By command of the President of the United States of America: 

BEN.  STODDERT.

[From C.F.  Adams’s Works of John Adams, Vol.  IX, p. 160.]

CIRCULAR TO THE COMMANDERS OF ARMED VESSELS IN THE SERVICE OF THE UNITED
STATES, GIVEN AT THE NAVY DEPARTMENT DECEMBER 29, 1798.

SIR:  It is the positive command of the President that on no pretense whatever you permit the public vessel of war under your command to be detained or searched nor any of the officers or men belonging to her to be taken from her by the ships or vessels of any foreign nation so long as you are in a capacity to repel such outrage on the honor of the American flag.  If force should be exerted to compel your submission, you are to resist that force to the utmost of your power, and when overpowered by superior force you are to strike your flag and thus yield your vessel as well as your men, but never your men without your vessel.

You will remember, however, that your demeanor be respectful and friendly to the vessels and people of all nations in amity with the United States, and that you avoid as carefully the commission of as the submission to insult or injury.

I have the honor to be, etc.,

BEN STODDERT.

[From Annals of Congress, Seventh Congress, second session, 747-748.]

CIRCULAR INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CAPTAINS AND COMMANDERS OF VESSELS IN THE
SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES.

NAVY DEPARTMENT, March 12, 1799.

SIR:  Herewith you will receive an act of Congress “further to suspend the commercial intercourse between the United States and France and the dependencies thereof,” the whole of which requires your attention; but it is the command of the President that you consider particularly the fifth section as part of your instructions and govern yourself accordingly.

A proper discharge of the important duties arising out of this act will require the exercise of a sound and an impartial judgment.  You are not only to do all that in you lies to prevent all intercourse, whether direct or circuitous, between the ports of the United States and those of France or her dependencies in cases where the vessels or cargoes are apparently, as well as really, American and protected by American papers only, but you are to be vigilant that vessels or cargoes really American, but covered by Danish or other foreign papers and bound to or from French ports, do not escape you.  Whenever, on just suspicion, you send a vessel into port to be dealt with according to the aforementioned law, besides sending with her all her papers send all the evidence you can obtain to support your suspicions and effect her condemnation.  At the same time that you are thus attentive to fulfill the objects of the law you are to be extremely careful not to harass or injure the trade of foreign nations with whom we are at peace nor the fair trade of our own citizens.