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Subject Area: Economics
Subject Area: Political Theory

GALLATIN TO JEFFERSON. - Albert Gallatin, The Writings of Albert Gallatin, vol. 1 [1879]

Edition used:

The Writings of Albert Gallatin, ed. Henry Adams (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1879). 3 vols.

Part of: The Writings of Albert Gallatin, 3 vols.

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GALLATIN TO JEFFERSON.

Treasury Department, 27th February, 1808.

Dear Sir,—

It seems that fourteen American vessels, which had entered last summer in Amsterdam as coming from America, and with cargoes not of British growth, have been detained under suspicion of having in fact come from England with English cargoes. The clearances have been sent to Heinicken, the Dutch consul, in order to ascertain the fact. Four of the vessels having thus entered as if coming from New York, and with clearances apparently signed by the officers of that port, Heinicken writes to Mr. Gelston asking for the information and enclosing copies of the clearances. These are evidently forgeries intended to evade the French and Dutch regulations. For of the four vessels which had entered with such supposed New York papers, three had never been in that port, and the fourth, instead of clearing for Amsterdam with a cargo of sugar, as stated in the forged paper, had actually cleared for Liverpool with cotton, flour, and lumber. It is therefore clear that she landed her cargo in Liverpool, took there a cargo of sugar, and, having forged a new clearance and a set of other documents in order to show that the sugar was not British, proceeded to Amsterdam, where she is detained. I had before heard some vague reports of those transactions, and also a suggestion that the harsh interpretation put by Bonaparte, on his return from Poland, on his decree of November, 1806, was owing to his being made acquainted with the fraud. It is very possible that the three vessels may have been indeed British vessels sailing under American flags; for, as they had never been in New York, they must have forged not only the clearances, but also the sea-letters and other documents.

Mr. Gelston now inquires whether he shall give to Heinicken the information required. It will certainly seal the condemnation of the vessels; and he doubts whether we are bound to assist in carrying the French and Holland decrees into effect. The paper A is the copy of the true clearance under which the Jane sailed from New York, and is sent to me by Mr. Gelston. The paper B 4 is a copy of the forged clearance under which she entered Amsterdam, and the papers B 5, 6, and 7 are copies of the three other forged documents, intended to show that the sugar she had taken on board at Liverpool had been imported into the United States from French, Spanish, and Danish ports. Those four papers, B 4, 5, 6, 7, were enclosed to Mr. Gelston by Heinicken. The forged clearances and documents of the three other vessels, being similar to that of the Jane, have not been sent by Mr. Gelston.

There being fourteen vessels in that situation, and Heinicken having sent to Mr. Gelston the papers of four only, I presume that the other ten had entered Amsterdam as coming from other American ports, and that Heinicken has made a similar application to the collectors of those ports respectively from which they pretended to have cleared. The question is respectfully submitted for your consideration.

With great respect, your obedient servant.