|
Temporarily burying the Hatchet: George III and
Louis XVI in 1783
Treaty of Versailles (With France) — September 3, 1783:
Transcript - English Translation
This treaty is part of the
1783 Peace of Paris,
also called the 1783 Peace of
Versailles.
Image Above
Left: George III,
oil on canvas by Johann Zoffany, 1771. ©
Royal Collection Trust
Right: Louis
XVI, oil on canvas by Joseph S. Duplessis, late 18th
century,
Musée Condé, Photo © René Gabriel Ojéda
_____________________
Definitive
Treaty of Peace and Friendship
between
his Britannic Majesty and the most Christian King,
signed at
Versailles, the 3rd of September 1783.
In the name of the most holy and
undivided Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. So be it.
Be it known to all those whom it
shall or may in any manner concern. The most serene and most
potent prince George the 3rd, by the grace of God, King of
Great Britain, France, and Ireland, duke of Brunswick and
Luneburg, arch-treasurer and elector of the Holy Roman
Empire etc. and the most serene and most potent prince Louis
the 16th, by the grace of God, most Christian King, being
equally desirous to put an end to the war, which for several
years past afflicted their respective dominions, accepted
the offer, which their Majesties the Emperor of the Romans,
and the Empress of all the Russias, made to them, of their
interposition, and of their mediation: but their Britannic
and most Christian Majesties, animated with a mutual desire
of accelerating the re-establishment of peace, communicated
to each other their laudable intention; which Heaven so far
blessed, that they proceeded to lay the foundations of
peace, by signing preliminary articles at Versailles, the
20th of January, in the present year.
Their said Majesties the King of
Great Britain, and the most Christian King, thinking it
incumbent upon them to give their Imperial Majesties a
signal proof of their gratitude for the generous offer of
their mediation, invited them, in concert, to concur in the
completion of the great and salutary work of peace, by
taking part, as mediators, in the definitive treaty to be
concluded between their Britannic and most Christian
Majesties. Their said Imperial Majesties having readily
accepted that invitation, they have named, as their
representatives, viz. his Majesty the Emperor of the Romans,
the most illustrious and most excellent lord Florimond,
count Mercy-Argenteau, viscount of Loo, baron of Crichengnée,
knight of the golden fleece, chamberlain, actual privy
councillor of state to his Imperial and royal Apostolic
Majesty, and his ambassador to his most Christian Majesty;
and her Majesty the Empress of all the Russias, the most
illustrious and most excellent lord, prince Iwan
Bariatinskoy, lieutenant-general of the forces of her
Imperial Majesty of all the Russias, knight of the orders of
St. Anne, and of the Swedish sword, and her minister
plenipotentiary to his most Christian Majesty, and the lord
Arcadi de Marcoff, of all the Russias, and her minister
plenipotentiary to his most Christian Majesty.
In consequence, their said
Majesties the King of Great Britain, and the most Christian
King, have named and constituted for their
plenipotentiaries, charged with the concluding and signing
of the definitive treaty of peace, viz. the King of Great
Britain, the most illustrious and most excellent lord
George, duke and earl of Manchester, viscount Mandeville,
baron of Kimbolton, lord-lieutenant and custos rotulorum of
the county of Huntingdon, actual privy councillor to his
Britannic Majesty, and his ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary to his most Christian Majesty; and the most
Christian King, the most illustrious and most excellent lord
Charles Gravier, count de Vergennes, baron of Welferding
etc. the King's councillor in all his councils, commander in
his orders, president of the royal council of finances,
councillor of state military, minister and secretary of
state, and of his commands and finances: who, after having
exchanged their respective full powers, have agreed upon the
following articles.
Art. I. There shall be a
Christian, universal, and perpetual peace, as well by sea as
by land, and a sincere and constant friendship shall be
re-established between their Britannic and most Christian
Majesties, and between their heirs and successors, kingdoms,
dominions, provinces, countries, subjects, and vassals, of
what quality or condition soever they be, without exception
either of places or persons; so that the high contracting
parties shall give the greatest attention to the maintaining
between themselves, and their said dominions and subjects,
this reciprocal friendship and intercourse, without
permitting hereafter, on either part, any kind of
hostilities to be committed, either by sea or by land, for
any cause or under any pretence whatsoever; and they shall
carefully avoid, for the future, every thing which might
prejudice the union happily re-established; endeavouring, on
the contrary, to procure reciprocally for each other, on
every occasion, whatever may contribute to their mutual
glory, interests, and advantage; without giving any
assistance or protection, directly or indirectly, to those
who would do any injury to either of the high contracting
parties. There shall be a general oblivion and amnesty of
every thing which may have been done or committed, before or
since the commencement of the war which is just ended.
