To James Madison from Elizur Goodrich, 14 April 1806 (Abstract)
From Elizur Goodrich, 14 April 1806 (Abstract)
§ From Elizur Goodrich. 14 April 1806, New Haven. “I have the honor to inclose, at the request of Mesrs Buckley De Forest & Co. Merchants of this place, certain documents, relative to the detention of the Sloop Mary, in a Spanish Port, in the Oronoko.1 They consider it, their duty to state to the Government, the aggression made upon their property, and have a confident relyance, in the measures, which will be adopted to obtain redress. It is due, to their Characters to say that they are native Citizens of the United States, and a regular trading house, established in this City, men of respectability and that full reliance may be placed in their representation. Charels [sic] Morris, whose deposition is inclosed, has been connected with the American Navy, appears to be an intillegent honest Man, says that he is well known, to the Secretary of the Navy to whom he has addressed a line upon this Subject. The Parents of John Ford, mentioned in the deposition, as also of John Miles 3d the Captain of the Sloop are Citizens of Newhaven, and feel all that anxiety, which is natural on the Occasion. The Owners of the Vessel have requested the Honle James Hillhouse to converse with you, upon the subject & receive instructions whether any other or further measures are necessary or proper on their part, for the liberation of their Mariners or property.”
Adds in a postscript: “Mesrs B & DF request the inclosed letter may be perused & forwarded to Mr Smith.”
RC (DNA: RG 76, Preliminary Inventory 177, entry 315, Spain, Treaty of 1819 [Art. XI] [Spoliation], Allowed Claims, 1821–24, vol. 57). 2 pp.; docketed by Wagner. Enclosures not found.
1. The Mary sailed from New Haven on 18 July 1805, arriving at the Orinoco on 1 Oct. 1805. After examining Capt. John Miles Jr.’s papers, the governor seized the ship and its cargo, 300 barrels of flour worth $9,000, beef, butter, and other sundries, because Miles had no sea letter. Miles explained that there had been none in the collector’s office when he left, so collector Abraham Bishop gave him a certificate stating that, which the governor ignored. When the owners of the ship learned of Miles’s situation, they obtained a proper sea letter with a certificate from Bishop that Miles had been entitled to one when he sailed, together with the owners’ deposition regarding the citizenship of the captain and crew, ownership of the vessel, and a consular certificate, all which Miles received in May 1806. The governor declared them all forgeries and retained the property. Meanwhile, several crewmen who had attempted to escape had their funds confiscated and were imprisoned for several months, after which they and Miles were ordered not to leave. Several months later they all managed to escape and arrived in Trinidad in July 1806. Miles arrived at New Haven on 28 Aug. 1806 (New Haven Connecticut Herald, 2 Sept. 1806).