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To admit other powers to accede to the alliance.

Mutual gua.

ranty.

Guaranty when to commence.

Ratification.

ART. X.

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.

ART. XI.

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 and 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.

ART. XII.

In order to fix more precisely the sense and application of the preceding article, the contracting parties declare, that in case of a 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 their possessions.

ART. XIII.

The present treaty shall be ratified on both sides, and the ratifications shall be exchanged in the space of six months, or sooner if possible.

In faith whereof the respective plenipotentiaries, to wit: On the part of the Most Christian king, Conrad Alexander Gerard, Royal Syndic of the city of Strasbourgh, and Secretary of his Majesty's Council of State; and on the part of the United States, Benjamin Franklin, Deputy to the General Congress from the state of Pennsylvania and President of the Convention of the same state; Silas Deane, heretofore Deputy from the state of Connecticut, and 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.

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ARTICLE DIX.

Le Roi très Chretien et les Etats Unis sont convenus d'inviter de concert ou d'admettre les puissances, qui auront des griefs contre l'Angleterre, à faire cause commune avec eux, et à accéder à la présente alliance, sous les conditions qui seront librement agrées et convenues entre toutes les partiès.

ARTICLE ONZE.

Les deux parties se garantissent mutuellement dès à present et pour toujours envers et contre tous, savoir, les Etats Unis à sa Majesté très Chrétienne les possessions actuelles de la couronne de France en Amérique, ainsy que celles qu'elle pourra acquérir par le futur traité de paix; Et sa Majesté très Chretienne, garantit de son côté aux Etats Unis leur liberté, leur souveraineté et leur indépendance absolue et illimitée, tant en matiére de politique que de commerce, ainsy que leurs possessions et les accroissements ou conquêtes que leur confédération pourra se procurer pendant la guerre, d'aucun des domaines maintenant ou ci-devant possedés par la Grande Bretagne dans l'Amérique septentrionale, conformément aux articles cinq et six ci-dessus, et tout ainsy que leurs possessions seront fixées et assurées aux dits Etats, au moment de la cessation de leur guerre actuelle contre l'Angleterre.

ARTICLE DOUZE.

Afin de fixer plus précisément le sens et l'application de l'article précédent, les parties contractantes déclarent qu'en cas de rupture entre la France et l'Angleterre, la garantie réciproque enoncée dans le susdit article, aura toute sa force et valeur du moment où la guerre éclatera, et si la rupture n'avoit pas lieu, les obligations mutuelles de la ditte garantie, ne commenceroient, que du moment susdit, où la cessation de la guerre actuelle entre les Etats Unis et l'Angleterre aura fixé leurs possessions.

ARTICLE TREIZE.

Le present traité sera ratiffié de part et d'autre et les ratifications seront échangées dans l'espace de six mois ou plustôt si faire se peut.

En foi dequoi les plenipotentiaires respectifs, savoir, de la part du Roi très Chretien le S: Conrad, Alexandre Gerard, Sindic Royal de la Ville de Strasbourg et Sécrétaire du Conseil d'Etat de sa Majesté, et de la part des Etats Unis les S Benjamin Franklin, Deputé au Congrès Général de la part de l'etat de Pensylvanie et President de la Convention du meme etat; Siles Deane cy-devant Député de l'etat de Connecticut, et Arthur Leé Conseiller ès Loix, ont signé les articles ci-dessus, tant en langue Françoise qu'en langue Angloise, déclarant néanmoins, que le present traité, a êté originairement redigé et arrêté en langue Françoise, et ils les ont munis du cachet de leurs armes.

Fait à Paris, le sixieme jour du mois de Fevrier, mil sept cent soixante dix-huit.

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TREATY OF AMITY AND COMMERCE

Between the United States of America and His Most
Christian Majesty.

Feb. 6, 1778.

Annulled by

act of Congress

th. 67.

TREATY OF AMITY AND COMMERCE.

