four distinct and separate Governments, stiled and called by the names of Appendix. Quebec, East Florida, West Florida, and Grenada, and limited and bounded as follows, viz. Proclamation of Firstly. The Government of QUEBEC, bounded on the Labrador Coast by 1763. the River St. John, and from thence by a line drawn from the head of that river, through the Lake St. John, to the south end of the Lake Nipissim; from whence the said line crossing the River St. Lawrence, and the Lake Champlain in forty-five degrees of north latitude, passes along the high lands which divide the rivers that empty themselves into the said River St. Lawrence from those which fall into the sea, and also along the north coast of the Bay des Chaleurs, and the coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to Cape Rosiers, and from thence crossing the mouth of the River St. Lawrence by the west end of the Island of Anticosti, terminates at the aforesaid River St. John. Secondly. The Government of EAST FLORIDA, bounded to the westward by the Gulf of Mexico and the Apalachicola River; to the northward by a line drawn from that part of the said river where the Catahouchee and Flint Rivers meet, to the source of St. Mary's River, and by the course of the said river to the Atlantic Ocean, and to the east and south by the Atlantic Ocean, and the Gulf of Florida, including all the islands within six leagues of the sea coast. Thirdly. The Government of WEST FLORIDA, bounded to the southward by the Gulf of Mexico, including all islands within six leagues of the coast from the River Apalachicola to Lake Ponchartrain, to the westward by the said lake, the Lake Maurepas, and the River Mississipi, to the northward by a line drawn east from that part of the River Mississipi which lies in thirty-one degrees north latitude to the River Apalachicola, or Catahouchee, and to the eastward by the said river. Fourthly. -The Government of GRENADA, comprehending the islands of that name, together with the Grenadines, and the islands of Dominica, Saint Vincent, and Tobago. And to the end that the open and free fishery of our subjects may be extended to, and carried on, upon the coast of Labrador and the adjacent islands, we have thought fit, with the advice of our said Privy Council, to put all that coast from the River St. John's to Hudson's Straits, together with the Islands of Anticosti and the Magdeleine, and all smaller islands lying upon the said coast, under the care and inspection of our Governor of Newfoundland. We have also, with the advice of our Privy Council thought fit to annex the Islands of St. John, and Cape Breton, or Isle Royale, with the lesser islands adjacent thereto, to our Government of Nova Scotia. We have also, with the advice of our Privy Council aforesaid, annexed to our Province of Georgia, all the lands lying between the Rivers Attamaha and St. Mary's. And whereas it will greatly contribute to the speedy settling our said new Governments, that our loving subjects should be informed of our paternal care for the security of the liberty and properties of those who are and shall become inhabitants thereof; we have thought fit to publish and declare, by this our Proclamation, that we have, in the Letters Patent under our Great Seal of Great Britain, by which the said Governments are constituted, given express power and direction to our Governors of our said colonies respectively, that so soon as the state and circumstance of the said colonies will admit thereof, they shall, with the advice and consent of the Members of our Council, summon and call general assemblies within the said Governments respectively, in such manner and form as is used and directed in those colonies and Provinces in America, which are under our immediate Government; and we have also given power to the said Governors with the consent of our said Councils, and the representatives of the people, so to be summoned as aforesaid, to make, constitute, and ordain laws, statutes, and ordinances for the public peace, welfare, and good government of our said colonies, and of the people and inhabitants thereof, as near as tion of 1763. Appendix. may be agreeable to the Laws of England, and under such regulations and restrictions as are used in other colonies; and in the mean time, and until Proclama- such assemblies can be called as aforesaid, all persons inhabiting in, or resorting to our said colonies may confide in our Royal protection for the enjoyment of the benefit of the Laws of our Realm of England; for which purpose, we have given power under our Great Seal to the Governors of our said colonies respectively, to erect and constitute, with the advice of our said Councils respectively, Courts of Judicature and Public Justice within our said colonies, for the hearing and determining all causes as well criminal as civil, according to law and equity, and, as near as may be, agreeable to the Laws of England, with liberty to all persons, who