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January 20
Liber C. B.
No. 24
p. 481
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Mightinesses the States General of the United Netherlands; Benjamin
Franklin, Esquire late Delegate in Congress from the State of Penn-
sylvania, President of the Convention of the said State and Minister
Plenipotentiary from the United States of America at the Court
of Versailles; John Jay Esqr late President of Congress, and Chief
Justice of the State of New York, and Minister Plenipotentiary from
the said United States at the Court of Madrid; to be the Plenipoten-
tiaries for the concluding and signing the present Definitive Treaty ;
who after having reciprocally communicated their respective full
Powers, have agreed upon and confirmed the following Articles :
"Article ist. His Britannic Majesty acknowledges the said United
States, Viz New Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Island, and
Providence plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Penn-
sylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Caro-
lina and Georgia, to be free, Sovereign and Independent States :
that he treats with them as such; and for himself, his Heirs and Suc-
cessors, relinquishes all claims to the Government, propriety and Ter-
ritorial rights of the same, and every part thereof
"Article 2d. And that all Disputes which might arise in future on
the Subject of the Boundaries of the said United States may be pre-
vented, it is hereby agreed and declared, that the following are and
shall be their Boundaries, viz. From the North West angle of Nova
Scotia, viz that angle which is formed by a Line drawn due North
from the source of Saint Croix river to the Highlands; along the
said Highlands which divide those rivers that empty themselves into
the river Saint Lawrence from those which fall into the Atlantic
Ocean, to the North western most head of Connecticut river, thence
down along the middle of that river to the forty fifth degree of North
Latitude; from thence by a Line due west on said Latitude, until it
strikes the river Iroquois or Cataraguy; thence along the middle of
said river into Lake Ontario through the middle of said Lake until it
strikes the communication by water between that Lake and Lake
Erie; thence along the Middle of said Communication into Lake
Erie, through the middle of said Lake until it arrives at the water
Communication between that Lake and Lake Huron; thence along
the middle of said Water communication into the Lake Huron;
thence through the middle of said Lake, to the water Communication
between that Lake and Lake Superior Northward of the Isles Royal
and Philipeaux to the Long Lake, thence through the middle of said
long Lake, and the water communication between it and the Lake of
the Woods to the said Lake of the Woods; thence through the said
Lake to the most north western point thereof, and from thence on a
due west course to the river Mississippi, thence by a Line to be drawn
along the middle of the said river Mississippi until it shall intersect
the Northernmost part of the thirty first Degree of North Latitude.
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