ch a Consul is entitled, that is to say, of a
particular decorum of deportment towards him, indicative of respect to
the sovereign whose officer he is.

The President also desires you will immediately obtain the best evidence
it shall be in your power to procure, under oath or affirmation, of
the transaction stated in your letter, and that in this, you consider
yourself as acting as much on behalf of M. Duplaine as the public, the
candid truth of the case being exactly that which is desired, as it may
be the foundation of an act, the justice of which should be beyond all
question. This evidence I shall be glad to receive with as few days, or
even hours, of delay as possible.

I am also instructed to ask the favor of you to communicate copies of
any memorials, representations, or other written correspondence which
may have passed between the Governor and yourself, with respect to the
privateers and prizes which have been the subject of your letters to Mr.
Lear.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, Sir, your most obedient
servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER CLXVI.--TO MR. 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.