The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1807-07-23 00:00:00, page 2

By Thomas Jefferson,
President of the United States of America,
A PROCLAMATION.
During the wars which, for some
'ime, have unhappily prevailed among
the powers of Europe, the United
States of America, firm in their prin
ciples of peace, have endeavoured by
justice, by a regular discharge of all
their national and social duties, and by
every friendly office their situation has
admitted, to mantain, with all the belli
gerents, their accustomed relations of
friendship, hospitality, and commercial
intercourse. Taking no part in the
questions which animate these powers
against each ether, nor permitting
themselves to entertain a wish but for
the restoration of general peace, thev
have observed with good faith the
neutrality they assumed, upd they be
lieve that no instance of a departure
from its duties can he jmrtlv imputed
to them by any nation. A free use of
their harbours and waters, the means
of refitting and of refreshment, of sue- I
cour to their sick and suffering, have,
at all times and on equal principles, been
extended to all, and this too amidst a con
stant recurrence of acts of insubordina
tion to the laws,of violence to the persons,
and of trespasses on the property of our
citizens, committed bv officers of one of
thebe Higerent partiesreccivcd among us.
In. truth these abuses of the laws cf hos
pitality have, with few exceptions, be
come habitual to the commanders of the
British armed vessels hovering on our
coasts, and frequenting our harbours.
They have been the subject of repeated
representations to their government.—
Ass n ances have been given that proper
orders should restrain them w ithin the
limit ol the rights and of the respect due
to a friendly nation; but those orders and
assurances have been without effect; no
instance of punishment for past wrongs
lias taken place.
At length, a deed, transcending all we
have hitherto seen or stifle red, brings
the publick sensibility to a crisis, and
cur forbearance to a necessary pause.
A frigate of the United States, trusting
to a state of peace, and leaving her har
bor on a distant service, has been sur
prised and attacked by a British vessel
of superior force, one of a squadron then
h mg in our waters and covering the
transaction, and has been disabled
from service, with the loss of a number
ot men killed and wounded. T his enor
mity was not only without provocation
or justifiable cause, but was committed
with the avowed purpose of taking by
force, from a ship of war of the United
States, a part of her crew; and that no
circumstance might be wanting to mark
its character, it had been previously as
certained that the seamen demanded
were native citizensofthe UnitcdStatcs.
Having effected his purpose, he returned
to anchor with his squadron within our
jurisdiction. Hospitality under such cir
cumstances ceases to he a duty, and a
continuance of it, with such uncontrolled
abuses, would tend only by multiplying
injuries and irritations, to bring on a
rupture between the two nations. This
extreme resort is equally opposed to the
interest oi both, as it is to assurances of
the most friendly dispositions on the
part cl the British government, in the
midst of which this outrage has been
committed. In this light the subject
cannot but present itself to that govern
ment, and strengthen the motives to an i
honourable reparation of the wrong
whicli has been done, and to that effec
tual controul ol its naval commanders,
which alone can justify the United
States in the exercise of those hospitali
ties it is now constrained to discontinue*
In consideration of these circumstances
and the right of every nation to regulate
its own police, to provide tor its peace
and lor the safety of its citizen-, and
consequently to refuse the admission cl'
armed vessels into its harbours or wa
ters, either in such numbers, or of such
descriptions, as arc inconsistent with
these, or with the maintenance of the
authority of the laws, I have thought
proper, in pursu tr ee of the authorities
specially given by law, to issue this my
proclamation, In reby requiring all arm
ed vessels bearing commissions under
the government of Great-Britain, now
within the harbours or waters of the U
nited States, immediately and without
any delay to depart from the same, and
interdicting the entrance of all the said
harbours and waters to the said armed
vessel?, ahd to all others bearing com
missions under the authority of the Bri
tish government.
And if the said vessels, or any of
them, shall fail to depart as aforesaid, or
if they, or any others so interdicted,
shad hereafter enter the harbours and
waters aforesaid, I do in that case for
bid all intercourse with them or any of
them, their offic ersor crews, and do pro
hibit all supplies and aid from being
furnished to them or any of them.
And I do declare and make known,
that if any person from, or within the
jurisdictional limits of the U. States,
shall afford any aid to any such vessel,
contrary to the prohibition contained in
this proclamation, either in repairing a
nv such vessel, or in furnishing her, her
officers and crew, with supplies of any
kind, or in any manner whatsoever; or
if any pilot shall assist in navigating any
of the said armed vessels* unless it be
for the purpose of carrying them in the
first instance beyond the limits and ju
risdiction of the United States, or unless
it be in the case of a vessel forced by
distress, or charged with public dis
patches, as hereinafter provided for ;
such person or persons shall, on convic
tion, suffer all the pains and penalties by
the laws provided for such offences.
And I do hereby enjoin and require
all persons bearing offices civil or milita
ry, within or under the authority of the
United StatA, and all others, citizens
or inhabitants thereof, or being withiif
the same, with vigilance and prompti
tude to exert their respective authori
ties, and to be aiding and assisting to
the carrying this proclamation, and eve
ry part thereof, into effect.
Provided nevertheless,That if any such
vessels shall he forced into the harbours
or waters of the United States, by dis
tress, by the dangers of the sea, or by
the pursuit of an enemy, or shall enter
them charged with dispatches or busi- '
ness from their government, or shall he
a public packet for the conveyance of
j letters and dispatches, the commanding
ollicer immediately reporting his vessel
to the collector of the district, stating
the objector causes of entering llu snici
harbours or waters, and conforming
himself to the regulations in that case
prescribed under the authority of the
laws, shall be allowed the benefit of such
! regulations respecting repairs,supplies,
stay, intercourse and departure, as .shal^
! be permitted under the same authority.
In testimony whereof, I have caused
the seal of the United States to be aTixed
to these presents, and signed the sa me.
Given at the city of Washington, the ■
becond day of July, in the y« ar of
(L.s.)our Lord one thousand eight hun
dred and seven, and of the sove
reignty and independence of the
United States the thirty-first.
TH: JEFFEKSON.
By the President,
J. Madison, Sec. of Stale.