Sold – Monroe Sends Notification of the Appt of a Commissioner For Prisoners

Maritime matters dominated the lead-up to the War of 1812, with affronts to American shipping such as British impressment of seamen aboard U.S. flag vessels constituting a primary cause for the war. There were then about 100 Federal customs houses, most of which were situated in cities on the eastern seaboard. These customs offices, led by collectors who were senior Presidential appointees, were one of the chief Federal presences in the various states. And since they acted as the U.S. agent in the port cities, and these cities were the base for American ships, they were on the front line of the great issue of the war. Before the war broke out, the State Department required that collectors of customs file reports on the impressment of seamen, complete with names and details. Once the war was a fact, the customs collectors controlled access to their ports, regulated privateers, handled prize ships captured from the British, and obtained and reported information on Americans captured at sea by the foe, and Britons captured by American ships and returned to their respective districts.   

The United States government maintained contact with its collectors in part by sending circular letters to them. In April 1813, John Mason, a Washington merchant and son of George Mason, was appointed Commissary General of Prisoners of War. No sooner was the appointment made than the collectors were notified that they would henceforth deal with Mason on all matters relating to prisoners.   

Document Signed as Secretary of State, April 28, 1813, a printed circular letter headed "Department of State" and sent to the Philadelphia Collector of Customs. “The President having appointed John Mason, Esquire, of Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, commissary general of prisoners of War, including the superintendency of alien enemies, you are requested to correspond with him, when necessary, on subjects connected with the objects of his appointment, and to observe his instructions in relation to the same, unless otherwise directed from this Department." Although some War of 1812 circular letters survive in some abundance (perhaps those sent out in larger quantities), this is the first example of this one that we have ever seen. Moreover, a search of auction records back to 1978 shows that none have come up in that time period.   

Mason’s first job was to negotiate an agreement with the British to govern the treatment and exchange of prisoners, which he did on May 12 (the "Cartel for the Exchange of Prisoners of War Between Great Britain and the United States of America").