Star.
London, England, 1812-08-21 00:00:00

have invariably done every thing in their lowa to cognised by Great Britain _hersdfr, no blockade is • would eecur
preserve the relations of Mendship with great Bri- lawful, unless it ba sustained by the apislication of . An exemption
twin. • Of this disposition they gave a distinguished an adequate force, and that an adequate force was main this,
proot at the moment when they were made the vie. applied to this blockade, in its full extent, ought not paha, ,
time of an opposite policy. The wrongs of the last to be pretended. Whether Great Britain Wks able( waste of
war had not been forgotten at the commencement of to maintain, legally, so extensive a blockade, cond..: a our ,
the present one. They warned us of dangers, against dering the wat in which sllt is engaged, requiring ;inks and
which it was sought to provide. As early as the such extensive naval operations, is a question which ' text of
pear 1804, the Minister of the United States at , it is not necessary at this time to examine. I Nee, British
,
London was instructed, to invite the British Govern- "lt is sufficient to be known, that such force was coast, to .
ment to enter into a negociatiOn on all the points on not applied, and this is evident from the terms of the effect to
which it.collision might arisebetween the two coup, blockade itself, by which, comparatively, ap inconsi. ,aid harbours
tries, in the course of the war, and io propose to it 1. operable portion of the coast only was declared to be in ded.
an arrangement of their claims on fair and reasonablo ! a state of strict and rigorous blockade. The objection. nest, ,
conditions. The invitation was accepted. A nevi. ito the measure is not diminished by that circumstance. ! animate 4,
' nation had commenced and was depending, and ilf the force was not applied, the blockade was an.: encroached
nothing had occurred to excite a doubt that it would , lawful from whatever cause the failure might pro. carried
i not terminate to the satisfaction of both the parties. ceed. The belligerent who institutes the blocks& :40ne other
It was at this time, and under these circumstances, cannot absolve itself from the obligation to apply rpression.
that an attack was made, by surprise, on an impor. the force saner any pretext whatever. For a bells- L a The
tant branch of the American commerce, which affec- gereut to relax a blockade, which it could not main- ' dignation
tied every part of the United States, and involved tarn, it would be a refinement in injustice not less in. procuring
many of their citizens in ruin. suiting to the understanding than repugnant to the unauthorised _.
them to the favour of their Government.
44 The commerce on which this attack was so un- law of nations. To claim merit for the mitigation
expectedly made, was between the United States of an evil, *bids the party either had not the power, !
red by active measures to excite against us thelin‘
" Whether the British Government has eotttr
1 and the colonies of France, Spain, and the other lorIor found it inconvenient to inflict, would be a ElfW
cop
enemies of Great Britain. A commerce just in mode of encroaching on neutral rights.—Your com-
lily of the savage tribes on our frontiers, your
is is.
itself—sanctioned by the example of Great Britain in mitts* think it just to remark that this act of the Bri-
mittee are not disposed to occupy much time
regard to the trade with her own colonies—sanc- tish government does not appear to have been adopted vestigating. Certain indications of generallwo„„•
timidd by it. solemn act between the two Govern. in the tense in which it has been since construed. On I may supply the place of authentic '
menu in the list war.; and sanctioned by the prac. consideration of all the circumstances attending the though these have not been wanting to the
tice of the British Government in the present war, measure, and particularly the character of the distin- 1 fact in some instances. It is known that
ath"
more than two years having elapsed, without any in. guished statesman who announced it, we are per- ;of British hostility towards the United St
serr feence with it. suaded that it was conceived in a spirit of conciliation ' never failed to produce
corresponding sympt
___

