The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1809-01-11 00:00:00

- 2 ~'~ i ,,, r 31 I . IRMO?. • to that olject, the neutral rights of America were ite-teetatnieactowlem was referrals* sank et em Ma net:elected by itt ilperatiou• sage of she President of the VoitediStatesof Os 10 blot. , • . A bele teem. tft • 1 wit lout any infraction as respects our relations Ilitts foreign Pewees; refers, ilk • . ....„ ?Ktt•••••• Pr."' t After a period of twenty-five years of mpg, sop vessel coming from the pole of his enemy. basdly interrupted by transient hostilities, awl of And France had undoubtedly dieseling right to ex prosperity. unparalleled' in the history of Itnilit.'ll; dude from her dominions every seecies of British the United States are, for •the first time tiete-thit merchandise which the United States have der treaty which terminated the - revolutionary war, cised in forbidding the importation of certain em placed is a situation equally sliffieult,eritical, and Mes. Great Britain might be injured by such re gulatious : but America had no more eit to com datigetous. riot Those principles, recognised by the civilised world plain of that part of the decree, than Frani e had to object to the Aniteciut iminitriportatiou act. So under the name or '• law of titions," which hereto fore controaled belligerent power.), regulated are fur indeed as respects the United States, they were duties of iteutrale, mil pre saner their riehts, are placed Lay the mime:ilia' part of thy decree in the now avowedly disregarded or ti by Great same situation, in relation to France, in %thick ilritdi 11 anti France. Each of these two nations they are placed in their intercourse with Great Iln captures and condemns all American vessels traeleg ruin by the h drone forbids ermaneut leeers of that countotry..itnimrt The with her enemies or her enemies' allies ; Roil every FrencAmican vessels British merchendiseinto trance. The British nit- European power hayine become a party in the con test, the whole of our commerce with Euroee mid vigation act forbids American yeeseir to import either colonie, becomes 11.41)i, to eeli,ore b French merchandise into England. But that broad either one or thy &her. If there he any on tottttt clause of the Beata decree which iletlartel the British islands in a state of blockade, thotieli not exceptioit, it is made nn a condttion of tribute, . sliest ouly atheiiitsult to the injury. followed by regulations to that effect, still threat- Tee only plea urged in justcation of thee has- surd an intender! operation on the high seas. This, tilities, is that of retaliation, - if earned into erect, would be a tete-rata tiolatiun • ensued actrieseence of the enited States in pre- of the neutral rights of the United States. ;Mil as •••I‘,US a ,:gressions by the other party. Nee% i"g a such they would be bound to oppose it. Tee eli nutter of the Uitited States at Paris immediately up. disenssion of the correctness of the principle of re taliation, a principle doubtful in itself, and alto- plied for explanation on that subject ; and tlei welter inadmissible to the extent to which it has French ebuister of Marine, on the 34th of De tect' c arried, and whets operatine on the neutral centher, terse, e.veii ea) a before time date of the ,i.eiei,„e.io en die 5,„,...1). it is att.igeili,,,. amine tie/we-meet eel lone of the British Government, lint the United States hare veer voluntarily aerie& stated in answer, that the decree made uo alterution mimed it) the unlawfuOugeressieus of either nation ; iii the regulations then observed in France with re gard to neutral navigation, or to the commercial omitted or delayed ate measares calculated to On Ulu redress; or in ony respeet detested f that convention of the United States with France. That immirtiality to which they were bowie Ivy their the declaration of the British islands being it) a state eeutrelity. lintece has :tended to the violatines (If blockade, did not change the existing French of the notional flag, am! of the sovereignty of the laws coecerning tnaritirue captures, and that A me united states. et the ir„r pierce a timult,r. Wean vi;ssels could not be taken at sea for the mere of the notrage on the Chesapeake, and or the the reason of their being going to, or returieug from, iernetion of the Impetuous. 