A letter of marque and reprisal (French: lettre de marque; lettre de course) was a government license in the Age of Sail that authorized a private person, known as a privateer or corsair, to attack and capture vessels of a foreign state at war with the issuer, licensing international military operations against a specified enemy as reprisal for ...

A letter of marque is the commission given by a belligerent state to a private shipowner authorizing a ship to act as a commerce raider.

A letter of marque is a government license authorizing the bearer to engage in privateering. Holders of these commissions were entitled to outfit private warships for the purposes of sinking or capturing vessels belonging to enemy nations.

American Letter of Marque, 1812. The Letter below is an example of an American letter of marque of an actual privateering commission issued by the government of the United States to the schooner Patapsco during the War of 1812.

The meaning of LETTERS OF MARQUE is written authority granted to a private person by a government to seize the subjects of a foreign state or their goods; specifically : a license granted to a private person to fit out an armed ship to plunder the enemy.

Q: What is a Congressional Letter of Marque? A: A Congressional Letter of Marque is an authorization granted by the U.S. Congress that allows private citizens or entities to engage in actions typically reserved for military forces, such as capturing enemy ships during times of war.

What is a Congressional Letter of Marque? A Congressional Letter of Marque is an authorization granted by the U.S. Congress that allows private citizens or entities to engage in actions typically reserved for military forces, such as capturing enemy ships during times of war.

Apr 9, 2014 · Several times during his tenure as a Congressman, Ron Paul suggested using letters of marque and reprisal to seize property and exact harm upon Osama bin Laden and other Al Qaeda officials. Offering a bill in October of 2001, Paul’s suggestion would have allowed:

Feb 26, 2025 · Letters of Marque and Reprisal (Part 2): Drafting History and U.S. Practice. CRS PRODUCT (LIBRARY OF CONGRESS) Hide Overview . CRS Product Type: Posts: Publication Date: 02/26/2025: Author: Mulligan, Steve P. Download PDF (571KB) Site Content. Legislation; Committee Reports; Committee Meetings;

May 23, 2024 · A letter of marque is a formal document which issued by a government to a citizen to allow him or her to seize goods or citizens of other nations. These letters have historically been used as political tools, both to allow people to deal with private disputes and to engage with another nation without openly declaring war.