+4 The injtistice of this attack could only be equal.
led by the absurdity of .the pretext alledged fur
It was pretended by the British Government, that in
case of war, her enemy had no right to n:odify its
colonial regulations, so as to-mitigate the calamities
of war to the inhabitants of its colonies. This pre-
tension, peculiar to Great Britain, is utterly incompa-
tible with' the right of sovereignty, in every indepen.
dent state. If we recur to the well-established and
universally 'admitted law of nations, we shall find
do sanction to it, in that venerable code. The sove-
reignty of every state is co-extensive with its domi.
nions, and cannot be abrogated, or curtailed in its
rights, as to any part, except by conquest. Neutral
nations have aright to trade to every port of either
belligerent, which is not legally blockaded—and in
all articles which are not contraband of war. Such
is the absurdity of this pretension, that your Commit-
tee are aware, especially after the able manner in
which it has been heretofore refuted, and exposed,
that they would offer an insult to the understanding
of the House, if they enlarged on it, and if any thing
could add to the high sense of the injustice of the
British Government in the transaction, it would be
the contrast which her conduct exhibits in regard to
this trade, and in regard to a similar trade by neu—
trals with her own colonies. It is known to the world,
that Great Britain regulates her own trade, in war
and in peace, at home and in her colonies, as she finds
for her interestu-that in war she relaxes the restraints
'of her colonial system in favour of the colonies, and
that it never was suggested that she had not a right
'to do it—or that a neutral in taking advantage of the
:relaxation violated a belligerent right of her enemy
—but with Great Britain every thing is lawful. It
is only in a trade with her enemies that the United
States can do wrong. With them all trade is unlawful.
44 In the year 1795 an attack was made by the Bri-
tish Government on the same branch of our neutral
trade, which had nearly involved the.two countries
in war. That difference, however, was amicably ac-
commodated. The pretention was withte awn, and
reparation made to the United States for the losses
which they had suffered by it. It was fair to infer
from that arrangement, that the commerce was
deemed by the British Government lawful, and that
k would not be again disturbed.
**l Had the British Government been resolved tt

and intended to lead to an accommodation of all dif-
ferences between the United States and Great Bri-
tain. His death disappointed that hope, and the act
has since become applicable to other purposes. It has
been made by his successors a pretext for that vast
system of usurpation, which has so long oppressed
and harassed our commerce.
" The next act of the British Government which
claims our attention is the Orders of Council of Ja-
nuary 7, 1807, by which neutral powers are prohi-
bited trading from one port to another of France or
her allies, or any other country with which Great
Britain might not freely trade. By this Order the
,pretention of England, heretofore claimed by every
.other power, to prohibit neutrals disposing of parts
of their cargoes at different ports of the same enemy,
is revived and with vast accumulation of injury.
-Every enemy, however great the number or distant
from each other, is considered one, and the like trade
even with powers at peace with England, who from
.motives of policy had excluded or restrained her
'commerce, was also prohibited. In this act the Bri-
tish Government evidently disclaimed all regard
for neutral rights. Aware that the measures au-
thorised by it could find no pretext in any belligerent
right, none was urged. To prohibit the sale of our
produce, consisting of innocent articles, at any port
of a belligerent. not blockaded, to consider every bel-
ligerent as one, and subject neutrals to the same re-
trains with all, as W there was but one, were bold ext.
croaehments. But to restrain or in any manner in.
terfere with our commerce with neutral nations with
whom Great Britain was at peace, and against whom
she had no justifiable cause of war, for the sole Yea.
son, that they restrained or excluded from their ports
her commerce, was utterly incompatible with the pa.
cifie relations subsisting between the two countries- -
44 WeLproceed to bring into view the British Orders
in Council of November 1 Ith, 1807, which super.
ceded every other order, and consummated that
system of hostility on the commerce of the United
States which has been since so steadily pursued. By
this order all France and her allies, and every other
country at war with Great Britain, or with which
she was not at war, from which the British flag was
excluded, and all the colenies of her enemies, were
subjected to the same restrictions as if they were ac-
tually blockaded in the most strict and -

among those tribes.
" It is also well known that on all such mat*
abundant supplies of the crdinary munitims d sot
have been afforded by the agents of British Now
dal companies, and even from British garristes,
wherewith they were enabled to commence thee ete,
tern of savage warfare on oar frontiers, which his
been at all times indiscriminate in its effect, on ip
ages, sexes, and conditions, and so revoking to ha.
manity. Your Crindnittee would be much gratified,
if they could close here the details of British wrongs,
but rt is their duty to recite another act of still
greater malignity, than any of those which ham hem
already brought to your view.
" The attempt to dismember our Was admen
throw our excellent Constitution, by a malt Idiias
the object of which was to foment discourages,.
excite insurrection against the constituted aminekeg.
and laws of the nation, as 1 tidy disclosed by to
agent employed in it, affords A full proof that there
is no bound to the hostility of the British Goma.
ment towards the United States.no act, hovel's,
unjustifiable, which it would not commit to scam.
plish their ruin. This attempt excites the grqua
horror from the consideration that it was made
the United States and Great Britain were at peace,
and an amicable negotiation was depending betimes
them for the accommodation of their difereoces
through public ministers, regularly authorised fertile
purpose%
" The United States have beheld, with =um
pled forbearance, this continued series of hostile e,.
croachments on their rights and interests, in Owings
that, yielding to the force of friendly remonstrates,
often repeated, the British Government might Welt
a more just policy towards them; but that hoes so
longer Exists. They have also weighed impartially
the reasons which have been urged by the liriath Go-
vernment in vindication of these encroachments, and
found in them neither justification nor apology.
"The British government has alledged in Tido
cation elf the orders in council that they wen is.
sorted to as a retaliation on France, for similar eg.
gressions committed by her on cur neutral v*
with the British dominions. But bow has &it
plea been supeorted ? Tile dates of British rod
French aggressions are well knomn to the world.

