TREATY OF PEACE AND AMITY BETWEEN HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY AND THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Concluded At Ghent, December 24, 1814; Ratification Advised by Senate, February 16, 1815;
Ratified by President, February 17, 1815; Ratifications Exchanged at Washington, February 17,
1815; Proclaimed, February 18, 1815.
His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, desirous of terminating the war which
has unhappily subsisted between the two countries, and of restoring, upon principles of perfect
reciprocity, peace, friendship, and good understanding between them, have, for that purpose,
appointed their respective Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:
His Britannic Majesty, on his part, has appointed the Right Honourable James Lord Gambier, late
Admiral of the White, now Admiral of the Red Squadron of His Majesty's fleet, Henry Goulburn,
Esquire, a member of the Imperial Parliament, and Under Secretary of State, and William Adams,
Esquire, Doctor of Civil Laws; and the Presiden of the United States, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate thereof, has appointed John Quincy Adams, James A. Bayard, Henry Clay,
Jonathan Russell, and Albert Gallatin, citizens of the United States;
Who, after a reciprocal communication of their respective full powers, have agreed upon the
following articles:
ARTICLE I
There shall be a firm and universal peace between His Britannic Majesty and the United States,
and between their respective countries, territories, cities, towns, and people, of every degree,
without exception of places or persons. All hostilities, both by sea and land, shall cease as soon as
this treaty shall have been ratified by both parties, as hereinafter mentioned. All territory, places,
and possessions whatsoever, taken by either party from the other during the war, or which may be
taken after the signing of this treaty, excepting only the islands hereinafter mentioned, shall be
restored without delay, and without causing any destruction or carrying away any of the artillery
or other public property originally captured in the said forts or places, and which shall remain
therein upon the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty, or any slaves or other private
property. And all archives, records, deeds, and papers, either of a public nature or belonging to
private persons, which, in the course of the war, may have fallen into the hands of the officers of
either party, shall be, as far as may be practicable, forthwith restored and delivered to the proper
authorities and persons to whom they respectively belong. Such of the islands in the Bay of
Passamaquoddy as are claimed by both parties, shall remain in the possession of the party in
whose occupation they may be at the time of the exchange of the ratifications of this treaty, until
the decision respecting the title to the said islands shall have been made in conformity with the
fourth article of this treaty. No disposition made by this treaty as to such possession of the islands
and territories claimed by both parties shall, in any manner whatever, he construed to affect the
right of either.
ARTICLE II
Immediately after the ratifications of this treaty by both parties, as hereinafter mentioned, orders
shall be sent to the armies, squadrons, officers, subjects and citizens of the two Powers to cease
from all hostilities. And to prevent all causes of complaint which might arise on account of the
prizes which may be taken at sea after the said ratifications of this treaty, it is reciprocally agreed
that all vessels and effects which may be taken after the space of twelve days from the said
ratifications, upon all part of the coast of North America, from the latitude of twenty-three
degrees north to the latitude of fifty degrees north, and as far eastward in the Atlantic Ocean as
the thirty-sixth degree of west longitude from the meridian of Greenwich, shall be restored on
each side: that the time shall be thirty days in all other parts of the Atlantic Ocean north of the
equinoctial line or equator, and the same time for the British and Irish Channels, for the Gulf of
Mexico, and all parts of the West Indies; forty days for the North Seas, for the Baltic, and for all
parts of the Mediterranean; sixty days for the Atlantic Ocean south of the equator, as far as the
latitude of the Cape of Good Hope; ninety days for every other part of the world south of the
equator; and one hundred and twenty days for all other parts of the world, without
exception.
ARTICLE III
All prisoners of war taken on either side, as well by land as by sea, shall be restored as soon as
practicable after the ratifications of this treaty, as hereinafter mentioned, on their paying the debts
which they may have contracted during their captivity. The two contracting parties respectively
engage to discharge, in specie, the advances which may have been made by the other for the
sustenance and maintenance of such prisoners.
