Passy, July 17th. 1783.
We have the honour to inform you that we have just received from
Congress, their Ratification in due Form of the Provisional
Articles of the 30th. of November 1782, and we are ready to
exchange Ratifications with his Britannic Majesty’s Minister as
soon as may be.
By the same Articles it is stipulated that his Britannic Majesty
shall with all convenient Speed, and without causing any
Destruction or carrying away Negroes or other Property of the
American Inhabitants withdraw all his Armies, Garrisons and Fleets
from the United States and from every Port Place and Harbour
within the same. But, by Intelligence lately received from
America, and by the inclosed Copies of Letters and Conferences
between General Washington and Sir Guy Carleton it appears that a
considerable Number of Negroes belonging to the Citizens of the
United States, have been carried off from New York contrary to the
express Stipulation contained in the said Article. We have
received from Congress their Instructions to represent this Matter
to you, and to request that speedy and effectuall Measures be
taken to render that Justice to the parties interested which the
true Intent and meaning of the article in Question plainly
dictates.
We do ourselves the honour of making these Communications to you
Sir, that you may transmit them and the Papers accompanying them
to your Court, and inform us of their Answer. We have the honour
to be, Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servants.
Dd. Hartley Esqr.
No 2
As it is necessary to ascertain an , for the Restitutions
and Evacuations to be made we propose that it is agreed, that his
Britannic Majesty, shall cause to be evacuated the Ports of New
York, Penobscot, and their Dependencies, with all other Ports and
Places in Possession of his Majestys Arms, within the United
States in the Space of three Months after the Signature of this
definitive Treaty, or sooner if possible, excepting those Ports
contiguous to the Water Line, mentioned in the fourth Proposition,
and these shall be evacuated, when Congress shall give the Notice
therein mentioned.
No 1.
We are also instructed to represent to you, that so many of the
british Debtors in America have in the Course of the War sustained
such considerable and havey Losses by the operation of the british
arms in that Country, that a great Number of them have been
rendered incapable of immediately satisfying those Debts; we refer
it to the Justice and Equity of Great Britain so far to amend the
article on this Subject as that no Execution shall be issued on a
Judgm[ent] to be obtained in any such Case but after the
Expiration of three Years from the Date of the definitive Treaty
of peace. Congress also think it reasonable that such part of the
Interest which may have accrued on such Debts during the War shall
not be payable, because as all Intercourse between the two
Countries had during that period become impracticable as well as
improper, it does not appear just that Individuals in America
should pay for Delays in payment which were occasioned by the
civil and military Measures of Great Britain. In our opinion the
Interest of the Creditors as well as the Debtors requires that
some Tenderness be shewn to the latter, and that they should be
allowed a little Time to acquire the means of discharging Debts
which in many Instances exceed the whole amount of their property.
Follows No. 2.