“Wrong. He was arrested April 12, 1807. Get your facts straight. “
Feeling generous, I spent another 2 minutes researching James McClure. According to Mario Apuzzo:
“Even though McClure had a U.S. passport issued tohim by the “American minister in London,” showing that he was a “native citizen of the United States,” the French Minister of War, based on information that hereceived from the French police and the “Minister plenipotentiary of the U. States,”issued an order on April 12, 1810 directing that McClure be detained in France as an “English” prisoner of France (emphasis in the original). Pursuant to that order,McClure was “placed under surveillance at Tours” (emphasis in the original).”
http://www.scribd.com/doc/95113318/Apuzzo-re-McClure-Rodman-Publius-citizenship-Obama
“Even though McClure had a U.S. passport issued tohim by the “American minister in London,” showing that he was a “native citizen of the United States,” the French Minister of War, based on information that hereceived from the French police and the “Minister plenipotentiary of the U. States,”issued an order on April 12, 1810 directing that McClure be detained in France as an “English” prisoner of France (emphasis in the original). Pursuant to that order,McClure was “placed under surveillance at Tours” (emphasis in the original).”
You are correct. I am wrong. Too many dates to keep up with. It was 1807 when the "Horizon" sunk. Even so, my point still stands. Why would the US Government let the man spend any time in French custody?
If it is so cut and dried as you seem to think, how do you explain the Actions of Armstrong, Madison, and Monroe during this period of time? On the one hand they appeal to the British to let American citizens go, but on the other hand they make no effort to secure the release of James McClure until November 27, 1811, and only after testimony from South Carolina officials claiming him as a citizen under South Carolina law.
The facts of the case still contradict your theory.