The enquirer — Richmond, Va., 1810-11-09 00:00:00, page 2

an court, state, that the inhabitants were
in iluily expectation of the arrival of a French
garrison, to take possession of the shipping
there.
Licences are now granted for imports
front the Baltic, to expire <»> the 1st 'el Jan.
3S11, and those formerly issued, that termi
nate of an earlier period, are to be extended
to that date.
The Masters of the American vessels at
Cbri&tiitnsaiid. in Norway, have published
the following answer to the reasons given
by the Danish Prize Court for condemning
the Hannah, of Boston, as stated tester
day :
“We, the undersigned Masters of Amer
can vessels, now in the port of Christian
sand, having heard with astonishment that
some of the principal chaiges brought a~
gainst the American brig Hannah, from Bos
ten direct, bound to Riga and a market, anil
condemned at the Pi ize Court at this place,
is as follows.
“ 1st. That said Court have pronounced it
absolutely impossib!e to ctoss the Atlantic
Ocean without a chart of the same.
" 2d. That it is equally impossible to
cross the Atlantic without the aid ot a sex
tantT
“ We therefore feel fully authorised to
assert, that we have frequently made voya
ges from America to Kurope without either
the above chart or sexiant. and are fully per
suaded that every seaman, with common
nautical talcmsor skill, who has ever cros
sed the Atlantic, cannot hesitate to subscribe
to the same.”
‘C/iriniiansand, slug. 10, 1S10.
September 10.
A decree is said to have b<.en signed by
Bonaparte on the 28th ultimo piohibiting
passengers from landing at, or sailing from,
any port of Fi ance, under the penalty of
confiscating the vessel undcArgo. The mo
lives of such adecter Can only be to prevent
accurate information from reaching the pro.
pie of France, and also to prevent us from
knowing the real situation of the interior ol
France. It is said to be most distressful;
the large towns are in a state of rapid de
cay, and places where manufactures were
once flourishing, are now deserted. 1 lie
misery is the greatest in the wine depart
ments. Will it be believed, for instance,
that gentlemen, who six ye«»rs ago enjojetl
several hundreds a year, are now compelled
to sell the wine, the produce of their cs_
tales, in small quantities, to the peasants,
in their own houses, in order to procure a
few livres togoto market ; that vines are
in many places entirely left to nature, foi
want of means 10 cultivate them, and *hat
many tons of wine have been spoiled lately,
because the unfortunate owner could nei
ther sell it nor afford to keep the hogsheads
in repair! Yet this is strictly true.
We are told that much jealousy prevails
between the cabinets of Paris and Madrid,
Becaust Napoleon has assumed to himself
the appointment of governors for the pro
vinces ot Biscay and Navarre; and at Sn_
ira, Buigos, Valladolid and Abiia, three re
giment* have been raistd by order of Bona
parte ft cm amongst the Spanish prisoners
of Dijon, and others are f u ming of 'he same
na ion ; ail of which are to be sent to I
land, to assist no doubt in the designsof Bo
raparte against Kusia, and to render hope
less the prosp* ct 01 their returning to their
ow n country. It is added that those prison
ct's who refuse to enter into the French
service are treated with tx'rune severity
September 11.
We do net agree with sume of our co
temporaries, that because a very small
stock of colonial produce was found upon
hand in Holland, we are to take that as a
pi oof, that little went from hence, and that
therefore the restraints of Bonaparte have
been i ffleient. As it is manifestly known
lo all ou* merchants that very considerable
quantities of colonial produce have gone to
the Dutch c. ast, their not^being found in
Holland, proves rather that the restraints
have failed ; and that the goods have found
tjtcir way iato the interior of France and
Germany.
