MEDITERRANEAN PASSPORT. Ship's Pass. Signed by James Madison (1751-1836) as President and James Monroe (1758-1831) as Secretary of State.
Washington, D.C: United States Government, 1812. No edition. Unbound. Folio. Very good+ condition. Item #020102
Document signed November 13th, 1812 by President James Madison and Secretary of State James Monroe. Partly printed document engraved on vellum, with scallop cut top edge. Folded and creased as typical but unstained with strong signatures. Illustrated with two engraved vignettes showing nautical scenes. With original and intact government seal impressed with eagle symbol in lower left corner. With handwritten words enclosed in quotation marks, the document reads: By the President of the United States of America. Suffer the "Sloop Endeavor, of Salem [MA] William B. Orne" master or commander of the burthen of "91" tons or thereabouts mounted with "No" guns navigated with "Seven" men. To Pass with her Company Passengers Goods and Merchandise without any hinderance seizure or molestation the said "Sloop" appearing by good testimony to belong to one or more of the Citizens of the United States and to him or them only. Given under my Hand and the Seal of the United States of America the "Thirteenth" day of "November" in the year of our Lord one thousand "eight" hundred and "twelve" [signed] "James Madison" by the President. [signed] "Jas. Monroe" Secretary of State. State of "Massachusetts" District of "Salem & Beverly" Countersigned "Will R. Lee Coll". William Raymond Lee (1745-1824) was Collector for the District of Salem and Beverly appointed by Thomas Jefferson in 1801. This document measures 10.75" (width) by 15" (height). This document, as is the case with others, was originally issued by cutting by hand from a ledger book, employing a double curved (scalloped) removal pattern at the top edge. This pattern is unique to each document, and matches the original stub which in many cases reside in institutional collections. This passport was an important ship's paper, kept aboard the ship during the voyage and deposited, along with the Registry Certificate, with the appropriate US consular authority anytime the vessel was in a foreign port. The document was intended to protect the vessel from capture or destruction by proving American (nonbelligerent) ownership. American crew members aboard the ships remained vulnerable to imprisonment, especially if they did not carry their own personal protection certificate as proof of citizenship. James Madison (1751-1836) was fourth President of the United States (from 1809-1817). James Monroe (1758-1831) became the fifth President of the United States (from 1817-1825). Archival mounting and matting, with simple framing in faux walnut. Capt. William B. Orne while in the "Betsy" was captured in the war of 1812, by the British Frigate "Guerriere" and was on board of her, when she was captured by the "Constitution."
Price: $8,500.00