The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1808-02-19 00:00:00

. .
brintelt a coniote4on of the cireninstantes oat
•of which it atom. It is tvident then, that the
Decree of the French Government, of the 214 of.
t* November, Is, is the foundation of the ptesen
proceeding. 'II* Decree purported' to declare
the British Isles iu a state of blockade, and to pro-
hibk all comtncree whatever, even with neutral ua-
tious, in the manufactures of this country. The
effect of that Decree was to tAclude as from all
foreign powers whatever; mind to prevent them not
only from currying on their accubtolued trade with
this country, but even to exclude the possibility
of one neutral nation trailing with safety to
another. An American vessel trading from one
neutral port to another, was subject to be seized
by that Decree of the French. Government. Sir,
it has been said, that we have misconstrued this
• Decree, and that it does hot in effect blockade

this country. In re and to its prohibiting the
carriage of our produce or manutlietures, there
can be ,no doubt • but it has been alleged that
there could have been some other mode of avoiding
its consequences. In my opinion, I do not sec any
great different* whether the threatened blockade
was included in it or not ; for if foreign ships had
only been allowed to come to this country with
their fOreign produce, and not enabled" to take
away our goads in return, that surely emanated
very nearly to a similar blockading declaration. I
cannot but be surprised that any person can read
this French Decree, and doubt its construction.
The very mall hie of it recites what has been done
by this country, bet it inns( be admitted that these
imputations are groundless and false. It states
that this country had blockaded various ports
against neutrals, and argues the necessity of retali-
ation, and of declaring the British Wes in e state
of blockade. The fact, however, is falsely
.assumed;
that this country ever declared any port in a state
of blockade, witliont previously investing that
port. I shall do justice to the late tiov'enimeut of
this country to say, that before they blockaded.
any of the enemy's ports, tbey anxiously
inquired whether those heels had been in the
first place regidarly invested: The French Lis-
verninent, in their decree, avowed their inten-
tion of retaliation, without previously investing
our ports, and therefore all the consequences of
that blockade most be presumed to follow that
declaration. It goes on through six articles,
and-then state, that any vessel coming from the
British ports with British goods, shall not be ad-
mitted Into 'any port of that country, meaning
France itsslf. Now there sloes seem something of
an iisconsiotency between this ortiOe, and the
first one in that Decree, the in a cer
taro degree, doing away the effect of the other.
It might indeed be doubted whether this was nut
done on purpose that no vessel should be admitted
direct from our ports to those of Prance, till they
touched at sotto intermediate nue. It surely, at
least, would bear such a constriction; but still the
previous part of it justified us in a contrary conclu-
sion. That Decree of the French Dovensmeut
avowed itself to menu a retatjatibn for en imaginary
offence ; and what Cunt became the defy of this
country, and other countries, in consequence
of this outrageous measure ? If surely be-
came their dim, -to render eweh a impede of
unaccustomed warfare to be retaliated alAt re,
torted upon the enemy. It alas our duty to
do this with as •uileh forbeanince as possible
against other conntries. Although it be a just
principle in the lAw of NattioAs that other Collpr
tries must naturally suffer, in a eart!a.g degree, by
the measures adqpted by Betlizerk. Qt. rowfrs ; yet
it is surely the dUty of elicit to render tlna spffen
as little injurious as pmerible. I certainly in
justify the forbearance 'of the farmer ;
but in doing so, I think it cannot be awned that
if their raiayre was found insuflle4ept for the
purposes 'idea *et °Ahem awe Thomas should not
ba in order to remove those inconvenis

•
been the sense of Ainerie4 nen the Diem% of' filet;.?
We have a right to look to that GoSwiiinierit tor
the xeue sort of ,:oaduct 111 that subjaCt, when
there was the same so. t of,lree France,
with the addition of declaring tine Brithh Isles iii a
state of blockade. Was it too much to exilect of
America, that on beidg iofortued of that Decree,
she should consider it as a measure issued totally
regardless of ber rights and indepeudeuci? Was
it too muds to expect that she armful .mtke a inn
resistauce to oppoise its consequenves ? "We shall
suppose then, that America did actually interpose,
and the ipseitiud must come to this *KS it done
iu such a Mesmer as to satisfy her honour and her
interest as connected "kith Gireat Britain.? A. it was
a measure of warfare against this country, was it nut
teu4iug to affect America remotely ? She owed
her interposition, undoubtedly, nbtsiiili 'for her

