York, on a charge of having been armed in our ports to cruize against nations at peace with the U. S. it is the opinion there is no ground to make any new order in this case. The Little Democrat, the Vainqueur de la Bastille, the Citoyen Genet & the Sans Culottes, a letter to be written to Mr. Genet as was determined on the 3 instant, and an instruction in conformity therewith be given to the Governors, Mr. Hammond to be informed thereof & to be assured the government will effectuate these former resolutions on this subject. The Lovely Lass, the Prince William Henry, & the Jane of Dublin prizes to the Citoyen Genet. Mr. Genet to be written to as was agreed on the 3 instant. The brig Fannie and ship William reclaimed as taken within the limits of our protection, as it is expected that the court of Admiralty may very shortly reconsider whether it will take cognizance of these cases, it is thought better to take no new measure, therein for the present. The Schooner fitting out at Boston as ment in a letter of Mr. Gore to Mr. Lear, the Governor of Massachusetts to be written to to suppress her. Mr. Delaney's letter of the 24th of July on the question whether duties are to be paid on prize goods landed for sale, it is the opinion the duties are to be paid. A letter from Mr. Genet of the 4th of Aug. informing the Secretary of State that certain inhabitants lately arrived from St. Domingo are combining to form a military expedition from the territory of the U. S. against the constituted authorities of the s'd island, it is the opinion that the Governor of Maryland be informed thereof (because in a verbal communication to the Secretary of State Mr. Genet had named Baltimore as the place where the combination was forming) and that he be advised to take measure to prevent the same. The Secretary of State and Attorney General are of opinion that Mr. Hammond be informed that measures are taking to procure restoration of the prizes the Lovely Lass, the Prince William Henry and the Fane of Dublin and in case that cannot be effected that Government will take the subject into further consideration. TO THE FRENCH MINISTER.' J. MSS. PHILADELPHIA, August 7, 1793. SIR,-In a letter of June 5th, I had the honor to inform you, that the President, after reconsidering, at your request, the case of vessels armed within our ports to cominit hostilities on nations at peace within the United States, had finally determined, that it could not be admitted, and desired that all those, which had gen so armed, should depart from our ports. It being understood afterwards that these vessels either still remained in our ports, or had only left them to cruize on our coasts, and return again with their prizes, and that another vessel, the Little Democrat, had been since armed at Philadelphia, it was desired in my letter of the 12th of July, that such vessels, with their prizes, should be detained till a determination should be had of what was to be done under these circumstances. In disregard, however, of this desire, the Little Democrat went out immediately on a cruize. I have it now in charge to inform you, that the President considers the United States bound, pursuant to positive assurance, given in conformity to the laws of neutrality, to effectuate the 1 In relation to this letter, Jefferson wrote the President : [Aug. 18. 1793.] 'Th: Jefferson on examination of the subject finds that the resolution for restoring or compensating prizes taken by the proscribed vessels was agreed to by the heads of departm! & Atty Gen! on the 5th. There was a difference of opinion how far it should be communicated to Mr. Hammond; the President was pleased to call at the office of Th: J. and to decide in favor of a full communication, on the same day (between 2. & 3. o'clock he believes). Th: J. in considering the subject, found it would require caution of expression in both letters, that is, to Mr. Genet & Mr. Hammond. He took therefore to the next day to propose the draughts. The President called on him in the country the next morning (the 6th) and after his departure, Th: J. went on with the beginning of the letter to Gouv! Morris, which he had begun, and had read a part of to the President. He was therefore later than usual in going to town. When he arrived there he sent the two draughts of letters to Genet & Hammond for the President's approbation. Whether they did not come back to his office till he had left town, or whether they could not be copied in time, he does not recollect; but he finds the press copy of the letter to Mr. Genet, in Mr. Taylor's handwriting, dated Aug. 7." restoration of, or to make compensation for, prizes which shall have been made, of any of the parties at war with France, subsequent to the 5th day of July last, by privateers fitted out of our ports. That it is consequently expected, that you will cause restitution to be made of all prizes taken and brought into our ports, subsequent to the above mentioned day, by such privateers; in defect of which, the President considers it as incumbent upon the United States to indemnify the owners of those prizes. The indemnification to be reimbursed by the French nation. That, besides taking efficacious measures to prevent the future fitting out privateers in the ports in the United States, they will not give asylum therein to any which shall have been at any time so fitted out, and will cause restitution of all such prizes as shall be hereafter brought within our ports, by any of the said privateers. It would have been but proper respect to the authority of the country, had that been consulted before these armaments were undertaken. It would have been satisfactory, however, if their sense of them, when declared, had been duly acquiesced in. Reparation of the injury, to which the United States have been made so involuntarily instrumental, is all which now remains, and in this your compliance cannot but be expected. In consequence of the information given in your letter of the 4th instant that certain citizens of St. Domingo, lately arrived in the United States, were associating for the purpose of undertaking a military expedition, from the territory of the United States, against that island, the Governor of Maryland, within which state the expedition is understood to be preparing, is instructed to take effectual measures to prevent the same. TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. J. MSS. August 11, 1793. Thomas Jefferson, with his respects to the President, begs leave to express in writing more exactly what he meant to have said yesterday. A journey home in the autumn is of a necessity which he cannot controul after the arrangements he has made, and when there, it would be his extreme wish to remain. But if the continuance in office to the last of December, as intimated by the President, would, by bringing the two appointments nearer together, enable him to marshal them more beneficially to the public, & more to his own satisfaction, either motive will suffice to induce Th J. to continue till that time. He submits it therefore to the President's judgment, which he will be glad to receive when convenient, as the arrangements he had taken may require some change. TO JAMES MADISON. MAD. MSS. August 11, 1793. wrote you last on the 3d. inst. came to hand yesterday. DEAR SIR, I Yours of July 30, Besides the present which goes by post, I write you another to-day to go by mr. D. Randolph, who sets out the day after to-morrow for Monticello, but whether by the direct route or via Richmond is not yet decided. I shall desire that letter to be sent to you by express from Monticello. I have not been able to lay my hands on the newspaper which gave a short but true view of the intention of the proclamation. However, having occasion to state it in a paper which I am preparing, I have done it in the following terms, and I give you the very words from the paper, because just as I had finished so far, 812.15.1 called on me. I read it to him. He said it presented fairly his view of the matter. He recalled to my mind that I had, at the time, opposed it's being made a declaration of neutrality on the ground that the executive was not the 1 Edmund Randolph. competent authority for that, &, therefore, that it was agreed the instrument should be drawn with great care. My statement is in these words. 'On the declaration of war between France & England, the U. S. being at peace with both, their situation was so new and unexperienced by themselves, that their citizens were not, in the first instant, sensible of the new duties resulting therefrom, & of the laws it would impose even on their dispositions towards the belligerent powers. Some of them imagined (and chiefly their transient sea-faring citizens) that they were free to indulge those dispositions, to take side with either party, & enrich themselves by depredations on the commerce of the other, & were meditating enterprises of this nature, as was said. In this state of the public mind, and before it should take an erroneous direction difficult to set right, & dangerous to themselves & their country, the President thought it expedient, by way of Proclamation, to remind our fellow-citizens that we were in a state of peace with all the belligerent powers; that in that state it was our duty neither to aid nor injure any; to exhort & warn them against acts which might contravene this duty, & particularly those of positive hostility, for the punishment of which the laws would be appealed to, and to put them on their guard also as to the risks they would run if they should attempt to carry articles of contraband to any. Very soon afterwards we learnt that he was undertaking to authorize the fitting & arming vessels in that port, enlisting men, foreigners & citizens, & giving them commissions to cruise and commit hos |