MESSAGE.

[The Message of the President of December 6, 1805, was not printed. It probably consisted of but few words, introducing the following Documents; and in the journal of secret proceed. ings of the House of Representatives is mentioned as follows.]

DECEMBER 6, 1805.

THE Speaker laid before the House a letter and communication from the President of the United States, which was read.

Copy of a Letter from captain John Stinson, commander of the ship Huntress, to the Secretary of the Navy. London, August 20, 1805.

SIR,

On my arrival at Liverpool, I wrote for the information of government, giving a statement of the capture of the ship Huntress, (laden with government stores.) On my arrival here, Mr. Lyman informed me he had not written, induced me to forward this, lest the first should miscarry.

On June the 1, lat. 36. 20. N. long. 74. 50. I was brought to by a Spanish schooner privateer called La Maria, commanded by Antonio Lobo, from Porto Rico. The reason Lobo gave for detaining the ship, was, her being bound for a British port, and not having a Spanish passport.* After robbing the ship of ten barrels of bread, one barrel of tar, and sundry other articles; took all my crew out, excepting the cabin-boy, put a prize master and eleven Spaniards on board. and ordered the ship for Porto Rico.

On June 9, in sight of Bermudas, was retaken by two

*She had on board, besides the ordinary marine papers, a special passport from the President of the United States, reciting the nature of her cargo and its destination for the supply of the Mediterranean squadron of the United States. She had also the passports of the British and French ministers.

English Guineamen; after taking the Spaniards out, put a prize master and crew on board, and ordered the ship for Liverpool, where she arrived the 16th ult. much damaged. I have the honour to be, &c.

Copy of a Letter from Lieut. Jos. J. Maxwell, to his excellency general Castanos, Algeziras.

U. S. Gun Boat, No. 3. Harbour of Algeziras, June 15, 1805.

SIR,

I HAVE the honour to acquaint your excellency, that I was this morning brought to by four armed boats under Spanish colours, who after exercising the utmost insolence, and without assigning the smallest reason, conducted me to this port.

The orders received from my government, were, to proceed with all possible despatch to the commander of the American squadron in the Mediterranean. The serious consequences attending this unwarrantable detention must be too obvious to your excellency to require a remark. I shall only observe, that if your government authorizes indignities of this nature, to my own I must appeal for redress. I am sensible, however, this cannot be the case, and persuade myself that your excellency will readily redress the insult offered the American flag, in this instance, and take measures to prevent a repetition.

Under this impression, I am, &c.

Copy of a Letter from Lieut.J. Maxwell, commanding gun boat No. 3, to commodore Rodgers.

U. S. Gun Boat, No. 3. Harbour of Syracuse, July 8, 1805.

SIR,

I HAVE to acquaint you that on the morning of the 15th June last, Gibraltar bearing N. E. distant 2 leagues, I was brought to by four Spanish gun-boats, who, without examining a paper or assigning any other reason than their sus

picion of my being an Englishman, took charge and conducted me into Algeziras.

It is necessary to remark, that my guns were at that time in the hold. Immediately on my arrival I stated officially the circumstance to the general of marines, which I also enclose for your perusal. The boat was instantly discharg ed with many apologies and offers of supplies and assistance, should I stand in need of them. I was requested to wait a short time the general's answer. I did so till & P. M. Ap. prehensive I might be detained much longer, and knowing the importance of the boat's joining you, without the smallest delay, I weighed without it, and stood over to the Rock, where, for the first time since our separation, on the 15th May, I found the John Adams.

I should have waited on the general of marine personally, but could not procure pratique.

I proceeded immediately to mounting my guns, and sailed from Gibraltar the 18th June.

I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed)

Commodore Rodgers.

JOS. J. MAXWELL.

Extract of a Letter from Charles Pinckney, Esq. Minister at Madrid, to the Secretary of State, dated August, 1805. I HAVE written to you lately very often, informing you' of the Spaniards being now in the habit of capturing our vessels as much as during the last war. The following is the list transmitted to me of American vessels taken by the Spaniards, and sent into Algeziras for adjudication, since the date of my last to you:

Brigantine Anne Isabel, of Virginia, Williams, master; Brigantine Vercries Pesa; Brigantine Dido, Shail, master, from Marblehead; Ship Mary, Robert Stevenson; Ship Eagle, Nchemiah Shaler, last from Liverpool; Brigantine Jefferson, Simon Bahmond; Brigantine Polly and Nancy, of Baltimore, John Croan; Schooner Molengue, John Waterman, of New York; Schooner Leffen, William Maret, of Virginia ; Brigantine Diana, Silvester Simmons, of New Haven.

Extract of a Letter from Charles Pinckney, Esq. Minister at Madrid, to the Secretary of State, dated September 22, 1805.

My last informed you that I was still under the necessity of remaining here until the 24 October, on account of all the mules being embargoed for the king's service until that day, so that I could not before go to the Sitio to take leave; that I had still been without the pleasure of seeing Mr. Erving or Mr. Bowdoin, and that not being able to wait for them any longer, I should, when I went away, leave Mr. Young charged with our affairs until they, or one of them, came; that during this time, and constantly, I had been busily employed with this court in endeavouring to arrest the numerous depredations of their privateers on our commerce, and their condemnations of our vessels, and that to do this my exertions have not only been unceasing, but more than twenty letters have passed between Mr. Cevallos and myself on the subject. I have now the pleasure to send you the result, by enclosing the copy of a letter which I have just received from Cadiz, and which I have received in such an unquestionable shape as to leave no doubt of its authenticity. By this it appears that my exertions have been effectual, and will probably prevent future captures on that ground.

[TRANSLATION.]

From the Secretary of State and of the Marine to the Director-general of the fleet.

SIR,

THE minister of the United States, complaining of new injuries and captures of American vessels by Spanish cruisers, has given information of the carrying to Algeziras of eleven vessels of his nation, under pretext, as he says, of their carrying English merchandize. The king, being made acquainted with it, has been pleased to determine that, if there be no other cause for the capture of these vessels than that alleged by the minister, they should be

put at liberty again; since, according to the 15th article of the treaty with the United States, the American flag secures the freedom of the merchandizes, although they may be enemies, property. But if the cause of detention be any other, his majesty requires that they be decided in due course, and with as little delay as possible. I communicate it to you by the royal order, in order that you may communicate it to the generals of the departments of marine, in order that they may make it known to the commandants of marine in every district, and to the owners of privateers, informing them that they will be responsible for the injuries they may occasion.

St. Ildefonso, Sept. 3, 1805.

CONSULAR OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

[L. S.]

GIBRALTAR.

On this 13th day of September, 1805, personally appeared in my consular office of the United States of America, John Allen, commander of the sloop Ranger, belonging to the government of the aforesaid United States, and John Thompson, master's mate on board said sloop Ranger, who, after being sworn on the holy evangelists, did declare jointly and severally, each speaking for himself, that they sailed in and with said vessel from Boston, in America, on or about the 21st day of July last, on the service of said government, in company with the sloop Traveller, commanded by Captain Benjamin Prince, with whom they parted company a few days after their leaving Boston, by stress of weather.

That on the 23d of August last, being in latitude 40 deg. 32 minutes north, and longitude 30 deg. 33 minutes west, a schooner came up with them mounting six guns with 16 blunderbusses, and about eighteen men, who, although the American colours were flying on board the Ranger, and the vessel hove to, fired three broadsides at her without shewing any colours, ordering Captain Allen to go on board them, which he did; they then came on board the sloop Ranger, broke open Captain Allen's chest and trunk, tak