HAMMOND, September 5, 1793
TO MR. HAMMOND.
Philadelphia, September 5, 1793.
I am honored with yours of August the 30th. Mine of the 7th of that
month assured you that measures were taking for excluding from all
further asylum in our ports, vessels armed in them to cruise on nations
with which we are at peace, and for the restoration of the prizes,
the Lovely Lass, Prince William Henry, and the Jane of Dublin and that
should the measures for restitution fail in their effect, the President
considers it as incumbent on the United States, to make compensation for
the vessels. We are bound by our treaties with three of the belligerent
nations, by all the means in our power to protect and defend their
vessels and effects in our ports or waters, or on the seas near our
shores, and to recover and restore the same to the right owners when
taken from them. If all the means in our power are used and fail in
their effect, we are not bound by our treaties with those nations to
make compensation.
Though we have no similar treaty with Great Britain, it was the opinion
of the President that we should use towards that nation the same rule,
which, under this article, was to govern us with the other nations; and
even to extend it to captures made on the high seas and brought into our
ports, if done by vessels which had been armed within them.
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