Tuesday, January 8, 1799.
Impressment of Seamen.
The following Message was received from the President of the United States:
Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:
In compliance with your desire, expressed in your resolution of the 2d of this month, I lay before you an extract of a letter from George C. Morton, acting Consul of the United States at Havana, dated the 13th of November, 1798, to the Secretary of State, with a copy of a letter from him to L. Trezevant and William Timmons, Esqs., with their answer. Although your request extends no further than to such information as has been received, yet it may be a satisfaction to you to know that as soon as this intelligence was communicated to me, circular orders were given, by my direction, to all the commanders of our vessels of war; a copy of which is also herewith transmitted. I also direct this intelligence and these orders to be communicated to His Britannic Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States, and to our Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Great Britain, with instructions to him to make the proper representation to that Government upon this subject.
It is but justice to say that this is the first instance of misbehavior of any of the British officers towards our vessels of war, that has come to my knowledge. According to all the representations that I have seen, the flag of the United States, and their officers and men, have been treated by the civil and military authority of the British nation, in Nova Scotia, the West India Islands and on the ocean, with uniform civility, politeness, and friendship. I have no doubt that this first instance of misconduct will be readily corrected.
Jan. 8, 1799.
JOHN ADAMS.
[CIRCULAR.]
To the Commanders of Armed Vessels in the service of the United States; given at the Navy Department, December 29, 1798.
Sir: It is the positive command of the President, that on no pretence whatever, you permit the public vessel of war under your command to be detained, or searched, nor any of the officers or men belonging to her to be taken from her, by the ships or vessels of any foreign nation, so long as you are in a capacity to repel such outrage on the honor of the American flag. If force should be exerted to compel your submission, you are to resist that force to the utmost of your power, and when overpowered by superior force, you are to strike your flag, and thus yield your vessel, as well as your men; but never your men without your vessel.
You will remember, however, that your demeanor be respectful and friendly to the vessels and people of all nations in amity with the United States; and that you avoid as carefully the commission of, as the submission to, insult or injury.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
BEN. STODDERT.
Letters which accompanied the above Message:
Extract of a letter from George C. Morton, acting Consul of the United States at the Havana, dated there the 18th November, 1798, to the Secretary of State.
"By the delegation of Daniel Hawley, Esq., I am at present acting as Consul of the United States in this district, with which he will most probably have acquainted you. It imposes upon me the mortifying task of informing you, sir, of the partial capture of an American fleet under the convoy of the Baltimore sloop-of-war, —— Phillips, Esq., commander, by a British squadron, off this harbor, accompanied with circumstances rather grating to the feelings of Americans, and by no means analogous to that good harmony which seems to subsist between the two Governments.
"The answer of Messrs. Trezevant and Timmons to my annexed note of the 17th instant, requesting an exact relation of the occurrence, will I presume be deemed as impartial a narration as can be given of the whole transaction, they having been passengers on board one of the captured vessels, and removed to the Baltimore.
"Mr. Morton adds, that Commodore Loring ordered the fifty-five men out of the Baltimore "on board of his ship, previous to any proposal of exchanging the natives of one nation for those of the other, and retained five of the hands as being British subjects, without giving an equal number of Americans, whom he acknowledged to have on board.""
Havana, November, 17, 1798.
Gentlemen: As acting American Consul for this city and district, and of course obliged to forward the most correct statement possible to the Government of the United States officially, I would beg the favor of you, gentlemen, to furnish me with an exact relation, under your signatures, of the unpleasant occurrence which took place off the Moro Castle on the 16th instant, by which you will much oblige,
Gentlemen, your most obedient servant,
GEO. C. MORTON.
L. Trezevant and W. Timmons, Esqs.
N. B.—It would be proper to premise that you were passengers, and your distance from the Moro Castle at the time of capture.
G. C. M.
Havana, November 18, 1798.
Sir: Agreeably to your request, we now commit to writing the best account we are able to give you of the conduct of Captain Loring, Commodore of the British squadron which was lately off the Moro, towards the United States ship Baltimore. We must observe, however, that all we can say of it is from the information of Captain Phillips, as we were not on board the Baltimore when she was visited by Captain L.'s officers.
In the morning of the 16th instant, we discovered this squadron when we were in sight of the Moro, and afterwards found it was composed of Captain Loring's ship, the Carnatic, of 74 guns; Captain ——'s ship, the Thunderer, of the same force; Captain Dobson's ship, the Queen, of 98 guns; Captain Donnelly's frigate, the Maidstone, of 32 guns; and Captain Hardy's frigate the Greyhound, of the same force. We were passengers in the brig Norfolk, Captain Butler, which, together with the ship Eliza, Captain Baas, and the brig Friendship, Captain Fuller, were cut off from their entrance into port, and were all made prizes within gunshot of the Moro. We obtained leave to go on board the Baltimore with our baggage, and did so. When Captain Phillips discovered they were English ships, (which was before we were taken,) he stood towards them, and spoke the Commodore. After we got on board the Baltimore, the Captain informed us that he had been on board the Carnatic, and the Commodore told him he should take out of the Baltimore all such men as had not American protections; that he had remonstrated with him against showing such an indignity to our flag; that to do so would leave his ship in a very defenceless state, and would deprive him of nearly all his men, as not even those who were really Americans, or at least very few of them, could show protections, because it was always thought that our flag on board of a Government ship, was a sufficient protection. All this, however, was urged in vain. Captain P. returned to his ship, and the Commodore sent an officer on board the Baltimore, who carried away fifty-five of her men to the Carnatic. Captain Phillips remained in expectation that nearly all the rest would be taken from him; but whether the Commodore, upon reflection, thought better of it, or whatever else might have been his motive, he sent back fifty, and kept five, among whom was the ship's boatswain. Captain Loring proposed to give up a number of American seamen, who, he said, were in his fleet, if Captain P. would give him English subjects for them. Captain P. refused this offer, and the American seamen were not delivered to him. Before any of the men were returned, he sent a message to Captain P. to let him know if he, or one of his officers, would go on board of him, and point out who were Americans and who were not, he would return all the Americans; but this was declined also. After we got on board the Baltimore, he sent a letter to Captain P. which he showed to us, in which the Commodore "demanded" that he would give up all the British subjects on board the Baltimore. To this, Captain P. replied that he could not know any of his men as British subjects, nor could he, as commander of a ship, in the service of the United States, voluntarily give up any of his men; but if he thought fit to send an officer on board, with orders to take any number of his men, he should not oppose it. In this answer, Captain P. mentioned he should lay before the Executive of the United States a full account of the occurrences of the day. Shortly after sending this reply, the squadron set sail, and left the Baltimore. Commodore L. was very polite to us, and was so to Captain P. when he went on board; but Captain P. complained of indecent behavior from the inferior officers.
LEWIS TREZEVANT,
WM. TIMMONS.
G. C. Morton, Esq., Vice Consul of the U. S. at Havana.
The Message and documents were read, and ordered to lie on the table.