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II. His Majesty will withdraw all his Troops and Garrisons from all Posts and places within the Boundary Lines assigned by the Treaty of Peace to The United States. This evacuation shall take place on or before the 1st day of June, 1796, and all the proper measures shall in the interval be taken by concert between the Government of The United States and His Majesty's Governor-General in America, for settling the previous arrangements which may be necessary respecting the delivery of the said Posts: The United States, in the mean time, at their discretion, extending their Settlements to any part within the said Boundary Line, except within the precincts or jurisdiction of any of the said Posts. All Settlers and Traders within the precincts or jurisdiction of the said Posts shall continue to enjoy, unmolested, all their property of every kind, and shall be protected therein; they shall be at full liberty to remain there, or to remove with all or any part of their effects; and it shall also be free to them to sell their lauds, houses, or effects, or to retain the property thereof, at their discretion. Such of them as shall continue to reside within the said Boundary Lines shall not be compelled to become Citizens of The United States, or to take any oath of allegiance to the Government thereof, but they shall be at full Jiberty so to do, if they think proper; and they shall make and declare their election within 1 year after the evacuation aforesaid. And all Persons who shall continye there after the expiration of the said year, without having declared their intention of remaining Subjects of His Britannic Majesty, shall be considered as having elected to become Citizens of The United States.

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III. It is agreed, that it shall at all times be free to His Majesty's Subjects, and to the Citizens of The United States, and also to the Indians dwelling on either side of the said Boundary Line, freely to pass and repass, by land or inland navigation, into the respective Territories and Countries of the 2 Parties on the Continent of America, (the Country within the limits of the Hudson's Bay Company only excepted,) and to navigate all the Lakes, Rivers and Waters thereof, and freely to carry on trade and commerce with each other. But it is understood, that this Article does not extend to the admission of Vessels of The United States into the Sea-Ports, Harbours, Bays or Creeks of His Majesty's said Territories; nor into such parts of the Rivers in His Majesty's said Territories as are between the mouth thereof and the highest Port of entry from the Sea, except in small Vessels trading bonâ fide between Montreal and Quebec, under such regulations as shall be established to prevent the possibility of any frauds in this respect; nor to the admission of British Vessels from the Sea into the Rivers of The United States, beyond the highest Ports of entry for Vessels from the Sea. The River Mississippi shall, however, according to the Treaty of Peace, be entirely open to both [1812-14.]

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Parties; and it is farther agreed, that all the Ports and places on its Eastern side, to which soever of the Parties belonging, may freely be resorted to, and used by both Parties, in as ample a manner as any of the Atlantic Ports or places of The United States, or any of the Ports or places of His Majesty in Great Britain.

All goods and merchandise, whose importation into His Majesty's said Territories in America shall not be entirely prohibited, may freely, for the purposes of commerce, be carried into the same, in the manner aforesaid, by the Citizens of The United States; and such goods and merchandise shall be subject to no higher or other Duties than would be payable by His Majesty's Subjects on the importation of the same from Europe into the said Territories. And, in like manner, all goods and merchandise, whose importation into The United States shall not be wholly prohibited, may freely, for the purpose of commerce, be carried into the same, in the manner aforesaid, by His Majesty's Subjects, and such goods and merchandise shall be subject to no higher or other Duties than would be payable by the Citizens of The United States on the importation of the same, in American Vessels, into the Atlantic Ports of the said States. And all goods not prohibited to be exported from the said Territories respectively, may, in like manner, be carried out of the same by the 2 Parties respectively, paying Duty as aforesaid.

No Duty of entry shall ever be levied, by either Party, on Peltries brought by land or inland navigation into the said Territories respectively; nor shall the Indians, passing or repassing with their own proper goods and effects, of whatever nature, pay for the same any Impost or Duty whatever; but goods in bales, or other large packages unusual among Indians, shall not be considered as goods belonging bonâ fide to Indians.

No higher or other tolls or rates of Ferriage than what are or shall be payable by Natives, shall be demanded on either side; and no Duties shall be payable on any goods which shall merely be carried over any of the Portages or Carrying-Places ou either side, for the purpose of being immediately re-embarked and carried to some other place or places. But as by this Stipulation it is only meant to secure to each Party a free passage across the Portages on both sides, it is agreed, that this exemption from Duty shall extend only to such goods as are carried in the usual and direct road across the Portage, and are not attempted to be in any manner sold or exchanged during their passage across the same; and proper regulations may be established to prevent the possibility of any frauds in this respect.

As this Article is intended to render, in a great degree, the local advantages of each Party common to both, and thereby to promote a disposition favourable to friendship and good neighbourhood, it is agreed, that the respective Governments will mutually promote this

amicable intercourse, by causing speedy and impartial justice to be done, and necessary protection to be extended to all who may be concerned therein.

IV. Whereas it is uncertain whether the River Mississippi extends so far to the Northward as to be intersected by a line to be drawn due West from the Lake of the Woods, in the manner mentioned in the Treaty of Peace between His Majesty and The United States; it is agreed, that measures shall be taken, in concert with His Majesty's Government in America, and the Government of The United States, for making a joint survey of the said River from one degree of latitude below the Falls of St. Anthony, to the principal source or sources of the said River, and also of the parts adjacent thereto; and that if, on the result of such survey, it should appear that the said River would not be intersected by such a line as is above-mentioned, the 2 Parties will thereupon proceed, by amicable negotiation, to regulate the Boundary Line in that quarter, as well as all other points, to be adjusted between the said Parties, according to justice and mutual convenience, and in conformity to the intent of the said Treaty.

