Treaty of Toronto (Dixie Forever)

The Treaty of Toronto, signed in Toronto, Canada, by representatives of the United States, and of the Confederate States on July 1, 1865, ended the War for Southern Independence. The treaty set the boundaries between the United States and Confederate States, on lines "exceedingly generous" to the latter. Details included fishing rights, restoration of property, war crime tribunals, and prisoners of war.

Multiple articles of this treaty are still in effect to this day, while others, such as Articles XIV and XV, are no longer in effect due to abolition.

Agreements
Peace negotiations began in May 1865, and continued on through summer. Representing the United States were Horatio Seymour, John Porter, Jeremiah Black, and Hannibal Hamlin. Alexander Stephens, John C Breckenridge, William Miles, and John Regan represented the Confederate States. The treaty was signed at the York Hotel in Toronto, July 1, 1865, ratified July 2 and 3, and exchanged on July 4, 1865.

Regarding the treaty, the key episode came in mid-June, when the French ambassador, Charles Francois proposed a solution that was strongly opposed by the United States. He proposed to the United States the cession of all the border states and the payment of the Confederate war cost, since they had been the ones to invade the south. He made suggestions that the British would be inclined to accept such an arrangement if the Americans continued to stall and block Confederate efforts at peace for much longer.

The Americans believed that they could get a better deal directly from the Confederates, rather than trying to bring the French and British to intervene on their side to try to gain Missouri, Kentucky, northern Virginia, Cuba, Yucatan, and the west. Vice President Hamlin told John C Breckenridge he was willing to negotiate directly with them, acing out Britain and France. William Miles and John Regan agreed. Both Hamlin and Breckenridge wanted to try to reestablish economic relations between the two countries, as the United States's economy was in a dangerous position due to the taxes and tariffs enacted since 1861.

The two came to terms: South California, Arizona, and New Mexico would remain Confederate, but Arizona west of the Colorado River and the 120th western parallel would go to the Union state of Nevada to give it river access. Missouri and Kentucky would remain Confederate, since the Confederates held the major cities and most territory of both states. West Virginia would remain in the US, and gain a few counties. DC would regain Alexandria from Virginia, as the Union was already burying its war dead in Robert Lee's property, and the general would not likely move them off his property. The Union would gain right to navigate commercial vessels on the Ohio and Mississippi River but would pay to dock in New Orleans. The Confederates would accept 1/3 of the national debt as of 1/1/1861.

The resulting treaty was very favorable to the Confederates, as the British wanted the agricultural products and low tariffs of the Confederates. British and French merchants would gain low-tariff ports, encouraging their own economies, while the US would likely be pressured to lower their Morill Tariff of 1861, which was bad for British and French business.

Ambassador Lord Lyons foresaw highly profitable two-way trade between Britain and the rapidly growing Confederate States, as indeed came to pass.

Treaty Key Points
Preamble: Declares the treaty to be for the end of war and the "unnecessary effusion of blood and treasure," states the bona fides of the signatories, and declares the intention of both parties to "establish peace on the firm foundations of friendship and mutual respect."


 * 1) The United States acknowledge the sovereignty and independence of the Confederate States (Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma (14), Cuba, Rio Grande, southern California, Yucatan, as well as the territories of Arizona and New Mexico, Sonora, Chihuahua) as free, sovereign, and independent states, and the United States
 * 2) Establishes peace between both the Confederate States and the United States to avoid future war between the two parties
 * 3) The United States shall withdraw from occupied Confederate territory, and the Confederates shall withdraw from any US territory. The US shall cease its blockade of Confederate ports
 * 4) Prisoners of war shall be returned to their respective countries, but slaves behind Union lines will not be returned and their owners will not be compensated.
 * 5) The Confederate States acknowledge West Virginia as part of the Union, and cede all claim to it and Maryland, DC, Delaware, and the western territories.
 * 6) Kentucky and Missouri will hold plebiscites to determine their status; they both vote to join the Confederacy.
 * 7) Civilian property that was stolen, damaged, or destroyed by the armed forces of either nation shall be restored to the other nation
 * 8) The US shall have free travel of the Mississippi river
 * 9) The US and CS shall grant one another most-favored-nation status
 * 10) The US and CS shall agree to deliver fugitives to justice in the other country if fleeing into their territory.
 * 11) The debts incurred in prosecuting the war shall be honored, and the CS shall assume 1/3 the national debt as of 1-1-1861 ($21,614,095.96)
 * 12) People in either nation shall not be harassed for supporting the opposite side in the war, or lose life, liberty, or property.
 * 13) An international tribunal shall be called to prosecute military and political personnel on either side which committed, ordered, suborned, allowed, or encouraged the acts of murder, rape, robbery, arson, or theft on civilian populations that were not of military necessity.
 * 14) Ratification of the treaty is to occur within six months from its signing.

Eschatocol. "Done at Toronto, this first day of July in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five."

Consequences
Historians have often commented that the treaty was very generous to the Confederate States in terms of states and territories functionally under their control and debt it assumed from the United States. Historians such as Williams, Schweikart, and Jones have emphasized the British encouragements to the United States were based on a statesmanlike vision of close economic ties to be developed between the Confederates and the British, and the hope of continued ties to the United States. The concession of Kentucky was more for the reality of the Ohio River forming a natural barrier, and the plebiscite there and in Missouri both were definitive enough that the United States could not dispute them. The French Ambassador remarked, "The British buy peace rather than make it."

Privileges that the Confederates had received from the United States when part of that country, such as military protection, representation in the Congress, and so on, were withdrawn. On the other side, the withdrawing Union army often took additional slaves, slave spouses, and their children with them in violation of treaty.

The most explosive section to northern newspapers and civilians was the tribunal to which the US agreed. Many believed they were justified in putting down a rebellion, and believed they were justified in what they did to do so. But when news and testimony of war crimes against military such as General Sherman, General Sheridan, and others came out in lurid detail; Confederate Lt Colonel James Keith was convicted, and General Forrest was acquitted of the so-called massacre at Fort Pillow since the Union did not strike colors, and the general retreated, leaving the troops there without command. The tribunal created about three dozen convictions on the Union side and about a dozen on the Confederate side before the parties decided to end the tribunal for the sake of peace and allowing the wounds of war to heal.