Return showing the number and names of vessels of the United States Navy which visited the port of Jamestown, in the island of St. Helena, during the American civil war, viz, from April, 1861, to April, 1865, together with the dates of their visits, the amount of coal supplied to each vessel, repairs effected, and other particulars of a like nature. Return of United States vessels of war which visited this port from April, 1861, to December, 1865, with the dates of their arrival and departure. [237] *CORRESPONDENCE RESPECTING PRIVATEERS FITTED OUT IN UNITED STATES PORTS: 1793-1796. No. 1. Mr. Pinckney, United States minister in London, to Lord Grenville, British secretary of state for foreign affairs. LONDON, June 21, 1793. Privateers in The undersigned, minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, has the honor of transmitting to Lord Grenville the proclamation of the President of the United States of United States ports. America, declaring the disposition of the said States to adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and impartial toward the belligerent powers; accompanied by the copy of a letter on the same subject, Correspondence: written by the Secretary of State of the United States to 1793-1796. such of the ministers of the belligerent powers as were at that time resident in America. The undersigned trusts that this proceeding of the President will be considered by His Britannic Majesty as a proof of the earnest desire of the United States to preserve peace and friendship with all the belligerent powers, firmly relying that they will, in return, extend a scrupulous and effectual protection to all the citizens of the United States, wheresoever they may need it, in pursuing their lawful and peaceable concerns with their subjects, or within their jurisdiction; of which benefit the most exact reciprocation will be practiced by the United States toward their subjects in similar cases. (Signed) THOMAS PINCKNEY. [Inclosure 1 in No. 1.] By the President of the United States of America. A PROCLAMATION. Whereas it appears that a state of war exists between Austria, Pussia, Sardinia, Great Britain, and the United Netherlands, of the one part, and France on the other, and the duty and interest of the United States require that they should with sincerity and good faith adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and impartial toward the belligerent powers: I have, therefore, thought fit by these presents to declare the disposition of the United States to observe the conduct aforesaid toward those powers respectively; and to exhort and warn the citizens of the United States carefully to avoid all acts and proceedings whatsoever which may in any manner tend to contravene such disposition: And I do hereby also make known that whosoever of the citizens of the United States shall render himself liable to punishment or forfeiture under the law of nations, by committing, aiding, or abetting hostilities against any of the said powers, or by carrying to any of them those articles which are deemed contraband by the modern usage of nations, will not receive the protection of the United States against such punishment or forfeiture; and, further, that I have given instructions to those officers to whom it belongs, to cause prosecutions to be instituted against all persons who H. Ex. 324- 33 shall, within the cognizance of the Courts of the United States, violate the law of nations, with respect to the powers at war, or any of them. In testimony whereof I have caused the seal of the United States of America to be affixed to these presents, and signed the same with my hand. Done at the city of Philadelphia, the 22d day of April, 1793, and of the Independence of the United States of America the 17th. (Signed) By the President, (Signed) GO. WASHINGTON. TH. JEFFERSON. [Inclosure 2 in No. 1.] Mr. Jefferson to the ministers of the belligerent powers. PHILADELPHIA April 23, 1793. SIR: As far as the public gazettes are to be credited, we may presume that war has taken place among several of the nations of Europe, in which France, England, [238] Holland, and Prussia are particularly *engaged. Disposed ourselves to pursue steadily the ways of peace, and to remain in friendship with all nations, the President of the United States has thought it expedient, by the proclamation, of which I inclose you a copy, to notify this disposition to our citizens, in order to intimate to them the line of conduct for which they are to prepare; and this he has done without waiting for a formal notification from the belligerent powers. He hopes that those powers, and your nation in particular, will consider this early precaution as a proof, the more candid, as it has been unasked, of the sincere and impartial intentions of our country, and that what is meant merely as a general intimation to our citizens shall not be construed to their prejudice in any courts of admiralty, as if it were conclusive evidence of their knowledge of the existence of war, and of the powers engaged in it. Of this we could not give them conclusive information because we have it not ourselves; and till it is given to us in form, and so communicated to them, we must consider all their acts as lawful which would have been lawful in a state of peace. I have, &c., (Signed) TH. JEFFERSON. No. 2. Mr. Jefferson, United States Secretary of State, to Mr. G. Hammond, British minister to the United States. PHILADELPHIA, April 23, 1793. SIR: As far as the public gazettes are to be credited, we may presume that war has taken place among several of the nations of Europe, in which France, England, Holland, and Prussia are particularly engaged. Disposed as the United States are to pursue steadily the ways of peace, and to remain in friendship with all nations, the President has thought it expedient, by proclamation, of which I inclose you a copy, to notify his disposition to our citizens, in order to intimate to them the line of conduct for which they are to prepare; and this he has done without waiting for a formal notification from the belligerent powers. He hopes that those powers, and your nation in particular, will consider this early precaution as a proof, the more candid as it has been unasked, of the sincere and impartial intentions of our country, and that what is meant merely as a general intimation to our citizens, shall not be construed to their prejudice in any courts of admiralty, as if it were conclusive evidence of their knowledge of the existence of war and of the powers engaged in it. Of this we could not give them conclusive information, because we have it not ourselves; and till it is given to us in form, and so communicated to them, we must consider all their acts as lawful which would have been lawful in a state of peace. I have, &c., (Signed) TH. JEFFERSON. |