ARTICLE IV
Whereas it was stipulated by the second article in the treaty of peace of one thousand seven
hundred and eighty-three, between His Britannic Majesty and the United States of America, that
the boundary of the United States should comprehend all islands within twenty leagues of any part
of the shores of the United States, and lying between lines to be drawn due east from the points
where the aforesaid boundaries, between Nova Scotia on the one part, and East Florida on the
other, shall respectively touch the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic Ocean, excepting such islands as
now are, or heretofore have been, within the limits of Nova Scotia; and whereas the several
islands in the Bay of Passamaquoddy, which is part of the Bay of Fundy, and the Island of Grand
Menan, in the said Bay of Fundy, are claimed by the United States as being comprehended within
their aforesaid boundaries, which said islands are claimed as belonging to His Britannic Majesty,
as having been, at the time of and previous to the aforesaid treaty of one thousand seven hundred
and eighty-three, within the limits of the Province of Nova Scotia. In order, therefore, finally to
decide upon these claims, it is agreed that they shall be referred to two Commissioners to be
appointed in the following manner, viz: One Commissioner shall be appointed by His Britannic
Majesty, and one by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate thereof; and the said two Commissioners so appointed shall be sworn impartially to
examine and decide upon the said claims according to such evidence as shall be laid before them
on the part of His Britannic Majesty and of the United States respectively. The said
Commissioners shall meet at St. Andrews, in the Province of New Brunswick, and shall have
power to adjourn to such other place or places as they shall think fit. The said Commissioners
shall, by a declaration or report under their hands and seals, decide to which of the two
contracting parties the several islands aforesaid do respectively belong, in conformity with the true
intent of the said treaty of peace of one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three. And if the said
Commissioners shall agree in their decision, both parties shall consider such decision as final and
conclusive. It is further agreed that, in the event of the two Commissioners differing upon all or
any of the matters so referred to them, or in the event of both or eithe of the said Commissioners
refusing, or declining, or wilfully omitting to act as such, they shall make, jointly or separately, a
report or reports, as well to the Government of His Britannic Majesty as to that of the United
States, stating in detail the points on which they differ, and the grounds upon which their
respective opinions have been formed, or the grounds upon which they, or either of them, have so
refused, declined, or omitted to act. And His Britannic Majesty and the Government of the United
States hereby agree to refer the report or reports of the said Commissioners to some friendly
sovereign or State, to be then named for that purpose, and who shall be requested to decide on
the differences which may be stated in the said report or reports, or upon the report of one
Commissioner, together with the grounds upon which the other Commissioner shall have refused,
declined, or omitted to act, as the case may be. And if the Commissioner so refusing, declining, or
omitting to act, shall also wilfully omit to state the grounds upon which he has so done, in such
manner that the said statement may be referred to such friendly sovereign or State, together with
the report of such other Commissioner, then such sovereign or State shall decide ex parte upon
the said report alone. And His Britannic Majesty and the Government of the United States engage
to consider the decision of such friendly sovereign or State to be final and conclusive on all the
matters so referred.
ARTICLE V
Whereas neither that point of the highlands lying due north from the source of the river St. Croix,
and designated in the former treaty of peace between the two Powers as the northwest angle of
Nova Scotia, nor the northwesternmost head of Connecticut River, has yet been ascertained; and
whereas that part of the boundary line between the dominions of the two Powers which extends
from the source of the river St. Croix directly north to the above mentioned north west angle of
Nova Scotia, thence along the said highlands which divide those rivers that empty themselves into
the river St. Lawrence from those which fall into the Atlantic Ocean to the northwesternmost
head of Connecticut River, thence down along the middle of that river to the forty-fifth degree of
north latitude; thence by a line due west on said latitude until it strikes the river Iroquois or
Cataraquy, has not yet been surveyed: it is agreed that for these several purposes two
Commissioners shall be appointed, sworn, and authorized to act exactly in the manner directed
with respect to those mentioned in the next precedin article, unless otherwise specified in the
present article. The said Commissioners shall meet at St. Andrews, in the Province of New
Brunswick, and shall have power to adjourn to such other place or places as they shall think fit.