Art. 2. The treaties of
Westphalia of 1648; the treaties of peace of Nimeguen of
1678, and 1679; of Ryswick of 1697; those of peace and of
commerce of Utrecht of 1713; that of Baden of 1714; that of
the triple alliance of the Hague of 1717; that of the
quadruple alliance of London of 1718; the treaty of peace of
Vienna of 1738; the definitive treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of
1748; and that of Paris of 1763; serve as a basis and
foundation to the peace, and to the present treaty; and for
this purpose, they are all renewed and confirmed in the best
form, as well as all the treaties in general which subsisted
between the high contracting parties before the war, as if
they were herein inserted word for word; so that they are to
be exactly observed for the future in their full tenor, and
religiously executed by both parties, in all the points
which shall not be derogated from by the present treaty of
peace.
Art. 3. All the prisoners taken
on either side, as well by land as by sea, and the hostages
carried away or given during the war, and to this day, shall
be restored, without ransom, in six weeks at latest, to be
computed from the day of the exchange of the ratifications
of the present treaty; each crown respectively discharging
the advances which shall have been made, for the subsistence
and maintenance of their prisoners, by the sovereign of the
country where they shall have been detained, according to
the receipts and attested accounts, and other authentic
vouchers, which shall be furnished on each side: and
sureties shall be reciprocally given for the payment of the
debts which the prisoners may have contracted in the
countries where they may have been detained, until their
entire release. And all ships, as well men of war as
merchant ships, which may have been taken since the
expiration of the terms agreed upon for the cessation of
hostilities by sea, shall likewise be restored, bona fide,
with all their crews and cargoes. And the execution of this
Article shall be proceeded upon immediately after the
exchange of the ratifications of this treaty.
Art. 4. His Majesty the king of
Great Britain is maintained in his right to the island of
Newfoundland, and to the adjacent islands, as the whole were
assured to him by the 13th Article of the treaty of Utrecht;
excepting the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, which are
ceded in full right, by the present treaty, to his most
Christian Majesty.
Art. 5. His Majesty the most
Christian King, in order to prevent the quarrels which have
hitherto arisen between the two nations of England and
France, consents to renounce the right of fishing, which
belongs to him in virtue of the aforesaid article of the
treaty of Utrecht, from cape Bonavista to cape St. John,
situated in the eastern coast of Newfoundland, in 50 degrees
north latitude; and his Majesty the King of Great Britain
consents, on his part, that the fishery assigned to the
subjects of his most Christian Majesty, beginning at the
said cape St. John, passing tot he north, and descending by
the western coast of the island of Newfoundland, shall
extend to the place called cape Raye, situated in 47
degrees, 50 minutes latitude. The French fishermen shall
enjoy the fishery which is assigned to them by the present
article, as they had the right to enjoy that which was
assigned to them by the treaty of Utrecht.
Art. 6. With regard to the
fishery in the gulph of St. Laurence, the French shall continue
to exercise it conformably to the 5th article of the treaty
of Paris.
Art. 7. The King of Great
Britain restores to France the island of St. Lucia, in the
condition it was in when it was conquered by the British
arms: and his Britannic Majesty cedes and guarantees to his
most Christian Majesty the island of Tobago. The Protestant
inhabitants of the said island, as well as those of the same
religion who shall have settled at St. Lucia whilst that
island was occupied by the British arms, shall not be
molested in the exercise of their worship; and the British
inhabitants, or others who may have been subjects of the
King of Great Britain in the aforesaid islands, shall retain
their possessions upon the same titles and conditions by
which they have acquired them; or else they may retire in
full security and liberty where they shall think fit, and
shall have the power of selling their estates, provided it
be to subjects of his most Christian Majesty, and of
removing their effects, as well as their persons, without
being restrained in their emigration, under any pretence
whatsoever, except on account of debts, or of criminal
prosecutions. The term limited for this emigration is fixed
to the space of 18 months, to be computed from the day of
the exchange of the ratifications of the present treaty. And
for the better securing the possessions of the inhabitants
of the aforesaid island of Tobago, the most Christian King
shall issue letters patent, containing an abolition of the
Droit d'Aubaine in the said island.