'rtiV ineestires taken 844 E 4 t 4.161/ Pllft• to obtain redress in those cases: rowel public unto- The execution of the decree comported for sr to obtain and it may be adtlethelitia, with tbecxception meal mouths with those explanetions: several res of the hut. those aggreseittes on the suvereigtity of stil6 were arrested for having introduced articles of the United States alli not olfet their neutrelity, Etiglish growth or manufacture, and among them sad gave no right fii France either of o°l4le:tint or some, which, being actually front ketelauth amid interference. tiepins: aside irregularities 'elf less Wee with English colonial produee, load entereti importaime aad eqatelly tetereeub eto hetet metions. with forged paper% as if coming from the United seeli as the Brinell .oftler of Juue, 1803. and the S''''''''' not imaiteration of the first construction decree nf the French Generel Ferraud ; the prinei- given by the Forsch Governineut took place witil pal violations by England of the neutral-rights PC the mouth ofeleptember, 1807. The line tfoodetia- America, prior to the Berlin decree of Novemeer. station, on true principle that the decree subjected 'Mee at el which, if amptirece.l in, mieht have given. , iterated vessel* to capture on the high seas, was grounds of complaint to France, are ti:..! unpin re of teat of the Horizun, on the 10th of October follow- Aie„e.,„ veods, laaea with coliiiiiet preeeee. in g. Prior to that time there could have been no fouteled on a renewal of that pretended penciple acquiescent* iti a decree infringing the neutral generally called "the rule of 17eti," the impress: -riots of the United States, because till that • time meat of American stamen. compelled thereby to it was explieued, and, what was more imminent, become the auxiliaries of Englaml aeaitist France, executed iii each a manuer us not to infriage those and proelarnetioa or nominal blockades, ',adieu- rights, because until than no such ineactires hail lade that of the (.4- ist from the river Elbe to Brest, taken place. The Ministers of the United `hate eretitiel in Mate lean. in Lencion, at the request of the British Minister, It twill not be in that the lettited states cottettunicated to him On dill i nib 1111 (Xt.& r, 107, ever tamely it-eluieseed in either of these twee _ the sreetance of the exelanatious receis ere and of birms. it will not tine denied, that with resecet to the meatier in which the decrees WA; executed. Fur thee eete• at that time, ietioratit of the change else two first, the meet strenneits efforts were inces °le-1' S a t'k'n pl""' santly mprocure ade tn an wite.ation of the British ",„, system. it was on the ',An oil neptember, 11,07, that a It is trne. that to the nominal proclamation nee censtsnetion of the Decree took place, an in blockades of Eielatie, the United Seats hat! op- strum !....111 having. on that day, been transmitted to posefl only spirited arid repeated reinoastiauces, tee Council of Prizes by the Minister of Justice, and that terse had rut always hien stieerssfole-- by which that Court was informed. that Freuch Bat the measures which a neutral natioo eeey be armed vessels were authorised, muter that Decree. Purposed bound to take, against the i<eictions of to seize, witliont exception. in neutral vessels, either its neutrality, must always Issele-e't certain proper- English property or merchandise of English growth teen to the extent and eito.use of the injury re_ I or manufacture. An immediate explanation hewing calved, and to the steam of opeositiote It to been asked from the French Minister of foreign slot certaiale ler psetentled that a hasty resort to relations, he coolinned, iii his answer of the 7th war seorret in every sech instance have become the - of October, 1807, the determination of his Govern e 1' ...ey of A m„idif....,,, . o,„ the ineeeigamie, of ment to adopt-that construction. its first appli- England, io declaritig in• a suttee& bludisede, a cation took place on time loth of the saute month, (+retain extent of .coast, part of whiee waienot, and in the case of Or Horizon, of which the Minister the witele of wheal 'enuld not, evett by laerot, power- of the lettited States was not informed, until the ful navy, be actriellY. invested and blockaded, be mouth of Novrtither ; and ou the leth of that pieseled its justifitertihn cif -that define, by which mouth, be presented a spirited remonstrance against France, eithout an'alliclentileett preteotis to an- that infraction of the neutral rights of the United nounce time blockade of theedontinions of a power States. He had, in the meanwhile. transmitted to which has the incontestible eicanmand of the 11Ca. America the instruction to the Council of Prizes and before no port of which she eau station a Sill. of. the 18th of September. This was received on gle vessel. the of December ; and a copy of the de- The Milan Decree of ter; can still less rest for cieou in the case of the Horivm herring at the same its defence on the supposed acteiteeenve of the• time realest Government, the President, aware of United States In the British orders , u 1 the prem.