The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-06-03 00:00:00, page 2

PAPERS referred toin the Addrtfs and
Recommendations of Congress to the ref
peftive Races, inferred in our paper of
1 hurldav the 29th ult.
(Continued from out lafl )
[PAYER No. 5.]
The Urfited States in Congress assembled.
To ALL who shall fee these PRESENTS, Send
GREETINGS
WHEREAS Benjamin Franklin, our minifler ple
nipotentiary at the court of Versailles, in pursuance
of the powers in iim veiled, did on the fifteenth day
'of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and eighty two, with Charles Gravier de
Vergennes, &c. counfebor of the king in all his coun
cils, commander of his oders, minifler and secretary
of state, &c. veiled with frikpowers of His Mofl Chris
ti n Majesty for the purp^fe, enter into, concludeahd
sign, a contrast between His MoA Christian Mijefty
and the United States of North-America, in the words
following, to wit.
A CONTR ACT between the King and the Thirteen
United States of North America, entered into by the
Count de Vergennes and Mr. Franklin, 16th July,
1782.
#*^HE king having been pbafed tb attend to th^ re
A quests made to him in the name and on behalf of
the Uni^d Provinces of North-America, for affiflante
in the war and invasion under which they had for feve
fal years groan'd; and hi' majesty, after entering into
a treaty of amity and commerce with the (aid confe
derated povines on the 6th of February, 1778, hav
ing had the goodness to support them, not only with
his forces by land and sea, but aifo with advances of
money, as abundant as they were effectual, in the cri
tical fituaton to which their affairs were reduced. It
has been judged proper and neceffafy to state exactly
the amount of those a vances, the conditions on which
the king made them, the periods at which the Cow
grefs of the UiiltecJStales have engaged to repay them
to his inajefly's royal treasury, andin fine, to state this
matter 'in such a way as for the future to prevent all
difficulties capable of interrupting the good harmony
which "his’majefty is resolved to maintain and preserve
between him 'and the (aid United States. For execut
ing so laudable a parpofe, and with a view to strength
en the bands of affinity and commerce which subsist be
tween his majesty a°d the said United States; we,
Charles Gravier de Vergennes, &c. counfellor of the
king in all his councils, commander of his orders, mi
nifter and secretary of Rate, and of his commands and
finances, veiled with full powers of his majesty to us
given for this purpose : and we, Beniamin Frank
Jin. minifler plenipotentiary of the United States of
North-America, in like manner verted with full pow
ers of the Congress of the said Bates for the pfefent
purpose; after duly communicating our refpeftive pew^
era, have agreed to the following articles :
It is agreed and certified, that the sums advanced
by bis majesty to the Congress of the United States,
under the title of a loan in the years 1778, 1779, 1780,
1781, and the pre^nt 1782, amount to the sum of
eighteen million of livres, money of France, accord
ing to the following twenty-one receipts of the above
mentioned under written minister of Congress, given
in virtue of his full powers, to wit.
1-28 February, 1778, - - 750,000
2 19 May, - - - 750,000
3 3 August, - - - 750,000
4 1 November, ~ - 750,000
- 3,000,000
5 10 June, 17,9, - - 250,000
6 16 September, - - - 250,000
7 4 Oftober, - - 250,000
8 21 December, - - - 250,000
9 29 February, 1780, - 750,000
10 23 May, .. - 750,000
11 21 June, - - 750,000
12 5 October, - - 750,000
13 27 November, - - 1,000,000
J 4 15 February, 1781, - - 750,000
'5 15 May, - - 750,000
" 15 August, - - 750,000
17 I August, - - 1,000,000
10 15 November, - - 750,000
19 10 April, 1782, - 1,500,000
20 iJuly, - - 1,500,000
21 sos the fame month, - 3,000,000
Amounting in the whole to eighteen
millions, viz. 18,000,000
By.which receipts the said minifler has promised in
the name of Congress, and in behalf of the thirteen
United States, to c use to be paid and reimbursed to
the r>yal treasury of his majesty, on the tft of Janu
ary, 1788, at the^houfe of his grand bariker at Paris,
the said sum of eighteen millions' money of France,
with interest at five per cent, per annum.
ARTICLE 11.
Considering that the payment of so large a capital
at the one flipulated period, the firft of January,
1788, may greatly injure the finances of the Congress
of the United States, and it may perhaps be even im
practicable on that footing, his majesty has been
pleased for that reason to recede in that refped from
the tenor of the receipts which the minister of Congress
has given for the eighteen million livres tournois,
mentioned in the foregoing article, and has consent
ed that the payment of the capital in ready money at
the royal treasury, be in twelve equal payments of
1,500,000 livres each, and in twelve years only, to
commence from the third .year after a peace.
ARTICLE I.
