Article the First
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 be construed to affect the right
of either.
