[A collection of 18 pamphlets] : Letters from the Secretary of the Treasury, Albert Gallatin

Albert Gallatin; United States. Department of the Treasury; Robert Marion

Washington: Roger Chew Weightman; R.C. Weightman; A. & G. Way, 1806

[American Economic Embargos: A Prelude to the War of 1812] 18 original pamphlets from Albert Gallatin, the Secretary of the Treasury during the Presidencies of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.  Printed 1806-1811. Gallatin was tasked with enforcing the Embargo Act of 1807 and the Non-Intercourse Act of 1809.  These Acts established an embargo on foreign trade with British and French combatants during the Napoleonic wars, to halt the empressment of American sailors and seizure of American cargo.  They were ultimately ineffective and were part of the prelude to the War of 1812.  The Acts were very unpopular in the commercially oriented New England, whose merchants were disproportionately affected.  Most of the included pamphlets concern the enforcement and issues related to the embargo.  One of the pamphlets is signed, "For the Athenaeum, J. Quincy." This is presumed to be Josiah Quincy III, a Federalist, the second Mayor of Boston, U.S. Congressman, President of Harvard, and cousin to the President. 

Contents include:  1.An Act to authorize the city council of Charleston...to impose and levy a duty on the tonnage of ships and vessels, 1806; 2. On the Subject of Making Provision for the Payment of Claims of Citizens of the United States of the Government of France, 1806; 3. In Relation to the Act, Entitled "An Act to prohibit the importation of certain goods, wares, and merchandise." 1807; 4. An Estimate of Extraordinary Expenses Incurred by the Navy Department, 1807; 5. Accompanying a bill authorizing the raising of an additional number of seamen for the service of the United States, 1808; 6. Memorial of Sundry Merchants of Philadelphia, Praying the benefit of Drawback on certain articles exported, notwithstanding the formalities of the laws, by unavoidable casualties, have not been complied with, 1808; 7. To Jonathan O. Moseley, Esq., member of the House of representatives of the United States : on the subject of the claim of Matthew Smith and Darius Gates, jointly and of Darius Gates, separately, February 5, 1808; 8. The Petition of Sundry Inhabitants of the Town of Boston Praying Liberty to Export a Quantity of Dry and Pickled Fish, 1808; 9. "An act laying an embargo on all ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States," 1808; 10. On the Subject of Sick, Disabled and Distressed Seamen, 1809; 11. Permission to Vessels to Depart from the Ports of the United States for the Purpose of Importing Salt, 1809; 12. Regulating the Currency of Foreign Coins in the United States, 1809; 13. A Bill Respecting the Ships or Vessels owned by Citizens or Subjects of Foreign Nations with which Commercial Intercourse is Permitted, 1809; 14. Relative to Advances of Public Money to William Short, 1810; 15. Transmitting a statement of the annual receipts into the Treasury from the fourth of March, 1789, to the 31st of December, 1809: also, a statement of the amount of debt annually incurred and reimbursed during the same period, 1810; 16. A Bill for the Relief of the Collectors of Philadelphia and Norfolk, 1810; 17. Enclosing his report on the petition of the inspectors of the customs for the port of Philadelphia referred to him on the seventh ultimo, 1811.