be of the value of one twentieth of a dollar, and to contain eighteen grains and nine sixteenth parts of a grain of pure, or twenty grains and four fifth parts of a grain of standard silver; Cents, each to be of the value of the one hundredth part of a dollar, and to contain eleven pennyweights of copper; Half Cents, each to be of the value of half a cent, and to contain five pennyweights and half a pennyweight of copper. Sec. 10. And be it further enacted, That upon the said coins respectively there shall be the following devices and legends, namely: Upon one side of each of the said coins there shall be an impression emblematic of Liberty, with an inscription of the word Liberty, and the year of the coinage; and upon the reverse side of each of the gold and silver coins there shall be the figure or representation of an eagle, with this inscription, "United States of America ;" and upon the reverse of each of the copper coins, there shall be an inscription which shall express the denomination of the piece, namely, cent or half cent, as the case may require. Sec. 11. And be it further enacted, That the proportional value of gold to silver, in all coins which shall by law be current as money within the United States, shall be as fifteen to one, according to quantity in weight, of pure gold or pure silver; that is to say, every fifteen pounds weight of pure silver shall be of equal value in all payments with one pound weight of pure gold, and so in proportion as to any greater or less quantities of the respective metals. Sec. 12. And be it further enacted, That the standard for all gold coins of the United States, shall be eleven parts fine, to one part alloy; and, accordingly, that eleven parts in twelve of the entire weight of each of the said coins shall consist of pure gold, and the remaining one twelfth part of alloy; and the said alloy shall be composed of silver and copper, in such proportions, not exceeding one half silver, as shall be found convenient, to be regulated by the Director of the Mint for the time being, with the approbation of the President of the United States, until further provision shall be made by law. And to the end that the necessary information may be had in order to the making of such further provision, it shall be the duty of the Director of the Mint, at the expiration of a year after commencing the operations of the said Mint, to report to Congress the practice thereof during the said year, touching the composition of the alloy of the said gold coins, the reasons for such practice, and the experiments and observations which shall have been made concerning the effects of different proportions of silver and copper in the said alloy. Sec. 13. And be it further enacted, That the standard for all silver coins of the United States, shall be one thousand four hundred and eighty-five parts fine, to one hundred and seventynine parts alloy; and accordingly, that one thousand four hundred and eighty-five parts in one thousand six hundred and sixtyfour parts of the entire weight of each of the said coins, shall consist of pure silver, and the remaining one hundred and seventy-nine parts of allow, which alloy shall be wholly of copper. 32. Proclamation of Neutrality1 Whereas it appears that a state of war exists between Austria, Prussia, Sardinia, Great Britain, and the United Netherlands, of the one part, and France on the other; and the duty and interest of the United States require, that they should with sincerity and good faith adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and impartial toward the belligerent Powers: I have therefore thought fit by these presents to declare the disposition of the United States to observe the conduct aforesaid towards those Powers respectively; and to exhort and warn the citizens of the United States carefully to avoid all acts and proceedings whatsoever, which may in any manner tend to contravene such disposition. 1 American State Papers, Class 1 Foreign Relations, vol. 1, p. 140. And I do hereby also make known, that whoesoever of the citizens of the United States shall render himself liable to punishment or forfeiture under the law of nations, by committing, aiding, or abetting hostilities against any of the said Powers, or by carrying to any of them those articles which are deemed contraband by the modern usage of nations, will not receive the protection of the United States, against such punishment or forfeiture; and further, that I have given instructions to those officers, to whom it belongs, to cause prosecutions to be instituted against all persons, who shall, within the cognizance of the courts of the United States, violate the law of nations, with respect to the Powers at war, or any of them. 33. Resolutions of Congress March-May, 1794 Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be authorized to employ, as despatch-boats, such of the revenue cutters of the United States as the public exigencies may require. Approved, March 20, 1794. Resolved &c., That an embargo be laid on all ships and vessels in the ports of the United States, whether already cleared out, or not, bound to any foreign port or place, for the term of thirty days; and that no clearances be furnished, during that time, to any ship or vessel bound to such foreign port or place, except ships or vessels under the immediate direction of the President of the United States: And that the President of the United States be authorized to give such instructions to the revenue officers of the United States, as shall appear best adapted for carrying the said resolution into full effect. Approved, March 26, 1794. 1 Annals of Congress, 3 Cong., 1 Sess., Appendix, pp. 1482–1484. Resolved, &c., That, during the continuance of the present embargo, no registered vessel, having on board goods, wares, or merchandise, shall be allowed to depart from one port of the United States to any other port within the same, unless the master, owner, consignee, or factor, shall first give bond with one or more sureties to the Collector of the district from which she is about to depart, in a sum of double the value of the vessel and cargo, that the said goods, wares, or merchandise, shall be relanded in some port of the United States; which bond, and also a certificate from the Collector of the district, where the same may be relanded, shall, by the Collectors, respectively, be transmitted to the Secretary of the Treasury. That the several Collectors be prohibited from granting a clearance to any foreign ship or vessel, in any case whatever, during the continuance of the present embargo; and all armed vessels, possessing public commissions from any foreign Power, (letters of marque excepted,) are to be considered as not liable to the embargo. Approved, April 2, 1794. Resolved, &c., That the present embargo be continued, and every regulation concerning the same, shall be in full force until the twenty-fifth day of May next. Approved, April 18, 1794. Resolved, &c., That the President of the United States be authorized to direct clearances to be granted to any ships or vessels belonging to citizens of the United States, which are now loaded, bound from any port in the United States, for any port beyond the Cape of Good Hope; any thing in the resolution for laying the embargo, to the contrary notwithstanding: Provided, That, before the Collector of either of the districts of the United States, shall grant clearances, or any such vessel shall sail, the owners thereof shall give sufficient security, to the satisfaction of such Collector, that she shall not unlade her cargo, or any part thereof, at any port or place, previous to her arrival at the Cape of Good Hope. Approved, May 7, 1794. 34. An Act to prohibit the carrying on the Slavetrade from the United States to any foreign place or country' March 22, 1794 Be it enacted, &c., That no citizen or citizens of the United States, or foreigner, or any other person, coming into, or residing within, the same, shall, for himself or any other person whatsoever, either as master, factor, or owner, build, fit, equip, load, or otherwise prepare, any ship or vessel, within any port or place of the said United States, nor shall cause any ship or vessel to sail from any port or place within the same, for the purpose of carrying on any trade or traffic in slaves to any foreign country; or for the purpose of procuring from any foreign kingdom, place, or country, the inhabitants of such kingdom, place, or country, to be transported to any foreign country, port, or place whatever, to be sold or disposed of as slaves. And if any ship or vessel shall be so fitted out, as aforesaid, for the said purposes, or shall be caused to sail, so as aforesaid, every such ship or vessel, her tackle, furniture, apparel, and other appurtenances, shall be forfeited to the United States, and shall be liable to be seized, prosecuted, and condemned, in any of the Circuit Courts or District Court for the District where the said ship or vessel may be found and seized. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all and every person, so building, fitting out, equipping, loading, or otherwise preparing, or sending away, any ship, or vessel, knowing or intending that the same shall be employed in such trade or business, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, or any ways aiding or abetting therein, shall severally forfeit and pay the 1 Annals of Congress, 3 Cong., 1 Sess., Appendix, pp. 1425–1426. |