Friday, January 22.
Encouragement to Privateers.
The House again resolved itself into a Committee of the Whole on the report of the Committee of Ways and Means on the petitions of Joshua Barney and Stephen Kingston.
The resolution, reported by the Committee of Ways and Means, "that it is inexpedient to legislate upon the subject of the petitions," was disagreed to; and the following was reported to the House as a substitute thereto:
"Resolved, That any right or claim of the United States to British property which may have been captured by American privateers, arising from forfeiture under any provision of the non-importation acts, ought to be relinquished for the benefit of the captors."
The question on the original resolution was also disagreed to by a vote of the House. For disagreeing 61, against it 47.
And the resolution proposed in Committee of the Whole as a substitute, was, as stated above, agreed to; and was referred to the Committee of Ways and Means to bring in a bill in pursuance thereof.
Impressed Seamen.
The following Message was received from the President of the United States:
To the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States:
I transmit, for the information of Congress, copies of a correspondence between John Mitchell, Agent for American Prisoners of War at Halifax, and the British Admiral commanding at that station.
I transmit for the like purposes copies of a letter from Commodore Rodgers to the Secretary of the Navy.
January 22, 1813.
JAMES MADISON.
Extract of a letter from John Mitchell, Esq., Agent for American Prisoners of War at Halifax, to the Secretary of State, dated
"December 5, 1812.
"I cover you a copy of a correspondence, which took place in consequence of different applications I received, either by letter or personally, from persons detained on board His Britannic Majesty's ships of war in this place.
"I formerly mentioned to you that the Admiral had assured me that he would discharge all the citizens of the United States who were in the fleet, and actually did discharge several. This induced me to think I should be correct, and in the perfect line of my duty, in sending him a list of the applicants to me, and requesting an inquiry to be made, and discharges granted to all who were citizens of the United States; I, therefore, covered him a list of the names now enclosed to you, which produced his letter to me of the same date, (December 1, 1812.)
"I read it with surprise, because some of the men had informed me their captains had refused to report them to the Admiral. Now, if no one here was, or is, allowed to do it, their situation is hopeless.
"It is not my place, sir, to reason with you on this business. Proof of Nativity, in his first letter, is a strong expression; and how few are in possession of it, and how many who cannot obtain it.
"The second paragraph, in the second letter, prevents my interfering; and I have since been obliged to send a man away, requesting him to apply to his commanding officer."
Copy of a letter from John Mitchell, Esq., Agent for American Prisoners of War at Halifax, to Sir John Borlase Warren, dated
December 1, 1812.
Sir: Since the sailing of the last cartels, in which you were pleased to send home several Americans, who had been in His Britannic Majesty's service, others who are now on board of the Centurion and Statira have requested of me to procure their discharge, and to be sent home.
Will you, sir, have the goodness to direct an inquiry, and order the release of such as are citizens of the United States?
Besides the enclosed list, I am told there are others whose names I have not.
I have the honor to be, &c.,
JOHN MITCHELL, Agent.
Copy of a letter from Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, to John Mitchell, Esq., Agent for American Prisoners of War at Halifax, dated
December 1, 1812.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date, respecting some men, therein mentioned, on board His Majesty's ships under my command, said to be citizens of the United States, and in reply, beg to acquaint you, that whenever I have received representations from the captains of His Majesty's ships of any part of their crews being citizens of America, with sufficient proof of their nativity, I have directed their discharge from the service.
I must observe to you that I cannot permit the interference of any applications from men belonging to His Majesty's ships, but through their commanding officers: and in your department, of prisoners of war only, I shall at all times be most happy to receive your communications.
I have the honor to be, &c.,
JOHN B. WARREN.
Copy of a letter from John Mitchell, Esq., Agent for American Prisoners of War at Halifax, to Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, dated
December 3, 1812.
Sir: I had yesterday the honor to receive your letter, dated the 1st instant, in which you observe that you cannot permit the interference of any application from men on board of His Britannic Majesty's ships of war, but through their commanding officers.
Desirous of conforming as far as possible to established regulations, permit me the honor to inquire of your Excellency, if by your letter I am to understand that I am not to receive the applications of seamen declaring themselves citizens of the United States, who are on board of His Majesty's ships of war, and communicate the same to you? If this is the meaning, I shall most certainly conform, though I must lament the regulation.
I have the honor to be, &c.,
J. MITCHELL, Agent, &c.
Copy of a letter from Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, to John Mitchell, Esq., Agent for American Prisoners of War at Halifax, dated
December 4, 1812.
Sir: In reply to your letter, dated yesterday, I have to acquaint you that whenever any address is made relative to men on board His Majesty's ships, it must be by the commanders of such vessels direct.
I cannot permit any application by other persons in time of war, but in the above mode.
It will always afford me pleasure to attend to your wishes in any respect relative to the situation or exchange of prisoners, or to afford any aid or relief in my power. I have the honor to be, &c.,
JOHN B. WARREN.
From Commodore Rodgers to the Secretary of the Navy.
U. S. Frigate President,
Boston, Jan. 14, 1813.
Sir: Herewith you will receive two muster books, of His Britannic Majesty's vessels Moselle and Sappho, found on board the British packet Swallow.
As the British have always denied that they detained on board their ships of war American citizens, knowing them to be such, I send you the enclosed, as a public document of their own, to prove how illy such an assertion accords with their practice.
It will appear by these two muster books that so late as August last, about an eighth part of the Moselle and Sappho's crews were Americans; consequently, if there is only a quarter part of that proportion on board their other vessels, that they have an infinitely greater number of Americans in their service than any American has yet had an idea of.
Any further comment of mine on this subject, I consider unnecessary; as the enclosed documents speak but too plainly for themselves. I have the honor to be, &c.,
JOHN RODGERS.
Hon. Paul Hamilton, Secretary of the Navy.
The Message and documents were read, and referred to the Committee of Foreign Relations.