Art. 8. The most Christian King
restores to Great Britain the islands of Grenada, and the
Grenadines, St. Vincent's, Dominica, St. Christopher's,
Nevis, and Montserrat; and the fortresses of these islands
shall be delivered up in the condition they were in when the
conquest of them was made. The same stipulations inserted in
the preceding article shall take place in favour of the
French subjects, with respect to the islands enumerated in
the present article.
Art. 9. The King of Great
Britain cedes, in full right, and guarantees to his most
Christian Majesty, the river Senegal, and its dependencies,
with the forts of St. Louis, Podor, Galam, Arguin, and
Portendic; and his Britannic Majesty restores to France the
island of Gorée, which shall be delivered up in the
condition it was in when the conquest of it was made.
Art. 10. The most Christian King
on his part guarantees to the King of Great Britain the
possession of Fort James, and of the river Gambia.
Art. 11. For preventing all
discussion in that part of the world, the two high
contracting parties shall, within three months after the
exchange of the ratifications of the present treaty, name
commissaries, who shall be charged with the settling and
fixing of the boundaries of the respective possessions. As
to the gum trade, the English shall have the liberty of
carrying it on, from the mouth of the river St. John, to the
bay and fort of Portendic inclusively; provided that they
shall not form any permanent settlement, of what nature
soever, in the said river St. John, upon the coast, or in
the bay of Portendic.
Art. 12. As to the residue of
the coast of Africa, the English and French subjects shall
continue to resort thereto, according to the usage which has
hitherto prevailed.
Art. 13. The King of Great
Britain restores to his most Christian Majesty all the
settlements which belonged to him at the beginning of the
present war, upon the coast of Orixa, and in Bengal, with
liberty to surround Chandernagore with a ditch for carrying
off the waters; and his Britannic Majesty engages to take
such measures as shall be in his power for securing to the
subjects of France in that part of India, as well as on the
coasts of Orixa, Coromandel, and Malabar, a safe, free, and
independent trade, such as was carried on by the French East
India Company, whether they exercise it individually, or
united in a Company.
Art. 14. Pondicherry shall be in
like manner delivered up and guaranteed to France, as also Karakil; and his Britannic Majesty shall procure, for an
additional dependency to Pondicherry, the two districts of
Valanour and Bahour; and to Karakil, the four magans
bordering thereupon.
Art. 15. France shall re-enter
into the possession of Mahé, as well as of its factory at
Surat; and the French shall carry on their trade, in this
part of India, conformably to the principles established in
the 13th article of this treaty.
Art. 16. Orders having been sent
to India by the high contracting parties, in pursuance of
the 16th article of the preliminaries, it is further agreed,
that if, within the term of four months, the respective
allies of their Britannic and most Christian Majesties shall
not have acceded to the present pacification, or concluded a
separate accommodation, their said Majesties shall not give
them any assistance, directly or indirectly, against the
British or French possessions, or against the ancient
possessions of their respective allies, such as they were in
the year 1776.
Art. 17. The King of Great
Britain, being desirous to give to his most Christian
Majesty a sincere proof of reconciliation and friendship,
and to contribute to render solid the peace re-established
between their said Majesties, consents to the abrogation and
suppression of all the articles relative to Dunkirk, from
the treaty of peace concluded at Utrecht in 1713, inclusive,
to this day.
Art. 18. Immediately after the
exchange of the ratifications, the two high contracting
parties shall name commissaries to treat concerning new
arrangements of commerce between the two nations, on the
basis of reciprocity and mutual convenience; which
arrangements shall be settled and concluded within the space
of two years, to be computed from the 1st of January, 1784.
