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sons taken in American armed ships, has the honour to lay before the president the accompanying papers marked A. B. C. from which it appears, that certain persons, some of whom are said to be native, and others naturalized citizens of the United States, being parts of the crews of the United States' armed vessels the "Nautilus" and the "Wasp," and of the private armed vessel, the "Sarah Ann," have been seized, under the pretext of their being British subjects, by British officers, for the avowed purpose, as is understood, of having them brought to trial for their lives, and that others, being part of the crew of the Nautilus, have been taken into the British service.

The secretary of state begs leave also to lay before the president the papers marked D. and E. From these it will be seen, that whilst the British naval officers arrest as criminals such persons taken on board American armed vessels as they may consider British subjects, they claim a right to retain on board British ships of war American citizens who may have married in England, or been impressed from on board British merchant vessels; and that they consider an impressed American, when he is discharged from one of their ships, as a prisoner of war. All which is respectfully submitted.

JAMES MONROE.

Department of State, December 19, 1812.

A. No. 1.

Extract of a letter from Lt. F. H. Babbitt to master and commandant Wm. M. Crane, of the United States' navy (late of the United States' brig Nautilus), dated

Boston, Mass. 13th Sept. 1812.

Enclosed I send you a description of the proportion of our little crew, who have been so debased and traitorous as to enter the service of our enemy. Also, a list of those gallant fellows whose glory it would have been to have lost their lives in the service of their country, and whose misfortune it has been to cross the Atlantic on suspicion of their being British subjects: four of them native born Americans, and two naturalized citizens. On their parting with me, and removal from the Africa of 64 guns to the Thetis frigate (the latter with a convoy from England, then in 43. 30. N. and 46. 30. W.), their last request and desire was that I would particularly acquaint you with their situation, with their determination never to prove traitors to that country whose flag they were proud to serve under, and

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whose welfare and prosperity they equally hoped and anticipated to realise.

(Signed)

F. H. BABBITT.

A list of men said to have entered on board his B. M. frigate Shannon, commodore Broke. Their description as far as

known.

Jesse Bates, seaman, about 5 feet 9 inches high, dark hair and complexion, dark snapping eyes, has an impediment in his speech, and at times affects lunacy; has a wife and family in Boston, Mass.

Samuel Lang, marine, born in Kentucky, 5 feet 8 inches high, or thereabouts, and is supposed to be with capt. Hall, of the U. S. marines, New York.

John Young, marine, 5 feet 5 inches high, large mouth, enlisted with capt. Hall, navy yard, New York; when addressed, or is addressing an officer, casts down his eyes. For his particular description as well as that of John Rose, marine, about 5 feet 8 inches high, brown hair, full face, thick set, and a scowl in his countenance, refer to capt. John Hall.

John O'Neal, seaman, about 25 years of age, 5 feet 5 inches high, dark hair, sharp face, dark eyes, thick set, and was shipped at Norfolk, Va. previous to your taking command of the Nautilus.

William Jones, od. seaman, about 5 feet 8 inches high, light hair, 24 years of age, full face, thick set, down-cast look, and is a very alert man; entered at New York April last.

(Signed)

A. No. 2.

Sir John Borlase Warren, to Mr. Monroe.

F. H. B.

Sir, Halifax, 30th September, 1812. Having received information that a most unauthorized act has been committed by commodore Rodgers, in forcibly seizing twelve British seamen, prisoners of war, late belonging to the Guerriere, and taking them out of the English cartel brig Endeavour on her passage down the harbour of Boston, after they had been regularly embarked on board of her for an exchange, agreeable to the arrangements settled between the two countries, and that the said British seamen, so seized, are now detained on board the U. States' frigate President as hostages; I feel myself called upon to request, sir, your most serious attention to a measure so fraught with mischief and inconvenience, destructive of the good faith of a flag of truce and the sacred protection of a cartel. I should be extremely sorry that the imprudent act of

any officer should involve consequences so particularly severe as the present instance must naturally produce if repeated; and although it is very much my wish, during the continuance of the differences existing between the two countries, to ado t every measure that might render the effect of war less rigorous, yet in another point of view, the conviction of the duty I owe my country would, in the event of such grievances as I have already stated being continued, not admit of any hesitation in retaliatory decisions: but as I am strongly persuaded of the high liberality of your sentiments, and that the act complained of has originated entirely with the officer who committed it, and that it will be as censurable in your consideration as it deserves, I rely upon your taking such steps as will prevent a recurrence of conduct so extremely reprehensible in every shape.

I have the honour to be, with the highest consideration, sir, your most obedient and most faithful humble servant, JOHN BORLASE WARREN, Admiral of the Blue, and Commander in Chief, &c.

(Signed)

His ex ellency James Monroe, esq. Secretary of State.

Mr. Monroe to Sir John Borlase Warren.

