Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 18 Part 2c.djvu/224

 FRANCE, 1783. 217 In testimony whereof, we, the said Plcnipotentiaries of His Most Sig¤=¤*¤¤f¢>¤- Christian Majesty, and of the thirteen United States of North America, ` in virtue of our respective powers, have signed these presents and thereunto iixed the seal of our arms. ’ Done at Versaillesthe "16th day of July, one thousand seven hundred Date. and eighty-two. GRAVIER DE VERGENNES. [L. s.] B. FRANKLIN. [L. s.| FRANCE, 1783. CONTRACT BETWEEN HIS MOST CHRISTIAN MAJESTY AND THE TIIIR- Feb. 25, 1783. TEEN UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICA RELATIVE TO A NEXV 1-———-· LOAN, CONCLUDED AT VERSAILLES FEBRUARY 25, 1783; RATIFIED BY CONGRESS OCTOBER 31, 11c3. [Aunnlled by act of Congress July 7, 1798.] A contract between His Most Christian Majesty and the thirteen United States of North America, entered into at Versailles, on the 25th of February, 1783. The re·established peace between the belligerent Powers, the advan- p,wmi,i0_ tages of a free commerce to all parts of the globe, and the independence of the thirteen United States of North America, acknowledged and founded on a solid and honorable basis, rendered it probable that the said States would be in a condition to provide hereafter for their necessities by means of the resources within themselves without being compelled to implore the continuation of the succours which the King has so liberally granted during the war: But the Minister Plcnipotentiary of the said United States to His Majesty, having represented to him the exhausted state to which they had been reduced by a long and disastrous war, His Majesty has condesccnded to take into consideration therequest made by the aforesaid Minister, in the name of the Congress of the said States, for a new advance of money to answer numerous purposes of urgent and indispensable expenses in the course of the present year; His Majesty has in consequence determined, notwithstanding the no less pressing necessities of his own service, to grant to Congress a new pecuniary assistance, which he has fixed at the sum of six millions livres tournois, under the title of loan, and under the guaranty of the whole thirteen United States, which the Minister of Congress has declared his acceptance oi', with the liveliest acknowledgments, in the name of the said States. And as it is necessary to the good order of His Majesty’s finances, and also useful to the operations of the finances of the United States, to assign periods for payment of the six millions livres in question, and to regulate the conditions and terms of reimbursement which should be made at His Majesty’s royal treasury at Paris, after the manner of what [Sue contract of has been stipulated for the preceding advances, by a former contract of 178% l‘P·214"217·] the 16th July, 1782- We, Charles Gravicr, Count de Vergennes, &c., Counsellor of the Negotiators. King in his Councils, Commander of his Orders, Chief of the Royal Council of Finances, Counsellor of State, &c., Minister and Secretary of State and of his commands and finances, invested with full powers by His Majesty, given to us for the purpose of these presents: And we, Benjamin Franklin, Minister and Plenipotentiary of the United States of North America, likewise invested with full powers by the Congress of said States, for the same purpose of these presents, at'ter having compared and duly communicated to each other our respective powers, have agreed on the following articles: