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the commander of the fhips of war of the other party, if required, fhall, in good faith and fincerity, give them all neceffary affiftance, and, in fuch cafe, the fhips of war and frigates of either of the powers fhall protect and sup port the merchant fhips of the other, provided, neverthelefs, that the fhips claiming affiftance are not engaged in any illicit commerce contrary to the principles of the neutrality...

IV. It is agreed and concluded, that all merchants, captains of merchant fhips, or other fubjects of his Swedish Majefty, fhall have full liberty, in all places under the dominion or jurifdiction of the United States of America, to manage their own affairs, and to employ in the management of them whomfoever they please; and they fhall not be obliged to make use of any interpreter or broker, nor to pay them any reward unless they make use of them. Moreover, the mafters of the fhips fhall not be obliged, in loading or unloading their veffels, to employ labourers appointed by publick authority for that purpose; but they fhall be at full liberty themselves to load or unload their veffels, or employ in loading or unloading them whomfoever they think proper, without paying reward under the title of salary to any other perfon whatever; and they fhall not be obliged to turn over any kind of merchandifes to other veffels, nor to receive them on board their own, nor to wait for their lading longer than they please, and all and every of the citizens, people, and inhabitants of the United States of America, fhall reciprocally have and enjoy the fame privileges and liberties in all places under the jurifdiction of the faid

realm.

V. It is agreed, that when merchandifes fhall have been put on board the fhips or veffels of either of the contracting parties, they fhall not be fubjected to any examination; but all examination and search must be before lading, and the prohibited merchandises must be stopped on the fpot before they are embarked, unless there is full evidence or proof of fraudulent practice on the part of the owner of the ship, or of him who has the command of her. In which cafe, only he shall be refponfible and Subject to the laws of the country in which he may be.

In all other cafes, neither the fubjects of either of the contracting parties, who fhall be with their veffels in the ports of the other, nor their merchandifes, fhall be feized or molested on account of contraband goods which they fhall have wanted to take on board, nor fhall any kind of embargo be laid on their fhips, fubjects, or citizens of the state, whofe merchandifes are declared contraband, or the exportation of which is forbidden, thofe only who fhall have fold, or intended to fell or alienate fuch merchandises, being liable to punishment for fuch contravention.

Done at Paris, the 3d day of April, in the year of our Lord 1783.

(Signed)

(L. S.) GUSTAV. PHILIP Comte de CREUTZ. (L. S.) B. FRANKLIN.

NOW, therefore, to the end, that the faid treaty may, with all good faith, be performed and obferved on the part of these ftates, all the citizens and inhabitants thereof, and more efpecially all officers and others in the fervice of the United States, are hereby enjoined and required to govern themselves ftrictly in all things according to the ftipulations above recited.

Done in Congress at Princeton, this 25th day of September, in the year of our Lord 1783, and of our Sovereignty and Independence the 8th.

ELIAS BOUDINOT, Prefident.
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.

EDICT

EDICT of the EMPRESS of RUSSIA:

Giving Leave to all Foreigners, of what Nation or Country foever, to carry on a free and unlimited Trade, both by Sea and Land, with the feveral Countries bordering upon the Euxine, which have lately been annexed to the Ruffian Dominion; and allotting Specially to fuch foreign Nations the Ports of Cherfon in the Government of Ca therineflaw, Sebaftopolis (formerly called Acht-air) and Theodofia (formerly called Caffa) both in the Province of Taurica, where they may refide and carry on their Traffic with the fome Immunities and Privileges, religious and civil, as are allowed at Petersburg and Archangel.

WE

WE Catherine the Second, by the grace of God, Emprefs and Autocratice of all the Ruffias, of Mufcovy, Kiovia Wolodomiria, Novogorod, Czarina of Cazan, Czarina of Aftrachan, Czarina of Siberia, Czarina of the Cherfonefus Taurica, Lady of Pickof, and Great Duchefs of Smolensko, Duchefs of Estonia, Livonia, Carelia, Twer, Ingorie, Permio, Vitatkia, Bulgaria, and other places; Lady and Great Duchefs of the coun try of Lower Novogorod, Chernigof, Razan, Poloszk, Roftof, Jaroflof, Belofersk, Uderfk, Obdorfk, Coudinfk, Wityrpfk, Mftiflawfk, and Sovereign of all the northern coafts, Lady of the Twerfky country, of the Carthalinian and Grauzinian Czars, of the country of Carbadinia; of the Princes of Circaffia, and thofe of the mountains, and of the other countries, heiress Lady, and Sovereign Ruler.