THE Most Christian King, and the thirteen United States of North of July 7, 1798, America, to wit: New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, willing to fix in an equitable and permanent manner, the rules which ought to be followed relative to the correspondence and commerce which the two parties desire to establish, between their respective countries, states and subjects, his Most Christian Majesty and the said United States, have judged that the said end could not be better obtained than by taking for the basis of their agreement, the most perfect equality and reciprocity, and by carefully avoiding all those burthensome preferences which are usually sources of debate, embarrassment and discontent; by leaving also each party at liberty to make, respecting commerce and navigation, those interior regulations which it shall find most convenient to itself; and by founding the advantage of commerce solely upon reciprocal utility, and the just rules of free intercourse; reserving withal to each party the liberty of admitting at its pleasure, other nations to a participation of the same advantages. It is in the spirit of this intention, and to fulfil these views, that his said Majesty having named and appointed for his plenipotentiary, Conrad Alexander Gerard, Royal Syndic of the city of Strasbourg, Secretary of his Majesty's Council of State; and the United States on their part, having fully impowered Benjamin Franklin,

Cases decided in the courts of the United States on the provisions of the treaty of amity and commerce with France, of 1778; and the consular convention with France, of November 14, 1783:

The treaty of amity and commerce of 1778 with France, article 11, enabling French subjects to purchase and hold lands in the United States, being abrogated in 1798; the act of Maryland of 1780, permitting the lands of a French subject who had become a citizen of that state, dying intestate, to descend on the next of kin, being a non-naturalized Frenchman, with a proviso vesting the lands in the state, if the French heirs should not within ten years become resident citizens of the state, or convey the lands to a citizen; and the convention of 1800, between France and the United States, enabling the people of one country, holding lands in the other, to dispose of the same by testament, and to inherit lands in the other, without being naturalized: Held, that the latter treaty dispensed with the performance of the condition in the act of Maryland, and that the constitutional rule applied equally to the case of those who took by descent under the act, as to those who acquired by purchase without its aid. Chirac v. Chirac, 2 Wheat. 259; 4 Cond. Rep. 111.

The further stipulation in the treaty, "that in case the laws of either of the two states should restrain strangers from the exercise of the rights of property with respect to real estate, such real estate may be sold, or otherwise disposed of, to citizens or inhabitants of the country where it may be," does not affect the rights of a French subject who takes or holds by the convention, so as to deprive him of the power of selling to citizens of the country; and gives to a French subject who has acquired lands by descent or devise, (and, perhaps, in any other manner,) the right during life to sell or otherwise dispose of the same, if lying in a state where lands purchased by an alien, generally, would be immediately escheatable. Ibid.

Although the convention of 1800 has expired, immediately on a descent being cast on a French subject during its continuance, his rights become complete under it, and cannot be affected by its subsequen oxpiration. Ibid.

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TRAITÉ D'AMITIÉ ET DE COMMERCE

Entre les Etats Unis d'Amérique et sa Majesté très Chretiênne.

TRAITÉ D'AMITIÉ ET DE COMMERCE.

Le Roi très Chretien et les treize Etats Unis de l'Amérique Septentrionale, savoir, New Hampshire, la Baye de Massachusset, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pensylvanie, les comtés de Newcastle, de Kent et de Sussex sur la Delaware, Maryland, Virginie, Caroline, Septentrionale, Caroline Méridionale, et Georgie, voulant établir d'une maniere équitable et permanente les règles qui devront être suivies relativement à la correspondance et au commerce que les deux parties désirent d'établir entre leurs Païs Etats et sujets respectifs, sa Majesté très Chretienne et les dits Etats Unis ont jugé ne pouvoir mieux atteindre à ce but qu'en prenant pour base de leur arrangement l'égalité et la réciprocité la plus parfaite, et en observant d'éviter toutes les préférences onéreuses, source de discussions, d'embarras, et de mecontentemens, de laisser à chaque partie la liberté de faire, relativement au commerce et à la navigation les réglemens intérieurs qui seront à sa convenance, de ne fonder les avantages du commerce que sur son utilité reciproque et sur les loix d'une juste concurrence, et de conserver ainsi de part et d'autre la liberté de faire participer, chacun selon son gré, les autres nations, aux mêmes avantages. C'est dans cet esprit et pour remplir ces vues que sa d: Majesté ayant nommé et constitué pour son plénipotentiaire le S. Conrad Alexandre Gerard, Sindic Roïal de la ville de Strasbourg, Secretaire du Conseil d'Etat de sa Majesté, et les Etats

America was bound as an ally of France by the capitulation between France and Great Britain for the surrender of Dominica. Miller v. The Ship Resolution, 2 Dall. Rep. 15.

