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Lot 463
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King George III Issues Monition in Case of Seized American Ship and Cargo
King George III Issues Monition in Case of Seized American Ship and Cargo
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Description:

King George III
London, England, September 18, 1794
King George III Issues Monition in Case of Seized American Ship and Cargo
MD
GEORGE III, Manuscript Copy of Monition, September 18, 1794, London, England. 4 pp., 7.5" x 12.25". Expected folds; even toning; light soiling, very good.

This contemporary clerical copy of a monition orders King George III's subjects not to interfere with the disposition of some of the cargo of the American schooner Juno, which the Private Ships of War Flying Fish and Mayflower seized as a prize in 1793. The Court of Vice Admiralty in Nassau, Bahamas, condemned the ship and cargo as a prize of war. However, at least some of the cargo belonged to merchant Peter LeMaigre of Philadelphia, and he instituted an appeal of the ruling to the Lords Commissioners of Appeals in Prize Cases.

Meanwhile, LeMaigre also petitioned Congress on May 6, 1794, to remit duties paid on goods "which were captured by the British and carried into New Providence [Bahamas] under peculiar circumstances of hardship and distress to the petitioner."

Peter LeMaigre was a native of France who came to the United States in 1779. He settled in Philadelphia as a merchant and swore allegiance to Pennsylvania. He primarily focused on trade with Sainte-Domingue. During 1793, he lost the cargos of at least three ships to British privateers: the snow Suckey on May 8, the brig Molly (owned by Le Maigre) in July, and the schooner Juno later in the year. Peter LeMaigre's wife Catherine died during Philadelphia's yellow fever epidemic in August 1793. LeMaigre died on October 1, 1794, "after a lingering illness of several months," less than two weeks after King George III issued this monition.

In 1794, the Juno furnished supplies to the French government at Saint-Domingue [Haiti], where the cargo was taken and not paid for. The claim for that cargo was later allowed by the American Commission at Paris under the treaty of April 30, 1803. That Louisiana Purchase treaty transferred the immense Louisiana territory to the United States for the price of 80 million francs ($15 million), including up to 20 million francs ($3.75 million) in claims of U.S. citizens against the French government, like that of the owners of the Juno.

Excerpts
"George The Third by the Grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith To all and singular our officers and Ministers and others our liege Subjects being literate Persons whomsoever in and throughout our Kingdom of Great Britain and other our foreign Plantations and Dominions Greeting Whereas a certain Business of Prize concerning the American Schooner the Juno (Archibald Maxwell Master) and Goods therein taken by the Private Ships of War the Flying Fish William Gibson Commander and the Mayflower George Kidd Commander and carried to the Port of Nassau in New Providence which was lately moved and prosecuted before our beloved the Hon'ble Michael Grant Esqr sold Judge of the Court of Vice Admiralty of the Bahama Islands An Appeal and Complaint of Nullity hath been made and interposed by the Proctor of James Mackenzie of London Merchant Claimant of seventeen Hogsheads one Tierce and one Barrel of Sugar four Hogsheads eight Tierces and fifty two Bags of Coffee and two large Bales and ten small Bales of Cotton respectively marked LM laden on board the said Schooner as the true lawful and sole property of Peter Le Maigre of the City of Philadelphia in North America Merchant from a certain pretended definitive Sentence or final Decree in writing signed & promulged by the said Judge on the fifteenth day of November 1793 whereby he did adjudge and Condemn the aforesaid Coffee Cotton & Sugar as and for good and lawful Prize to the said William Gibson & George Kidd...." (p1)

"We do therefore strictly charge and command you jointly and severally that you peremptorily Inhibit or cause to be inhibited the aforesaid Judge of the said Court of Vice Admiralty of the Bahama Islands the Judge from whom the Appeal in this behalf is made his Surrogate or Surrogates and Registar or Actuary and also the said William Gibson and George Kidd in special and all others in general who are by Law to be inhibited in this behalf (all and every of whom we do also by the tenor of these presents inhibit) that they do not or attempt any thing to the prejudice of the said Party Appellant or of his said Appeal...." (p2)

Historical Background
During the War of the First Coalition between France and Great Britain from 1792 to 1797, the fledgling United States tried to remain neutral. President George Washington issued a proclamation of neutrality on April 22, 1793. Neutrality initially allowed New England shipowners to earn huge profits by supplying European colonies in the Caribbean, but both Great Britain and France soon encouraged privateering against American merchant vessels.

British privateers, including those operating out of maritime Canada and British dominions in the West Indies, contributed to the war by seizing French ships and their cargo. They also seized American ships suspected of carrying French cargoes or supplying French colonies. In July 1793, British privateers seized the American merchant ship Sampson, commanded by U.S. Navy officer Captain Joshua Barney, in the West Indies. One week later, while on their way to the British port of New Providence in the Bahamas, Barney and the other American prisoners revolted against the British and regained control of the Sampson, sailing it to Baltimore, Maryland. The British arrested Captain Barney for piracy in the West Indies in January 1794 but later released him.

Meanwhile, French privateers harassed American ships at sea as part of the war against Great Britain. Most famously, French minister to the United States Edmond Charles Genêt began to issue privateering commissions when he first arrived in Charleston, South Carolina, sparking a diplomatic crisis and endangering American neutrality. Congress unilaterally suspended payments of French loans incurred during the American Revolutionary War, and France viewed the 1794 Jay Treaty between the United States and Great Britain with suspicion. French privateering against American merchant vessels led to the Quasi-War between the United States and France from 1798 to 1800.

George III (1738-1820) became King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (united in 1801) in 1760. Born in London as the grandson of King George II of the House of Hanover, he married Princess Charlotte in 1761; they did not meet until their wedding day, and eventually had fifteen children. George III's reign included several multinational conflicts, from the Seven Years' War through the American Revolutionary War to the Napoleonic Wars. Very popular at first, he lost the loyalty of many American colonists by the 1770s. Deeply religious, George was appalled by the lack of morals displayed by his brothers. Though he was still King during the War of 1812, his mental illness had become so severe that his son and successor ruled as a regent from 1810 until George III's death.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 7.5" x 12.25"
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