By the convention of the said sth of November,
1781, the king has been pleased to promise and engage
to furnifh and pay at the general counter of the States
General of the Netherlands, the capital of the said loan,
with the interest at four per cent, per annum, without
any charge or deduction whatever to the lenders, so
that the said capital shall be wholly repaid after the
space of 5 years, the payments to be made in ten equal
periods, theist of which to commence the 6th year from
the date of the loan, and afterwards from year to year to
the final payment of the said sum; but it ism like manner
acknowledged by this a&, that this engagemen ' wasen
tered into by the king, at the request of the undersign
ed minister of the United States, and on the promise
by him made in the name of Congress, and on behalf
of the thirteen United States, to cause to be reimburs
ed and paid at the royal treasury of his majesty at
Paris, the capital interest and cost of the said loan, ac
cording to the conditions and terms fixed by the said
convention of the sth of November, 1781.
ARTICLE VII.
It is accordingly agreed and fettled, thatthe sum of
ten million livres tournois, being by a moderate com
putation the principal of the loan of five millions of
Holland florins abovementioned, shall be reimbursed,
and paid in ready money at the royal treasury of his
majesty at Paris, with the interest at four per cent,
per annum, in ten equal payments of one million each,
and in ten terms, the firft of which shall be on the sth
of November, 1787, the second, the sth of November,
1788, and so from year to year till the final payment of
the said sum of ten millions, the interest lessening in pro
portion with the partial payments of the capital. But
in consequence of the king's affeaion for the United
States, his Majesty has-been pleased to charge himfelf
with the expence of commissions and bank for the said
loan, of which expences his Majesty has made a pre
sent to the United State:, and this 'their under signed
minister accepts with thanks in the name of Congress,
as a new probf of his majesty's generosity and friend
fhip for the said United States.
ARTICLE VIII.
With regard to the interest of the said loan during
the five years preceding the firft term of payment of
the capital, as the king has engaged to pay it at the
general counter of the States General of the Nether
lands, at the rate of four per cent, yearly, and every
year, counting from the sth of November, 1781, ac
cording to the convention of that day, the minister of
Congress acknowledges that the re-payment of that is
due to his majesty by the,United Stares, and he en
gages in the name of the said United States, to cause
payment thereof to be made, at the fametime and at the
fame rate at the royal treasury of his majesty; the
firft year's interest to be paid the sth of November,
next, and so yearly during the five years preceding
the firft term for the payment of the capital, fixed ^s
above on the sth of November, 1787.
The high contraOing parties reciprocally bind them
selves to the faithful observance of this contrast, the
ratifications of which shall be exchanged in the space
of nine months from this day, or sooner if possible.
In testimony whereof, we the said plenipotentiaries
of His most Christian Majesty, and of the thirteen
United States of North America, in virtue of our re
fpeHive powers, have signed these presents, and there
unto fixed the seal of our arms.
Done at Versailles, the fifteenth day of July, one
thousand feveq hundred and eighty two.
GRAVIER de VERGENNES, (L. S )
B. FRANKLIN, (L. S.)
. NOW KNOW YE, That we the (aid United States
in Congress assembled, impressed with a most lively
^°"° fc .y and affeaion manifefted by His
Christian Majesty in the above contrast, have
ratified and confirmed, and by these presents do rati
The payment of the said eighteen millions of livres
tournois, shall be in ready money at the royal treasu
ry of his majesty at Paris, in twelve equal parts, and
at the terms stipulated in the above second article.
The interest of ffie said sum at five per cent, per an
num shall commence with the date of the treaty of
peace, and shall be paid at every period of the parti
al payments of the capital, and shall diminish in pro
portion with the payments. The Congress of the said
United States being left, however, at liberty to free
themselves sooner from this obligation by anticipated
payments, in case the Bate of their finances will ad
mit.
A TIC L E HL
Although the receipts of the minister of the Con
gress of rhe United States fpecify, that the eighteen
million of livres abovementioned, are to be paid at tie
royal treasury, with interest at five per cent, per an
num. His majesty being willing to give the faid<Uni
ted States a new proof of his affection and friendfhip,
has been pleased to make a present of, and to forgive
the whole arrears of interest to this day, and from
thence to the day of the date of the treaty of peace ;
a favour which the minifler of the Congress of the
United States acknowledges to flow from the pure
bounty of the king, and which he accepts in the
name of the said United States with profound and
lively acknowledgments.
Although the loan of five millions of florins of Hol
land, agreed to by the States General of the United
Provinces of the Netherlands, on the terms of the ob
ligation passed on the sth of November, 1781, between
his majesty arid the said States General, has been made
in his majefly's name and guaranteed by him ; it is ne
vertheless acknowledged by these prefects that the
said loan was made in reality on account and for the
service of the United States of North-America, and
that the capital, amounting at a moderate valuation
to the sum of ten millions livres tournois, has been
paid to the said United States, agreeably to a receipt
for the payment of the said sum, given by the under -
signed minister of Congress the seventh day of June
last.
ARTICLE IV.
ARTICLE V.
ARTICLE VI.
That this obligation shall never be fubje& to wj,
impost or taxes already laid or in time to come to te
laid in the said United States of America, even in caffe
(which God forbid) any war, hostilities or divifium
should arise between aforefaid United States ar an)y of
them, on the one fide, and the states of these lands arc
the other, that the payment of the capital or int%eflb
of this obligation can in no wife nor under any ;pre
text whatsoever be hindred or delayed.
