War Department. August 21. 1793. Sir. The President of the United States has instructed me to request your Excellency, that in case any of the Privateers, specified in my letter of the 16th instant, should bring or send any prizes belonging to any of the belligerent parties, into any harbor or port of the State of — Virginia —— that you will please to cause such prizes to be restored to the persons who were masters, or owners, at the time of their being captured. If no such persons should be found, and there should be a Consul residing in — — Virginia — — — of the power to which the prize belonged, at the time of its capture, then it is to be delivered to him or to his orders. This interposition of the Executive is rendered necessary by our Courts having hitherto declined to take cognizance of such cases — But, as in the instance of American Citizens and other Neutrals, there has as yet appeared no objection in the Courts to interpose, I am directed by the President to inform you, that he wishes their cases to be brought before the judicial tribunals. — He will afterwards take into consideration any representation which may be made to him. I have the honor to be, with great respect, Your Excellency's Most obedient Serv^t [signature] H Knox Sec^y of War [His Excellency — Governor Henry Lee —]