MS (Adams Papers); endorsed: “Minutes of Articles to be / proposed in the definitive / Treaty.” Filmed at [Dec. 1782 – June 1783].

These dates are derived from JA's Diary entries for 10, 12, and 13 Dec. (JA, D&A , 3:94–96). In the first, JA indicated that Franklin “was for beginning early to think about the Articles of the difinitive Treaty” and then listed the five items that comprise Nos. 1, 6, 4, 5, and 9 in this document. On the 12th the commissioners “consulted about Articles to be inserted in the definitive Treaty” and on the 13th Franklin showed JA the article regarding noncombatants that is alluded to in No. 2. The preparation of these proposals reflected the commissioners’ expectation that negotiations, preferably with 120Richard Oswald, would begin soon. In fact substantive discussions began only after David Hartley arrived at Paris in late April. It should also be noted that the first three proposals were more suited to a commercial treaty and reflected the expectation that some sort of Anglo-American commercial agreement would be signed along with a definitive peace treaty. In the end, however, none of the proposals were included in the definitive treaty and there was no commercial agreement. The articles listed here should be compared with Franklin's longer “Sketch,” which notably proposed “that the Subjects of the United States and those of the King of Great Britain shall not be deemed Aliens in the Dominions of either, but enjoy the same Rights of Citizenship” (Franklin, Papers , 38:433–435). For JA's acceptance of this proposal, see his draft articles for a supplemental treaty, [ca. 27 April 1783], below.

This refers to the conventions between Russia, Denmark, and Sweden by which the three nations established an Armed Neutrality based on the principles enunciated by Catherine II in her declaration of 10 March 1780. For those conventions, as well as the declarations of other nations acceding to those principles and other relevant documents, see Scott, Armed Neutralities , p. 273–436. For the principles contained in Catherine's declaration and their importance for JA and the United States, see vol. 9:121–126. That the principles of the Armed Neutrality should be included in a peace or commercial settlement with Great Britain had a substantive basis, for although the commissioners’ June 1781 instructions said nothing about it, Congress had resolved on 5 Oct. 1780 to direct its ministers in Europe to seek admission to the confederation of neutrals ( JCC , 18:905–906). This led JA to make a concerted effort in early March 1781 to achieve Congress’ objective (vol. 11:182–185), while accession to the Armed Neutrality was the principal purpose of Francis Dana's mission to Russia. Indeed, the proposal here was included verbatim in the commissioners’ 12 Dec. letter to Dana, below.

This proposal reflected beliefs long held by Franklin that included, although not stated here, the abolition of privateering. For his reasons for such a proposal and the text of his proposed article, see Franklin, Papers , 37:609–610, 618–620; 38:444–445. For the later implementation of these principles, at least regarding “Cultivators of the earth, artizans, manufacturers, and fishermen,” see Art. 23 of the 1785 Prussian-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce (Miller, Treaties , 2:178–179).

This proposal reflected the inclusion of such an article in the French and Dutch treaties of amity and commerce of 1778 and 1782, Arts. 8 and 23, respectively (Miller, Treaties , 2:8–9, 78).

This concerned the right of American fishermen to dry and cure fish on Sable Island, which is located 100 miles off the coast of Nova Scotia. JA had asserted during the negotiations that it was a traditional right of American fishermen (JA, D&A , 3:45–46, 74). The stipulation was specifically mentioned in Art. 3 of the proposed treaty that Richard Oswald presented to the commissioners on 25 Nov., above, but was not explicitly acknowledged in either the preliminary or definitive treaties.

This proposal was not adopted until the Treaty of Washington of 1871 (Morris, Peacemakers , p. 416).

This proposal was intended to promote the humane treatment of prisoners of war by ensuring that the captors would receive compensation to cover their expenses at the conclusion of peace. For the implementation of this principle and other matters concerning the treatment of prisoners, see Art. 24 of the 1785 Prussian-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce (Miller, Treaties , 2:179–181).

RC (MHi:Dana Family Papers); internal address: “The Honourable Francis Dana Esq.”; endorsed: “Letters from J. Adams & others / Commissioners of the U. States / Dated Paris Decr: 12th. 1782 / Recd. Jany: 1st. 1783—O. Stile.” LbC (Adams Papers); APM Reel 108. LbC-Tr (Adams Papers); APM Reel 103.

The copy in the Letterbook is clearly a draft and is dated 6 Dec., the date of JA's letter to Dana indicating the commissioners’ intention to write him concerning the preliminary treaty. In his Diary entry for 12 Dec. JA wrote that the commissioners “met at Mr. Laurens's, and signed the Letter, I had drawn up” (JA, D&A , 3:95).

In the Letterbook the remainder of this paragraph initially read “the other belligerent Powers Shall have adjusted the Terms of a general Peace. This great Work, of which We do ourselves the Honour to inclose you a Copy, was compleated on the thirtyeth of November.”

Not found.

The Letterbook at this point reads “favourable opportunity,” but “opportunity” is canceled and inserted in the previous line to follow “present.”

In the Letterbook the passage from this point to the following comma initially read “there are no Objections to it, unknown to Us.”

In the Letterbook at this point is the canceled passage “for that Purpose.”

In the Letterbook “propose” is inserted in place of “insist on.”

Note that the remainder of this paragraph is a verbatim rendering of the first item in the commissioners’ proposed articles to be included in the definitive peace treaty of [ca. 10–13 Dec.], above.