Mcculloch to Thomas Parker, May 26, 1819

Mr. McCulloch, collector, to Mr. Parker.

Sir: I have just received your letter respecting the ship Louisa, Ameida (or rather Drew) master, which sailed from this port on the 4th day of August, 1818, ostensibly on a sealing-voyage. As she was a foreign vessel no list of crew was, of course, demanded or rendered. She had been a prize, captured from the Spaniards some time before, and came here with a cargo. She was, therefore, no ways likely nor was ever pretended to be a vessel of the United States, nor do we know a man on board except the owner and captain above mentioned.

[127] She had been searched by my orders two or three *times during and after her landing.

In the last examination her casks, ballast, &c., were removed to the kelson after her clearance, and nothing prohibited appeared. Indeed it is not said that she had anything more than her own armament, and such stores as were allowed, at her departure from Baltimore. Ameida left her at sea and proceeded to Marguerita, from whence he came here in another vessel.

The piratical portion of the crew afterward deserve the severest punishment: but we can furnish nothing here for their conviction.