. - kt
own honour tout for her iutet, and those duties
she should have observed lowatds the Belligerent
Power that was thus quacked, and w;tb 'Whom she
was in perfect amity. It has been asked, upon a
former occasion, su order to skew the ill.voLty of
our measures, has this French Decree beets at all
enforced in trance ? But I apprehend the ques-
tion otoight to be---Thas the metisu...e been revoked
by Romer ? (Hear !Wear I Hear !) Are we .to
resort to thh Ministers of France for the purpose of
knowing whether they can exercise their own De-
ereeor not ? After the datioakto that has already
taken place upon thesubject of Monsieur Decres'
Letter,. can any body consider that it contains that
sort of revocation thit ought to have satisfiru
America ? lias there been any Decree deelowmg
that America was excepted out of the Order of the
41st of November ? If France chose to give a
doubtful and prevaricating answer to America, was
that to maitre Aroerica that her commerce would lie
free from interrytiou ? Did not the tenor and the
maxim still-continue ? Were slather Vessels, as well as
those of other eountries,obbged to plyisigher insu-
rance, in consequence of that decree slat-existing I
Undoubtedly it must be conceded that * private as-
surance of this sort ought not to have been consi-
dered any thirty upon which America could rat
satisfied. But even let it be granted that there
been a public assurance to America that she
was to be eiempted from its infiueoce, would'
have been a sufficient ground for us not to 100
further to our interest ? Whet ! becau. e France
chooses to except America fruits her injurious de-
extra, are we to consent to their (-outlawing, ? If
France thinks proper to violate the territories of
several neutral powers, and not to act in a similar
mariner towards another ventral, whom she cannot
violate, does itfollow that those other nations am
to submit aid endure a misconstruction of her con-
duct? Such then is the coustructimi that can be
put upon her conduct by the law of statiptis, which
is the principle of *aural justice, honestly and
bore fide employed.—lt is not by ounorovre and
management of this sort that we or.: to be bound
to make the same esFeptiou ier our eooduct towards
France, that she play be pleamed to make towards
America, by that private assurance, if it May be so
culled, that through Monsieur Dp:reo.—
MA What ace upon the 17. th or 1,9t1a Febnsary ?
emoted
The Spauie Decree then *Sited, and it may be
'oohed- .seats withe act of Praiser. Was there any
exception ta, favour of America? If it watt to be
understood that America 11 as eNcepted out of the
Decree of the list of Nov. is it to be supposed that
in that subsequent Decree we should not have had
some notice
.of that exception I This surely. ass a
pretty strong proof that America was never intend-
ed to have been exeinpted. Did out the capture
of the ship nainetl Season, by the Spanish officers,
evince what was their understanding of the
blockade of England ? She was taken upon the
role ground of her violatiug that • blockading ,De-
cree. Now let us go on to suother point that will
yet furthi.r elucidate the nature of that Decree—
mean to' allude to the Tr,- of Til44.

