Norfolk Gazette And Publick Ledger

Memorial of the Captains and Supercargoes of the American vessels at Leghorn, Oct. 3, 1807.

To Gen. John Armstrong, Minister of the United States, near the Court of France.

WE, the undersigned, citizens of the United States, at present at Leghorn, having under our care considerable property, beg leave to represent to your excellency the grievances under which we labour, since the occupation of this city by the French troops.

The Tuscan government had hitherto, so far favoured our commerce, that we found perfect security for what we landed, and no restraint on the re-exportation of such goods as suited our purpose for other markets.

A decree was issued in November 1806, by the French government; prohibiting the importation of English produce and manufactures, and a commission was appointed in this port, under the authority of the same, to carry that law into execution.--- On the arrival of American vessels, the masters thereof were required to deposit with that commission the manifests of their cargoes, together with the certificates of the French consuls in America. These proofs were deemed sufficient for the admission of their cargoes.

Since the possession of the city by the French army, a new commission has been instituted, with authority to search for, and arrest all merchandize presumed to be of the growth or manufacture of Great-Britain or her colonies. This commission has arrested in the warehouses and lazeretos, property to a large amount belonging to citizens of the United States, regardless of the accompanying proofs of its neutrality and origin. The articles thus arbitrarily detained, are a description of India muslins, India sugars, pimento, ginger, and indigo.-- The alleged ground for the detention of muslins has been because of their superior quality, ignorantly supposing that such could only be imported through the East-India company's agents-a supposition refuted by the smallest acquaintance with the business of India. The sugars, pimento, ginger, and indigo, have been indiscriminately seized. When the fact is represented, that these are daily admitted into the ports of France, no plea can be imagined in justification of the act of violence.

In consequence of these faithless proceedings on the part of the authority of France, our ships are detained on heavy disbursements, and exposed to an approaching inclement season. Our returns are rendered impracticable by the refusal of our consignees to make the usual advances--important voyages are defeated--and many other injuries, particularly distressing at this juncture of our affairs with England.

We trust that for grievances of so serious a nature, we shall obtain from your excellency, a zeal in your representations, which will produce for ourselves a speedy relief, and for the United States a disavowal of proceedings so contrary to the good faith hitherto subsisting between the two nations.

Signed by all the American captains and supercargoes at Leghorn.

E. SOLOMONS, Sec.

Leghorn, October 3, 1807.