Star.
London, England, 1811-03-12 00:00:00

AmikmicA.

CONGRESS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, ISII.
• IMPORTANT MESSAGE. •
The PRESIDPNT by message transmitted the follow.
ing copies of letters from the Agents of the United
States in France, to Mr. Secretary Smarr, viz.
Copy of a letter from Jonathan Russo!, Esq. Charge d'Atrairer
of the United States at Paris, to Mr. It. Smith, Secretary of .
State, dated Paris, Dec. 11, Ism.
Ste—On the evening of the 9th inst. I learnt that si
the Essex frigate had arrived at L'Orient on ther+th„,
-rend had been put under qnatantine .tor five days for
want of a bin of health, doting which time the Mes-
venger is not allowed to come on shore. At the same
time that I received this intelligence, I was also in-
formed that the brig New Orleans patlcet, was seized
at Bourdeaux, under the Berlin and Milan decrees, by
the director of the customs at that place. The simul-
taneous occurrence of these two events, formed, in my
opinion, a crisis which required a prompt decision of
this Government. Under this impression, I imme-
diately addressed to the Duke of Cadore the note of
which the inclosed is a copy, and in which I thought
it politic to remonstrate with firmness against the pro-
ceeds of the director of the'customs at Bourdeaux,
1 and weave the Government here at liberty to disavow
them. This disaxowaf, however, I am persuaded,
depends entirely on the nature of the dispatches
brought here by the Essex. I feel, therefore, the
most lively anxiety to receive them. In the mean
time I give this letter a chance of reaching you by .2.:
vessel about leaving Bourdeaux for New York. Since
my last the Hanseatic towns have been annexed to
this empire. I have informed Mr. Pinkney of the rie-:
rival of the Essex, and suggested to him the possibility
that the Proclamation of the President had come out
by her, in order that he might, if he thought proper,
make a final attempt to obtain a repeal of the Orders
in Council,.while it was yet in the power of the Bri-
tish Ministry to do it with a good grace. I have the
honour to be, Ace: (Signed) JONA. RUSSLI.L.
Hon. Robert Smith, Secretary of State, United States.
SIR. nusu. TO Till DUKE DE CADORE.
Paris, Dectmther 10, 1810.
. .
JOT }-havie this moment learnt that the American
brig New Orleans Packet, lately arrived at Bourdeaux,
has, with her cargo, the bonaide property of citizens
of the United States, and laden at the port of New
York, been seized by the Director ot. the Customs
Ainsisie the...Berlio or Milan deaves. I rase also been

frrormed, chatihis Director of the Customs, not sath-
fied with this hardy violation of the solemn assurances
given by your Excellency to General Armstrong on
the sth of August last, aid confirmed by your letter
to him of the 7th September, that these decrees were
revoked, and would cease to operate from the Ist of
November, has, without regard to the plighted faith
of his Government, announced his intention of selling
the provisions which constitute a part of the cargu,
under the pretext that they are perishable.
The clear and unequivocal manner in which the
revocation of the Berlin and Milan Decrees were an-
nounced by your Excellency, forbids me for a moment
to suppose, that the violent proceedings of this man
will be sanctioned by his Majesty the Emperor and
King, or that the least delay will be allowed in plac-
ing the property thus arrested at the free disposition
of the rightful owner, whose confidence alone in the
good faith with which it becomes nations ;ft perform
their engagements, has brought him to the place where,
he is so inhospitably treated.
I am persuaded that your Excellency will not, on
this occasion, attempt to remind me of the conditions
on which the revocations of those decrees were predi-
cated. These conditions were in the alternative, and
the performances of either is sufficient to render abso-
lute and perpetual that revocation. It is of no im-
portance that the British Orders in Council have not
been withdrawn, if the United States, in due time,
perform the condition which depends alone on them.
And what is this condition ? Why, to execute an act
of Congress against the English, which to be thus ex-
ecuted, requires the previous revocation of those very
decrees. The letter of your Excellency, of the sth of
August, appears to have been written with a full
knowledge of this requisition of the law, and mani-
festly with the intention to comply with it, in order
that it might be competent for the President of the
United States to exercise the contingent power which
had been given to him.
It will not be pretended, that the decrees have in
fact been revoked ; but that the delay of the United
States in performing the condition presented to them
authorises their revival. The case of the New Or-
leans Packet is the first which has occurred since the
Ist of November, to which the Berlin and Milan de.
trees soul(' be applied, and if they be applied to this
case, it will be difficult for France to spew one soli.
tory instance of their having been practically revoked.
As to the delay on the part of the United States,
there had been none. No official information of the;
letter of your Excellency of the sth of August, left
France for the United States, owing to circumstances
which it was not in the power of General Armstrong
to controul, until the 29th of September, and to this
moment I have not learnt that such official informa-
tion has been there received. I might indeed have
learnt- it, and been able now to have communicated to
your Excellency the measures on which the President
has decided in consequence of it, had not the frigate,
the Essex, dispatched by him, been put under qua.
rantine on her arrival at L'Orient, for the want of a
Bill of Health, and the Messenger thereby detained
since the 4th of this month.
1 will not madellake to decide whether a bill of

IS 5

(PRICE SIXPENCE.HALISIIST:

health might in enurtesy to be exacted of a frigate of
a friendly power, coming in the wittier season. from is
place not known to have been lately afireted With any
.malignant disease; but surely the delay which this
exaction occasions, cannot be imputed to a want of due
diligence on the part of the American Government.
It is from this view of the subject that I am tho-
=y Convinced, that the application of due Berlin
ilan Decrees, by the Director of the Customs at
Bourdeaux, to the New Orleans packet, will not be ap-
proved by his Majesty, but that prompt and efficient
measures will be taken to correcia procedure, whkh,
if persisted in, might produce a state of things, which
it is.the obvious interest of both nations t4l avoid. I
pray your Excellency to be sawed of my most distin-
guished consideration, tic. • (Signed)

SONATIIAN RUSSELL.