co
contellf this trade with neutrals, it was due to the
character of the British nation that the decision should
be made known to the Government of the United
States. The existence of a negotiation which had
been invited by our Government, for the purpose of
preventing differences by an amicable arrangement
of their respective pretentions, gave a strong claim
to the notification, while it afforded the fairest op-
portunity for it. But a very different policy ani.
mated the then Cabinet of England.—The liberal
confidence and friendly overtures of the United
States were taken advantage of to ensnare them.—
Steady to its purpose and inflexibly hostile to this
country, the British Government calmly looked *for-
ward to the moment, when it might give the most
deadly wound to our interests. A trade just in itself,
which was secured by so many strong and sacred
pledges, was considered safe. Our citizens with heir
usual industry and enterprise, had embarked in it a
vast proportion of their shipping, and of their capital,
which were at sea, under no other protection than the
law of -nations, and the confidence which they re-
posed in the justice and friendship of the British sta-
tion. At this period the unexpected blow was - Ten,

_ swivel. strict al rigorous I Their origin and progress have been marked with
manner, and all trade in articles the produce and ma- ! too wide and destructive a waste of the property
nufacture of the said countries and colonies, and the of our fellow-citizens, to have been forgotten. The
vessels engaged in it were subjected to capture and , Decree of Berlin of November List, 1800, was.the •
condemnation as lawful prize. To this order certain first aggression of France in the foment war. Et**
exceptions were made which we forbear to notice,' teen months ha 4 thea elapsed, after the attack made
because they were not adopted from neutral rights, ' by Great Britain on our neutral trade, with theme
but were dictated by policy to promote the commerce lonies of France and her allies, and sit months from
of England, and so far as they related to neintal the date of the Proclamation of May 18013. E'm
powers, were said to emanate from the clemency of on the 7th January 18Q7, the date of the first
the British Government.
tish Order in Council, so short a term had elapsed,
" It would be superfluous in your Committee to after the Berlin decree, that it was hardly possible
state, that by this Order the British Government de. that the intelligence of k should have reached the
Glared direct and positive war against the United , United States. A retaliation which is m produce
States. The dominion of the ocean was completely I its- effect, by operating on a neutral powte. ,fibl
usurped by it, all commerce forbidden, and every flag not to be resorted to, till the neutral bad justified l
giriven from it or subjected to capture and condem- i by a culpable acquiescence in the unlawful ate
nation, which did not subserve the policy of the Bri- the other belligerent. It ought to be delayed an__°_,
tish Government by paying it a tribute and sailing after sufficient time had been allowed to the neutral
under its sanction. From this period the United to remonstrate against the measure compiainsdeft
States have incurred the heaviest losses and most to receive an answer, and to act on it, which bad not
mortifying humiliations. They have borne the cola- been done in the present instance; and when the °edit_
mities of a war without retorting them on its authors. of November I Ith was isased, it is .well know° that
"So far your Committee has presented to the view a Minister of France had. declared to a Minister Pb'
of the House tfie - dons which ha- been Paris, that it est

.3 given.
Many of our vessels were seized, carried into rut.
and condemned by a tribunal, which, while it pro.
fesses to respect the law of nations, obeys the man-
dates of its own government. Hundreds of °then
vessels were driven from the ocean, and the trade it-
self in a great measure suppressed.