The Phoebe Ann, a British vessel, had been captured by a French privateer, and sent into Charleston. Restitution of the prize was claimed by the British consul, who filed a libel in the district court, suggesting that the privateer had been illegally fitted out, and had illegally augmented her force within the United States. It appeared in proof that the privateer had originally entered the port of Charleston, armed and commissioned for war; and that she had taken out her guns, masts and sails, which remained on shore until the general repairs of the vessel were completed, when they were again put on board, with the same force, or thereabouts; and on a subsequent cruise, the prize was taken.

ELLSWORTH, Chief Justice. Suggestions of policy and convenience cannot be considered in the judi. cial determination of a question of right: the treaty with France, whatever that is, must have its effect By the nineteenth article, it is declared that French vessels, whether public and of war, or private and of merchants, may, on any urgent necessity, enter our ports, and be supplied with all things needful for repairs. In the present case, the privateer only underwent a repair; and the mere replacement of her force cannot be a material augmentation; even if an augmentation of force could be proven, which we do not decide a sufficient cause of restitution. Moodie v. The Sloop Phœbe Ann, 2 Dall. Rep. 319; 1 Cond. Rep. 139.

The appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the United States extends to a final judgment or decree in any suit in the highest court of the United States, where is drawn in question the validity of a treaty, and the judgment or decree is against the validity of the right claimed under the treaty; and such judgment may be re-examined by writ of error, in the same manner as if rendered in a circuit court. Martin v. Hunter's lessee, 1 Wheat. 104; 3 Cond. Rep. 575.

By the treaty with France of 1778, articles 17 and 22, the subjects of France had a right to equip and arm their vessels in the ports of the United States, to bring in their prizes and depart with them, without interference by the courts of the United States. Bee's Admiralty Reports, 40, 43.

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Deputy from the state of Pennsylvania to the General Congress, and President of the Convention of said state; Silas Deane, late Deputy from the state of Connecticut to the said Congress, and Arthur Lee, Councellor at Law; the said respective plenipotentiaries after exchanging their powers, and after mature deliberation, have concluded and agreed upon the following articles.

ARTICLE I.

There shall be a firm, inviolable and universal peace, and a true and sincere friendship between the Most Christian King, his heirs and successors, and the United States of America; and the subjects of the Most Christian King and of the said States; and between the countries, islands, cities and towns, situate under the jurisdiction of the Most Christian King and of the said United States, and the people and inhabitants of every degree, without exception of persons or places; and the terms hereinafter mentioned shall be perpetual between the Most Christian King, his heirs and successors, and the said United States.

ARTICLE II.

The Most Christian King and the United States, engage mutually not to grant any particular favour to other nations, in respect of commerce and navigation, which shall not immediately become common to the other party, who shall enjoy the same favour, freely, if the concession was freely made, or on allowing the same compensation, if the concession was conditional.

ARTICLE III.

The subjects of the Most Christian King shall pay in the ports, havens, roads, countries, islands, cities, or towns, of the United States, or any of them, no other, or greater duties, or imposts, of what nature soever they may be, or by what name soever called, than those which the nations most favoured are or shall be obliged to pay; and they shall enjoy all the rights, liberties, privileges, immunities, and exemptions in trade, navigation and commerce, whether in passing from one port in the said states to another, or in going to and from the same, from and to any part of the world, which the said nations do or shall enjoy.

ARTICLE IV.

The subjects, people and inhabitants of the said United States, and each of them, shall not pay in the ports, havens, roads, isles, cities and places under the domination of his Most Christian Majesty, in Europe, any other, or greater duties or imposts, of what nature soever they may be, or by what name soever called, than those which the most favoured nations are or shall be obliged to pay; and they shall enjoy all the rights, liberties, privileges, immunities, and exemptions in trade, navigation and commerce, whether in passing from one port in the said dominions, in Europe, to another, or in going to and from the same, from and to any part of the world, which the said nations do or shall enjoy.

ARTICLE V.

In the above exemption is particularly comprised, the imposition of one hundred sols per ton, established in France on foreign ships; unless when the ships of the United States shall load with the merchandize of France for another port of the same dominion, in which case the said ships shall pay the duty above mentioned so long as other nations the most favoured shall be obliged to pay it. But it is understood that the said United States, or any of them, are at liberty when they shall judg● it proper, to establish a duty equivalent in the same case.

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