may think themselves aggrieved by the sentence of such Courts, in all civil cases, to appeal under the usual limitations and restrictions, to us, in our Privy Council. We have also thought fit with the advice of our Privy Council as aforesaid, to give unto the Governors and Councils of our said three new Colonies upon the continent, full power and authority to settle and agree with the inhabitants of our said new colonies or any other person who shall resort thereto, for such lands, tenements, and hereditaments, as are now or hereafter shall be in our power to dispose of, and them to grant to any such person or persons, upon such terms, and under such moderate quit-rents, services, and acknowledgments, as have been appointed and settled in other colonies, and under such other conditions as shall appear to us to be necessary and expedient for the advantage of the grantees, and the improvement and settlement of our said Colonies. And whereas we are desirous, upon all occasions, to testify our Royal sense and approbation of the conduct and bravery of the officers and soldiers of our armies, and to reward the same. We do hereby command and empower our Governors of our said three new colonies, and other our Governors of our several provinces of the continent of North America, to grant, without fee or reward, to such reduced officers and soldiers as have served in North America during the late war, and are actually residing there, and shall personally apply for the same, the following quantities of land, subject, at the expiration of ten years, to the same quit-rents as other lands are subject to in the province within which they are granted, as also subject to the same conditions of cultivation and improvement, viz. To every person having the rank of a Field Officer.... 5,000 acres ... To every Subaltern or Staff Officer. 3,000 acres 2,000 acres 50 acres We do likewise authorize and require the Governors and Commanders-inChief of all our said colonies upon the continent of North America, to grant the like quantities of land, and upon the same conditions, to such reduced Officers of our Navy, of like rank, as served on board our ships of war in North America, at the times of the reduction of Louisbourg and Quebec, in the late war, and who shall personally apply to our respective Governors for such grants. And whereas it is just and reasonable, and essential to our interest, and the security of our colonies, that the several nations, or tribes of Indians, with whom we are connected, and who live under our protection, should not be molested or disturbed in the possession of such parts of our dominions and territories, as, not having been ceded to us, are reserved to them, or any of them, as their hunting grounds; we do, therefore, with the advice of our Privy Council, declare it to be our Royal will and pleasure, that no Governor or Commander-in-Chief, in any of our colonies of Quebec, East Florida, or West Florida, do presume, upon any pretence whatever, to grant warrants of survey, or pass any patents for lands beyond the bounds of their respective Governments, as described in their commissions; as also that no Governor or Commander-in-Chief of our other colonies or plantations in America, do pré- Appendix. sume for the present, and until our further pleasure be known, to grant war- Proclama rants of survey, or pass any patent for lands beyond the heads or sources of tion of any of the rivers which fall into the Atlantic Ocean from the west or north- 1763. west; or upon any lands whatever, which not having been ceded to, or purchased by us, as aforesaid, are reserved to the said Indians, or any of them. And We do further declare it to be our Royal will and pleasure, for the present, as aforesaid, to reserve under our sovereignty, protection, and dominion, for the use of the said Indians, all the lands and territories not included within the limits of Our said Three New Governments, or within the limits of the territory granted to the Hudson's Bay Company, as also all the lands and territories lying to the westward of the sources of the rivers which fall into the sea, from the west and north-west, as aforesaid; and We do hereby strictly forbid, on pain of our displeasure, all our loving subjects from making any purchases or settlements whatever, or taking possession of any of the lands above reserved, without our especial leave and license for that purpose first obtained. And We do further strictly enjoin and require all persons whatever, who have either wilfully or inadvertently seated themselves upon any lands within the countries above described, or upon any other lands, which, not having been ceded to, or purchased by Us, are still reserved to the said Indians as aforesaid, forthwith to remove themselves from such settlements. And, whereas great frauds and abuses have been committed in the purchasing lands of the Indians, to the great prejudice of our interests, and to the great