Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-04-12
TIL: JEFFERSON.


the recent captures and burnings-
IMPERIAL DECREE.
heJoinder to his Britannia majesty's order
lii council, OF the 18th Nov. 1907.
I'll our royal t,alace at
Milan, Dec. II, 1907.
Napoleon, emperor of the French, kline.
OF italy, and protector os the Rhenish con.
federation -
"Observing the measures adopted by the
British government, ON The I1th NV. last.
by which vesselsbelonging to neutral, r;end-
iy, or even powers The allies of Enelaod.
are made liable, not only to be searched
by English cruisers, but to be compulsorilv
detained in England, and TO haze tar
la'd on ihem Of so much he,. cent. ON NE
cargo, to be regulated by the British legis
lature.
observing that by these acts the Bri-
ush government denationaLzeS ships Of G.
very natlonln Europe, that it is not CONNIE.
tent tcr any government to detract from IFS
own independence and rights, ali the soyc
reigns OF Europe having in trust The sovc
reSnues and independence of the flag tina,
it by an objectionable weakness, and which
IN the eyes of posterity, would be an indie.
hble stain, If such a tyrannv was allowed
to be established into PRINCIPLES, and conse-
Grated by usuge, the English would avail
themselves of 1t to assert il as a r.eht. AZ
they have availed themselves of the tcle-
rance OF governments to establish the infa
nous principle, that the flag of a nation
does not cover goods, and To give to their
risht OF blockade an arbitrary extension,
and which infringes on the sovereignty osI
every state; we have decreed and do de.
cree, as follows -
Art. l. Every ship of whatever nation i,
may belong, that shall have au6mtted 10
oe searched by an English ship, or to voy
age to England, or shall have haid am tar
solafSoeOer to the English government. is
thereby, and for that alone declared to be
aenatfonaHzed, to have forfeited the pro.
lection of It's king, and to haze become En-
ylish firoherfy.
Art. H. Whether the ships thus denati !
'natzed by the arbitrary measures OF the |
English government, enter into our ports, |
or those OF our allies, or whether they fall !
INTO the hands of our ships of war, or oil
1ur privateers, they are declared to be rood |
and lawful prize.
Art. III. The British islands are declar-
ed to be in state of blockade, both by land
AID sea.-Every ship, OF whatever nation. !
Or whatsoever the nature of its cargo so
may be, that sails from the horfs o. Eag |
and, or those of the EngHSh colonies, and
Of the countries occupied by English ,roons. |
and proceeding to England, or to the Eag-
lls!l colonies, or to countries occupied by |
English troops, is good and lawful prize, as |
contrary to the present decree, and NAV be |
captured by Cur ships of war, or our priya-
teers, and adjudged to the captors.
Art. ~. These measures, which are re-
sorted to only in lust reclamation of the bar.
barous system adopted by England, which
assimilates its legislation to tiat of Alsiers
shall cease to have any effect with respect
to al nations, who shall have the firmness
to compel the English government 10 res
pect their flag They shall Continue 10 be
IN force as long as that govern
mcnt does not return to the principle ofthe
law of nations, which regulates the rclati-
ons of civilized states in state of war. The
provisions ofthe present decree shalrbe alb.
rogated ard null, in fact, as soon as the En-
glish abide by the principles of the law oil
nations, which are also the principles of
justice ard of honor.
AL our ministers are charged with the
execution ofthe present decree, which shall
be inserted in the bulletin Of the laws
(Signed) NAPOLEON.
BY order of the emperor,
(SigneG) Il. 3. MARET.
Secretary OF State.