- the consequences which would follow that new ding month, since those orders, which have not state of things, emu 1111 l Melded immediately to Con certainly been acquiesced ite were not even know greet) the alteration of the French, Decrees, and re in A:neriva at the date of the Decree. And it is commended the Embargo, which was accordingly proper here to add, timid the French have, particu- laid on the sad of December, 1807 ;at which time I trly by the sequestratiou of certain vessels in their it was "ii understood in this country, that the Be. ports, and by bernine our ships on the high rests, tills Orders of Calmed of November preceding had gone even hey oad the tenor of their own extraor- issued, although they were not officially coniniti dinery edicts. nicated to our Government. The allegation of' an acquiescence in the Berlin On the 11th of that month those orders did ac tually issue, drawing that all the ports of France, Decree of November, mei, by which alone the Windt Governinent pretends tojestify the Orders of her allies, and of any other country at war with of Council, is equally miliontoled. In the Note on England, and all other ports of Enrope,from which, that stateetit, addressed, on the 31st December, although not at war with England, the British flag was exeltided, should thenceforth be considered us I Sete by the British Government. to the American if the same were actually blockaded ; that all trade Ministers, after having stated that s. they could led believe that the enemy would ever seriously at- in articles of the produce or manufactures of the tempt to enforce such a system," the follo)sing tle- said countries, should be deemed militant! ' and claratioti is expressly made, e if, however, the rite- that every vessel trading from or to the bait coon my should carry these threats eats execution, and tries, together with all goods and merchandive on if' neutral nutious, contrary to all expertations, board, mid elsa all articles of the produce or menu %beide acquiesce in such usurpations, His elejeety I facture of the wed countries, should Le liable to might, prebobly, lie compelled, however reluctant- capture end ""I"teematieu ly. to rct 1110 e sit ln.) i Ilat Ileti'll(*e." The two re- These Orders cahoot be defended on the gromid q dews necessary, in the (Teem) of ( 'treat Britain, i of their being intended as retaliating on account of to justify retaliation, are stated to he the execs- the Berlin Decree, es contented and uniformly tine of the Decree, and the aetnitese, nee es nen_ exemittel from its dote to the huh September, 1807, tral tritions. Yet, withia eight (bpi. and in the its etetortietam Mitt execution having till then in face cf that Declaretiett, without ivaitiorr for pa.. &incl., no neutral meld. For certainly the mon . r ertainine either ortho'se facts, the retaleitine essi.. I swots doctrine will net be asserted even by the tish Order or date 7th, letn. waa issittel, which, British Goverainent, that netitne natiotts are bound cont.-ley to the acknowledged law of nations, sue_ to !tweet. not only the acts of lwlligeretit powers jet:tett to ea tore re vessel.; of the Ureter! Steles, rail-,1- which violate their rielits, but also those municipal ink from the ports of one belligerent tka port of regulations, which, 'however they may injure the anntiter Isellieersed. •rummy, are 4wfull, and do not onset the legitimate l'he United States, in the meetswhile,eirte with= righte oftate.ittentral. The only retalietiou to he out delay, had biken the necessary steps to urn, used in i t•ntlet, must be elicit as will operate on f;,-,,, tee „e,,, in which the French e;neenede„t .. the 01MM-et-Without infringing the rights of the i.areeled to execute their fir o'er. ; , -- i neutral. Ai solely intended as a retaliation on the That ilearee might be construed merely as a ma- 1 Berlin Dearer, as executed prior to the month of ski oat law, forbidding the introdnetion of British ! Seetemher, the British Orders or Council shotild ineseh,,he end the wihrthelem