Embargo Act of 1807 - Initial Legislation

Initial Legislation

Passed on December 22, 1807, the Act:

• laid an embargo on all ships and vessels under U.S. jurisdiction,
• prevented all ships and vessels from obtaining clearance to undertake in voyages to foreign ports or places,
• allowed the President of the United States to make exceptions for vessels under his immediate direction,
• authorized the President to enforce these provisions via instructions to revenue officers and the Navy,
• was not constructed to prevent the departure of any foreign ship or vessel, with or without cargo on board,
• required a bond or surety from merchant ships on a voyage between U.S. ports, and
• exempted warships from the embargo provisions.

This shipping embargo was a cumulative addition to the Nonimportation Act of 1806 (2 Stat. 379), this earlier act being a "Prohibition of the Importation of certain Goods and Merchandise from the Kingdom of Great Britain"; the prohibited imported goods being defined where their chief value which consists of leather, silk, hemp or flax, tin or brass, wool, glass; in addition paper goods, nails, hats, clothing, and beer.

The Embargo Act of 1807 is codified at 2 Stat. 451 and formally titled "An Embargo laid on Ships and Vessels in the Ports and Harbours of the United States". The bill was drafted at the request of President Thomas Jefferson and subsequently passed by the Tenth U.S. Congress, on December 22, 1807, during Session 1; Chapter 5. Congress initially acted to enforce a bill prohibiting imports, but supplements to the bill eventually banned exports as well.