Treaty of Toronto (1865)

The Treaty of Toronto, signed in Toronto, Canada, by representatives of the United States of America and representatives of the Confederate States of America, on June 19, 1865, ended the War for Southern Independence. The treaty set the boundaries between the United States and Confederate States, and settled debts, treatment of the civilian population of the south, prisoner exchanges, and future economic relations between the two nations.

Treaty Key Points
This treaty established southern independence as the Confederate States of America, and remains in force to this day.


 * Preamble: Declares the treaty to be "in the Name of Almighty God," states the bona fides of the signatories, and declares the intentions of the parties to put an end to the calamities of war.
 * The United States acknowledge that the Confederate States (Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Indian Territory admitted as Oklahoma state to the Confederate States, Texas, the Territory of New Mexico) were free, sovereign and independent states, and that the United States relinquish their claims to the government, property, and territorial rights thereof, and every part thereof
 * The Confederate States would pay their proportional portion of the national debt as of 1860 to the United States
 * The United States yield their ownership of all federal forts, stocks, or other property, which the Confederate States shall pay for as of their 1860 value.
 * Established the boundaries of the Confederate States, to include southern California, and with a notch for Nevada to have water access.
 * Legalized the establishment of West Virginia from Virginia during the war.
 * The Confederate States ceded their claims to Missouri, Maryland, and Delaware, while the United States ceded their claims to Kentucky and Tennessee.
 * Established water access to the Mississippi and Colorado Rivers for the United States.
 * Established a border wall to be monitored by France and Great Britain for enforcement of the tariff.
 * Recognized lawful debts to be paid to creditors on either side.
 * The United States would cease their blockade of the Confederate States.
 * Both nations shall have the right to construct monuments to their war dead within the territory of the other nation, fly their flag at those monuments, and have such monuments protected from harm.
 * Prisoners of war would be returned within 3 months and military occupation forces would leave within the same timeframe.
 * Agreed to allow the actions of the militaries of both sides to be put before an international commission to investigate the conduct of the war.
 * Prevented retribution for those who fought on the opposing side and made provision for citizens to move to the other nation within 6 months
 * Ratification of the treaty was to occur before the end of June.

The treaty went into effect when the ratifications were exchanged, which occurred on July 4th, 1865 after a two-day delay by the Confederates, ostensibly to reprint the ratification and for President Davis to sign the copy in Richmond.