§ To Louis-Marie Turreau. 2 January 1807, Department of State. “Having duly received your Letter of the      Ult1 on the subject of His Imperial & Royal Majesty’s Ship of War L’Impeteux,2 destroyed by Ships of War belonging to His Britannic Majesty, on the Coast of North Carolina, I have the Honor to inform you that according to the Intimation given on the 6th of October 1806, the proper steps were taken to ascertain the material facts,3 and that on its appearing from the Report made,4 that the Event took place so near the shore as to be an incontestible and marked violation of the territorial Jurisdiction of the United States, no time was lost in transmitting the case to their Minister Plenipotentiary at London, with Instructions adapted to it.5

“The Government of the United States cannot but be duly sensible to every aggression on their neutral and territorial Rights, and not less to the protection which they owe to whatever may belong to friendly Powers within their Jurisdiction. And altho’ this obligation is not without its limits, it will always be found that the United States are less disposed to narrow those limits, than to make every effort that can be reasonably expected to obtain satisfaction for the wrongs committed.”