Our endeavours to increase the trade of our own fubjects, and of the other nations throughout the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean, have met with the wifhed-for fuccefs; the treaty of commerce which we concluded with the Ottoman Porte on the 10th of June, 1783, having finally removed thofe impediments and difficulties which, from the particular conftitution of the Turkish Government, had obftructed the faid trade in every step of its progrefs; which can only be guarded against by the inftitution of proper laws for the protection of com

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merce,

merce, and by granting it that entire freedom which its various fpeculations and turns fo indifpenfably require. The principles of this unlimited freedom we have adopted, and followed from the earliest period of our Government, as is manifeft from the feveral edicts and regulations which have been iffued from our Throne ; and we now extend these edicts and regulations in their utmost latitude to the trade of the Black Sea. The fecurity and convenience of that commerce are now fully provided for by the annexation of the province of Taurica, and the neighbouring territories, to our other dominions, we have opened therein divers fea ports for the ufe of all perfons who will carry away from thence the produce of Ruffia, and bring thither the produce and mapufactures of other countries.

T

It is well known, that the laft Turkish war (a war which, during the fix years that it lafted, was fignalized by fo many victories of our arms) was no fooner concluded than we erected within the Government of Catherineflaw, upon the River Dniper, and at a fhort diftance, the city of Cherfon: it having appeared to us, that that fituation was particularly commodious, as well for exporting the produce of Ruffia as for importing, from other countries, fuch things as might be useful to us; and we fecured the trade thereof by the most effectual means of defence, encouraging it moreover by fuch helps as were beft fuited to it, and were not inconfiftent with the general principles of commerce.

This town, as alfo Sebaftopolis (formerly called Achtair) and Theodofia (formerly called Caffa) both which latter are fituated in the province of Taurica, and are provided with excellent fea ports: we have, on accourt of the commodioufness of their fituation, ordered to be opened to all nations, living in amity with our empire, for the purposes of their commercial intercourfe with our faithful fubjects. Accordingly, we moft folemnly declare, by thefe prefents, that all fuch nations are at liberty to come to the faid ports, either in their own or hired veffels, and under their own colours, as also to repair thither by land; and they are likewife free to depart from thence at their pleasure, paying the duties of

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importation and exportation agreeable to the tariffs eftablished in the refpective cuftom houfes.-Moreover, all perfons, of what nations and countries foever, may remain in these towns as long as their bufinefs or inclinations may lead them, and enjoy the free exercise of their religion, agreeably to thofe laudable institutions which have been handed down to us from our ancestors, Sovereigns of Ruffia, and which we ourselves have confirmed and augmented, permitting all ftrangers refiding in Ruffia to worship the Almighty agreeably to the religion of their forefathers, offering prayers to him, together with our own fubjects, that he will increafe the welfare and ftrengthen the power of our empire. We give leave to all and every one to carry on their trade with abfolute freedom, either fingly. or in companies, promifing by our Imperial word, that all foreigners fhall enjoy the fame privileges in those three towns as they enjoy in our Imperial City of St. Petersburg, and in our provincial Town of Archangel; and in cafe of a war, every one fhall be fecured by the principles of that neutral fyftem which we have erected, and which, on our part, fhall be kept facred and inviolable. Finally, if any foreigners fhall wish to fettle in these or any other towns or places of our empire, and to become our fubjects, we will receive them most graciously under our dominion, promifing that they fhall not only be allowed the free exercife of their religion (as mentioned above) but the full enjoyment of all fuch privileges and exemptions with regard to trade and navigation as have been granted to our other fubjects; as alfo to erect fabricks and manufactories, paying only fuch taxes as fhall be paid by our other fubjects on the fame condition with themfelves, All perfons, who fhall thus become our fubjects, fhall be at liberty, they and their defcendants, to remain under our Government as long as may be agreeable to them, or as their intereft may require; and in cafe they fhould afterwards chufe to withdraw from the fame, they shall be freely permitted fo to do, on paying the taxes that had been laid upon them for three years to come. The particular privileges which will be granted to the above

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