'COPT OF A LETTER PROM CND. MEYER, TO R. SMITH, ESQ.
SECRETARY OF STATE.
,• • - Uaft.ad States Consulate---Bota[Jeaaa,Doe. 11,1810.
•SraLThe brig New Orleans packetrefigew Yolk,
Goptain.Harris, mentioned in my former letter, has
since been seized by the Collector, and her largo has
been put in the Imperial Custom-House.
The schooner Friendship, of and from Baltimore,
Captain Snow, has been sequestered.
NON-INTERCOURSE LAW:
WASHINGTON, FEB. 2. IVIT. EPPES matted, 'that
the Committee of the whole be discharged from fur-
ther consideration of the Non-Intercourse EnfotcM;,
Bill, and that it be referred to the Committee on Fo-
reign.Aelations, and assigned.as a reason, the pecu-
liar situation of our foreign relations, and the cloud
which at present appeared to overhang them, and
until it should be dissipated, he thought we ought to
make provision for the relief of our cititens under
the clperation of the Non-intercourse Law.
Mr. RANDOLPH said, he came to the Hi ..ise yester-
' day, prepared with a Resolution for a repeal of the
. Non-intercourse Law, but could not obtain the floor.
He was for acting with promptitude. He said, no-
thing was farther from his wish' than to hurt the
feelings of any Gentleman ; but the House well knew
the retreats we have been obliged to make from our
Embargo, Non-intercourse Law, &c.- He would ask
all sides of the House to lay their hands. on their
hearts ant say what benefit has been derived to our-
selves from sue restrictive measures. Why do we, '
continue measures altogether imbecile as to foreign
nations and destructive as to ourselves? ,He consider-
ed the President had issued hi la:nation upoe a ,
mere promise on the partot Ilona rte. He mentioned
the late seizure? under the Berlin and Aldan Decrees,
and the indignity offered in the purts of France to afri-
gate of the United States, as lase as December, after
the proclatnation of the President' must have been
known. His object was to relieve the President, by
repealing the law. mpon which she proelmnatiOn Was
lounded. Mr. R. therefore moved' io .amend the
motion Mr. Eppes, by adding, that mid Com-
mittee be instructed to report a bill for the repeal
of-the Non-Intercourse Law.

Mr. Ems thought the amendment of his Col-
league ought rather to forin a distinct Resolution,
and be committed to a Committee of the whole Houses
than to be added to his motion. He did not mean •
at this time to enter into a discussion of our
foreign relations. The President had acted in pur-
suance of law. He said no man felt with more sen-
sibility the wrongs we have received from France than
he did.; nor was more ready to redress them. But
he could not consent to violate the faith of the nation
pledged by Legislative authority. He • said we did
not yet know of a single violation of the revocatias of
the Berlin and Milan decrees—that we don't know
the circumstances under which the late seizures wee.:
made. Until he knew, he would not enforce the law ;
but until then, he would not repeal. It had been de-'
Glared, by competent authority, that the Decrees had
been revoked. It it should turn rut that the Presi-
dent had been deceived, it would only prove that he
was actuated by that desire for peace which has uni-
formly influenced him.
Mr. RANDOLPH said it would give him pleasure to
accommodate his colleague, if he could do it onsis-
candy. But it is known that the Non-Intercourse takes
effect this day. The effect of continuing the law, is
not to do the enemy any harm, but to reduce the prices
of the produce of his and his colleagues' constituents.
As to the Berlin and Milan Decrets, he said it made
no-difference whether we are plundered and robbed
miller those Decrees, or tinder any other Decrees He
said it seemed we had become such formalists in poll.
tics, that it depended altogther upon the manner and
hot the substance of the plunder or robbery. He really
wished to get rid of this system of wretched expedients'
Mr. Miltneu. said, he was glad the' subject had
been brought before the House. He hailed it, IS
a prelude to an emancipation from our commercial
restrictions, which began as early as the year 1808.
He voted with his friends in 1805, for the partial
Non-Importation Law, which was the best measure
that could be found, but was attended with no sen-
sible effects. He was also in favour of the embargo,
which" he thought was a second act of American
Independence !! ! and would have answered the
purpose, if it had not been for the impossibility of
executing it. In taking a review of those past
measures, as they had not answered any valuable
purpose, he was in favour of giving them up, and .
(trying some new plan.
• Mr. RANDOLPH then called for the reading of the
Duke of Cadore's letter to Mr. Armstrong, in which
be says the sequestrations which Mr; A. complains
of were by way of reprisal for the Non-Intercourse
Law ; which letter was read.
The Amendment was negatived--the Ayes and
Noes being taken, there were Ayes 45, Noes 70.
Mr. Randolph then moved an Amendment, to in-
struct said Committee to bring in a Bill to suspend
said law, which was also negatived, Ayes 40.
- -

The questioAhen resurtilig, whether it should b•
recommitted to the Committee on Foreign Relations
—it was carried.'