WANSKAPS OCH HANDELS TRACTAT EMELLAN SWERIGE OCH THE FORENTE STAERNE I NORRA AMERICA...TRAITÉ D'AMITIÉ ET DE COMMERCE ENTRE SA MAJESTÉ LE ROI DE SUÈDE ET LES ÉTATS UNIS DE L'AMÉRIQUE SEPTENTRIONALE...

Stockholm, 1785.. [48]pp., printed in double columns in parallel French and Swedish. The notice of the American ratification on the final three pages is printed in Swedish and English. Small quarto. Gathered signatures, stitched. Contemporary ownership signature at bottom of titlepage. Fine. Untrimmed. This is only the third treaty made by the United States with a power other than France (the others were with the Netherlands in 1782 and the peace treaty with Britain of 1783), and by it Sweden became the fourth nation to officially recognize the United States. Benjamin Franklin was the American negotiator, and this treaty offers good evidence of his diplomatic activities in Europe beyond his work with the French and peace negotiations with the British. Although the treaty was concluded on April 3, 1783 (see Evans 18245 for a broadside announcing the event), it was not printed until this Stockholm publication. It was very likely printed in a very small edition for official use and certainly not generally circulated. Sweden was one of the major maritime powers of the period, and the conclusion of this treaty was an important step forward for the American negotiations with the British in Paris. By the treaty the United States and Sweden grant each other most-favored nation trade status, agree on rules for trade in times of peace and war, and establish a framework for exchanging consular representation. While it follows Franco-American treaties and consular accords, the French treaties were colored by the mutual state of war with Great Britain. This is the first regular treaty of friendship and commerce between the United States and a neutral power. MALLOY, p.1724. SABIN 100931.