treaty, which I intend to sign, according to my powers, fulfils these different objects, and it only remains with me to bring to your recollection, sir, the proposition which I have taken the liberty to make to you in my letter of June 17th last, to authorize Mr. Dumas, Chargé d'Affaires at the Hague, to concur with me in the usual exchange. The King is only waiting for the instrument, signed by the American Plenipotentiaries, to cause the ratification of it to be transmitted in the usual manner.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

DE THULEMEIER.

INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS TO MR. SHORT.

Sir,

A treaty of amity and commerce between the United States of America and his Majesty the King of Prussia, having been arranged with the Baron de Thulemeier, his Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary at the Hague, specially empowered for this purpose, and it being inconsistent with our other duties to repair to that place ourselves, for the purpose of executing and exchanging the instruments of treaty, we therefore appoint you special Secretary for that purpose.

You will receive from Colonel Humphreys, Secretary of our legation, the original of our full powers, and a copy of the same attested by him, the full power heretofore communicated to us by the Baron de Thulemeier, and the two instruments of treaty arranged between us, each in two columns, the one in English and the other in French, equally originals. From us you receive a letter to Charles Dumas, Esq., agent for the United States at the Hague, associating him with you in the objects of your mission.

You will proceed immediately to the Hague, and being arrived there will deliver the letter to Mr. Dumas, and proceed conjointly with him in the residue of your business, which is to be executed there.

The original of our full powers is to be exhibited to the Plenipotentiary of his Majesty the King of Prussia, and the attested copy is to be left with him, you taking back the original; you will in like manner ask an exhibition of the original of his full powers, and also a copy duly attested; you will compare the copy with the original,

and being satisfied of its exactness you will return the original and keep the copy. That you may be under no doubt whether the full powers exhibited to you be sufficient or not, you will receive from Colonel Humphreys those which the Baron de Thulemeier heretofore sent to us. If those which shall be exhibited agree with these in form or substance, they will be sufficient.

The full powers being approved on each side and exchanged, you will obtain the signature and seal of the Prussian Plenipotentiary to the two instruments of treaty with which you are charged, and yourself and Mr. Dumas will attest the same. One of those original instruments will remain in the hands of the Prussian Plenipotentiary, the other you will retain.

You will ask that the ratification of his Majesty the King of Prussia be made known to us as soon as it shall have taken place, giving an assurance on our part that that of Congress shall also be communicated as soon as it shall have taken place. When both ratifications shall be known, measures may be concerted for exchanging them. You will confer with the said Plenipotentiary on the expediency of keeping this treaty uncommunicated to the public until the exchange of ratifications, and agree accordingly.

You will then return to Paris, and redeliver to the Secretary of our legation our original full powers, the copies of those of Prussia before mentioned, and the original instrument of the treaty which you shall have retained.

FROM MESSRS. ADAMS AND JEFFERSON TO C. F. W. DUMAS.

Sir,

A treaty of amity and commerce between the United States of America and his Majesty the King of Prussia, having been arranged by us with the Baron de Thulemeier, his Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary at the Hague, specially empowered for this purpose, and it being inconsistent with our other duties to repair to that place ourselves for the purpose of executing and exchanging the instruments of treaty, we have delivered the same, duly executed on our part, to the bearer hereof, William Short, Esq., to be by him carried with the other necessary papers to the Hague. When arrived there, we ask and authorize you to manage, in conjunction with him, the

execution and exchange of the instruments of treaty according to the instructions which he receives from us, and will communicate to you. Your former attention to the interests of the United States and readiness to promote them give us an assurance that you will not withhold them on the present occasion.

We have the honor to be, &c.,

(At London.)

(At Paris.)

JOHN ADAMS,

THOS. JEFFERSON.

THOMAS JEFFERSON TO BARON DE THULEMEIER, ACCOMPANYING THE PRECEDING INSTRUMENTS.

Sir,

Paris, July, 1785.

