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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Commission to appoint Richard Oswald as commissioner to negotiate a treaty between the United States and Great Britain
George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820
September 25, 1782
Volume 16, Pages 419-421

COMMISSION OF RICHARD OSWALD, ESQ.
[From Executive Letter Book.]

George the Third, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and
Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c.

To our Trusty and well Beloved Richard Oswald, Esquire, of our City of London—greeting:

Whereas, by virtue of an Act passed in the last Session of Parliament entitled “an Act to enable His Majesty to conclude a Peace or Truce with certain Colonies in North America therein mentioned,” it is recited, that it is essential to the Interest, Welfare and Prosperity of Great Britain and the Colonies or plantations of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, the three lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia in North America, that peace, intercourse, trade and commerce should be restored between them. Therefore, and for a full manifestation of our earnest wish and desire, and that of our Parliament to put an end to the Calamities of War, it is enacted that it should and might be lawful for us to treat, consult of, agree and Conclude with any Commissioner or Commissioners named or to be named by the said Colonies or Plantations, or any of them respectively, or with any body or bodies Corporate or description of men, or any person or persons whatsoever a Peace or Truce with the said Colonies or Plantations, or any of them or any part or parts thereof, any Law, Act or Acts of Parliament, matter or thing to the contrary notwithstanding. Now know ye, that we reposing special trust in your wisdom, Loyalty, diligence and circumspection in the management of the affairs to be hereby committed to your charge, have

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nominated, constituted and assigned, and by these present do nominate and appoint and constitute you, the said Richard Oswald, to be our Commissioner in that behalf, to use and exercise all and every powers and authorities hereby entrusted and committed to you, the said Richard Oswald, & to do, perform and execute all other matters and things herein enjoined & committed to your care during our will and pleasure, & no longer according to the tenor of these our Letters patent, and it is our Royal will and pleasure, & we do hereby authorize, impower and require you, the said Richard Oswald, to treat, consult of, and conclude with any Commissioners or persons vested with equal powers by and on the part of the Thirteen United States of America, viz: New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the three lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia in North America, a peace or a truce with the said thirteen United States, any Law, Act or Acts of Parliament, matter or thing to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

And it is our futher will and pleasure that every regulation, provision matter or thing, which shall have been agreed upon between you, the said Richard Oswald, and such Commissioners or persons aforesaid with whom you shall have judged, meet and sufficient to enter into such agreement, shall be fully and distinctively set forth in writing and authenticated by your hand and seal on one side & by the hands and Seals of such Commissioners or persons on the other, and such Instrument so authenticated, shall be by you transmitted to us through one of our principal Secretaries of State.

And it is our further will and pleasure that you, the said Richard Oswald, shall promise and engage for us and in our Royal name and word, that every regulation, provision matter or thing which may be agreed to and concluded by you, our said Commissioner, shall be ratified and confirmed by us in the fullest manner and extent, and that we will not suffer them to be violated or Counteracted, either in whole or in part by any person whatever, and we do hereby require and recommend all our Officers, Civil and Military, and all others, our loving subjects whatsoever, to be aiding and assisting unto you, the said Richard Oswald, in the execution of this, our Commission, and of the powers and authorities therein

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contained; provided always, and we do hereby declare and ordain that the several Offices, Powers and authorities hereby granted shall cease, determine and become utterly null and void on the first day of July, which shall be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, altho’ we shall not otherwise in the meantime have revoked and determined the same.

And, whereas, in and by our Commissioned Letters Patent under our great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date the seventh Day of August last, we nominated and appointed, constituted and designed you, the said Richard Oswald, to be our Commissioner to treat, consult of, agree and conclude, with any Commissioner or Commissioners named or to be named by certain Colonies or Plantations in America therein Specified, a Peace or a Truce with the said Colonies or Plantations. Now know ye that we have revoked and determined our said Commission and Letters Patent, and all and every power, article or thing therein contained. In Witness whereof we have caused these, our Letters, to be made patent.

Witness ourself at Westminister, this
twenty-first Day of September, in the
twenty-second year of our reign.

By the King himself.
YORKE.

Paris, 1st October, 1782.

I certify that the adjoining is a true Copy of the Commission of which it purports to be a Copy, & which has been shewn to Mr. Franklin and Mr. Jay.

RICHARD OSWALD,
The Commissioner therein named.