dissatisfaction of the said Indians; in order, therefore, to prevent such irregularities in future, and to the end, that the Indians may be convinced of our Justice and determined Resolution to remove all reasonable cause of discontent, We do, with the advice of our Privy Council, strictly enjoin and require, that no private person do presume to make any purchase from the said Indians, of any lands reserved to the said Indians, within those parts of our colonies where we have thought proper to allow settlement; but that if, at any time, any of the said Indians should be inclined to dispose of the said lands, the same shall be purchased only for us, in our name, at some public meeting or assembly of the said Indians, to be held for that purpose by the Governor, or Commanderin-chief, of our colony respectively, within which they shall lie and in case they shall lie within the limits of any Proprietary Government, they shall be purchased only for the use, and in the names of such Proprietaries, conformably to such directions and instructions as We or they shall think proper to give for that purpose and We do, by the advice of our Privy Council, declare and enjoin, that the trade with the said Indians shall be free and open to all our subjects whatever; provided, that every person who may incline to trade with the said Indians, do take out a license for carrying on such trade, from the Governor or Commander-in-chief of any of our colonies respectively, where such person shall reside; and also give security to observe such regulations as We shall, at any time, think fit, by Ourselves or by Our Commissaries, to be appointed for this purpose, to direct and appoint for the benefit of the said trade: and We do hereby authorize, enjoin, and require the Governors, and Commanders-in-chief, of all our colonies respectively, as well those under our immediate government, as those under the government and direction of proprietaries, to grant such licenses without fee or reward, taking especial care to insert therein a condition, that such license shall be void, and the security forfeited, in case the person to whom the same is granted, shall refuse, or neglect to observe such regulations as we shall think proper to prescribe as aforesaid. And we do further expressly enjoin and require all officers whatever, as well military as those employed in the management and direction of the Indian affairs, within the territories reserved, as aforesaid, for the use of the said Indians, to seize and apprehend all persons whatever, who, standing charged with treasons, L 2 Appendis. misprisions of treason, murders, or other felonies or misdemeanors, shall fly from justice, and take refuge in the said territory, and to send them, under a proper guard, to the colony where the crime was committed, of which they shall stand accused, in order to take their trial for the same. Proclamation of 1763. Given at our Court, at St. James's, the seventh day of October, one thousand seven hundred and sixty-three, in the third year of our reign. GOD SAVE THE KING! This is a true copy from the original Record remaining in the Chapel of the Rolls, having been examined. No. 8. JOHN KIPLING. from Secret Journals of Acts of Congress. Extracts Extracts from the Secret Journals of the Acts and Proceedings of Congress, from the First Meeting thereof to the Dissolution of the Confederation, by the adoption of the Constitution of the United States. Published under the direction of the President of the United States, conformably to Resolution of Congress of March 27, 1818, and April 21, 1820. Vol. ii. p. 138. March 19, 1779. CONGRESS took into consideration the Report of the Committee of the whole and agreed the following ultimata: 1. That the thirteen United States are bounded, north, by a line to be drawn from the north-west angle of Nova Scotia, along the high lands which divide those rivers which empty themselves into the River St. Lawrence from those which fall into the Atlantic Ocean to the north-westernmost head of Connecticut River; thence down along the middle of that River to the forty-fifth degree of north latitude; thence due west in the latitude forty-five degrees north from the equator, to the north-westernmost side of the River St. Lawrence, or Cadaraqui: thence straight to the south end of Lake Nepissing; and thence straight to the source of the River Mississippi: west, by a line to be drawn along the middle of the River Mississippi from its source to where the said line shall intersect the latitude of thirty-one degrees north: south, by a line to be drawn due east from the termination of the line last mentioned in the latitude thirtyone degrees north from the equator to the middle of the River Apalachicola, or Catahouchie; thence along the middle thereof to its junction with the Flint River; thence straight to the head of St. Mary's River; thence down along the middle of St. Mary's River to the Atlantic Ocean: and