A great many more letters from the Spa
nisli Ministers of Joseph, to the French mi- '
iiis'crs of Napoleon, and to the Duke de
Santa Fe, at Paris, have been intercepted
There arc also some from the French Ge
tun uls in Spain. They almost all concur in
tli owing a most striking picture of the deplo
i able state of the French interests in that
country This they chiefly attribute to the o
peration of the new system of measures
wnich have beenadop'ed in Spain, in cense
qm nee of express orders from Bonaparte_
There are some of liese de- patches Which al
so shotv that the French annysustair)ed a sc
vn e loss during the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo;
besides which, they afford proofs that the
adhtrents of J sepli seriously Relieved there
Was an in cution of an attempt ty .assassin i
nate him, or to make him a prisoner
A letter from Messina, dated Julv 30 •
gives the .following account of the brilliant
sic.ion between our flotilla and that of the
erne nr, on the 2.>th of the same month :
“ 'L|ie enemy’s convoy, consisting of 60 i
vesstls, under .the pro ection of six heavy i
gun-boats, was pr<:ceeding along shore from 1
Naples to Scylla,. and was intercepted off
Anmnten, about 20 leagues from the Straits
of Messina, by his majesty’s frigate Thame*, '
the Honorable Captain VV idegrave, and a
division of the Sicilian flotilla. The ene !
my,apprised of the sailing of our flotilla,
took sneltei under a strong battery, where
lye thought himself secure ; but in thu ad
vantageous position he was attacked with
Mich vigor and effect, that in five hours,
fhe whole f the convoy was sunk, burnt
or captured. The captured vessels, thirty,
aeven in number, were brought into Messi
na They were deeply laden with nmmuni
tion, stores and provisions for the army in
Calabria. Murat, to inflict veng ance on
thc-fiuthri s ol the destruction of ins convoy,
or finding it impossible to obtain the supplies
so essential to the execution of ft is plan for
the invasion of Sicily, resolved to make the
attempt wiihont further delay, and actually !
embarked with his army i Hut observing'
the formidable preparations (hat were made
for Ins reception cn the opposite side, he
abandoned the project, and after n rnaia
ingon board 14 hours, disembarked.’’
, ' September 13.
Wrr received this morning Cadiz papers
to the 26th last. They do not state that i
the Ficncli have, raised the siege of that
city ; and therefore, the teport to that el
feci must be without foundation They!
give, however, a very favorab e picture of
the s»o*e ol the war in »lie other parts of
the kingdom, of tlie spirit which animates
the people and the success which attends
their t xtt ’ions. ’1 he kingdoms of Oalffda,
Art agon, Catalonia, Vale nr in and Mur
cia, are among the foremost in cncigy andi
activity. In the first of these, the enemy
entered the province of Liebnna in the lat
ter tad. of July, bat thev were defeated
and expelled with considerable loss.—In
Aragon, the Spanish General (Villacam
pa,) carries every thing before him. He
had his headquarters 'at Calatay ttd, winch
city, and also Durocoa. he had taken by as.
sanlt-In Catalonia, the city of Tortosa
rivals Saragossa, ip obstinate valor mid do
termined resistance. It still held out rm the
11th last. On the 4th, the garrison made.a
sortie, and drove the French from all their
works. • The enemy had previously made
a furious attack upon it on the 9h of July,
when they were also repulsed, and the wo
men of the place, emulating the 'females
of Saragossa, were actively employed m
the hottest part of the contest, supplying
their gallant defenders with spirits. Ge..
neral Blake had his head quarters at Mur
cia. His advanced guards had approach
ed the frontiers of Andalusia. The ac
counts from Madrid confirm the report of
the attempt to carry i ff KmgJoseph.
The following is an extract of a letter
received through Holland:
Paris, Aug. £7.—It is expected that
we chat! soon have cetiiidcrablc trade iu
colonial produce, as it is supposed to be
the Emperor’s determination to make all
that may be permitted to come to the con
tinent pass ‘hrougn Fiance. Thus he will
be able to supply Austria Prussia and Ger
many, from his depots, which will put an
immense sum into his purse. This plan
now begins to develope itself, for it is under
stood, that he means to shut every port a
gainst the importation of Colonial produce,
from the Elbe to Petersburgh. In a f. w
days I hope to be aide to send you the It
cense for my ship, and at the same time,
you may purchase the ai tides mentioned;
which will no doubt come to a good mar
k t.
