Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: rdf
There were not 13 separate treaties. The United States government authorized one set of peace commissioners (Franklin, John Adams, John Jay, and Henry Laurens) and the British and other powers dealt with them.

It's a very complicated and ambiguous situation. On the one hand, the independence of the separate states is acknowledged. On the other hand, much of the rest of the document deals with the United States as a unit (though it was recognized that it would have to be the states, rather than the union that could provide whatever compensation that would be given to loyalists). Both sides can point to various aspects of the treaty. There's already a problem in that the independence and sovereignty of the states is acknowledged by the crown, but much of the land is vouchsafed to the federal union.

It should also be pointed out that it was negotiated under the Articles of Confederation, when the powers of the states were far greater than those of the federal government. The Constitution would bring changes to the relation of the states and the nation.

Maybe a parallel could be drawn with England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, which would have been regarded as separate in some contexts and as one unit in others. The ambiguity involved in the name of our country is also worth noting. When we talk about "the States" or "the United States" what we mean depends a lot on the context.

You can find the Treaty and related documents at Project Avalon.

283 posted on 03/30/2002 5:15:49 PM PST by x
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 277 | View Replies ]


To: x
Thanks, and Happy Easter!
284 posted on 03/30/2002 5:29:17 PM PST by rdf
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 283 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson