Philadelphia August 10^th 1794 Sir The Secretary at war being absent, from the Seat of Government I am directed by the President to write to you on the subject of those French Privateers fitted out in our ports which you have, have heretofore informed were to be received as [undecipherable] within the United States except upon the condition of being disarmed and of their military [undecipherable]. The subsequent conduct of some of this Vessels is a matter of real embarrassment and dissatisfaction. By running from one port to another they have in effect enjoyed the asylum which it was intended to deny them and have thereby placed the Government in the unpleasant situation not only of seeing itself baffled but of being liable to the suspicion of connivance in evidence of its former assurances to Foreign powers. It is inadmissible that such a state of things should continue and therefore the President has come to a resolution to cause every such Vessel which since the promulgation of that instruction to refuse them asylum shall have been once received within United States so as to have had [undecipherable] knowledge of that instruction and [undecipherable] port or district of the United States [undecipherable] [undecipherable] to have an instruction from him to communicate this resolution to you and to request your official cooperation in carrying it into execution within the State of Rhode Island. While the reasons which have been assigned beget a confidence in the President that the measure may be peaceably and completely executed there are mighty considerations which induce [undecipherable] to wish that it may be found practicable to accomplish it in every case without bloodshed. To this end it will be useful that any force which may be employed for the purpose should be such as to counterand a disposition to resist. with perfect respect I have the honor to be Sir your most obedient and humble [servant] Alexander Hamilton