_To the House of Representatives of the United States_:
In compliance with the resolution of the House of Representatives of the
12th of December last, requesting the President "to communicate to the
House such information as he might possess with regard to any expedition
prepared in the United States and having sailed from thence within the
year 1822 against the territory or dependency of any power in amity
with the United States, and to inform the House whether any measures
have been taken to bring to condign punishment persons who have been
concerned in such expedition contrary to the laws," I transmit to the
House reports from the Secretaries of State and of the Treasury, with
the documents mentioned in each. Those documents contain all the
information in possession of the Executive relating to the subject of
the resolution.
That a force of a very limited extent has been equipped in the ports
of the United States and sailed from thence for the purpose described
in the resolution is manifest from the documents now communicated. The
reports from the collectors of Philadelphia and New York will shew in
what manner this equipment escaped their notice.
The first information of this equipment was received from St.
Bartholomews, the place of its rendezvous. This was confirmed afterwards
from Curracoa with an account of its failure. Should any of those
persons return within the jurisdiction of the United States care will
be taken that the laws applicable to such offenses are duly enforced
against them. Whether any aid was afforded by others to the parties
engaged in this unlawful and contemptible adventure in the ports in
which it was planned, inconsistent with ordinary commercial transactions
and contrary to the laws of the United States, will be referred to the
Attorney-General, on whose advice any measures in regard to them will
depend.