September 15.
From St. Petersburg letters have been ob
tained to the recent da e of lie 21st ot last
month. The banking and mercantile con
cerns in that city were much disorganized
by the political obstructions to trade ; $nd
the consequence had been the failure ofthe
home of Gustavus Bahr, an eminent bank,
er in that capital. This is nn%v the princi
pal banking establish neat which is so inti
mately connected with. Sc has so powerful in
Huence over, the Russian Government_
Bahr, w is the banker of Caultncoun and the
French legation.
Berlin, Sep. 4.
The government has just published he
following notification. His Majestv being
desirous that all the decrees which have for
their object the maintenance of the conti
nental system should continue to be execn
ted with the greatest rigor, has resolved in
oider to accelerate the suits comm, need a
gainst all those who possess or import c 1 i.
nial merchandize, to appoint a tribunal of
commerce of i wo branches which shall
decide exclusively and d< tinitivelv upor
the affairs concerning that species of confis
cation.
B til branches of that tribunal shall sit at
Berlin, and shall cause depositions to be ta
ka n on the spot by special commissioners
appointed for that purpose.
JIis Majesty wishes by this measure to
reconcile toe interests of the State with
the justice which individuals have a right to
expect.
FREDERICK WILLIAM.
Berlin, Aug 1G, 1810.
Copenhagen, Aug. 2G_Agreeably
to a iioyal Decree, an Embargo lias been
laid on ah vessels in the ports west of
Holstein, as well as in those of the Elbe.
New Yonv N 'V. 1.
Arrived, this morning ship Lucia, in 34
days from Liverpool : We have received
papers to the 25th of Sep.; exracts follow.
Commercial sid-ver'iner.
London, Sep. 24.—Some more French
papers, and a Dutch one. to the 18th, have
been received. Their contents still conti
nue to be barren of interest. The besieg
ing army of Cadiz is said to be string bened
by fresh convoys of ammunition and artille
ry, as well as detachments of cannoniers,
sappers and miners. The occurrence of
these latter names give us pleasure as we
are therein reminded of the old wars ofF.u
rope ;-whereas the rapidity with which
modern French conquests have been achiev..
cd, have, not hitherto rendered the employ
ment of such men necessary. There is like
wise an army at Seville to cover the besieg
ing army before Cadiz. Tortosa, we learn,
has not yet surrendered.
The last French decree against <he ad
mission of passengers on board vessels sail
ing with l cenc.es is given. It is such as was
before stated, except that we do not see the
infi.ction of capital punishment denounced
against captains for contravening the de
cree.
The Court Gazette of Copenhagen tlisa
vows all idea of making a separate arrange
ment for the exchange of prisoners.
The grand obstacles to the further pro
gress of the Russians are, VVarna, Rod.
shuck, and Schutnla. The besiegers are
probably not very adroit in this species of
warfare ; in which they have recently had
but little practice.
The Gazette of Saturday contains an of.
ftcial account of 'he operations of the expe.,
ditmn from Cadiz. Though this gallant
body of troops have not had 'lie full success
we expcct»d in the capture of the French
corps a' Mogner, yet we can truly sa\ they
deserved it. The enemy, with some loss in
killed, wounded, and prisoners, was driven
into Seville: nod will, perhaps in future,
not think himself safe in any position tipon
the Coast. .
'Hie letters from Cadiz agree with the
statements which had been previously re
ceivrd through Ir ranee, tb it the enemy hav
ing now completed several mortar batteries
on the opposite side of the harbor there, a
bombardment would speedily take place.
The official despatches from the same
place, written by general Graham, and the
hon. Henry Wciietlev, on the .hQthult state.,
that no important operation had taken place
up to that period.