I was honored with the receipt of your letter on the 21st instant, together with the French draft of the treaty proposed. As it ultimately meets his Majesty's approbation, Doctor Franklin, our colleague, having assisted us through the progress of this business, we were desirous he also should join in the execution. Duplicate instruments were, therefore, prepared, each divided into two columns, in one of which we entered the English form as it had been settled between us, leaving the other blank to receive the French we expected from you. In this state, the Doctor, before his departure, put his signature and seal to the two instruments. We have since put into the blank column the French form received from you verbatim. As we thought that such instruments should not be trusted out of confidential hands, and the bearer hereof, William Short, Esq., heretofore a member of the Council of State in Virginia, happened to be in Paris, and willing to give us his assistance herein, they are delivered into his hands, with other necessary papers, according to an arrangement previously made between Mr. Adams, Doctor Franklin, and myself. He will proceed to London to obtain Mr. Adams's signature, and thence to the Hague, where we have, according to your desire, associated Mr. Dumas with him, to concur with you in the final execution. It is with singular pleasure I see this connexion formed by my country with a sovereign whose character gives a lustre to all the transactions of which he makes a part. THOS. JEFFERSON.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

EIGHTH REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO CONGRESS, ADDRESSED TO JOHN JAY, SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Paris, August 14, 1785.

Sir,

The letter of June 18, signed by Doctor Franklin and myself, is the last addressed to you from hence on the part of the general commission. As circumstances rendered it necessary that the signature of the Prussian treaty, whenever it should be in readiness, should be made separately, the intervention of a person of confidence between the Prussian Plenipotentiary and us, became also requisite. His office would be to receive the duplicates of the treaty here, signed by Doctor Franklin and myself, to carry them to London to Mr. Adams, and to the Hague, to Baron Thulemeier, for their signature. Moreover, to take hence the original of our full powers, to shew to Baron Thulemeier, and the copy of his, which he had before communicated to us, to ask from him a sight of the original, to compare the copy with it, and certify the latter to be true. Mr. Adams, Dr. Franklin, and myself, therefore, had concluded to engage Mr. Short (a gentleman of Virginia who lives with me at present) to transact this business, and to invest him with the character of Secretary pro hac vice, in order that his signature of the truth of the copy of Baron Thulemeier's full powers might authenticate that copy. On the receipt of the letter, No. 1, therefore, from that Minister, Mr. Short set out hence with the necessary papers. By a letter lately received from him, I expect he left London for the Hague about the 10th instant, and that the treaty is ultimately executed by this time. In respect to the desire expressed by Baron Thulemeier in his letter, we associated Mr. Dumas with Mr. Short, to assist in the exchange of signatures and other ceremonies of execution. We agreed to bear Mr. Short's expenses, and have thought that a guinea a day (Sunday excepted) would be a proper compensation for his trouble and the necessary equipments of his journey, which could not enter into the account of his travelling expenses. I hope, by the first safe conveyance, to be able to forward to you the original of the treaty. No. 2 is my answer to Baron Thulemeier's letter, No. 3 our instructions to Mr. Short, and No. 4 our letter to Mr. Dumas.

Mr. Lamb's delay gives me infinite uneasiness. You will see, by the enclosed papers, Nos. 5, 6, and 7, sent me by Mr. Carmichael, that the Emperor of Morocco, at the instance of the Spanish Court, has delivered up the crew of the Betsy. No. 8, also received from Mr. Carmichael, is a list of articles given the Emperor of Morocco the last year by the States General. It is believed that the Spanish negotiator at Algiers has concluded a peace with that State, and has agreed to give them a million of dollars, besides a very considerable quantity of things in kind. The treaty meets with difficulties in the ratification, perhaps the exorbitance of the price may occasion them. Rumors are spread abroad that they are pointing their preparations at us. The enclosed paper, No. 9, is the only colorable evidence of this which has come to my knowledge. I have proposed to Mr. Adams, that if Mr. Lamb does not come hither in the French or English packet then (August 6th) next expected, to send some person immediately to negotiate these treaties, on the presumption that Mr. Lamb's purpose has been changed. We shall be at a loss for the instructions of which he is said to be the bearer. I expect Mr. Adams's answer on this subject.

I have the honor to be, &c.,

THOS. JEFFERSON.

REPORT OF JOHN JAY ON A TREATY WITH PRUSSIA.

Office for Foreign Affairs, March 9, 1786.

The Secretary of the United States for the Department of Foreign Affairs, to whom was referred the treaty lately concluded with Prussia, and transmitted with a joint letter from Mr. Adams and Mr. Jefferson, reports:

That on considering the several articles in the said treaty, he observes that each party is to enjoy, in the dominions of the other, the same rights and privileges as to commerce, &c., as are or shall be granted to the most favored nation.

On this point your Secretary adheres to the same opinion which he heretofore communicated to Congress in his report of 17th May last, on the draft of a treaty of amity and commerce, transmitted by the American Ministers. He also thinks that much of the reason in that report applies to certain other articles in the treaty under consideration.