east, by a line to be drawn along the middle of St. John's from its source to its mouth in the Bay of Fundy, or by a line to be settled and adjusted between that part of the State of Massachusetts Bay, formerly called the Province of Maine, and the Colony of Nova Scotia, agreeably to their respective rights, comprehending all islands within twenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States, and lying between lines to be drawn due east from the points where the aforesaid Boundaries between Nova Scotia on the one part, and East Florida on the other part, shall respectively touch the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic Ocean. Provided, that if the line to be drawn from the mouth of Lake Nepissing to the head of the Mississippi cannot be obtained without continuing the war for that purpose, then, that a line or lines may be drawn more southerly, so as not to be southward of a line in latitude forty-five degrees north. 2. That every post and place within the United States, and every island, Appendix. harbour, and road to them, or any of them, belonging, be absolutely evacuated by the land and sea forces of His Britannic Majesty, and yielded to the Powers of the States to which they respectively belong. Extracts from Secret Journals of Acts of Congress. August 14, 1779. Congress proceeded in the consideration of the instruc- vol. ii, tions to the Minister to be appointed for negotiating a Peace, and unanimously p. 224. agreed to the following draft of instructions to the Commissioner to be appointed to negotiate a Treaty of Peace with Great Britain. SIR,-You will herewith receive a commission, giving you full power to negotiate a Treaty of Peace with Great Britain, in doing which you will conform to the following information and instructions: 1. The United States are sincerely desirous of peace, and wish by every means, consistent with their dignity and safety, to spare the further effusion of blood. They have, therefore, by your commission and these instructions, laboured to remove the obstacles to that event, before the enemy have evidenced their disposition for it. But as the great object of the present defensive war on the part of the Allies is to establish the independence of the United States, and as any Treaty whereby this end cannot be obtained must be only ostensible and illusory, you are, therefore, to make it a preliminary article to any negotiation, that Great Britain shall agree to treat with the United States as sovereign, free, and independent. 2. You shall take especial care also, that the independence of the said States be effectually assured and confirmed by the Treaty or Treaties of Peace, according to the form and effect of the Treaty of Alliance with His Most Christian Majesty. And you shall not agree to such Treaty or Treaties, unless the same be thereby so assured and confirmed. 3. The Boundaries of these States are as follows, viz. these States are bounded north, by a line to be drawn from the north-west angle of Nova Scotia along the highlands which divide those rivers which empty themselves into the River St. Lawrence, from those which fall into the Atlantic Ocean, to the north-westernmost head of Connecticut River; thence down along the middle of that river to the forty-fifth degree of north latitude; thence due west in the latitude forty-five degrees north from the equator to the north-westernmost side of the River St. Lawrence or Cadaraqui; thence straight to the south end of Nepissing; and thence straight to the source of the River Mississippi: west, by a line to be drawn along the middle of the River Mississippi from its source to where the said line shall intersect the thirty-first degree of north latitude: south, by a line to be drawn due east from the termination of the line last mentioned in the latitude of thirty-one degrees north from the equator to the middle of the River Appalachicola, or Catahouchi; thence along the middle thereof to its junction with the Flint River; thence straight to the head of St Mary's River; and thence down along the middle of St. Mary's River to the Atlantic Ocean: and east, by a line to be drawn along the middle of St. John's River from its source to its mouth in the Bay of Fundy, comprehending all islands within twenty leagues of any part of the shores of the United States, and lying between lines to be drawn due east from the points where the aforesaid Boundaries between Nova Scotia on the one part, and East Florida on the other part, shall respectively touch the Bay of Fundy and Atlantic Ocean. You are, therefore, strongly to contend that the whole of the said countries and islands lying within the Boundaries aforesaid, and every citadel, fort, post, place, harbour and road to them belonging, be absolutely evacuated by the land and sea forces of His Britannic Majesty, and yielded to the Powers of the States to which they respectively belong, in such situation as they may be at the termi |