DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN NATIONS. [See pp. 7, 12, 19, 77, 196.] FOURTH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION. April 15, 1796. On an act for the relief and protection of American seamen, Mr. King reported an amendment to the bill, so as to read: SEC. 3. And, in order that full and speedy information may be obtained of the seizure and detention, by any foreign power, of any seaman employed on board any ship or vessel of the United States, Be it further enacted, That it shall, and hereby is, declared to be the duty of the master of every ship or vessel of the United States, any of the crew whereof shall have been impressed or detained by any foreign power, at the first port at which such ship or vessel shall arrive, if such impressment or detention happened on the high seas, or, if the same happened within any foreign port, then in the port in which the same happened, immediately to make a protest, stating the manner of such impressment or detention, by whom made, together with the name and place of residence of the person impressed or detained, distinguishing also whether he was an American citizen, and, if not, to what nation he belonged. (Annals, 4th Cong., 1st sess., 72, 73; Stat. L., vol. 1, p. 477.) [See pp. 6, 10, 12, 47, 69, 77, 196.] May 18, 1796. On memorial of Walter Stewart and others as to French spoliations, Mr. Bingham reported as follows: That, considering the advanced period of the session, it will be expedient to refer the said memorial to the Secretary of State, in order that he may investigate the nature and extent of the claims exhibited therein, and report on the same at the next meeting of Congress. (Annals, 4th Cong., 1st sess., 75, 76, 96.) [See pp. 8, 28, 122.] FIFTH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION. June 13, 1797. On message of President Adams as to privateering, Mr. Livermore reported the following bill: Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That if any citizen or citizens of the United States shall, without the limits of the same, fit out and arm, or attempt to fit out and arm, or procure to be fitted out and armed, or shall knowingly aid or be concerned in the furnishing, fitting out, or arming any private ship or vessel of war, with the intent that such vessel or ship shall be employed to cruise or commit hostilities upon the subjects, citizens, or property of any prince or State with whom the United States are at peace, or upon the citizens of the United States or their property, or shall take command of, or enter on board of any such ship or vessel for the intent aforesaid, or shall purchase an interest in any vessel so fitted out and armed, with a view to share in the profits thereof, such person or persons so offending shall, on conviction thereof, be adjudged guilty of a high misdemeanor, and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars and imprisonment not exceeding ten years; and the trial for such offence, if committed without the limits of the United States, shall be the district where the offender shall be apprehended or first brought. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That nothing in the foregoing act shall be construed to prevent the prosecution or punishment of treason or any piracy defined by a treaty or other law of the United States. (Annals, 5th Cong., 1st sess., 15, 16, 17, 20, 3685; Stat. L., vol. 1, p. 520.) [See pp. 5, 8, 10, 12, 47, 69, 77, 196.] FIFTH CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION. May 18, 1798. On message of President Adams relating to depredations of French privateers, Mr. Goodhue reported as follows: AN ACT more effectually to protect the commerce and coasts of the United States. Whereas armed vessels, sailing under authority or pretence of authority from the Republic of France, have committed depredations on the commerce of the United States, and have recently captured the vessels and property of citizens thereof on and near the coasts in violation of the law of nations and treaties between the United States and the French nation; Therefore Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it shall be lawful for the President of the United States, and he is hereby authorized, to instruct and direct the commanders of the armed vessels belonging to the United States to seize, take, and bring into any port of the United States, to be proceeded against according to the laws of nations, any such armed vessel which shall have committed or which shall be found hovering on the coasts of the United States for the purpose of committing depredations on the vessels belonging to citizens thereof, and also to retake any ship or vessel of any citizen or citizens of the United States which may have been captured by any such armed vessel. (Annals, 5th Cong., 2d sess., 559, 562, 563; Stat. L., vol. 1, p. 561.) [See pp. 46, 47, 120, 355.] SIXTH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION. May 7, 1800. As to the compensation of public ministers, Mr. Morris reported the following bill: Be it enacted, etc., That, exclusive of an outfit which shall in no case exceed the amount of one year's full salary to any minister plen ipotentiary or chargés des affaires, to whom the same may be allowed, the President of the United States shall not allow a greater sum than at the rate of nine thousand dollars per annum as a compensation for all his personal services and expenses; nor a greater sum for the same than four thousand five hundred dollars per annum to a chargé des affaires; nor a greater sum for the same than one thousand three hundred and fifty dollars per annum to the secretary of any minister plenipotentiary. That where any sum or sums of money shall be drawn from the Treasury, under any law making appropriation for the contingent expenses of intercourse between the United States and foreign nations, the President shall be, and he hereby is, authorized to cause the same to be duly settled annually with the accounting officers of the Treasury in manner following-that is to say, by causing the same to be accounted for specially in all instances wherein the expenditure thereof may in his judgment be made public, and by making a certificate of the amount of such expenditures as he may deem it advisable not to specify, and every such certificate shall be deemed a sufficient voucher for the sums therein expressed to have been expended. (Leg. Jour., vol. 3, pp. 87, 88; Stat. L., vol. 2, p. 78.) [See pp. 5, 12, 19, 77, 196.] NINTH CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION. February 5, 1806. On spoliation of the commerce of the United States on the high seas, Mr. Smith, of Maryland, reported as follows: That the capture and condemnation, under the orders of the British Government and adjudication of their courts of admiralty, of American vessels and their cargoes, on the pretext of their being employed in a trade of the enemies of Great Britain, prohibited in the time of peace, is an unprovoked aggression upon the property of the citizens of these United States, a violation of their neutral rights, and an encroachment upon their national independence. That the President of the United States be requested to demand and insist upon the restoration of the property of their citizens, captured upon the pretext of its being employed in a trade with the enemies of Great Britain, prohibited in time of peace, and upon the indemnification of such American citizens for their losses and damages sustained by these captures and condemnations, and to enter into such arrangements with the British Government on this and all other differences subsisting between the two nations (and particularly respecting the impressment of American seamen), as may be consistent with the honor and interests of the United States, and manifest their earnest desire to obtain for themselves and their citizens, by amicable negotiation, that justice which they are entitled to. That it is expedient to prohibit by law the importation into the United States of any of the following goods, wares, or merchandise, being the growth, produce, or manufactures of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland or the dependencies thereof, that is to say, woolens, linens, hats, nails, looking-glasses, rum, hardwares, slate, salt, coal, boots, shoes, ribbons, silks, and plated and glass ware. The said prohibition to commence from the of —, unless previously thereto equitable arrangements shall be made between the |