Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1801-09-10

1901.
" The law refpeaing prize courts in
the Wet Indies and Halifax having paiIeJ.
no further difficulties now ftano in the way
of the promiied reform, which will, have
reaion to hope, be carried into execution
without delay.
Exiraa fran THE late Ma,uaious giyen BY
tbe Department eff Staie 10 C4nIuis amt
0tt'er Commercial .4geafs Of the United
Sf0hes.
:" IL is comfortable time Gnce our
confuls originated the practice Of providing
with certificates foreign veiiels purchaied
abroad by citizens of the United States
and it ia even underaood shas iome fuch
veIels have been fupplied will, confalar
regiiters and fea-letters. To iecuse the
bona 6de property of our citizens is an i'm
portant duty Of the government but to
repreis or regulate ACQUIRE Of proceedings,
the tendency OF. which is TO blend it an;a,,-
pearance with foreign property, by render
ing the evidence OF its legitimacy fufpici-
Gus or uncertain, ought equally to demand
its attention.
:" Accordingly you will, in no cafe
whatever, ihue to any fuch yeael either
RICHTER or iea-lester, or any document OF
iimila: nature, except the one herenai-
ter prefcribed.
6 If as is molly tic cafe, the veiTsl
for which you are reqaeRed to iiluc paper,
be a Prize veAel, you will require the ex-
hibition frhe condemnation & Oil OF iale,
as well as proof that the purchafer is ci-
tizen Of the United States. If the fhip,
whether prize venel or nor, is alledged
to he purchaled on account Of an abfent ei-
tizen, you will require the authorization
ofthe agent making the purchaie to be pro
duced. In addition to thefc documents
the purchaier nhould in every cafe make an
affidavit, " that he is the bona hle pro-
prietor osthc veHel that no other perion
has any part or interef in her, and thar be
does not hold her, or any part Of her, in
truit for any other perion - And ii
purchaied for an abicn, citizen, the agent
fhonld make the fame affidavit mutatis mu-
tandis, adding to it the qualification, "to
the bett OF his belief" Theft republics
being completed, it may be concluded thar
the veHel is really American, unlets their
authenticity is disiniihed by other pecu-
liar circumstances, which may come tn your
knowledge. They are conditions which in
a genuine tranlaction are ealily performed,
and they are abfoiutely necelsary to form
the BATS of your official a9, in granting
the certificate hereafter mentioned. Ii is
moreover uniafe for yeGel to put to Tea
withoeS them in time of war.
6 If in any cafe the adroitnafs Of in
,diyiduals ihould impofe upon you, notwith.
aapding the above precautions, there is
one fecurity left, which will probably de-
feat the fraud. The certificate mnt be
limited to the veGcl's return to the United
States, and her deRination to fome port
therein mutt be fpecihed in il. No cer,i
ficare is to be granted e. venel having
cnce been in the United States, iince the
purchaft, unlefs it be efficiently made to
appear that her fes-e letter there obtained,
has been loft by accident.
I" The form Of the certificate may be
us follows
A. B. Conful of the United States OF
America.
10 all 10 zob5m tbe/e bre/enn Nail cam,
GREETING
1t appearing from the documents hereto
annexed, [annexing the condemnation, if
the cafe be fuch, bill Of fale, authorize
tion of thcowner, if The cafe be fuch, copy
of the proof of citizenihip and the owners
or agents affidavit, and repeating their ii
ties that G. D. a citizen OF the faid States
IS the fole proprietor of the fhip naming
and deicribing her now lying in the port
Of whereof T.. +. another citizen
of the iaid States is mater, being bound
to the port of within the faid