The said Commissioners shall have power to ascertain and determine the points above mentioned,
in conformity with the provisions of the said treaty of peace of one thousand seven hundred and
eighty-three, and shall cause the boundary aforesaid, from the source of the river St. Croix to the
river Iroquois or Cataraquy, to be surveyed and marked according to the said provisions. The said
Commissioners shall make a map of the said boundary, an annex to it a declaration under their
hands and seals, certifying it to be the true map of the said boundary, and particularizing the
latitude and longitude of the northwest angle of Nova Scotia, of the northwesternmost head of
Connecticut River, and of such other points of the said boundary as they may deem proper. And
both parties agree to consider such map and declaration as finally and conclusively fixing the said
boundary. And in the event of the said two Commissioners differing, or both or either of them
refusing, declining, or wilfully omitting to act, such reports, declarations, or statements shall be
made by them, or either of them, and such reference to a friendly sovereign or State shall be made
in all respects as in the latter part of the fourth article is contained, and in as full a manner as if the
same was herein repeated.
ARTICLE VI
Whereas by the former treaty of peace that portion of the boundary of the United States from the
point where the forty-fifth degree of north latitude strikes the river Iroquois or Cataraquy to the
Lake Superior, was declared to be "along the middle of said river into Lake Ontario, through the
middle of said lake, until it strikes the communication by water between that lake and Lake Erie,
thence along the middle of said communication into Lake Erie, through the middle of said lake
until it arrives at the water communication into Lake Huron, thence through the middle of said
lake to the water communication between that lake and Lake Superior;" and whereas doubts have
arisen what was the middle of the said river, lakes, and water communications, and whether
certain islands lying in the same were within the dominions of His Britannic Majesty or of the
United States: In order, therefore, finally to decide these doubts, they shall be referred to two
Commissioners, to be appointed, sworn, and authorized to act exactly in the manner directed with
respect to those mentioned in the next preceding article, unless otherwise specified in this present
article. The said Commissioners shall meet, in the first instance, at Albany, in the State of New
York, and shall have power to adjourn to such other place or places as they shall think fit. The
said Commissioners shall, by a report or declaration, under their hands and seals, designate the
boundary through the said river, lakes, and water communications, and decide to which of the two
contracting parties the several islands lying within the said rivers, lakes, and water
communications, do respectively belong, in conformity with the true intent of the said treaty of
one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three. And both parties agree to consider such
designation and decision as final and conclusive. And in the event of the said two Commissioners
differing, or both or either of them refusing, declining, or wilfully omitting to act, such reports,
declarations, or statements shall be made by them, or either of them, and such reference to a
friendly sovereign or State shall be made in all respects as in the latter part of the fourth article is
contained and in as full a manner as if the same was herein repeated.
ARTICLE VII
It is further agreed that the said two last-mentioned Commissioners, after they shall have executed
the duties assigned to them in the preceding article, shall be, and they are hereby, authorized upon
their oaths impartially to fix and determine, according to the true intent of the said treaty of peace
of one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, that part of the boundary between the dominions
of the two Powers which extends from the water communication between Lake Huron and Lake
Superior, to the most northwestern point of the Lake of the Woods, to decide to which of the two
parties the several islands lying in the lakes, water communications, and rivers, forming the said
boundary, do respectively belong, in conformity with the true intent of the said treaty of peace of
one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three; and to cause such parts of the said boundary as
require it to be surveyed and marked. The said Commissioners shall, by a report or declaration
under their hands and seals,designate the boundary aforesaid, state their decision on the points
thus referred to them, and particularize the latitude and longitude of the most northwestern point
of the Lake of the Woods, and of such other parts of the said boundary as they may deem proper.