of 'vette'', cqining have beets coldined to forbidding the introduetten from Euglaul Under that aspect, and if wattled into Great Britain, of French Sr enemy's meicliau- disc; and the admission into British ports of tam trot vessels, coining from a 1' Bench or eueine'sigest. Indeed the ground of retaliation on account nhateh culpable acquiescence of neutrals. in decrees, roes latiee , their rights, is abaisdinsed by die very to or of the Orders, their operation being extra led to those countries front which the Utitisti Bag vies ex cluded, such as Austria, althotts,li such countries were neither at war with Great Britain, sir hail passed any decree in any way affecting or coneetted with neutral rights. Nor are the Orders just.fiable nn the pretence of an nequieseenee, ern the par. of the I i n itist Stains, in the French Decree, as creistrned and VhtCUlVii subsequent to the isth of September. len, when it became sum evident infra. tion of their rigida, and such as they were biiiiiiel to owes.% For their Minister at Paris • stately made the ne cessary remonstratices ; and the orders were issued not only without having ascertained whether the Uuited Staten would acquiesce in the injurious al teration of the French Decree, but more than one month before that alteration was kilowniti Ainerira. It may even be asserted, that the alteration was not known in England when Orders of Council were issued ; the instruction of the leth • of September, 15417, ninth gave the new end injurious !construc tion, not been premulgated.in trance, and its first puhlicatiott Laving been made in December, 1807, sad by the American Government itself. The British Orders of Council are, therefore, nn justifiable on the principle of retaliation, even giving to that principle all the latitude which has ever been avowedly contended for. They are in open violation of the solemn declaration made by the British Ministers in December, I ; that re. taliattion ou the part of Greet Britain would depend oil the execution of sit 1111111WrIli elecrecoviel on the acquiescence of neutral nations iu told) infraction of their rights. And they were also issued, not withstandiug the official communication made by the Ministers of the United States, that the Fre - melt decree was construed and executed so us not to iufringe their neutral rights, and without any pre tissue notice or intimatiou, denying the correctness of that statement. The Berlin decree, as expounded and executed subsequent to the 18th September, 1807, and the British Orders of Council of the l Ith November eissuing, are therefore, as they affect the United States, cotemporaueoua aggressions of the gerent powers, equally unprovoked a nd equally indefensible on the presumed ground of ACtillieh These, together with the Milan decree of December, 180, which filled the measure, would, on the principle of self defence, have justified im mediate hostilities against both nations en the putt of the Uinta' States. They tiloUfht it more eligi ble, in the first instance, • by withdrawing their ti,scli from the ocean, to :lend war, at least for a Iptason, and, at the same lime, to snatch their it.- met se and defenceless commerce from impairing Zitatructioa. Another appeal has, iu the mean tiers- blies made, ander the authority vested in the Presi dent for that purpose, to the justice and true in ti rest of France and England. The propositions made by time United Suite., amid the argutneuts urged Ly their Ministers are before Congress. By these the very pretext of the illegal edicts was removed, and it is evident, that a revocation by either nation, on the ground on which it was asked, either must have produced, what both pretended to have in view, a restoration of the freedom of commerce and of the acknowledged principles of the law of stations.; or in ruse of re fusal by the other belligerent, would lune car ried into effect, in the roost efficient manner, the ostensible object of the edicts, and made the Uni ted States a party in the war against hist'. The effort has been ineffectual. The propositions have been actually rejected by one of the bellige rent powers, and remain unanswered by the other. In that state of things, what course ought the United States to pursue ? Your Committee can perceive lie other alternative, but abject unit de grading suhtnisaion ; war with both nations ; or a continuance and enforcement of the present sus pension of cominerce. The first cannot require any discussion. But the pressure