The honorable appearer in his aforefaid quality, pro
mifing and engaging, moreover, for and in the nanra
of the said United States, that there shall never be madbi
by them or on their parts, or any of them in variate
lar, any convention or treaty, public or private, at:
the making of peace or otherwise, by which the ari
dity and accomplishment of these presents might Ite
prejudiced, or whereby any tiling contrary ths^t^
might be stipulated, but that without any exaepfo
ON the iith day of June, in the year one thout^
and seven hundred and eighty-two, appeared be
fore me, Pieter Galenus Van Hole, notary of Amfler
dam, admitted by the honorable court of Holland,
The honorable John Adams, esquire, minifler ple
nipotentiary on the part of the United States of Ame
rica, by their High Mightinesses the Lords States Ge
neral of the United Netherlands, &c. &c. in quality^
as especially qualified and authorifed by the above
mentioned states of America in Congress assembled, for
and in behalf of the said fta'tes of America, to raise a
loan with any person or persons, states or companies,,
with subjoined assurance in good faith to ratify and
fulfil all that shall be done in this refpe& by him, ho
norable appearer, according to authentic copy an&
translation of the original commission or power exhi
bited to me, notary, and deposited in my cuflody,i^
behalf of the joint money lenders.
The honorable appearer residing in the Hague, but
being now in this city.
And the honorable appearer acknowledged himfelfo
in his aforefaid quality, and thus, in the name and i@
behalf of the abovementioned states of America, to be
duly and lawfully indebted to and in behalf of fundr,
persons, or mon^y lenders, in all a sum of one million
of guilders, Dutch current moijey, arising from aa&
on account of so much ready money received by him,,
honorable appearer, in his aforefaid quality, to his
perfe& fatisfaaion, from the said money lenders,m
consequence of the receipt hereafter mentioned, to Ite
signed by the honorable appearer, under the authen
tic copies hereof, expressly and formally disavowing
the excuse of untold monies.
And the honorable appearer promised, in his afore
faid quality, to repay in this city the said sum of ore
million of guilders, free from all costs, charges and!
damages, to the abovementioned money lenders, ©r
their assigns, at the expiration of fifteen years after
the firft day of June, 1782; and that in the fallowing
manner, to wit.
That the abovementioned capital -shall remain fixed!
during the space of ten years, and that with the ele
venth year, and thus on the firft day of June, 1793, ^
fifth part, or two hundred thousand guilders of tire
said capital of one million, shall be redeemed, and ra
the fame manner from year to year until the firft &f
of June, 1797, inclusive, so that the whole capital
shall be redeemed and discharged within the abovem^-
tinned space of fifteen years.
And that for said capital, at firft for the whole and!
afterwards for the residue, at the expiration of eveff
year, interest shall be paid, at the rate of five per'ceutt
in the year commencing the firft day of June, u 7&„
and to continue until the final accomplishment, a^
that on coupons to be signed by or for account @ff
said honorable appearer in his aforefaid quality.
That the abovementioned redeeming shall be per
formed by drawing in presence of a notary and witmeff
fes in this city, after the expiration of the firft menti
oned ten years, in such a manner that the nos:: @£
the obligations drawn shall be by times made kn^wa,
in the public papers.
That the payment of the interests, as aifo the re
deeming of the refpedive periods, shall be made at ttite
cunrpting-houfes of the hereafter mentioned gentleman,,
directors, or at such other places within this ci%ra
shall likewise be advertised in the public papers.
That the directors of this negociation shall te
meffrs. Wilhelm et Jan Willink, Nicolaas et Javetto
Van Staphorft and de la Lande et Fynje, merchants
of this city, who are by these presents, thereto narteff
and appointed by the honorable appearer in his afore
faid quality.
The honorable appearer promising and engaging, in
the names of his conflituents, that the amount of the
interests and of the redeemings to be made from time
to time of the said capital, shall be in due time remi^
ted to the aforefaid gentlemen, directors, their heirs ar
successors, in good bills of exchange, American pre—
duds, or in ready money, without any abatement car
deduction whatsoever.
The CON TRACT entered into by the
Honorable J. ADAMS, in behalf of
the United States, with Sundries, for a
loan of five millions of Florins.
TRANSLATION from the DUTCH.
Minuted on a Seal of 48 Stivers,
( Signed)
Van Hole, Notary.
fy and confirm the said contrast, and every article
and clause thereof. And we do hereby empower our
minister plenipotentiary at the court of Versailles to
deliver this our aft of ratification, in exchange for the
ratification of the said contract on the part of His Most
Clitiflian Majesty..
.In testimony whereof, we have caused our seal
to be hereunto affixed. Witness His Excel
lency ELIAS BOUDINOT, Prelident, this
twenty second day of January, one thousand
seven hundred and eighty-three, and of our
sovereignty and independence the seventh.
{PAPER No. VI. ]