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- THE PROCLAMATION OF NEUTRALITY (1793):
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- BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
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- A PROCLAMATION
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- 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 belligerant 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 respectfully; 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.
- And I do hereby also make known, that whatsoever 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.
- In testimony whereof, I have caused the seal of the United
- States of America to be affixed to these presents, and signed
- the same with my hand. Done at the city of Philadelphia, the
- twenty-second day of April, one thousand seven hundred and
- ninety-three, and of the Independence of the United States of
- America the seventeenth.
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- GEORGE WASHINGTON
- April 22, 1793
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- France declared war against Great Britain and Holland
- early in April, 1793. President Washington called a special
- cabinet meeting, which resulted in this declaration of
- neutrality.
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- Prepared by Gerald Murphy (The Cleveland Free-Net - aa300)
- Distributed by the Cybercasting Services Division of the
- National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN).
-
- Permission is hereby granted to download, reprint, and/or otherwise
- redistribute this file, provided appropriate point of origin
- credit is given to the preparer(s) and the National Public
- Telecomputing Network.
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