ad
• c•=l*, - _ ray'
country was to undergo in come, Fradce now consummated partly her object ,
quence of French measento. What then fol owed Betaita and Prussia had made their peace
the measure of the bun Government, ileted/lb Je- with France, and become neutrals ; but do they
aviary ? Did neutral ogions interpose ? Did the call for a revocation of that Decree ? No ; they
three nations whom the French Decrees materially are converted into the allies of France ; and can
affected interpose, in order to get them removed ? any one doubt that it was part of the system of
Did Denmark, Portugal. or America interpose ? that Treaty, that Denmark, Russia, and tiruseio,
I have not understoodthat any of there 'powers did were all to be Condemned to comply with the eon-
endeavour to do so. On the contrary, I think we federacy ? Front e now but accomplielied what
have a pretty strong Rotepow hod before the .elie deemed a grand object towards excluding the
House, which was presented by the Danish Go- commerce of Great Britain from all the Coutinen-
vernment, complaibing of the it justice Ofthe De- fal ports: What was the answer of Bonaparte
him-
crew issued by Great Britain, but no inclination I self as to America? He mpresAy dimmers soy
evinced to revoke the previous Decree of France, intention of excluding her from hit measures, ei en
nor intimating any acne of the forbearance of this when he ito feel that the blockade of this
country. That note I thinkseents to be sounding country iMtand to retort upon him the evil of
pretty much asf an anneal neutrality, the favourite his own injustice. Now let us look 'little into tne
measure which Denmark has all along been aiin- situation of this country and Europe, as effected
ing at ; a measure on a principle which, once adopt- by the Treaty of Tilsit, in the latter part of Os:to-
ed-and carried into effect, so as to increase the ma- her, or beginning of November last, when three
ritime power of the 'nations on the Continent, Orders of Counr.l were issued. The tractsras, that
must put an end to th maritime power of with regard to England, she was dim, eschialed fogs
Great Britain. Such has all along been the dial- every port of Europe, except the island of Sicily.
position of Denmark. As to Portugal, such was Her produce and manufactures ware completely
the unfortunate situation of that country, that with intadicied Yet it has been stated, that these
every disposition to do justice to bier Allies; it Orders lime been the ruin of our commerce. Look
could not be supposed then she could venture to at ear situation without those Orders, and then let
interfere to procure a revocation of the Freuch as consider the question. Not a port was open at
Decree, when she was obviously under the iree.s- the period they were issued. The coothiental
sity of endeavouring to purchase her own neutra- market of Europe was completely shut agairuit us.
lity. So far from her being ati:e yid° so, it was well- But then it is said, that those v 4.. on. immures of
known that the port of Lisbon was made the entre- the French Government would not have been car-
pat for violating the Decree we issued upon the rid into execution. had net oar Orders been
7th of January, and breaking' through the prohi- adopted. Now I answer to thia, that we have not
bition of trading from one port to another. The read a single newspaper, for many months back,
country from which we had reason to expect the that did not bring us account. of fresh intwsnres
effectual luterpostion, was that of the Caned States being taken for the rigorov% and strict observance
of America. Upon a former occasion that country of that original decree. Besides this, let us look to
attempted what it was called upon to do, at least the probability of the fact. It might very probably
so far as respected its own honour. It may lie in I have been the apse, had France continued at war
the recollection of the blouse, that there was a with some of the other Continental Powers, that
Decree somewhat similar to the present one issued she would, from necessity, have softeued the rigour
by the french Government in the beginniag of of her Decree, aril connived at aientaida iutro-
Jan. 1798, when that Decree was uoticedin the Pre- duciug British commodities upon the Cotatioeot ;
sidenre speech, as most injurious to America, and but when Bonitirarte has cousuinumted his gland
stated to be a measure that mold not be suffered to scheme for the destruction of our ninritime poste:,
rend, without violating the independence of their ran any jiereon believe, that he would have suffer-
country. That speech strongly Mowed what were el my longer this connivance ? Woahl he not have
then the feclings mail the incestuous of the United alone every thing to forward his venal object of ex-
States. upon this subject. It ,hosed that it was communicating Crest Britain from the soelety am-
, then destined to be an unjust attack aguinst neutral i tious? 'We have only to refer to tho newspapers of
light*. and that they owned that nothing hut the 'maids of October, to End, that at tht vcr, moo-
titorov;h reristatme to it could rase" them from meat when Bouaparte restores to their legitimate ee-
its pernicious effects, was the muse of Ante- y vereigns the dinner of3lecleubere and ()Wombs%)
ilea upon tlie•tlaentithtne. omit has lit is upaa the express 'coeiliion that that' shall aro