From Alexander Hamilton to Timothy Pickering, [23 January 1797]
To Timothy Pickering
[New York, January 23, 1797]
Dear Sir
I remember that very early in the day & prior to any act of Great Britain the French passed a decree violating with regard to all the neutral powers the principle of free ships free goods & I think making provisions liable to seizure. This decree was afterwards rescinded as to America—then again revived & then again revoked.1 I want copies of these decrees for a particular purpose2 useful to the Government & presuming they must be on the files of your deparment, you will oblige me much by letting me have copies as speedily as may be convenient.
With respect & true esteem I am Dr Sir Yr Obed servt
A Hamilton
T Pickering Esqr
ALS, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston.
1. This is a reference to the decree of the National Convention of May 9, 1793, the first article of which reads: “Les bâtimens de guerre et corsaires français peuvent arrêter et amener dans les ports de la République, les navires neutres qui se trouveront chargés en tout ou en partie, soit de comestibles appartenant à des neutres et destinés pour des ports ennemis, soit de marchandises appartenant aux ennemis” (, V, 345). On May 23, 1793, “conformément à l’article 16 du traité passé le 6 février 1778,” the Convention issued a decree exempting United States vessels from the provisions of the decree of May 9 (, V, 371). This decree was suspended on May 28, 1793 (, V, 381), and was reinstated on July 1, 1793 (, VI, 1). For English translations of these decrees, see , Foreign Relations, III, 284–85.
2. For H’s use of the material he requested from Pickering, see “The Warning No. V,” March 13, 1797, and “The Warning No. VI,” March 27, 1797.