Whereas by an act of the Congress of the United States passed the 9th
day of February last, entitled "An act further to suspend the commercial
intercourse between the United States and France and the dependencies
thereof," it is provided that at any time after the passing of this act
it shall be lawful for the President of the United States, if he shall
deem it expedient and consistent with the interests of the United
States, by his order to remit and discontinue for the time being the
restraints and prohibitions by the said act imposed, either with respect
to the French Republic or to any island, port, or place belonging to the
said Republic with which a commercial intercourse may safely be renewed,
and also to revoke such order whenever, in his opinion, the interest of
the United States shall require; and he is authorized to make
proclamation thereof accordingly; and
Whereas the arrangements which have been made at St. Domingo for the
safety of the commerce of the United States and for the admission of
American vessels into certain ports of that island do, in my opinion,
render it expedient and for the interest of the United States to renew a
commercial intercourse with such ports:
Therefore I, John Adams, President of the United States, by virtue of
the powers vested in me by the above-recited act, do hereby remit and
discontinue the restraints and prohibitions therein contained within the
limits and under the regulations here following, to wit:
1. It shall be lawful for vessels which have departed or may depart
from the United States to enter the ports of Cape François and Port
Republicain, formerly called Port-au-Prince, in the said island of St.
Domingo, on and after the 1st day of August next.
2. No vessel shall be cleared for any other port in St. Domingo than
Cape François and Port Republicain.
3. It shall be lawful for vessels which shall enter the said ports of
Cape François and Port Republicain after the 31st day of July next
to depart from thence to any other port in said island between Monte
Christi on the north and Petit Goave on the west; provided it be done
with the consent of the Government of St. Domingo and pursuant to
certificates or passports expressing such consent, signed by the
consul-general of the United States or consul residing at the port
of departure.
4. All vessels sailing in contravention of these regulations will be
out of the protection of the United States and be, moreover, liable
to capture, seizure, and confiscation.
[SEAL.]
Given under my hand and the seal of the United States, at Philadelphia,
the 26th day of June, A.D. 1799, and of the Independence of the said
States the twenty-third.