aggresst,._ _Ave , com-
mitted under the authority of the British Government
on the commerce of the United States.
4. We will now proceed to other wrongs which
have been still more severely felt. Among these is
the impressment of our seamen—a practice which has
ham unceasingly maintained by Great Britain in the
which she

nipotentiary IA the United States at „ - --
not intended that the Decree of Berlin shesid appli
to the United States,
14 It is equally well knwn that no Americo vessel
had been condemned under it, or seizure been made►
with which the British Qovernment was acquainted.
The facts prove that the uneastues of

•, The effect produced by this attack on the lawful
commerce of the United States was such as might
have been expected from a virtuous, independent
and highly injured people. But one sentiment per-
vaded the whole American nation. No local inte-
rests were regarded—no sordid motives felt. With-
out looking to the parts which suffered most, the in.
vision of our rights Wks considered a common cause.
and from one extremity of our Union to the other,
WAS heard the voice of an united people, calling on
their Government to avenge their wrongs, and vin-
dicate the rights and honour of the conntry.
GA From this period the British Government has
on in a continued encroachment on the rights

wars to .ich has been a party since our rerolu-
tion. Your Committee cannot convey in adequate
terms the deep sense they entertain of the injustice
and oppression of this proceeding. Under the pretest
of impressing British seamen, our fellow-citizens art
i seized in British ports, on the high seas, and in every
other quarter to which the British power extends, are
• taken on board British men of war, and compelled to
serve there as British subjects.
4, In this mode our cititens are wantonly snatched
from their country and their families, deprived of
their liberty, and doomed to an ignominious and sla-
vish bondage, compelled to fight the battles of a fo-
count- and often •purr

incontestibly,
France, hoWever unjustifiable, in themselves, were
nothing more than a pretext tor those of Logland•—
And of the insutficieng of that pretext. enwie ___,.
have already been afforded, by the British GOO'
taint itself, and is the most impressive form.
" It Is *unification of the wrongs of one yeem
that the like weft committed by another; sk
ought the f if mei to }save been urged by at "
as it eoingt oo proof of its love of joteieb
of its , or even of its eourelr•
is more worthy the Gowernmeat of a Vent IP
Lion to relieve than to assail the injured. Ner_:011:
a repetition of the wrongs by another power ger'
wounded honour of the IP

gone Is. „ reign 'try, to p
ensh in them.
and interest of the United States, disregarding iii its flag has given them no protection--it has been un-
eogrse, in many instances, obligations which have teasingly violated and our vessels exposed to danger
heretofore been held sacred by civilized nations. Iby the loss of the men taken from them. Yotte Cons.
6' In Mel, 1806, the whole coast of the Continent, mince need pot remark that untie the practice is
from the I,.;be to Brest inclusive, was declared to be continued, is is impossible for the United States to
its a state of blockade. By this act, the well.esta- consider themselves an independent nation. ETV,
blished principles of the law of nations. principles new case is a new proof their degradation.
which have served for ages. as vides, and fixed the 46 Its continuance is the more unjustifiable Us.
boundary between the rights of belligerents and new. tense the United States have repeatedly proposed
mils, were violated. By the law of nations, ags re to the. 1360611 Goma= sa arraarnent TrbiS

the iidlated right; or
loked Pte.
[After enumerating various (apposed acts of
Committed by Great Jaritain agaust•
sited States, the Report concludes thus
" Relying on the patriotism of the nation ode!:
fsdently trusting that the Loaner Hosts mile=
us to battle in a righteous caws and crown CW
with success—your Committee recotomeads
_
Nadi= appeal to aroma? . .

secure to tt in the eoatrot# of Its
emption of the citinens of the United &ft
his degrading oppresion and their gag fiat eh.
is all that they have sought. riles inlet
of oar trade and equally ingawful •
seamen, have been much aggrava by tle
ad indignities attending them. Under the pro,
blockading the harbours of France and her
ritish squadrons have been stationed on op
to watch and annoy our own trade. To Eiti
to the blockade of European ports, the mu
wholes of the United States have been biecia.
In executing these orders of the British Gement.
or in obeying the spirit which was known ti
to it, the commanders of these squadrons boo
Icbed on our jurisdiction, seizes! our vessel:am
into effect impressment within our limit; ay
)then acts of great injustice, violence and et
m.
'he United States have seen, with mingled
inn and surprise, that these acts, instead
ing to the perpetrators the punishment due to '
'tinned crimes, have not failed to recomeuezd
'ft thp fwnur 14" th•i,