1. The enclosure (4 pp.; attested to by Harry Toulmin; docketed by Wagner) is the 22 Dec. 1805 petition of Washington County, Mississippi Territory, residents William and John Pierce and Thomas John Strong to the U.S. House of Representatives, stating that in July 1805 the Pierces had contracted with the captain of the schooner Cato to carry a load of cotton from Fort Stoddert to New Orleans; that the captain, with Strong as passenger, had sailed down the east fork of the Mobile River, avoiding the Spanish town of Mobile on the west fork, where the Pierces had arranged for the twelve percent duty on the cargo to be paid; that William Pierce, who was at New Orleans when the Cato arrived, and Strong, had freighted the ship with $4,000 worth of groceries and dry goods for the Pierces and $800 worth for Strong; that on the Cato’s arrival at Mobile on 11 Aug., it was seized by the Spanish and the captain thrown in prison for not having paid the duties when en route to New Orleans. The petition further stated that William Pierce had offered to pay the duties, but his offer had been refused, and they had returned to Washington County; that, although they considered this an attack on the rights of Americans and a violation of treaty, they had petitioned the governor of West Florida to restore their property, had presented him with proofs of their innocence, and had subjected themselves to great expense; that their efforts had been unavailing; that the ship and cargo, together with a wagon bound for the Choctaw Indian Agency that was U.S. property, had been condemned and sold; and that they now appealed to the House for justice and indemnification.