DEPARTMENT OF STATE, _Dec. 19, 1812_.
The Secretary of State, to whom was referred the resolution of
the House of Representatives of the 9th instant, requesting
information touching the conduct of British officers towards
persons taken in American armed ships, has the honor to lay
before the President the accompanying papers marked A, B, C,
from which it appears, that certain persons, some of whom are
said to be native, and others naturalized citizens of the
United States, being parts of the crews of the United States
armed vessels the "Nautilus" and the "Wasp," and of the private
armed vessel the "Sarah Ann," have been seized, under the
pretext of their being British subjects, by British officers,
for the avowed purpose, as is understood, of having them
brought to trial for their lives, and that others, being part
of the crew of the Nautilus, have been taken into the British
service.
The Secretary of State begs leave also to lay before the
President the papers marked D and E. From these it will
be seen, that whilst the British naval officers arrest as
criminals such persons taken on board American armed vessels
as they may consider British subjects, they claim a right to
retain on board British ships of war American citizens who
may have married in England, or been impressed from on board
British merchant vessels; and that they consider an impressed
American, when he is discharged from one of their ships, as a
prisoner of war. All which is respectfully submitted.