A«lvir.es received at the admiralty on Sa_
tu. day, from Oporto, being of the 5th inst.
are <.t two days l iter date than tho-.c before
published. No c.bnrigf had taken place in
the positions of the British army, hut skir
inVslics between the different out posts were
daily occurring, and tlie patroies were niu
tually harrassing each other. This certain
ly sounds very ominous of a general engage
mem.
Despatches have also been received from
Corunna, miner date of the Oth inst. They
dt-iCrlbc the population in the north of Spain
as in a high slate of animation against the
enemy. It is added, that an expedition was
fitting out at Corunna against San ton a an«i
St. Andero The French in Gallicia have,
however, received reinforcements.
A report current on Saturday in the city,
occasioned some bustle, wc think, perhaps
without much cause. It was said, that Mr
Pinkney had received official intelligence of
the rupture of the negociation between
France and America; ami that general
Armstrong had left Paris, and was tu em
bark at Bordeaux cn the 17th inst.-l'he
following let er, corroborative of this rumor,
was likewise posted at Llovd’s:
“Falmouth. Sep. 19—Arrived the
French schooner cartel .Eli* a, capt. Mor
cam from Morlaix. which place she left on
the 14> h instant ; they landed at Fnwev on
the 17th, Mr. Ridgway. American const'll at
Antwerp, his family and several passengers
Mr. Ridgway was charged with despatches
from General Armstrong to Mr. Pinkney*
in Loudon. General Armstrong had left
Paris and was expected to embark for A
merica on the 17.h inst. When the Eliza
left Morlaix. it was said that general Junnt.
Macdonald, anti Belliard had been recalled
from Spain, having incurred Napoleon’s dis
|jica»uvCi *
Wc shall only observe respecting the a_
bove, that port letters are no' usuaMv enti.
tied to tlte first degree of credit. We ate
more surprized, however, at the important
0 at sequences of this negociation, than we
should lie on its actual occurrence.
A Gottenourgh mail arrived on Saturday.
1 he Swedish papers afford nothing new ;
but soon after,the arrival of *he mail the
following notice was posted at Lloyd’s:
'* Gottkniurgu. Sep. .10—We have
just learnt hat <>nt of n convoy of 35 s-.il from
England bound to th~ Baltic 21 have been
lost, a few days ago, not far from Mars,
trand.” ’
The distress occasioned bv this aft rtir.g
information, was in some degree relieved bv
tlte following addition, which was stuck up
towards the close of the dav:
“ The Reynard and Sheldrake sloops of
war sailed from Sheerness on the old Aug
with a fleet for Gottenburg. On the 16’h
inst. at 3 A. M. they experienced a gait of
wind between Paternoster Rock and Chris
tiana, which dispersed the fleet ; one ship
supposed to be a Dane, found red with ail
her crew. The Bee and Golden Grove
transports, part of the fleet, have arrived at
G^tteiiburgh and some of the ships had
gone into Marstrand, and the neighboring
ports.”
i Mt Diiusu subjects a' neiig>'ian(i nave
enrolled themselves, and are trained daily to
he use of the gre ii guns and small .n ms.
A battalion of marines is ordered to b»
formed for some new entcpi ze. The men
are now selecting at Portsmouth.
St veral ot the sm ill gun boats fi ted out
for the Scheldt expedition have sailed from
Portsmouth during the last week, to join sir
P Keats, at l adiz.
On Friday morning (and not b f<-re) 'he
United Si:ws sloop of war Hornet, cap’ain
Huiv. s >i:ed tro i Cow s, with the Amen
can messenger Mr. Spe»ce, entrusted with
despatches from Mr. Pinkney,for Hampton,
preparatory to the meeting of Congress
The H n ner is to call at Havre de Gruc. to
take on board General Armstrong’s mt sen. I
ger, but has, it is said, peremptory orders to
quit that port at the end :>t 24 hours,whediti
the messenger appear or r a.