of the embargo, so sensibly felt, and die calamities inseparable from a state of war, naturally create a wish that some middle course might be discovered, which should avoid the evils of both, and not he inconsistent with indiums' ho nour atid iutleoendesice. That illusiuu must be dissipated, ; ai d it is necessary that the people of the United States should fully understaud the situation iu winch they are placed. There is no other alternative, but war with both nation', or a continuance of the present system. For war viith one of the belligerents only, would be submission to the edicts and will of the other ; and a repeal in whole or in part of the embargo must secessusily be war or submission. A general repeal, without arming, would be sub mission to both nations. A general repeal and arming of ano merchant vessels, would be war with both, and war of the worst kind, strife, ing the enemies to plunder us without retaliation upon them. A ;venial repeal must, from the situation of Europe. necessarily lie actual submission to one of the aggressors, and war with the other. The last position is the only one on which there can be any doubt ; and it will be most satisfactorily demonstrated by selecting,aniongst the several mo difications which might be suggested, that which may, cm first view, appear the least exceptionable; a proposition to repeal the embargo, so far only as relates to those powers which have not passed, or de not execute any decrees injurious to the neutral right: of the United States. It is said that the adoption of that proposition would restore our commerce with the native powers of Asia and Africa, and with Spain, Portugal, Sweden and Russia. Let this he talon for grant eel, although the precise line of conduct now pur sued by most of those nations, in relation to the United States, is not correctly aseertaiued. So far as relates 'to any advantages which would result front that isseassre, if confined to its ostensible object, it will he sufficient to observe, that the imports of ar ticles, of the domestic produce of time United States, daring the year ending time 30th of Sep temlmer, int*, amounted to 48,700,000 dollars, soil that the portion es nerred to the countries abuse eattatetatcsl, -.1 of seven millions ; au amount too incotaiderable, alien compared wart the bulk of our exports, to de-erve uttrnh,su, eye, ' if a question affecting the. independetice of the* pa tina was to betireitied• by considereteous of imme diate profit. Bet :he trw effect of the proposition would be, to open nil is,ouecl thole with Great It:vane which, threaet: mss. lbetheletie:e anti Cash r, or tiptteninirgli, wonld rereive, at reduced be glutted markets, and for want of coseetitien, all ih,r pro: tsions. ndrill stores, raw materials ior niaitMacteree, and other tietieles which she may woo!. W I ether she atuititi be sa tisfied well that idrinn Alit state of thing, or whe ther, considering that as a pletlk.: tiit f lied subinissiou, site would, accerdiog to the tcuor of her orders, ieterrnitt oar scanty commerce with Russia, and occasionally, tinder some new pretext, captare, rather that pastime, the canoes bored ed for her own use, is tinnily teem ail' au d unitu portant. Nor can it be doubted that a tneiteare, which would supply exclusively one of the bellige rente, would he Wilt with the other. t'ousidenal tete( ty . a a question of profit, it entild be much snore eligible ut once to raise tile euttargo in rthe too to l Treat Britain, as we would then, at Imam, lisle the adranteees of a direct market with the einisomer. teat tilt! propo-l:ion can only be di feuded on the grimed thst Fleece is the onle se eressor, anti that bevel.; ho jo,t tea.:ou to compile's of fenelatl, it is our (Ito:. to submit to her itelsr-. On teat iniadmisetble supyisi:ion, it would net only be amore candid, lest H.. 0 as wall as more advantageous course, oposely to join England, and to make war against Fraece. The object world be clearly understood, an Ally would be obtained, and the measures of su hulls ion might be better palliated. It appears uunecessary to purnte any ferthee the examimuiva of propositems. which ..i -tuation of the United Stouts could alone hive siog geeted, and which will prove more inadmissible, or ainpraeticable, as the. subject is more thoroughly investigated. The alternative is ',Ai:jai ; it is be tween a continueti suipensioit of coin:sweat Mill war with both England and Fraece. lint ate choice meet ultimately be made betty'. en