Sir, Department of State, October 28th, 1812. I have had the honour to receive your letter of the 30th September, complaining that commodore Rodgers, commanding a squadron of the United States' navy at the port of Boston, had taken twelve British seamen, lately belonging to his Britannic majesty's ship the Guerriere, from a cartel in the harbour of Boston, and that he detained them on board the President, a frigate of the United States, as hostages.

I am instructed to inform you, that inquiry shall be made into the circumstances attending, and the causes which produced the act of which you complain, and that such measures will be taken on a knowledge of them, as may comport with the rights of both nations, and may be proper in the case to which they relate.

I beg you, sir, to be assured that it is the sincere desire of the president to see (and to promote, so far as depends on the United States) that the war which exists between our countries be conducted with the utmost regard to humanity.

I have the honour to be, &c. &c.

(Signed)

JAMES MONROE.

Sir John Borlase Warren, Admiral of the Blue, and Commander

in Chief, &c. &c.

Sir

B.

Washington, December 17, 1812.

I have the honour to annex a list of twelve of the crew of the late United States' sloop of war Wasp, detained by captain John Berresford, of the British ship Poictiers, under the pretence of their being British subjects.

I have the honour to be, respectfully, sir, your obedient ser

vant,

GEO. S. WISE, purser.

The hon. Paul Hamilton, Secretary of the Navy.

List referred to in the preceding note marked B.

John M'Cloud, boatswain, has been in the service since 1804. Married in Norfolk in 1804 or 5, and has a wife and four children there.

John Stephens, boatswain's mate, has been in the service 5 or 6 years.

Geo. M. D. Read, quarter master, has a protection, and has sailed out of New York and Philadelphia for several years.

William Mitchell, seaman, James Gothright, do. John Wright, do. Thomas Phillips, do. Peter Barron, do. John Connor, ordinary seaman, John Rose, do. George Brooks, do. Denni Daugherty, marine.

The greater number, if not all, had protections at the time of entering and being taken. Two others were detained-John Wade and Thomas Hutchins; but were given up, the former on captain Jones' assuring captain Berresford he knew him to be a native citizen; the latter on a like assurance from D. Rodgers.

Wm. Mitchell was in the service during 1805 and 6, in the Mediterranean.

Washington City, December 17, 1812.

GEORGE S. WISE, purser.

C.

Extract of a letter from major general Pinckney to the Secretary of War, dated

Head-Quarters, Charleston, 4th November, 1812.

Information having been given upon oath to lieutenant Grandison, who at present commands in the naval department here, that six American seamen, who had been taken prisoners on board of our privateers, had been sent to Jamaica to be tried as British subjects for treason, he called upon the marshal to retain double that number of British seamen as hostages. The marshal, in consequence of instructions from the department of

state, asked my advice on the subject, and I have given my opinion that they ought to be detained until the pleasure of the president shall be known. The testimony of captain Moon is herewith. I hope, sir, you will have the goodness to have this business put in a proper train to have the president's pleasure on this subject communicated to the marshal.

Copy of a letter from captain Moon, of the privateer Sarah Ann. Nassau, New-Providence, 14th October, 1812.

Six of my crew, claimed as British subjects, were this day taken out of jail and put on board his majesty's brig the Sappho, and sailed for Jamaica, where 'tis said they are to be tried for their lives; consequently I questioned each respectively as to the place of their nativity, and title to protection by the American government, when they stated as follows, to wit:

David Dick, seaman, that he was born in the north of Ireland, but has resided in the United States ever since the year 1793; has served ten years in the United States' navy, viz. on board the frigates Chesapeake, President, Constitution, John Adams, and schooner Enterprize, and gun boat No. 2. David Dick, shoemaker, in Alexandria, is his uncle. Dick is about five feet six and a half inches high, dark hair, has a scar on his left elbow and one on each wrist; he entered on board the Sarah Ann in Baltimore.

John Gaul, seaman, says he was born in Marblehead, state of Massachusetts, where his parents, brothers, and sisters now reside; is married in New York, and his wife (Mary Gaul) lives in Roosevelt street, No. 37; has a regular discharge from the navy of the United States by captain Hugh G. Campbell, dated at St. Mary's, Georgia, 14th August, 1812; says he has served on board the United States' brig Vixen, gun boats No. 10 and 158, from the last of which he was discharged. Gaul is twenty-seven years of age, about five feet seven inches high, brown hair, light complexion; he entered on board the Sarah Ann in Baltimore.

Michael Pluck, od. seaman, says he was born in Baltimore; his parents are dead, but he is known by William Doulan, Thomas Turner, and M'Donald of Baltimore; has a sister in some part of Pennsylvania, whose name is Ann Welsh; was never at sea before; never had a protection. Pluck is twentysix years old, five feet six and a half inches high, and has a scar on his left cheek bone; entered on board the Sarah Ann at Baltimore.

Thomas Rogers, seaman, says he was born in Waterford, Ireland, but has resided many years in the United States, and

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