V. Whereas doubts have arisen what River was truly intended under the name of the River St. Croix, mentioned in the said Treaty of Peace, and forming a part of the Boundary therein described, that question shall be referred to the final decision of Commissioners, to be appointed in the following manner, viz.

One Commissioner shall be named by His Majesty, and 1 by the President of The United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and the said 2 Commissioners shall agree on the choice of a 3rd; or, if they cannot so agree, they shall each propose 1 Person; and of the 2 names so proposed, 1 shall be drawn by lot in the presence of the 2 original Commissioners: And the 3 Commissioners so appointed shall be sworn impartially to examine and decide the said question according to such evidence as shall respectively be laid before them on the part of the British Government and of The United States. The said Commissioners shall meet at Halifax, and shall have power to adjourn to such other place or places as they shall think fit. They shall have power to appoint a Secretary, and to employ such Surveyors or other Persons as they shall judge necessary. The said Commissioners shall, by a Declaration under their Hands and Seals, decide what River is the River St. Croix intended by the Treaty. The said Declaration shall contain a description of the said River, and shall particularize the latitude and longitude of its mouth and of its source. Duplicates of this Declaration, and of the statements of their accounts, and of the journal of their proceedings, shall be delivered by them to the Agent of His Majesty and to the Agent of The United States, who may be respectively appointed and authorized to manage the business on behalf of the respective

Governments: And both Parties agree to consider such decision as final and conclusive, so as that the same shall never thereafter be called into question, or made the subject of dispute or difference between them.

VI. Whereas it is alleged, by divers British Merchants, and others His Majesty's Subjects, that debts to a considerable amount, which were bonâ fide contracted before the Peace, still remain owing to them by Citizens or Inhabitants of The United States, and that, by the operation of various lawful impediments since the Peace, not only the full recovery of the said debts has been delayed, but also the value and security thereof have been, in several instances, impaired and lessened, so that, by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, the British Creditors cannot now obtain and actually have and receive full and adequate compensation for the losses and damages which they have thereby sustained; it is agreed, that in all such cases where full compensation for such losses and damages cannot, for whatever reason, be actually obtained, had and received by the said Creditors in the ordinary course of justice, The United States will make full and complete compeusation for the same to the said Creditors: But it is distinctly understood that this provision is to extend to such losses only as have been occasioned by the lawful impediments aforesaid, and is not to extend to losses occasioned by such insolvency of the Debtors, or other causes as would equally have operated to produce such loss if the said impediments had not existed, nor to such losses or damages as have been occasioned by the manifest delay or negligence, or wilful omission, of the Claimant.

For the purpose of ascertaining the amount of any such losses and damages, 5 Commissioners shall be appointed and authorized to meet and act in manner following, viz., 2 of them shall be appointed by His Majesty, 2 of them by the President of The United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and the 5th by the unanimous voice of the other 4; and if they should not agree in such choice, then the Commissioners named by the 2 Parties shall respectively propose 1 Person, and of the 2 Names so proposed, I shall be drawn by lot in the presence of the 4 original Commissioners.

When the 5 Commissioners thus appointed shall first meet, they shall, before they proceed to act respectively, take the following Oath or Affirmation, in the presence of each other, which Oath or Affirmation being so taken and duly attested, shall be entered on the record of their proceedings, viz., I, A.B., 1 of the Commissioners appointed in pursuance of the VIth Article of the Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation, between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, do solemnly swear or affirm, that I will honestly, diligently, impartially and carefully examine, and to the best of my judgment, according to justice and equity, decide all such complaints

as under the said Article shall be preferred to the said Commissioners; and that I will forbear to act as a Commissioner in any case in which I may be personally interested.

Three of the said Commissioners shall constitute a Board, and shall have power to do any act appertaining to the said Commission, provided that I of the Commissioners named on each side, and the 5th Commissioner shall be present; and all decisions shall be made by the majority of the voices of the Commissioners then present. 18 months from the day on which the said Commissioners shall form a Board, and be ready to proceed to business, are assigned for receiving complaints and applications; but they are nevertheless authorized, in any particular cases in which it shall appear to them to be reasonable and just, to extend the said term of 18 months for any term not exceeding 6 months after the expiration thereof. The said Commissioners shall first meet at Philadelphia; but they shall have power to adjourn from place to place as they shall see cause.

The said Commissioners, in examining the complaints and applications so preferred to them, are empowered and required, in pursuance of the true intent and meaning of this Article, to take into their consideration all claims, whether of principal or interest, or balances of principal and interest, and to determine the same respectively, according to the merits of the several cases, due regard being had to all the circumstances thereof, and as equity and justice shall appear to them to require. And the said Commissioners shall have power to examine all such Persons as shall come before them, on oath or affirmation, touching the premises; and also to receive in evidence, according as they may think most consistent with equity and justice, all written depositions, or books, or papers, or copies or extracts thereof, every such deposition, book or paper, or copy or extract, being duly authenticated, either according to the legal forms now respectively existing in the 2 Countries, or in such other manner as the said Commissioners shall see cause to require or allow.

The award of the said Commissioners, or of any 3 of them as aforesaid, shall in all cases be final and conclusive, both as to the justice of the claim, and to the amount of the sum to be paid to the Creditor or Claimant: and The United States undertake to cause the sum so awarded to be paid in specie to such Creditor or Claimant without deduction; and at such time or times, and at such place or places, as shall be awarded by the said Commissioners; and on condition of such releases or assignments to be given by the Creditor o r Claimant, as by the said Commissioners may be directed: provided always, that no such payment shall be fixed by the said Commissioners to take place sooner than 12 months from the day of the exchange of the Ratifications of this Treaty.

VII. Whereas complaints have been made by divers Merchants

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