The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-02-20
IMPERIAL DECREE.

| lMPERlAL DECREE,
OSf'1''"s fNf S''fs@ ~ 5es' ii" e@t< Of block
| IMPERIAL CAMP, BERLIN, Nov. 81. 1906.
Napoleon, Emperor of the French, and Kin,
OF Italy-confderng -
| i. That England does not admit the riph
OF nations as universally acknowledged bv al
civilized people -
9. That ihe declares as an enemy. every in
dividua belonging to an enemy nate, and in
| consequence makes prifouers of war, NOT onIy
the crews of armed vefIels, but thofe alto OF
the fame.
8: That ihe extends or applies to merchant
veiicIs, TO articles of commerce, and to the
property OF individuals, the right of oonamet,
wnich can only be applied extended to what
belongs to an enemy fate:
4. nat The extends to ports not fortified, to
the harbors and mouths of rivers, the right of
blockade, which, according to reafon and the
niage OF civilized nations, is applicable only to
urong or fortified ports =
!hat The declares bIockaded, places before
whlch"ihe has not Jingle vefiel of war f.: altho'
a place ought not to be con(idered blccksded
but when 1t il, - inveted as that no approach
10 can be made to it without imminent ha-
FARO that The declares even places blockaded
when her united forces would be incapable
or dong, fuch as entire COATS, and whole
empire =
s.. That this unequalled abufe of right of
blockade has no other ohirtt, than to interrupt
the communications of different nations, and
TO raIfe the commerce and induftrv of England
upon the ruin ofthofe of the continent -
6. That this being the evident dr(ign of En-
gland whoever deals on the or:inent in Engliih
Inerchandize, favors that deGgn, and becomes
an accemplice
T.. That this conduct in England (worthy on
~ OF the irit ages of babarifm) has benefited
her to the detriment of other nations:
8. That it being right to oppofe to an enc
my the lame arms ihe makes ufe Of to combat
as Inc does; when all ideas of juiice, and every
liberal tentiment, (the reiult of civilization A.
mong men) are dfregarded:
We have refolved to enforce againft England
the uiages which ihe has confecrated in he r ma
rhine code.
The pretent decree fhalI be conGdered as the
fundamental law ofthe Empire, until England
has acknowledged that the right of war is the
lame on land as at fea, that it cannot be extend
cd to any private property whatever, nor to
perions who are not military, and until the
right OF blockade be reftrained to fortified pla-
ceS actually lnvefted by competent forces
Art. l. The Britiih Hands are in a fate of
Blockade.
z. AL commerce and correfpondence with
thee" AZ prohibited. Confeeuently, all letters
or packets, written in England, or to an Eng
hihman' written in the Engliih language, fhall
not be dispatched from the pot-of1ices, and
ihall be feized.
8. Every individual, fubjett of Great. Bri-
TAM or whatever rank condition, who is
found IN countries occupied by our troops, or
thoie OF our allies fhall be made prifcner of
war.
4. Every warehouie, all merchandise or pro-
perry whatever, belonging to an Engfhma
are declared to be good prize.
5. lhe commerce OF Engfh merchandise is
prohibited. All merchandise belonging to Eng
land, or coming from her manufactures and CO.
ZONES, are declared to be good prze.,
o. One half OF the proceeds of merchandise
declared to be good prize and forfeited as in
the preceding articles, lhsll GO to indemnify
eTohants who have fuffered lones by the En-
glifh cruzers.
2. No vefle coming directly from England
or her colonies, or having been there lince the
publication of this decree, fhall be admitted
into any port.
s. Every vellel, that by a faG declaration
contravenes the foregoing difpoliiion, iha be
ic'zed and the fhip and cargo confifcated as
Engliih property.
Prizes at Paris and at Milan, fnall have recog-
nizance of what may ariie in the Empire, ana
IN Italy, under the prefent article.
10. Communications of this decree fhall be
made to the kings of Spain, Naples, Holland
Etruria, aud TO our other allies; whole iubiects
as Wen as ours, are vlGims of the ihjuilice aud
barbarity OF the Engliih Maritime Code.
H. Our minihers of foreign relations, &c.
&c. are charged with the execution of the pre-
lent decree.
(Signed) NAPOLEON.
BY the Emperor.