Papers of John Adams, volume 15
19 June 1783]1
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 uninterruptedly by both Parties
3. That in any such Places within the Boundaries assigned— generally to the American States as are adjoining to the Water Line of Division, and which are not specifically under the Dominion of any one State, all Persons at present resident or having Possessions or Occupations as Merchants or otherwise may remain in peaceable Enjoyment of all civil Rights and in pursuit of their respective Occupations.
4. That in any such Places adjoining to the Water Line of 44Division as may be under the specific Dominion of any particular State, all Persons at present resident or having Possessions or Occupations as Merchants or otherwise may remain in the peaceable Enjoyment of all civil Rights and in pursuit of their Occupations untill they shall receive Notice of removal from the State to which any such Place may appertain; and that upon any such Notice of Removal a Term of three Years shall be allowed for selling or withdrawing their valuable Effects, and for settling their Affairs.
5. That his Britannic Majesty’s Forces not exceeding in Number may continue in the Ports now occupied by them contiguous to the Water Line for the Term of three Years for the Purpose of securing the Lives, Property and Peace of any Persons settled in that Country, against the Invasion or Ravages of the Neighboring Indian Nations who may be suspected of retaining Resentment in consequence of the late War.
6. That no Tax or Impost whatsoever shall be laid on any Articles of Commerce passing or repassing thro’ the Country, but that the Trade may be left entirely open for the Benefit of all Parties interested therein.—
MS (ScL [ScU]:Kendall Coll.); endorsed: “Mr [Hartle]y’s / Propositions & / our Answers / July 1783. / for defin. Treaty.” Some loss of text due to a torn manuscript. LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 109. LbC-Tr (Adams Papers); APM Reel 103.
This date is derived from JA’s 19 June Diary entry. There he indicates that he “went with Mr. Hartley in his Carriage to Passy where he made his Propositions for the Definitive Treaty” (JA, D&A
, 3:139). JA did not comment on their nature, but they were David Hartley’s final extant proposals for a definitive peace treaty. Clearly Hartley did not contemplate, as he had with his proposals in April and May, anything beyond an agreement dealing specifically with issues arising from the peace. This reflected the limitations imposed on him by his instructions from London and is in line with his 14 June letter to the commissioners and its enclosed memorial, above. For the commissioners’ reaction to Hartley’s proposals, particularly points two through five, see their “Answers” of 29 June; but see also their own “Propositions” for a definitive treaty of the same date, and the [ante 19 July] draft definitive treaty, all below.
Permit me to refer to what I had the honor of writing to you the 17th. You will recollect my Suggestions, as soon as we perceived the falling off, from those warm Assurances which had been pressed in March and April, they were not ill founded; I dalayed a Week in hopes of Intelligence & left you with Reluctance; the temper of the 45times forbids even an essay. What a happy Country is this, where every thing pertaining to the Public, is rendred to them in public Newspapers; see the inclosed, containing nearly as accurate an Account of certain recent Occurrences, as if it had been penned by one of the Parties.1 It might indeed have been made a little stronger. Modest Men are sometimes restrained from attempting a public good, from a dread of the Effects of Envy, of being held up in an invidious Light. It would be cruel to disturb them. I have learned nothing from America, save what you may have read in the Prints. Tomorrow I shall proceed to Bath and be waiting for Intelligence as well from Your selves as from Congress. Some Consolation arises from reflecting that while I am endeavouring to mend my Health, you suffer no Inconvenience from my absence. With sincere Regard & respect, I have the honour to be, Gentlemen, / Your obedient & most / humble Servant
LbC-Tr in Jean L’Air de Lamotte’s hand (Adams Papers); APM Reel 103.
The enclosure, presumably taken from a London newspaper, has not been found, nor has the nature of the news reports mentioned by Laurens been identified.