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Amer. State Papers, Foreign Relations
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Historical SummaryThe declaration of war made by France against Great Britain and Holland reached the United States early in April, 1793. Washington was at Mount Vernon. April 12 he addressed letters to the Secretaries of State and of the Treasury, "requesting their immediate attention to the question of privateering"; on the 17th he reached Philadelphia. On the following day Washington sent to the members of the cabinet a circular letter containing thirteen questions, framed by Hamilton n/g, relative to the proper conduct of the United States in view of a European war. The members of the cabinet, with the Attorney-General, met on the 19th at Washington’s house, and unanimously decided in favor of the issuance of a proclamation of neutrality. Randolph was directed to draw up the proclamation; on the 22d it was submitted to the President, approved, signed, and ordered to be published. The proclamation was communicated to Congress Dec. 3. REFERENCES. — Text in , I., 140. Washington’s letter to the cabinet, and the accompanying questions, are given in Sparks, Writings of Washington, X., 337, 533, 534. Jefferson’s account of the cabinet meeting at which the proclamation was discussed is in his Works (ed. 1854), IX., 142, 143; for his own views on the subject, ib., IV., 17–20, 29–31. For the controversy between Hamilton and Madison, under the names of "Pacificus" and "Helvidius," see Hamilton’s Works ed. 1851), VII., 76–117, and Madison’s Writings (ed. 1865), I., 611–654.
No. 56.
Proclamation of Neutrality
April 22, 1793
WHEREAS it appears that a state of war exists between Austria, Prussia, Sardinia, Great Britain, and the United Netherlands, of the one part, and France on the other; and the duty and interest of the United States require, that they should with sincerity and good faith adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and impartial toward the belligerent Powers:
I have therefore thought fit by these presents to declare the disposition of the United States to observe the conduct aforesaid towards those Powers respectively; and to exhort and warn the citizens of the United States carefully to avoid all acts and proceedings whatsoever, which may in any manner tend to contravene such disposition.
And I do hereby also make known, that whosoever of the citizens of the United States shall render himself liable to punishment or forfeiture under the law of nations, by committing, aiding, or abetting hostilities against any of the said Powers, or by carrying to any of them those articles which are deemed contraband by the modern usage of nations, will not receive the protection of the United States, against such punishment or forfeiture; and further, that I have given instructions to those officers, to whom it belongs, to cause prosecutions to be instituted against all persons, who shall, within the cognizance of the courts of the United States, violate the law of nations, with respect to the Powers at war, or any of them. . . .
GEO. WASHINGTON.
Chicago: Amer. State Papers, Foreign Relations in Documentary Source Book of American History, 1606-1913, ed. William MacDonald (1863-1938) (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1916), Original Sources, accessed April 11, 2025, http://originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=692UTK2LZ9XICNN.
MLA: . Amer. State Papers, Foreign Relations, Vol. I, in Documentary Source Book of American History, 1606-1913, edited by William MacDonald (1863-1938), New York, The Macmillan Company, 1916, Original Sources. 11 Apr. 2025. http://originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=692UTK2LZ9XICNN.
Harvard: , Amer. State Papers, Foreign Relations. cited in 1916, Documentary Source Book of American History, 1606-1913, ed. , The Macmillan Company, New York. Original Sources, retrieved 11 April 2025, from http://originalsources.com/Document.aspx?DocID=692UTK2LZ9XICNN.
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