Non-Intercourse Act

An act prohibiting commercial intercourse with one or more foreign nations. On June 13, 1798, an act was passed suspending commercial intercourse between the United States and France and her dependencies. On March 1, 1809, an act was passed interdicting commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France, and their dependencies. The act forbade entrance into the ports or harbors of the United States by the public vessels of England and France and imposed a penalty upon any citizen who should afford any aid or supplies to such public ships. It provided, moreover, that if any vessel sailing under the flag of Great Britain or France should, after May 20th following, enter the ports of the United States, it should be forfeited with its cargo. The importation of goods from England and France Was forbidden to vessels of any nationality, subject to forfeiture of the imported articles. On June 28th a second act was passed providing that the former act should continue in force until the end of the next session of congress. On May 1, 1810, a third act was passed forbidding British and French armed vessels to enter the ports of the United States. On March 2, 1811, an act was passed providing that, in case Great Britain should revoke or modify her edict in violation of the neutral* commerce of the United States, the restrictions imposed by the act of March 1, 1809, should be removed. NON INTROMITTENDO QUANGO BREVE DE PR/ECiPI IN CAPITE SUBor in eyre, commanding them not to give one who had (under cover of entitling the king to land, etc., as holding of him in capite) deceitfully obtained the writ, the benefit of the same, but to put him to his writ of right if he thought fit to use it Cowell.