To Thomas Jefferson from James Maury, 14 September 1791
From James Maury
Liverpool, 14 Sep. 1791. He last wrote to TJ on 22 Aug.—British ports are closed to foreign wheat, and in this district many American vessels have experienced difficulties primarily because of “excess of spirits.” All but three of them have been released without great expence, though not without injury to their owners. The brig Betsey, commanded by Captain Salter of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, was not allowed to enter the Clyde for six weeks because of the “tonnage and where built being omitted in the Manifest and the affidavit thereto being made before a Justice of the peace instead of the British Deputy Consul altho’ it was afterwards certified by said Deputy Consul.”—These particulars should be made public to avoid similar inconveniences in future.
RC (DNA: RG 59, CD); 3 p.; endorsed by TJ as received 26 Nov. 1791 and so recorded in SJL; at foot of text TJ wrote in pencil: “the names may be published”; on verso he added, also in pencil: “send a copy to Fenno and a press copy to Freneau.” Enclosure: Tr of Board of Customs to Collector and Comptroller of Liverpool undated, calling attention to strict enforcement of section of 1660 Navigation Act forbidding American vessels to ship American goods to Jersey and Guernsey. Most of the letter and all of the enclosure were printed in National Gazette, 1 Dec. 1791, “By Authority.”