SHIP:  
Closed Now
MUSEUM:  
Closed Now
SHIP:  
Closed Now
MUSEUM:  
Closed Now

Message from the President of the U. States, Recommending an Immediate Declaration of War, Against Great Britain.

Anchor Icon

In his speech to Congress on June 1, 1812, President James Madison enumerated the several injustices and wrongs committed by Great Britain against the United States, including, among other grievances, the impressment of American sailors into the Royal Navy, the harassment of merchant vessels, and the blockading of commerce. Madison also spoke of the renewed hostilities between indigenous nations and the American settlers moving westward. It was believed that the British provided arms and ammunition and encouraged some indigenous peoples to attack American settlers.

With Madison’s long list of American grievances, Congress had the justification it needed to declare war on Great Britain. The House of Representatives voted 79 to 49 in favor of war, with the Senate following suit with a vote of 19 to 13. On June 18, 1812, Madison signed the declaration into law. It was first time the United States had officially declared war on another nation.

This pamphlet was printed and distributed by Roger C. Weightman in Washington, D.C.

Creator
Roger C. Weightman (printer)

Date Created
1812

Medium
Ink, Paper

Dimensions
[H]8 1/2 in. [W]5 in.

Catalog Number
1578.1

Credit Line
USS Constitution Museum Collection.

Terms of Use

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License

Other Items in Category

A letter to Wm. Wilberforce, Esq. M. P. on the subject of impressment; calling on him and the philanthropists of this country to prove those feelings of sensibility they expressed in the cause of humanity on negro slavery, by acting with the same ardour and zeal in the cause of the British seamen Analectic Magazine and Naval Chronicle Message from the President of the U. States, Recommending an Immediate Declaration of War, Against Great Britain. The Analectic Magazine Volume 2 The Analectic Magazine Volume 6 A Complete List of the American Navy. Showing the Name, Number of Guns, Commander’s Name, and Station of each Vessel, To July 1, 1813—Including those on the Lakes… / Steele’s List of the Royal Navy of Great Britain, for 1813. A List and Description of the American Navy at the Ports of Boston, New York and Norfolk Virginia A Proclamation, For recalling and prohibiting His Majesty’s natural-born Subjects from serving in the Sea or Land Forces of the United States of America. An Inquiry into the Causes and Consequences of the Orders in Council; and an Examination of the Conduct of Great Britain Towards the Neutral Commerce of America At the Court at Carlton House, The Twenty-third Day of June 1812. Present, His Royal Highness The Prince Regent in Council. Frederick Baury’s Book of Common Prayer Free Trade and Sailors’ Rights. Huzza for the Constitution Isaac Mayo’s Private Journal at Sea from 1809 to 1819 King James Bible removed from USS President Letter from John Cushing Aylwin to William Aylwin, June 12, 1812 Letter from William Bainbridge to John Brooks, June 13, 1814 Message from the President of the United States, transmitting the Treaty of Peace and Amity between the United States and His Britannic Majesty Mr. Madison’s War. A Dispassionate Inquiry into the Reasons Alleged by Mr. Madison for Declaring an Offensive and Ruinous War Against Great Britain. Together with some Suggestions as to a Peaceable and Constitutional Mode of Averting Dreadful Calamity. By A New-England Farmer. Naval Order Book for 1814 Seaman’s Protection Certificate for James Reed, Jr., December 21, 1814 Telescope used to observe USS Chesapeake vs HMS Shannon The Naval Chronicle, for 1812: Containing a General and Biographical History of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom; with a Variety of Original Papers on Nautical Subjects. Under the Guidance of Several Literary and Professional Men. Vol. XXVII. The Port Folio, Vol. 2, No. 1 WAR DECLARED!!