These enormities appearing to be unreached by any control of their sovereigns, I found it necessary to equip a force to cruise within our own seas, to arrest all vessels of these descriptions found hovering on our coasts within the limits of the Gulf Stream and to bring the offenders in for trial as pirates.
On the record
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gutenberg.orgEditor's note · Context
Jefferson discusses the necessity of equipping a naval force to protect American waters from illegal vessels.
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