the two; and it is important that e e 'Mould be prepa:cd :Or either the one or the other. The aggress mis of England zed Fracce eollec tively, affecting almost the whole of our cowmen 0, and persisted in, notwithstanding repeated mulct:- strances, explanations, and propoeitioee the met candid and unexceptionable, are, to all intetate and purposes, a ,maritime war tvieeed by both nettone meattert the United States.. It cannot be dented float the ultimate and only efrectual mode of r: •:s;- ing that warfare, it' persisted in, is war. A pertll4- neat suspension of commerce, utter repeated and unavailiug efforts to obtain peace, would not et petty he resistance: it would be Withdrawing from the contest, and abandoning our indisputable right freely to navigate the ocean. The pteeent uneet tled state of the world, the extraordinary situ:thou in which the United States are 'Avocet!, and the ne cessity, if war be resorted to, of tanking it at the some time tigeiust both natioes, and these the ten most powerful of the world, are the princial e 1141%., of litteitation. There would be none in resorting tit that remedy, however calaiiiitotta, if a selection could be made on any principle of justice, or without a sacrifice of national indeptauleilee. • On a question of such dif fi culty, ' involving the most important interests or the Union, and• which has not perhaps, until lately, been suf fi ciently coo sidered, your Cummittee think the House a lo ne competent to pronounce a (let islet opinion ; and they have,. in this Report, cotifined themselves to au exposition of the subject, and to such introductory resolutions, as will be equally applicable to either alternative. The first of these, being more docle ratory of a determination not to submit to ftwe i gn : u sg r rt r 's ti s i i i o n i u m s. , te o r w h e a v it e s r ,. , a i t .et a ie v first e,t view. y th, llllti t a - a r . unfree, that a pledge by the Repretentatives of the nation, that they will nut Omelet' its teseettal rights, will not at this critical moment be ceptable. The misapprelsensions which stem to have e'isted, and the inisrepreeentations whit have been circulated, respCeting the state of titer foreign relations, render also such declaretion ex pedimit. Amid it may not be useless that teteor foreign station should understand, that its aggres sions never will be justified or eneouregen by any description of American citizens. lor the question for every citizen now is, whether i.e sill rally round the government of his choice, or a illet under foreign banners ? Whether he will be be his country, or against his country ? The Committee respectfully submit the follt.wies Rceolutiens-- I Resolved, That the United Stairs eatenOt, witb , r3t sari :face of their rights, homer, and itpitveDdeuce, Is the late edicts of Great Britain and Fs lace. it Resolved, That it is expedient to prohibit. by Li., 140 admission Tutu the ports of the I.:Lined Flaws of a ll , Ai bie tr private. armed or unarmed ships or vessels belonging to Great Britain or France, oh to any otter of the iel solvent posers, having in forcemeat. or Seeress velOotesg the lairre' cvittawrce and ueetibi rights of the Veiled fitiovs ; mid • the iinpottatiun of' ant goods, were, or IScrtignadule, grwctb, protlace, or tuantificture, tie duantiloas of say to the said power% or imported from soy place in the pts stowiwo of either X. Resolved, That measures might to be inicasdianay taken fur placing the ministry in • Inollcomplete stint of tie fence. SF.W-TORK, DEC• Our Readers will perceise that CooKre,v, ./il Thursday, came to a decision relative to the Rem.- lutions proposed by the Committee on Voreigit it - lotions. The majority is honourable, both as it respects numbers and talents; and we bore that only one sentiment relative to th measures about to be adopted will animate the breast of evety ti.' :mud independent Amneemuin. New-vont:, Dec. 13. Our destiny is fixed—:be Eanbargo Is' to 14 continued—and the runt of the country tone ',tetra! if any one doubt these assertions. let his read Mr. Galletioa'y letter in this day's Gazelle, at which letter Mr. Giles has foulard a Mll e on bracing a!I the Secretary's priltrildes ; tthth lid', we have no doubt, has already pamed tutu a kine-e What is to become of us! • • out. lt• From accounts from the llevnonalt, jot the yntli of Not-ruttier, Ly tliteeltio. tuvr Zrie , appears that the late &cues, 4setreivam there claimd his uffice on the ISM of dot Awn' • 1 E ~; r