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The Emerging Nation: A Documentary History

of the

Foreign Relations of the United States
under the

Articles of Confederation, 1780-1789

Mary A. Giunta
Editor-in-Chief and Project Director

J. Dane Hartgrove, Associate Editor

Norman A. Graebner, Peter P. Hill, Lawrence S. Kaplan
Consulting Editors

Volume III

Richard B. Smith

Project Publication Specialist, 1994

Mary-Jane M. Dowd

Editor and Project Director, 1985-1991

National Historical Publications and Records Commission

The cover illustration is taken from a photograph of the die of the Great
Seal of the United States, adopted in 1782 and engraved by Robert Scot of
Philadelphia. For further information on the design, adoption, and use of
the Great Seal, see Richard S. Patterson and Richardson Dougall, The Eagle
and the Shield: A History of the Great Seal of the United States (Washington,
1976).

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The emerging nation: a documentary history of the foreign relations of the
United States under the Articles of Confederation, 1780-1789 / Mary A.
Giunta, editor in chief; J. Dane Hartgrove, associate editor; Norman A.
Graebner, Peter P. Hill, Lawrence S. Kaplan, consulting editors; Richard
B. Smith, project publication specialist; Mary-Jane M. Dowd, editor and
project director.

xxi, 1001 pps 150mm x 225mm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

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Contents: v. 1. Recognition of independence, 1780-1784 — v. 2. Trials
and tribulations, 1780-1785 v. 3. Toward federal diplomacy, 1780-1789.
ISBN 0-16-048498-7 (vol. 1: alk. paper). ISBN 0-16-048499-5
(vol. 2: alk. paper). ISBN 0-16-048500-2 (vol. 3: alk. paper).

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1. United States-Foreign relations-1783-1815-Sources. 2. United
States-Foreign relations-1775-1783-Sources.

I. Giunta, Mary A. II. Hartgrove, J. Dane. III. Dowd, Mary-Jane M.
E303.E44 1996

327.73'009'033-dc20

96-10279
CIP

For sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office

Superintendent of Documents, Mail Stop: SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-9328

ISBN 0-16-048500-2

The Emerging Nation: A Documentary History of the Foreign Relations of the United States under the Articles of Confederation, 1780-1789, traces the battles of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and others to establish a credible international presence for the United States of America as a new nation.

This is an extraordinary collection of documentary materials brought together from universities, libraries, historical societies, and private organizations, including the National Archives, the Library of Congress, and French, British, and other European repositories. The collection of diplomatic despatches, treaties, private letters, and other documents is an essential record of the formative years of United States diplomacy.

These documents provide teachers and students with a basic reference work. They brim with information and insights valuable to historians, political scientists, government officials, lawyers, and other individuals interested in the development of early United States foreign policy. They provide insight into how a new nation gains diplomatic stature and shapes a foreign policy out of the ashes of war and amidst divergent interests at home and abroad.

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission is proud to present this three-volume documentary record of the beginnings of United States foreign policy.

John W. Carlin

Archivist of the United States

and Chair, National Historical Publications and Records Commission

1

General Introduction

We believe that God has hardened the heart of the
Pharaoh, so that he cannot let the people go, till the
first-born of his land are destroyed, 'till the hosts are
overthrown in the midst of the sea, and till poverty
and distress like the lice of Egypt shall have covered
the land.'

to secure

So declared the first Secretary for Foreign Affairs under the Articles of Confederation, Robert R. Livingston, in a letter to John Jay as he attacked King George III's refusal to make peace during the waning days of the American Revolution. But through diplomatic negotiations peace did come, a peace that challenged American leaders - John Jay, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Livingston, among others the new nation, to forge in diplomatic arenas the freedom gained on the battlefield. In the letters, despatches, and other documents that record their actions, one can see their struggles to gain recognition from foreign powers, to negotiate treaties and agreements with other countries, and to protect the sovereign rights of the United States. One can see their efforts to defend American claims to western territories in the face of attempts to define U.S. borders in narrow terms, and one can see the intrigues that aroused political jealousies and competitive interests among the American states. In like manner, in letters, despatches, and other documents of their European counterparts, one can see attempts to maintain authority and to increase influence in world affairs through diplomatic schemes and negotiations.

Robert R. Livingston to John Jay, 9 May 1782, National Archives, RG 360: Papers of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention, item 79, v. 1, pp. 714-723 (LBkC); M247, reel 105.

The Emerging Nation: A Documentary History of the Foreign Relations of the United States under the Articles of Confederation, 1780-1789, presents significant historical documents in three volumes. Volume One, Recognition of Independence, covers the extensive peace negotiations leading to the Treaty of Paris of 1783; Volume Two, Trials and Tribulations, explores the frustrations in diplomacy associated in part with the inability of the government under the Articles to control commerce, to tax the states for needed revenues, and to enforce treaties; Volume Three, Toward Federal Diplomacy, reflects continued diplomatic efforts to reach foreign agreements to enhance United States security in the world community while political leaders established a federal union.

It is the goal of the editors of this publication to make available significant documents to serve as a starting point for the study of United States diplomacy for the years 1780 to 1789. The documents begin with John Adams' acceptance of his commission as minister plenipotentiary to negotiate peace with Great Britain, continue with United States efforts to seek treaties and financial aid from European nations, and end with United States diplomatic efforts at the opening of the First Federal Congress.

In order to present the historical richness of as many documents as possible, introductions, headnotes, and annotations have been used judiciously in support of a basic understanding of the events. This editorial philosophy reflects the goal of the editors "to let the documents speak for themselves." As gathered here, they have much to say.

Historical Overview

During the 17th and 18th centuries Great Britain and France engaged in a series of wars as they fiercely competed for territories in India, Africa, the West Indies, and North America. The capstone of these wars in North America came in 1754 when conflict over claims to land and trade west of the Appalachian Mountains by French and British colonials ignited the French and Indian War, 1754-1763, which became a worldwide conflict known as the Seven Years War, 1756-1763. At the close of hostilities, France relinquished to Great Britain its rights to Canada, Acadia, Cape Breton Island, the islands in the St. Lawrence River, and all territories east of the Mississippi River. It gave all French territories west of the Mississippi River and New Orleans to Spain. Although France retained fishing rights off the coast of Newfoundland by the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1763, the result of defeat was virtual expulsion from the continent. Only Great Britain and Spain held colonies in North America.

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