[Secretary of War / August 7. 1793 / recd August 16. 93 / [undecipherable] rec / No 1] War Department August 7. 1793 Sir, Applications having been made by the Governors of several of the States for more precise rules to direct their conduct in pursuance of my letter of the 5^th May last, the President of the United States has upon mature consideration thought proper to adopt the following regulations for the preservation of our neutrality, as deductions from the general Laws of Nations, to wit, 1. The original arming and equipping of vessels in the ports of the United States by any of the belligerent parties for military service, offensive or defensive is deemed unlawful. 2. Equipments of Merchant vessels by either of the belligerent parties in the ports of the United States purely for the accomodation of them as such is deemed lawful. 3. Equipments in the ports of the United States of vessels of war in the immediate service of the Government of any of the belligerent parties which if done to other vessels could be of a doubtful nature, as being applicable either to commerce or war, are deemed lawful; except those which shall have made prize of the Subjects, people or property of France coming within their prizes into the ports of the United States, pursuant to the seventeenth article of our treaty of Amity and Commerce with France— 4. Equipments in the ports of the United States by any of the parties at war with France, of vessels fitted for merchandize and war, whether with or without Commissions, which are doubtful in their nature as being applicable either to commerce or war, are deemed lawful, except those which shall have made prize & 5. Equipments of any of the vessels of France in the ports of the United States which are doubtful in their nature as being applicable to commerce or war, are deemed lawful. 6. Equipments of every kind in the ports of the United States of Privateers of the powers at war with France are deemed unlawful. 7. Equipments of vessels in the ports of the United States which are of a nature solely adapted to war are deemed unlawful; except those stranded or wrecked as mentioned in the eighteenth article of our treaty with France, the sixteenth of our treaty with the United Netherlands, the ninth of our treaty with Prussia, and except those mentioned in the nineteenth article of our treaty with France, the seventeenth of our treaty with the United Netherlands, the eighteenth of our treaty with Prussia— 8. Vessels of either of the parties not armed, or armed previous to their coming into the ports of the United States, which shall not have infringed any of the foregoing rules may freely engage or enlist therein their own Subjects or citizens, not being inhabitants of the United States, except Privateers of the powers at war with France, and except those vessels which shall have made prize & The President has instructed me to request that your Excellency in your capacity as Commander in Chief of your militia, would in the earliest stage possible, suppress all practices throughout the State of Connecticut which shall be a violation of these regulations, as the neutrality of the United States, is essential to the happiness of our Country — I have the honor to be with great respect Your Excellency's obedient Servant H Knox His Excellency The Governor of Connecticut