The Corunna Diaries are filled with inte
resting details of skirmishes in almost every
part of Spain, in which the Patriots are ge_
net-ally successful, so far as the intercepting
of convoys or couriers,is concerned-Some
’ more intercep’e ' correspondence between
I the French generals has been published by
the junta of Gallicia. The Spanish g«
jvernmenfhas published a royal decree or
! nroclomafinn prohibiting all person* iu ' (If
1 military o'* civil service, from writing any
intelligence to their friends or others re..
specting the movements or intentions of the
Patriots.
LATEST FRO VI FR \NCE.
_
Extract of a letter, dated Bayonne, 29th
of Sefit.
[Communicated for this Gazette."]
‘•It we may confide in thr- iei> cs of -m
days past, the following is the sub-trT.ee of ti
; c mmunicatinn made by the Due De V .tdore.
ituGrn Armstrong on the 12ih ins . 2 >1 >ys
before he left P u is, but it has not yet been
announced officially ;
1st. The decree rendered at ftambouillet
is revoked. Every American vessel will be
freely admitted
2d. The coufi rated property will be res
tored as soon as Congress will have revoked
the law on the subject of fines incurred
for the contravention of ‘he non intercourse
bill.
3d. The Americans can introduce freely
in our ports, the produce of their own soii,
and export a contra value in the productions
of the French soil.
•‘ Inc nseqnence of thts. prices of Sugar,
C’< ffee,&c. rise daily, bu' Cotton on the de
clmc ; West India and East India produce
cannot be imported but b> aceitiin number
oipsnui ted vessels, to be expedited from
N York and Charleston . id to those few
vessels ate reservi d iht exc'iusivt privil ge
of introducing into France West ; ml East In
dian producr.
Licences are reserved for French vessels
neu ralized.
[We liavr *een a letter from an i .zrnt
ge leman in Paris, dated Si p 2u * .ch
precisely coincides with the cm :i*i
Ion going.”—-Keif]
BROW TJ1R N. YORK UAZFTTI T* r J
The schooner Purse. Cip Kn t
rived at this |iort yesterday in jo i j
St Sebastians; and ihe s i i>n r. . .
jC«p. Moffat, In a similar passag- i •« ,i >
uHiie. —lly the>e arrivals the edit, i • t
Nc'v York Q iCette have rectivo i
I papers to tin*. 19 h Sep embri . f n woo i>
! they have exti acted the m«,si imp a tain i ti
cie>.
By the Purxr —The verbal m v- l. ,
arrival is similar to that by thr . - •
stated below Cap i< chain'- i * vs <>■ r» -
ponds with that g veil by *>!r Jan . •'
I was said at S’. Sebastians that tin J. r,;.r
| ror intended ••give upthei.e* p. • •!* id
\ the American property sol l at l<i a ;
j nothing however would net any tinny
cepi cotton. Tne whole indeed would tu
rnearly c- nsuttud by the new du sss and o
tlu r expellees.
lij the •7" neerfrom Bayotme — The <
dudt * • f this Gazette learn, bom M J •
I that Gen. Arms t ong our minis < r -> Pa'
t«S)k b»s departure iroin that place i ne
12 h of Jxpt and arrived at IVr.ltaojP <•:,
the 25th of thz same month, and was to ern
bark on board trie ship Sally, Cap. Scott,
and sail for the U. States about the lOili of
Oct.
At »he time of tire General’s leaving Fa
ns, every thing relative to America,' remain
ed in an unsettled and giu-ir.y state ; but
Mr. J rrvis says, that after the departure of
Mr Armstrong, it was reported, and gene
rally credited, that the Duke of Cadore had
written trim a le ter, offering to restore the
American sequestered property, if the gov
ernment cl the U. S would give up the
French property which hiul been seized un
der the non intercourse act ! !
