From George Washington to Edmund Randolph, 1 April 1794
To Edmund Randolph
[Philadelphia] Tuesday April 1st 1794
Sir,
I think the United States will be benifited by granting the request of Louis Osmont1—but, as applications have been, and probably will be frequent—I conceive it will be advisable to ascertain as nearly as may be the precise objects of the Embargo2—and havg so done to establish rules or principles that will meet cases as they shall occur which will save trouble at the same time that it will be a mean of facilitating business.3 Yrs
G. W——n
ADfS, DNA: RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters; LB, DNA: RG 59, GW’s Correspondence with His Secretaries of State.
1. On the request of Louis Osmont for a passport, see n.1 of Randolph’s second letter to GW of 31 March.
2. For the thirty-day embargo of 26 March that Congress imposed on “all ships and vessels” in U.S. ports, see . 1:400.
3. Any written reply from Randolph on this subject has not been found. For clarification of the restrictions imposed by the embargo and its eventual extension until 25 May, see the congressional resolutions of 2 and 18 April and 7 May ( . 1:400–401).