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Treaty
of Alliance
The
most Christian King and the United States of North America, to wit, New
Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhodes island, Connecticut, New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, and Georgia, having this Day concluded a Treaty of amity and
Commerce, for the reciprocal advantage of their Subjects and Citizens
have thought it necessary to take into consideration the means of
strengthening those engagements and of rondring them useful to the safety
and tranquility of the two parties, particularly in case Great Britain in
Resentment of that connection and of the good correspondence which is the
object of the said Treaty, should break the Peace with france, either by
direct hostilities, or by hindring her commerce and navigation, in a
manner contrary to the Rights of Nations, and the Peace subsisting
between the two Crowns; and his Majesty and the said united States having
resolved in that Case to join their Councils and efforts against the
Enterprises of their common Enemy, the respective Plenipotentiaries,
impower'd to concert the Clauses & conditions proper to fulfil the
said Intentions, have, after the most mature Deliberation, concluded and
determined on the following Articles.
If
War should break out betwan france and Great Britain, during the
continuance of the present War betwan the United States and England, his
Majesty and the said united States, shall make it a common cause, and aid
each other mutually with their good Offices, their Counsels, and their
forces, according to the exigence of Conjunctures as becomes good &
faithful Allies.
The
essential and direct End of the present defensive alliance is to maintain
effectually the liberty, Sovereignty, and independance absolute and
unlimited of the said united States, as well in Matters of Gouvernement
as of commerce.
The
two contracting Parties shall each on its own Part, and in the manner it
may judge most proper, make all the efforts in its Power, against their
common Ennemy, in order to attain the end proposed.
The
contracting Parties agree that in case either of them should form any
particular Enterprise in which the concurrence of the other may be
desired, the Party whose concurrence is desired shall readily, and with
good faith, join to act in concert for that Purpose, as far as
circumstances and its own particular Situation will permit; and in that
case, they shall regulate by a particular Convention the quantity and
kind of Succour to be furnished, and the Time and manner of its being
brought into action, as well as the advantages which are to be its
Compensation.
If
the united States should think fit to attempt the Reduction of the
British Power remaining in the Northern Parts of America, or the Islands
of Bermudas, those Countries or Islands in case of Success, shall be
confederated with or dependent upon the said united States.
The
Most Christian King renounces for ever the possession of the Islands of
Bermudas as well as of any part of the continent of North america which
before the treaty of Paris in 1763. or in virtue of that Treaty, were
acknowledged to belong to the Crown of Great Britain, or to the united
States heretofore called British Colonies, or which are at this Time or
have lately been under the Power of The King and Crown of Great Britain.
If
his Most Christian Majesty shall think proper to attack any of the
Islands situated in the Gulph of Mexico, or near that Gulph, which are at
present under the Power of Great Britain, all the said Isles, in case of
success, shall appertain to the Crown of france.
Neither
of the two Parties shall conclude either Truce or Peace with Great
Britain, without the formal consent of the other first obtain'd; and they
mutually engage not to lay down their arms, until the Independence of the
united states shall have been formally or tacitly assured by the Treaty
or Treaties that shall terminate the War.
The
contracting Parties declare, that being resolved to fulfil each on its
own Part the clauses and conditions of the present Treaty of alliance,
according to its own power and circumstances, there shall be no after
claim of compensation on one side or the other whatever may be the event
of the War.
The
Most Christian King and the United states, agree to invite or admit other
Powers who may have received injuries from England to make common cause
with them, and to accede to the present alliance, under such conditions
as shall be freely agreed to and settled between all the Parties.
The
two Parties guarantee mutually from the present time and forever, against
all other powers, to wit, the united states to his most Christian Majesty
the present Possessions of the Crown of france in America as well as
those which it may acquire by the future Treaty of peace: and his most
Christian Majesty guarantees on his part to the united states, their
liberty, Sovereignty, and Independence absolute, and unlimited, as well
in Matters of Government as commerce and also their Possessions, and the
additions or conquests that their Confederation may obtain during the
war, from any of the Dominions now or heretofore possessed by Great
Britain in North America, conformable to the 5th & 6th articles above
written, the whole as their Possessions shall be fixed and assured to the
said States at the moment of the cessation of their present War with
England.
In
order to fix more precisely the sense and application of the preceding
article, the Contracting Parties declare, that in case of rupture between
France and England, the reciprocal Guarantee declared in the said article
shall have its full force and effect the moment such War shall break out
and if such rupture shall not take place, the mutual obligations of the
said guarantee shall not commence, until the moment of the cessation of
the present War between the united states and England shall have
ascertained the Possessions.
The
present Treaty shall be ratified on both sides and the Ratifications
shall be exchanged in the space of six months, sooner if possible.
In
faith where of the respective Plenipotentiaries, to wit on the part of
the most Christian King Conrad Alexander Gerard royal syndic of
the City of Strasbourgh & Secretary of his majestys Council of State
and on the part of the United States Benjamin Franklin Deputy to the
General Congress from the State of Pensylvania and President of the
Convention of the same state, Silas Deane heretofore Deputy from the
State of Connecticut & Arthur Lee Councellor at Law have signed the
above Articles both in the French and English Languages declaring
Nevertheless that the present Treaty was originally composed and
concluded in the French Language, and they have hereunto affixed their
Seals
Done
at Paris, this sixth Day of February, one thousand seven hundred and
seventy eight.
C.
A. GERARD
B FRANKLIN
SILAS DEANE
ARTHUR LEE
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