Ulysses S. Grant to By the President : Hamilton Fish, February 27, 1871

3.—The Treaty of Washington.

The high commissioners having met, their full powers were respectively produced, which were found satisfactory, and copies thereof exchanged, as follows:

Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States of America, to all who shall see these presents, greeting:

Know ye that, reposing special trust and confidence in the integrity and ability of Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State; Robert C. Schenck, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Great Britain; Samuel Nelson, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States; Ebenezer R. Hoar, of Massachusetts, and George H. Williams, of Oregon, I have nominated and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, do appoint them jointly and severally, to be Commissioners on the part of the United States, in a Joint High Commission between the United States and Great Britain; hereby empowering them, jointly and severally, to meet the Commissioners appointed or to be appointed on behalf of Her Britannic Majesty, and with them to treat and discuss the mode of settlement of the different questions which shall come before the said Joint High Commission, and the said office to hold and exercise during the pleasure of the President of the United States, for the time being.

In testimony whereof I have caused these letters to be made patent, and the seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed.

Given under my hand at the city of Washington, this tenth day of February, in the [seal.] year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, and of the independence of the United States of America the ninety-fifth.