James Madison Papers

From James Madison to the House of Representatives, 28 December 1810 (Abstract)

§ To the House of Representatives

28 December 1810. Communicates a report from the secretary of state in compliance with the House resolution of 21 Dec. 1810.1

RC and enclosure (DNA: RG 233, President’s Messages, 11A-D1). RC 1 p. In a clerk’s hand, signed by JM. Enclosure (21 pp.) is a 28 Dec. report with three sections, marked A, B, and C, on the duties imposed by France on imports carried in American vessels (printed in ASP description begins American State Papers: Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States … (38 vols.; Washington, 1832–61). description ends , Foreign Relations, 3:400–403). The report was received by the House on 31 Dec. and referred to the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures and the committee on foreign relations (Annals of Congress description begins Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States … (42 vols.; Washington, 1834–56). description ends , 11th Cong., 3d sess., 478).

1On 21 Dec. the House of Representatives adopted a resolution proposed by Jacob Swoope of Virginia requesting the president to forward information “relative to the duties as at present imposed by the Emperor of France, on all articles, the importation of which into the dominions of France is permitted on board of American vessels; and whether all articles, the produce of the American soil, will, on their exportation from the United States, obtain a free admission into the ports of France; and, if not, what articles of said produce are prohibited” (Annals of Congress description begins Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States … (42 vols.; Washington, 1834–56). description ends , 11th Cong., 3d sess., 459).

The 28 Dec. report submitted by the secretary of state established that France, under an imperial decree of 15 July 1810, only allowed the importation of certain enumerated American products under highly restrictive conditions and, as Robert Smith observed in his correspondence with Turreau on the subject, that “the importation into France of cotton and tobacco, the produce of the United States, is, at this time, specially and absolutely prohibited” (ASP description begins American State Papers: Documents, Legislative and Executive, of the Congress of the United States … (38 vols.; Washington, 1832–61). description ends , Foreign Relations, 3:402).

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