Boston, Oct. 31 —Letter* from London
state, that Mr. Pinkney feels entire con
Jfdrncr. that if the Berlin and Milan
French derrers are declared ‘o be revoked
on 'he l«r of November. the British Orders
in Council will immediately be declared to
be null and void
Spanish ( Cadiz) papers to the 10 h Sep.
were yesterday-received —They arc replete
with narra'ivrs of war events in several of
the Spamsh provinces, attended with vari
ous success.
J'OS'TSCRIPT.
Yesterday nfCV7l0in Cuj.i. Lucas from
London politely favored us with papers to*
>hr -1st Sep. ; barren of even's.
King Mura' had finished his farce of
the invasion of Sidy, and hud returned to
.\apli s
7 he Election of Marshal Bernc.dotte,
as Crown Prince of Sweden, it w. said,
had occasioned a strong sensation in Rus
sia.
On thrSO'h 7ug orders iverc given at
Tomungen for the seizure of all American
vessels found there.
Extract from a letter to A gentleman in
Baltimore, dated London, 10 h Sept.
" I had noi failed to warn you repeatedlv
against shipments, of Tobacco, you may be
thankful that so little is here. That little
I could wish in your own warehouse. Some
houses have becu nearly ruined by adv?.n
cing only Si on a hhd so’ much is here and
more arriving daily. Unless some favora
ble change in political circumstances occur, |
no nlltjvation can be expected. Ami such !
change is considered hopeless. TO 11ACCO i
5d a 7d no sales FLOUR 40* and upwards, !
having eftpey enced considerable depressi ri I
in cons-cju-. ee of supples from the continent
COTTON 13d, a 15, Sea Island ll'd. a 2s
RICE 24 u 25
l’lie Sail of Ormond has compounded
with government his h» reditary office of the
Bu:lerage of wines in Ireland, supposed to
-d'lce 12 000/. per aniiu n, for the sum of
200 000/ — the interest ct which is to be se.
cu d in perpetuity to the successors of that
ancient title.
Prom the Boston Centinel Oct. 31. ~J
FROVI (. AD1Z — Mr. Wild, who arri
>tl here vi-.s erday fiom Cadiz, informs
thru 'fit S.dsetie British frigate of 33 guns
C-ipt-. n Bithurst. ad arrived there from
M i' a, and brought a eport that Lucien
BonayH’-te (who lias resided for years near
R me) had thrown him>eif, with his im
rut rise propel ty into the hands of the English
at Malta.
New..\okk Nov. 2 —Among the vessels
ttlotv i-i^i l ight, in short passages irom Eu.
rope is the >hip India, captain Terry in
30 U>s from Liverp ool. Site will probably
«>img about a week later news from London
than hitherto received.
COMMP.RCTALL Y IMPORTANT.
Aboiu 30 'ail it ships .and brigs arrived at
this port yesterday from Europe; a greater
than ever before aui.d in any port
in <he U. S in one day.
Captain Norton informs that theU. States
brig t war H u*net,captain Hunt, sailed from
O wes on the 21st September, to touch at a
Fiench port 24 hours.
Extract of a letter from an American
gen temun in France to a mercantile
house in this city, received, by the sch'r.
Spencer, dated
Bordeaux, Sep. 19. 1310.
"We are very liapp to transmit to you,
the pleasing intelligence which has this ino
mem reached us from Paris.
“It is understood ihat all sequestered A
merienn vessels will he giv,en up i n bonds,
which bonds will be cancelled the mmnen
the United States make i law to restore ai
the F-ench property seqm stei ed o.- coufis
'•ated by the G -vernm m of the \J Siatev
The American proper v setpie: ever/or r<>r,
fiscated by thisgovenimenl will a/so be re
stored, when t e Government of the Uni
ted States shall have passed a la v to re
store (he French proparty sequestered or
confiscated,
“ All American vessels will be freely
admitted into F since wiih the produce ot
tin- United S ates, provid'd mjcIi ve-s<1
shall not have complied with the Bridth
orders.—(. Ionia! produce can be admitted
only oy Licence.”
