be, and he and they are hereby, di- Extract from the Minutes. Private Letter from Governor John- Dear Sir, I beg to transfer to my friend, Doctor Ferguson, the private civilities which my friends, Mr. Manning and Mr. Ófwald, request in my behalf. He is a man of the utmost probity, and of the highest efteem in the republic of letters. fhewn that gentleman every degree It is, Sir, for Great Britain to You are undoubtedly acquainted with the only terms upon which Congrefs can treat for accomplishing this good end; terms from which, although writing in a private character, I may venture to affert, with great affurance, they never will recede, even admitting the continuance of hoftile attempts; and that, from the rage of war, the good people of thefe States fhall If fhould follow the example be driven to commence you a treaty of Britain in the hour of her infolence, and fend us back without a hearing, I fhall hope from private friendship that I may be permitted to fee the country, and the worthy characters fhe has exhibited to the world, upon making the request, in any way you may point out. I am, with great regard, dear Sir, your moft obedient and moft humble fervant, hum weftward of yonder mountain. And Congress in no hour have beenTM, to At a proper time, Sir, I fhall think myfelf highly honoured by a [r] 2 perfonal perfonal attention, and by contri- the reciprocal advantage of their buting to render every part of thefe States agreeable to you: but, until the bafis of mutual confidence fhall be established, I believe, Sir, neither former private friendship, nor any other confideration, can influence Congress to confent, that even Governor Johnstone, a gentleman who has been fo defervedly esteemed in America, fhall fee the country. I have but one voice, and that fhall be against it. But let me inftruct you, my dear Sir; do not hence conclude that I am deficient in affection to my old friends, through whofe kindness I have obtained the honour of the prefent correspondence, or that I am not, with very great perfonal refpect and efteem, Sir, Your most obedient, fubjects and citizens, have thought it neceffary to take into confidera, tion the means of ftrengthening thofe engagements, and of rendering them ufeful to the fafety and tranquillity of the two parties; particularly in cafe Great Britain, in refentment of that connexion, and of the good correfpondence which is the object of the faid treaty, fhould break the peace with France, either by direct hostilities, or by hindering her commerce and navigation, in a manner contrary to the rights of nations, and the peace fubfifting between the two crowns.-And his Majefty and the faid United States having refolved in that cafe to join their councils and efforts against the enterprizes of their common enemy The refpective plenipotentiaries, impowered to concert the claufes and conditions proper to fulfil the faid intentions, have, after the most mature deliberation, concluded and determined on the following articles. Art. I. If war should break out between France and Great Britain, during the continuance of the prefent war between the United States and England, his Majefty and the faid United States hall make it a common cause, and aid each other mutually with their good offices, their councils, and their forces, according to the exigency of conjunctures, as becomes good and faithful allies. Art. II. The effential and direct end of the prefent defenfive alliance is, to maintain effectually the liberty, fovereignty, and inde pendence, abfolute and unlimited, of the faid United States, as well in matters of government as of commerce. Art. III. The two contracting parties fhall each, on its own part, and in the manner it may judge moft proper, make all the efforts in its power against their common enemy, in order to attain the end propofed. Art. IV. The contracting parties agree, that in cafe either of them fhould form a particular enterprize, in which the concurrence of the other may be defired, the party whofe concurrence is defired hall readily, and with good faith, join to act in concert for that purpofe, as far as circumftances, and its own particular fituation will permit; and in that cafe, they fhall regulate, by a particular convention, the quantity and kind of fuccour to be furnished, and the time and manner of its being brought into action, as well as the advantages which are to be its compenfa tion. Art. V. If the United States fhould think fit to attempt the reduction of the British power remaining in the Northern parts of America, or the islands of Bermudas, thofe countries or iflands, in cafe of fuccefs, fhall be confederated with, or dependent upon, the faid United States. the power of the King and crown Art. VII. If his Most Christian Art. VIII. Neither of the two parties fhall conclude either truce or peace with Great Britain, without the formal confent of the other first obtained; and they mutually engage not to lay down their arms, until the independence of the Unite ed States fhall have been formally or tacitly affured by the treaty or treaties that fhall terminate the war. Art. IX. The contracting parties declare, that, being refolved to fulfil, each on its own part, the claufes and conditions of the prefent treaty of alliance, according to its own power and circumstances, there fhall be no after claims of compenfation, on one fide or the other, whatever may be the event of the war. Art. X. The Most Christian King and the United States agree, to invite or admit other powers, who may have received injuries from England, to make a common Art. VI. The Moft Chriftian caufe with them, and to accede to King renounces for ever the pof- the prefent alliance, under fuch con. feffion of the islands of Bermudas, ditions as fhall be freely agreed to, as well as of any part of the conti- and fettled between all the parties. nent of America, which, before the Art. XI. The two parties guatreaty of Paris, in 1763, or in vir- rantee mutually, from the prefent tue of that treaty, were acknow- time, and for ever, against all ledged to belong to the crown of other powers, to wit-The United Great Britain, or to the United States to his Moft Chriftian MaStates, heretofore called British jefty the prefent poffeffions of the Colonies, or which are at this crown of France in America, as time, or have lately been, under well as thofe which it may acquire by by the future treaty of peace; and the ratification fhall be exchanged his Moft Chriftian Majefty guaran- in the space of fix months, or fooner, tees, on his part, to the United if poffible. States, their liberty, fovereignty, and independence, abfolute and unlimited, as well in matters of government as commerce, and al fo their poffeffions, and the addi tions or conquefts that their confederation may obtain during the war, from any of the dominions now or heretofore poffeffed by. Great Britain in North America; conformable to the fifth and fixth articles above written, the whole as their poffeflions fhall be fixed and affured to the faid States, at the moment of the ceffation of their prefent war with England. Art. XII. In order to fix more precifely the fenfe and application of the preceding article, the contracting parties declare, that in cafe of a rupture between France and England, the reciprocal gua rantee declared in the faid article fhall have its full force and effect the moment fuch war fhall break out; and if fuch rupture fhall not take place, the mutual obligations of the faid guarantees fhall not commence until the moment of the ceffation of the prefent war between the United States and England fhall have afcertained their poffeffions. Art. XIII. The prefent treaty fhall be ratified on both fides, and In faith whereof the refpective ty |