had the “Dissertation” translated into French and is here indicating that if Cerisier did not publish it in Le politique hollandais, Willem Holtrop, an Amsterdam bookseller and publisher, could publish it as part of a French edition of his Geschiedenis van het geschil tusschen Groot-Britannie en Amerika, zedert deszelfs oorsprong, in den jaare 1754, tot op den tegenwoordigen tijd. Door . . . John Adams, Amsterdam, 1782. That volume was an abridged edition of JA's 1775 Novanglus letters, which had originally appeared in John Almon's Remembrancer for 1775 (p. 24–32, 45–54). JA's History of the Dispute with America; From Its Origin in 1754. Written in the Year 1774 was published in London in 1784. The only significant difference between 267the Dutch and English versions was the inclusion in the former of two letters dated 21 Jan. and 10 Feb. 1775 to a “Friend in London,” which Almon had printed separately (p. 10–12). For Cerisier's proposal to publish the “Dissertation,” see his reply of 26 Feb., below; and for the “Dissertation,” the unabridged Novanglus letters, and those to a “Friend in London,” see vol. 1:103–128; 2:214–215, 216–387, 391–393.
These “seven Papers” comprised the “Parcell” that JA sent to Cerisier under a brief covering letter of 24 Jan. (LbC, APM Reel 110). JA wanted them published in Le politique hollandais, but without revealing his identity and “without any Preamble or Remarks.” The documents cannot be identified with certainty because JA never indicated what he sent nor Cerisier what he received. However, prefaced by Cerisier's note that he had received several documents relating to the Anglo-American peace negotiations that had not appeared in any public paper, Le politique hollandais for 17 (p. 11–16) and 24 Feb. (p. 17–29) contained the following seven items: JA's 29 Sept. 1779 commission to negotiate an Anglo-American peace treaty;
JA's 29 Sept. 1779 commission to negotiate an Anglo-American commercial treaty; the 15 June 1781 joint commission to negotiate an Anglo-American peace treaty; Congress’ resolution of 12 July revoking JA's commission to negotiate an Anglo-American commercial treaty; Richard Oswald's 21 Sept. 1782 commision to treat with the United States; the 30 Nov. 1782 preliminary Anglo-American peace treaty; and the 20 Jan. 1783 declarations of the Anglo-American suspension of arms and the cessation of hostilities.