Extract of a let er from Mr. Royal Bond
at Chris lansand, in Not way.
** Ai-g 8 1810 I consequence of a pa
ragtapb which *ppenrd in .tt- P--is Mom
'em. dw'eriug that die French Certifir,ales
ot O. ig !i* which ate • m>w IoiuhI on board
evf ,y A me ric-.n vessel ate lake, (-he French
v o'iS'ds in America, not having granted
rinrn fr several teats) the brig Han
Uet.nis, from B -ton, Wm. Deblois,
upercafgo. and Messrs T G \ rtlory
‘nets, «>»>. yesterday condemned
f re is indoubt that all die Vine.
" ■' 1 have them will share the same
,1b" ri\>s Cat.
s certificate was signed by Mr.
(jtiruutJ.
Dm'ssic an order ha3 been published
bv he Flench Comml that no ship, belong
• 'z, whatever nation, sha!l t»p allowed io
r.h troiH. unless‘lie be provided with a per.
rni«S ''b for th *t puip ?c under the hand of
die Kmperor N.ipi k m.
C THOMPSON,
PO R rRAlT FAINTER ;
V i'<iC i FLi.i, i infm in» the inhabitants of
Michmmul, hikI i-s vtetrity, lb.it he. has again
oi«iin**nreh business, in the livu<$ oppusite the
> <v to Tavern.
Novt-tn'Ki- 9. w4w^|
S\MI’.-*ONVi hrv.k.-;i,
f/n Pamf’tletsJ for tale, at tint
Washington, Nov. 5.
1 he Proclamation of the President must
relieve 'he public m'n 1 fr mi much of the
solicitude which it has for some time pas*
tcli. It r.nu utters the important fact, ofll
cially asctT'ai'icd, that “ the edicts of
trance violating the neutral commerce of
ihe United States, have been so revoked
as to cease to huveefieci,V a ml in virtue of
the unqualified directions of an act of Con
gress, declares all existing restrictions ji«
the commerce and vessels of France anti
her dependencies removed. As, however,
no restriction exists, with regard to France,
except tlie exclusion of her armed vessel
from our ports, the principal effect prot’uc.
ed, will be in our favor by the revocation of
her decrees, bv which we shall be permit _
ted to carry on our trade without any other
annoyance from her than is authorised by
the established laws and usages of nation:..
It is scarcely necessary to remark, that the
President in this Proclamation, has strictly
and HferatU* ,-1. . . '
-i l-...^ w.iv-n. ili.ilK.ett one
by Congress, having merely discharged a
minis-erial trust. A feel) e' stand h:is, in
deed. been made by a few warm partiz’ms;
who have contended, that so long as the
F etich government retained the sequester
ed property of our merchants, she evinced
an indisposition ** io c nr-e to violate the
neutral commerce of the United States.”_
But admitting the tact, and concurring fill*
!y in the sen.iment, that while she docs
retain that property, she continues to com
mit a flagrant injus ice, does ii prove, io the
very lace ot a solemn official declaration,
that she will not hereafter change her course,
when she explicitly says that she will ?_I
The seizure and sequestration of our pro
perty. although it is highly reprehensible
and will unquestionably present a soienm
point of discussion on our part, were long
.interior to the declar.iiioti revoking her e
diets: and these very acts, so flagrantly in
violation of our neutral commerce, are those,
among others, which by her declaration she
pledges herself to cease committing. If,
after her declaration, she had continued to
seize and sen ties-er our property a correct
suspicion would have b-en excited, ami it
might well have been doubted, whether
she would have carried her promise into ef
fect. But she in not charged with any such
conduct. It Inis moreover been seen, that
the terms of the act of Congress are broad
and imperative ; looking entirely to the fu
ture, and not clogging anv arrangements,
calculated to s-ecure a respect for our rights
hereafter, by any past conduct, however at
rocious. On this head, therefore, the Pre.
rident, being vested with no discretion, could
CAvl H'UIC.
