| Show FIRST DECLARATION OF NEUTRALITY IN 1793 Sighed by Jefferson fferson J anc and Approved ed by V Washington Washing Washing- 1 t ton tan n First President The The question of how far fair a naU nation n like th the United States should go in inthe inthe inthe the matter of ot neutrality and just jus what constitutes neutrality has been discussed with such Indeterminate results that international lawyers lawyer have been searching to find Americas America's first declaration of neutrality which is referred to by President Wilson in his hiR history of the American people The first first declaration of neutrality by this country was wits approved by President Washing Washington and signed b bThomas bThomas by b Thomas Jefferson secretary of state It n was dated elated April 22 1793 according to Francis Wharton's Whartons Digest of In International International International In- In Law of tie the United States volume 3 3 section page I It read j I Whereas reas It n. n appears that a state of war exists exists' between Austria Prussia Prussia Prussia sia Sardinia Great Britain and the United Netherlands of the one part parts and France of the other and the duty and Interests of tl the e United St States tes require that the they should with sin sincerity rity and good faith faith- adopt and pursue a conduct friendly and tind im Im- I I partial toward the belligerent powers I l have therefore thought fit tit by bj these presents to declare the disposition disposition dis dis- position iol of ot the the Uni United Unit d States to observe ob observe observe ob- ob serve the conduct aforesaid toward thes these powers r respectively and to exhort exhort exhort ex ex- ex- ex hort and warn the citizens of f the United States carefully to avoid all acts and an 1 proceedings whatever which may In any manner tend to o contravene contravene contravene contra contra- vene such disposition n And I do hereby make known that that thai whosoever of the citizens of the United States shall render himself liable to punishment or or forfeiture under the laws of nations by com committing aiding or abetting hostilities against any ny of the said powers orby orly or by ly carrying to them those articles which are deemed contraband hY by the modern usage of nations will n pot not t re receive receive re- re the protection of the United States government against such punishment punishment pun pun- or forfeiture and further that I have give given instruction to those officers to whom It belongs to cause prosecutions tobe instituted against all persons who shall within the cognizance o off the courts of the United States the laws of ol nation nations nations na na- na- na tion with respect to the powers at war or any ot m. m 3 |