Art. 19. All the countries and
territories which may have been, or which may be conquered
in any part of the world whatsoever, by the arms of his
Britannic Majesty, as well as by those of his most Christian
Majesty, which are not included in the present treaty,
neither under the head of cessions nor under the head of
restitutions, shall be restored without difficulty, and
without requiring any compensation.
Art. 20. As it is necessary to
appoint a certain period for the restitutions and
evacuations to be made by each of the high contracting
parties, it is agreed that the King of Great Britain shall
cause to be evacuated the islands of St. Pierre and
Miquelon, three months after the ratification of the present
treaty, or sooner, if it can be done; St. Lucia (one of the Charibée islands) and Gorée in Africa, 3 months after the
ratification of the present treaty, or sooner, if it can be
done. The King of Great Britain shall in like manner, at the
end of three months after the ratification of the present
treaty, or sooner, if it can be done, enter again into the
possession of the islands of Grenada, the Grenadines, St.
Vincent's, Dominica, St. Christopher's, Nevis, and
Montserrat. France shall be put in possession of the towns
and factories which are restored to her in the East Indies,
and of the territories which are procured for her, to serve
as additional dependencies to Pondicherry, and to Karikal,
six months after the ratification of the present treaty, or
sooner, if it can be done. France shall deliver up, at the
end of the like term of six months, the towns and
territories which her arms may have taken from the English,
or their allies, in the East Indies. In consequence whereof,
the necessary orders shall be sent by each of the high
contracting parties, with reciprocal passports for the ships
which shall carry them, immediately after the ratification
of the present treaty.
Art. 21. The decision of the
prizes and seizures made prior to the hostilities shall be
referred to the respective courts of justice; so that the
legality of the said prizes and seizures shall be decided
according to the law of nations, and to treaties, in the
courts of justice of the nation which shall have made the
capture or ordered the seizures.
Art. 22. For preventing the
revival of the law-suits which have been ended in the
islands conquered by either of the high contracting parties,
it is agreed that the judgments pronounced in the last
resort, and which have acquired the force of matters
determined, shall be confirmed and executed according to
their form and tenor.
Art. 23. Their Britannic and
most Christian Majesties promise to observe sincerely, and
bona fide, all the articles contained and established
in the present treaty; and they will not suffer the same to
be infringed, directly or indirectly, by their respective
subjects; and the said high contracting parties guarantee to
each other, generally and reciprocally, all the stipulations
of the present treaty.
Art. 24. The solemn
ratifications of the present treaty, prepared in good and
due form, shall be exchanged in this city of Versailles,
between the high contracting parties, in the space of a
month, or sooner if possible, to be computed from the day of
the signature of the present treaty.
In witness whereof, we the underwritten ambassador
extraordinary, and ministers plenipotentiary, have signed
with our hands, in their names, and in virtue of our
respective full powers, the present definitive treaty, and
have cause the seals of our arms to be affixed thereto.
Done at Versailles, the 3rd day
of September 1783.
Manchester
Gravier de Vergennes
Separate Articles
I. Some of the titles made use
of by the contracting parties, whether in the full powers,
and other instruments, during the course of the negotiation,
or in the preamble of the present treaty, not being
generally acknowledged, it has been agreed that no prejudice
should ever result therefrom to either of the said
contracting parties; and that the titles taken or omitted on
either side, upon occasion of the said negotiation and of
the present treaty, shall not be cited or quoted as a
precedent.
II. It has been agreed and
determined, that the French language, made use of in all the
copies of the present treaty, shall not form an example
which may be alledged or quoted as a precedent, or in any
manner prejudice either of the contracting powers; and that
they shall conform, for the future, to what has been
observed, and ought to be observed, with regard to and on
the part of powers, who are in the practice and possession
of giving and receiving copies of like treaties in a
different language from the French; the present treaty
having, nevertheless, the same force and virtue, as if the
aforesaid practice had been therein observed.
In witness whereof, we the underwritten ambassador
extraordinary, and ministers plenipotentiary of their
Britannic and most Christian Majesties, have signed the
present separate articles, and have caused the seals of our
arms to be affixed thereto.
Done at Versailles, the 3rd of
September 1783.
Gravier de Vergennes
Manchester
_____________________
Source: The Parliamentary
History of England from the earliest period to the year 1803,
Vol. XXIII, Hansard, London, 1814
More History
|
|
