[125] *Mr. Glenn, district attorney, to Mr. McCulloch, collector. BALTIMORE, May 21, 1819. SIR: I have received information from Mr. Benabran, the Spanish consul, that the vessel called, now, the Louisa Casares, but formerly called the Arrogante Barcelone, is actually fitting out as a privateer, by Almuda or others, to cruise upon the high seas against the subjects or property of the King of Spain or some other foreign government with which the United States is at peace. As too much of this business has already been carried on in this city, I pray you to make your inspectors furnish me with information of the state of this vessel before she is suffered to clear out, in order that I may, if the facts will justify me, file information against her. Yours, very respectfully, JAMES H. MCCULLOCH, Esq., ELIAS GLENN. Collector. Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Mr. Glenn, district attorney. CUSTOM-HOUSE, BALTIMORE, SIR: In answer to your note of yesterday's date, received this morning, respecting the Spanish consul's information against the Louisa Caseres, it is proper to advise you that this vessel has been under [126] the constant inspection of an officer ever since she began *to take in. She came here as an armed merchantman, regularly cleared according to the forms of the Spanish authorities, from Marguerita, landed a cargo and is now prepared to sail with the same individual armament she brought in. If you know of anything in this proceeding forbidden by our laws, I shall be glad to be informed of it that my mistakes may be corrected. Every information you need shall be furnished, at your own request, from this office. Yours, very respectfully, E. GLENN, Esq. J. H. McCULLOCH. Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Mr. Parker. CUSTOM-HOUSE, BALTIMORE, SIR: I have just received your letter respecting the ship Louisa, Ameida (or rather Drew) master, which sailed from this port on the 4th day of August, 1818, ostensibly on a sealing-voyage. As she was a foreign vessel no list of crew was, of course, demanded or rendered. She had been a prize, captured from the Spaniards some time before, and came here with a cargo. She was, therefore, no ways likely nor was ever pretended to be a vessel of the United States, nor do we know a man on board except the owner and captain above mentioned. [127] She had been searched by my orders two or three *times during and after her landing. In the last examination her casks, ballast, &c., were removed to the kelson after her clearance, and nothing prohibited appeared. Indeed it is not said that she had anything more than her own armament, and such stores as were allowed, at her departure from Baltimore. Ameida left her at sea and proceeded to Marguerita, from whence he came here in another vessel. The piratical portion of the crew afterward deserve the severest punishment; but we can furnish nothing here for their conviction. J. H. McCULLOCH.. THOMAS PARKER, Esq. Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Captain Daniels. CUSTOM-HOUSE, BALTIMORE, SIR: Information is given that you are making alterations in the vessel of war under your direction and management here which, from their nature, are inadmissible as effected in our ports. You had promised not to take off the pieces put under the gun-slides and to restore the carriages to their former situation excepting such repairs as your own carpenter could make; you have had the work done by a citizen here and are going on to enlarge your hatchways, &c. This must be stopped [128] and every *work besides which is necessary for the safe navigation of the vessels must be foreborne or undone, otherwise you will not be permitted to sail from this port. Captain J. D. DANIELS. J. H. McCULLOCH. Mr. Glenn, district attorney, to Mr. McCulloch, collector. BALTIMORE, August 24, 1819. SIR: The inclosed letter was this day handed to me by Mr. Purviance, with a request that it might be transmitted to you. I will thank you to take steps such as your official duty require to frustrate the illegal purpose which Daniels appears to have in view, and to let me hear from you as early as convenient on the subject. Be pleased to return me the letter inclosed. Yours, respectfully, ELIAS GLENN. Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Mr. Lowry, surveyor. CUSTOM-HOUSE, BALTIMORE, Collector's Office, August 25, 1819. SIR: It is alleged that Captain Daniels has not only repaired the brig Negreda, a Spanish prize, in which he arrived, but has altered her [129] masts, decks, and rigging, as well as her armament, that *her platform is renewed and fixed, that her mainmast, formerly schooner rigged, is now square rigged, her guns formerly on slides are now on carriages, sixteen in number, and that some brass pieces are added to her after-deck or bulwarks, which she had not before. Please to order two officers, one of them the officer who inspected her at arrival, to visit and strictly examine her and report to me on these and other particulars in her case. J. H. McCULLOCH. Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Captain Marshall. CUSTOM-HOUSE, BALTIMORE, Collector's Office, October 25, 1819. SIR: Information having been received of a South American privateer being in the bay, it is necessary that she should be attended to for prevention of any irregularities and breach of law. Be pleased, therefore, to sail immediately in search of her, and direct her to come without de lay to the fort and enter, or leave the waters of the United States. In either case keep close to her; prevent vessels boarding her, or anything being landed from her except necessary supplies of provisions [130] and water. *If she does not remove immediately, report must be made and recourse had to the naval and military officer of the United States for a force sufficient to control or bring her into port. JAS. H. MCCULLOCH, Captain JOHN MARSHALL. Collector. Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Mr. Lowry, surveyor. CUSTOM-HOUSE, BALTIMORE, Collector's Office, November 15, 1819. SIR: Please to direct two officers of inspection to examine, visit, and report to this office all and every privateer or ship of war under foreign colors. Take an account of every particular of armament; the number and description of crew-that is, what countrymen; under what commission they sail, and whether their commission is lodged at the customhouse, and, if not, demand it for depository here. From this last direction the brig Independencia, Gunnalds, commander, is to be excepted, as I have lately had his commission and know her to be a national vessel. The officers will please to report, with as much expedition as possible, adding any remark of their own on the appearance or conduct of their crews or commanders. WM. LOWRY, Esq., J. H. MCCULLOCH, Collector. Surveyor Port of Baltimore. [131] *Mr. Adams, Secretary of State, to Mr. Glenn, district attorney. SIR: Your letter of the 16th instant has been laid before the President of the United States, by whose direction I am happy to assure you that no complaint or charge of any kind has ever been exhibited to him against you, and that he has never received from any person the most distant intimation affecting the integrity of your character or the faithfulness of your official services. To this I add with pleasure that no representation of a different character has ever been received at this Department, and my entire conviction that the suggestion to you of Judge Duvall was founded upon erroneous information. I am, &c., EL AS GLENN, JOHN Q. ADAMS. District Attorney of the United States, District of Maryland. Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Mr. Jackson. CUSTOM-HOUSE, BALTIMORE, Collector's Office, December 3, 1819. SIR: It has been reported to me this morning that you have said, upon being asked about some gun-carriages in your workshop, that they were partly old, and that the men who employed you to make them told you that they had the collector's instructions to do them in such [132] a way as would *just keep clear of the laws, intimating thereby that they had been instructed by me in the way to evade the law. This is such an impudent, bare-faced falsehood that, though I am persuaded this has never been said to you, I cannot but wonder that you should believe and repeat such things, who surely know me well enough to suppose that I would neither emulate nor deliver such disgraceful lessons. The whole is a declaration of false knaves, and the carriages must not be delivered to any foreign vessel of war with those who are in peace with the United States, under penalty of aiding and assisting in fitting them out contrary to law. I am, sir, with better hopes for your future observations on this subject and on me, yours, Mr. WILLIAM JACKSON. J. H. McCULLOCH. Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Captain Webster. CUSTOM-HOUSE, BALTIMORE, Collector's Office, December 3, 1819. SIR: Upon receiving this be pleased to attend the South American schooner El Ameida till she goes out of the Chesapeake. You will anchor near her when she anchors, and keep off all boats or vessels [132] visiting her and prevent anything being carried on board her from the water or land side that will add to her military strength. The necessary supplies of fresh provisions and water and vegetables are not intended to be denied, but men and warlike stores must be driven off or seized. If the inspector meet you he will give you the commission and clearance of the vessel, which you will please deliver to her commander at her departure. Captain JOHN A. WEBSTER. J. H. McCULLOCH. Mr. McCulloch to any officer of the United States Navy or Army. CUSTOM-HOUSE, BALTIMORE, Collector's Office, December 18, 1819. The brig Irresistible, a South American privateer, has left this port contrary to law. The collector of the customs, therefore, according to instructions repeatedly directed to him from the Secretaries of the Navy and of War, requests the assistance of any naval officer or military commander to follow, detain, and send back said brig to this or any other judicial district of the United States. Respectfully, JAMES H. McCULLOCH. [134] *Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Captain Webster, Baltimore. CUSTOM-HOUSE, BALTIMORE, Collector's Office, January 8, 1820. SIR: The South American brig of war Congressio de Venezuela being about to depart from this port, it will be necessary to examine her crew, and make report here if any difference in number and quality from what is permitted should be found. Persons thus improperly entered must be disembarked. Any addition to the force of the vessel in equipment and armament must be taken off before she can depart. To enable you to perform the business aright, the report of the vessel at arrival, and the copy of her commission from court, are handed you with this. The latter, upon finding all right, you will please to deliver to the commander, on leaving him at the chops of the bay, whither it is proper to accompany him to prevent any illicit supplies going on board of articles of war forbidden by our neutrality. With wishes for your pleasant run and a safe return, Your obedient servant, J. H. MCCULLOCH. Captain J. A. WEBSTER. Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Captain Webster. CUSTOM-HOUSE, BALTIMORE, Collector's Office, December 18, 1819. SIR: You will please to proceed immediately to Norfolk, and apply to any officer of the United States, having a suitable force at com |