There is another question, one perfectly
distinct, which it may remain hereafter
to settle with the French government_
By her rescinding her edicts, anti our with
drawing our restrictions, the question of se
questered property is not put to rest. Ifc
will ‘till remain in its full force, and out
claims'on her justice and honor will beun„
aba-id. JVLiy they not, indeed, be strength
tied ? ,
The Circular of the Secretary of the
Treasury, discloses the next step taken in
this interesting concern. It declares the
state of things, which will thiee months
hence exist with regard to Great Britain,
in ca-e she shall not have revoked or
modified in like manner her edicts. v'o*a
ting me neutral commerce of the Lfni-t;d
S ates,” according to the same act of Con
gress. which prohibits “ both the entrance
o* British vessels of every description into
the harbors or waters of the United States
and the importation into the United S'.atca
nt any articles the growth, produce or iiTanl
ulicture of the dominions, colonics and
dependencies of Great Britain and of any
articles whatever brought from the ‘aid do
minions, colonies and dependencies.”
1 his was u result tooimpor ant to be pas
sed over .a si e ic*by a govein■ n• n institut
ed foi} ne protection ofitscriz -ns in all die r
lawful pursuits. As so large a portion eT
our ordinary trade iscat-iedon with G. B.
and her’ dependencies, it was proper that
whatever wem to suspend it should be clear
ly stated, that every doubt on this head might
be removed. Prompt as this notice is, it
will barely afford time for the merchants to
give the requisite instructions to their agents
in England, and to the merchants in F.ng
I u.d m uvoid the penalty attached to an in
fraction of our laws, in case she shall not
revoke her orders. This official notificati
on w.is further important, as it announced
1.0 G B and Fiance the determination of
-he Ex< cirive to carry rhe act of Congress
with scrupulous good faith into effect. To
die former it carries a serious appeal, claim
ing 'he same .'respect for our neutral rights
is we had expriienced from her enemy :
while to die la! er it :s a proof of our rigid
impaniality, and purpose to act towardsfrer
as we did to her enemy under circumstan
ces in some measure analogous.
I hus has the present Chief Magistrate,
m the short period of eighteen months, had
an opportunity by the most emphatic and
striking displays of impartiality, to shew hin
unbiassed and inflexible regard for justice to
w i if Is the t Wo coin s»l powers, whose dead
ly feuds so deeply disturb the repose of thw
world. In the arrangement with Mr. Ers
kine this disposition was shewn towards G.
Britain; it is now similarly exhibited to.,
wards France The same measure thsrt was
dealt out to one is now extended to the
other. Men, who are not the veriest slaves
of party, must approve in this last instance
what they so warmly applauded in the for.,
mer.
Will England follow the example thus
happily set by France i If she has a regard
for her character, for her word, or for her
interest, she mu»t. Her character calls up.
on her to defend instead of oppressing neu
tral rights ; hct|wt>rd has hern repeatedly
pledg-d to rescind or revoke her edicts vi
ol at mg our neutral rightsassnon asFrance re
voked hers ; and her interests require her
to maintain a good understanding with her
.best customer.
The»f considerations ought to influence
her We cherish the hope that they will.
But they may not. She may mistake her
interest*, anti in her ill-founded hopes and
calculations too little regard her character
and word, wh ch may be sacrificed again
on the altar of a faisr ncxe*$ity Under the
uncertainty, which hangs on the future, our
coui.se i3 fortunately obvious. Eet us value
■her g'»od will and by .ill proper means rail
tivate it ; but let us value justice still it >ic«
•nil tie prepared, with alacrity and vigor,
o assert our rights ag mist all aggressions
ifion tin m, let theft) c-icc from v. titri quar^
■er they may.—A<u, fnt,