“…I am confirmed in my determination of suspending any shipment at present…You have judged too hastily of our Government. The Executive has decidedly avowed a disposition to be neutral and has taken very active measures…to prevent any step that could be construed as a breach of Treaties… Privateers … have offered offences to our navigation that will produce spirited remonstrances from us… with an almost unanimous voice in favor of peace and a perfect neutrality - we can have little fear of a cause for rupture on our part and we look for the same disposition with your Government, whose decided Interest it is to keep on good terms with us…”

Written by a prominent Boston merchant to the leading British wine-sellers of Madeira, months after revolutionary France declared war on England and Spain, as President Washington formally proclaimed strict American neutrality. This was made difficult by privateers seizing American commercial vessels on the high seas - with some French privateers commissioned to capture British ships by French diplomat Edmond-Charles (“Citizen”) Genet over the heated protests of Washington and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson.

At this tumultuous time, Vaughan could speak with some personal authority of “Executive” Washington’s sentiments. His father and grandfather were on close terms with the President, having been guests at Mount Vernon after the Revolutionary War.  The younger Vaughan was also knowledgeable about the Naval War that was then harrassing American shipping; in fact, Captain Howland who carried Vaughan's letter across the Atlantic had just arrived in New Bedford with a harrowing tale of his most recent voyage from chaotic Haiti, his ship being stopped seven times by French, Spanish and English privateers, all treating him with “great civility” except for one British privateer who had attempted to seize his ship as a prize, an attempt foiled by Howland’s loyal crew.  Washington refused to accept all such “prize” claims, ordering that any American ship sailed to an American port by a privateer’s prize crew, should be returned to its original owners.