Star.
London, England, 1813-10-07 00:00:00

tabb o the British doitsitinferti itionC irthei, In ft.
jetting it, took on itself a high tesponsibility, not
simply in regard tothe coniequenees attending it, but
in dis.,vowing and annulling 'the act of its Minister,
iviiheut showing that he had etceeded his authority.
In accepting the Declaration of the French Minister
for Foreign Affairs, in proof of the French repeal,
;ahe United States gave no proof of improper credence
o the Government of France. Op a comparison of
both trank.actioltkikWill appear that if a marked con•
idence and respect was sliewrito either Government,
it was to that of Geadt Britain. In acceptill the De.
'claration of the Government of France in the pre:
nine of the Emperor, the United States storm on moot
secure ground, than in accepting that of a J3ritith Mfr.
'Aster in this country.
46 To the demand made by the United States of
the repeal of the British Orders in Council, -totioded
on the basis of the French repeal, of August 5, itilo;
the British Government replied, by demanding a
:copy of the orders issued by the French Government
for carrying into effect that repeal; a demand with.
out example in the intercourse between nations. By
this demand it ceased to be a que.tion whether the
French repeal was of safficient extent, or was founded
on justifiable conditions. The.pledge of the French
Government was doubted ; a scrutiny was to be in.
aimed as to the manner in which it was to be dis.
charged, and its faith' preset wed, not by the subse.
quent conduct of its cruisers towards the vessels of
the United States, but by a copy of the orders gist*
to its cruisers.
is Where would this end ? If the French Govern.
ment intended a fraud by its declaration of repeal,
announced to the Mi istcr of rlo United. States, and
afterwards to this Government, might it not like% ise
commit a fraud in any oiler como.unication which
it might make? It credit was refused by the British
G ivernment to the act of the French Government.
thus formally announced, is a probable that It would
have been given by it to .toy di tument of inferior
character, directed to its man people?
66 Although it was the policy, and might be the
interest of the British Government to engage the
United States in such a c, ntioversy with the French.
Government, it was far from comporting with their
interest to do it. They considered it their duty to ac-
cept the repeal already made by the French Govern-
ment of its Decrees, and to look to its conduct arid to
that of its cruizers, sanctioned by the Government,
for the faithful performance or violation of it. The
United Stites having.been injured by both Powers,
were unwilling, in their exertions to obtain justice of
either, to become the instrument of the other. They
were the less inclined to it in the present instancel;
from the consideration that the party making the
pressure on them maintained in full force its unlaw.
ful Edicts against the American commerce, while it
could not deny that a considerable advance, at least,
had been made by the other towards a complete a$
commodation, it being manifest to the yeoija a not
only that the faith of the French 6.overniment stood
pledged for the repeal of its Decrees, but that the
repeal did take effect.on the Ist of November, 1810,
in regard to the United States; that several Ameri-
can vessels taken underthem bad been aelivereclatp,
and judicial decisions suspended on all, by its order,
and that it also continued togive the most positive
assurances that the repeal should be faithfully ob.
. ,
served. -
It has altos been urged, . that the French repent
was eondittonat'ind for that reason could not be ac-
cepted. This objection has alreadt been fully an-
swered._ It merits attention, however, thlrthe Acts
of {he British Government relating td' thii tiulsject
particularly the Declaration of the 21st of Apriii,
1812, and the repeal of the 23d June of the same
year, are equally and in like manner conditional...-
It is not a little surprising that the British Govern•
ment should have objected to a measure in another
Government, to which it has itself given a sanction.
by its own acts. It is proper, however, to rema.ic,.
that this objection has .been completely waived as
given up by the acceptance of the Decree of the 2dtha
April, 1811.
46 The British Government has urged also, that it
could not confide in the faithful performance by the
French Government of any engagement it might ea.
ter into relative to the repeal of. its Decrees. This
objection would be equally applicable to any other
compact to be entered into with France. While
maintained, it would be a bar to any treaty, even to
a treaty of peace between them. But it also has
been admitted to be unfounded, by the acceptance of
the Decree of the 28th AprJ, 1811.
" The Secretary of State presumes that these facts
and explanations, supported as they are by authentic
documents, prove, firgt, that the repeal of the British
Orders in Council was not to be ascribed to the
French Decree, bearing date on the 28th of April,
1811 ; and secondly, that in making that decree the
basis of their repeal, the British Government has
conceded, that it ought to have repealed them on the
,Declaration of the French Government of rte sth of
August, 1810, so as to take effect on the Ist of No-
vember following. —•
44 To what cause the repeal of the British Orders
in Council is justly attributable, cannot now remain,
a doubt with any, who have marked with a just dis-
cernment, the course of events. It Must afford great
consolation to the good people of these States, to know
that they have not submitted to privations in vain.
" The discussion of other wrongs, particularly that
relating to impressment, had been closed some time
before the period alluded to. It was unworthy of the
character of the United States, to pursue the discus-
'ion on that difference, when it was evident that no
advantage could be derived from it. The right was
reserved, to be brought forward and urged again
when it might be done with effect. In the mean
time, the practice of impressment was persevered in
with vigour.
44 At the time when war was declared
against.
Great Britain, no satisfactory arrangement was of.
fered, or likely to be obtained, respecting impress-
ment ; and nothing was more remote from the expec-
tation of this Government than the repeal of the Or.
tiers in Council. Every circumstance which had oc-
curred, tending to illustrate the policy and the views
of the British Government, rendered such an event
altogether improbable. Flom the commencement
of that system of hostility which Great Britain had
adopted against the United States, her pretension'
had gradually increased, or at least become more
fully unfolded, according to circumstances, until at
moment whin war was declared, they had asst.),