And both parties agree to consider such designation and decision as final and conclusive. And in
the event of the said two Commissioners differing, or both or either of them refusing, declining, or
wilfully omitting to act, such reports, declarations, or statements shall be made by them, or either
of them, and such reference to a friendly sovereign or state shall be made in all respects as in the
latter part of the fourth article is contained, and in as full a manner as if the same was herein
repeated.
ARTICLE VIII
The several boards of two Commissioners mentioned in the four preceding articles shall
respectively have power to appoint a secretary, and to employ such surveyors or other persons as
they shall judge necessary. Duplicates of all their respective reports, declarations, statements, and
decisions, and of their accounts, and of the journal of their proceedings, shall be delivered by them
to the agents of His Britannic Majesty and to the agents of the United States, who may be
respectively appointed and authorized to manage the business on behalf of their respective
Governments. The said Commissioners shall be respectively paid in such manner as shall be
agreed between the two contracting parties, such agreement being to be settled at the time of the
exchange of the ratifications of this treaty. And all other expenses attending the said commissions
shall be defrayed equally by the two parties. And in the case of death, sickness, resignation, or
necessary absence, the place of every such Commissioner, respectively, shall be supplied in the
same manner as such Commissioner was first appointed, and the new Commissioner shall take the
same oath or affirmation, and do the same duties. It is further agreed between the two contracting
parties, that in case any of the islands mentioned in any of the preceding articles, which were in
the possession of one of the parties prior to the commencement of the present war between the
two countries, should, by the decision of any of the boards of commissioners aforesaid, or of the
sovereign or State so referred to, as in the four next preceding articles contained, fall within the
dominions of the other party, all grants of land made previous to the commencement of the war,
by the party having had such possession, shall be as valid as if such island or islands had, by such
decision or decisions, been adjudged to be within the dominions of the party having had such
possession.
ARTICLE IX
The United States of America engage to put an end, immediately after the ratification of the
present treaty, to hostilities with all the tribes or nations of Indians with whom they may be at war
at the time of such ratification; and forthwith to restore to such tribes or nations, respectively, all
the possessions, rights, and privileges which they may have enjoyed or been entitled to in one
thousand eight hundred and eleven, previous to such hostilities. Provided always that such tribes
or nations shall agree to desist from all hostilities against the United States of America, their
citizens and subjects, upon the ratification of the present treaty being notified to such tribes or
nations, and shall so desist accordingly. And his Britannic Majesty engages, on his part, to put an
end immediately after the ratification of the present treaty, to hostilities with all the tribes or
nations of Indians with whom he may be at war at the time of such ratification, and forthwith to
restore to such tribes or nations respectively all the possessions, rights, and privileges which they
may have enjoyed or been entitled to in one thousand eight hundred and eleven, previous to such
hostilities. Provided always that such tribes or nations shall agree to desist from all hostilities
against His Britannic Majesty, and his subjects, upon ratification of the present treaty being
notified to such tribes or nations, and shall so desist accordingly.
ARTICLE X
Whereas the traffic in slaves is irreconcilable with the principles of humanity and justice, and
whereas both His Majesty and the United States are desirous of continuing their efforts to
promote its entire abolition, it is hereby agreed that both the contracting parties shall use their best
endeavours to accomplish so desirable an object.
ARTICLE XI
This treaty, when the same shall have been ratified on both sides, without alteration by either of
the contracting parties, and the ratifications mutually exchanged, shall be binding on both parties,
and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington, in the space of four months from this day,
or sooner if practicable. In faith whereof we, the respective Plenipotentiaries, have signed this
treaty, and have thereunto affixed our seals. Done, in triplicate, at Ghent, the twenty-fourth day of
December, one thousand eight hundred and fourteen.
Gambier. S.
Henry Goulburn
William Adams
John Quincy Adams
J. A. Bayard
H. Clay
Jona. Russell
Albert Gallatin
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