[Draft] [left margin, rotated: undecipherable] W D Aug 22^d 1796 Sir Your letter of the 26^th of July with its inclosures were rec'd yesterday & I lose no time in communicating my opinion of the question which you [undecipherable] [undecipherable] A right to seek an asylum in our ports in cases of distress, or to avoid [undecipherable], is secured to French Vessels [of?] all descriptions, by the 19 Article of our Treaty with that [undecipherable: nation]. When reparations out of a [undecipherable] [undecipherable] which are necessary, they have a right to make them. [undecipherable: This] privilege or repair of Vessels [undecipherable] be [undecipherable] in all [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the whole or some part of the cargoes, I think it follows, that unloading [strikethrough: & [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] which] [undecipherable] a Privateer for this [undecipherable: purpose] of making [undecipherable: such] reparations is lawful — [undecipherable] how — we must be taken to [undecipherable: prevent] any [undecipherable] whatever. — The opinion given by you before my letter of July 30^th was no [undecipherable] [undecipherable] appears to me to have been correct, & is consistent with the spirit of my instructions which goes no further than to prohibit the [underline: entry & Sale] of Prizes to Privateers, under the [undecipherable: general] regulations [undecipherable] by the [undecipherable] Laws. The particular case of a foreign Vessel [underline: not destined to the United States], but driven into our [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the United [undecipherable] by [underline: distress or necessity], is provided for by the 33^d Section of the Collection Laws & is [undecipherable: analogous] in principle to that under consideration — By restriction of law [undecipherable] Prizes to French Privateers cannot be destined to the United States for any commercial purpose [undecipherable]; [undecipherable] they appear in our Ports they are intitled to an asylum & to the rights of hospitality & to nothing more. [undecipherable] will [undecipherable] be proper to permit [undecipherable] such [undecipherable] [undecipherable] cargoes to be unladen & [undecipherable] as [undecipherable] enables the Captors to repair the Vessels for this — every movement must [undecipherable] to be made under the eye of some vigilant Officer; [undecipherable] must [undecipherable] [undecipherable] under your discretion [undecipherable] & shipped in the same Vessels in which it arrived, [undecipherable: subject] only to the expense of storing & safe keeping the said [undecipherable] [undecipherable], which must be reimbursed by the Captors. You will see the importance of adopting such precautions as will [undecipherable] guard against [undecipherable] & prevent the appearance of any [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] the stipulations in our Treaty with Great Britain — [undecipherable] matter [undecipherable] [strikethrough: [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]] affecting the Interests of any foreign nation should bear explicit evidence of a respect to principles of impartiality & good faith. I am &c James Read Esq [right margin: Rec'd [undecipherable] 1796 / [undecipherable] / [undecipherable]] [different hand:] The Secy of State & Secy of War= — Gent. will the above draft be a proper answer to Mr. Read? yr respectfully [signature] [signature]