The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-08-02
TIE ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND, AUGUST ?, 1865.
FRENCH DEGREES AND BRITISH
ORDERS

IL bRI
ORDERS.
A writer in the Omitted States Gazette"
has attempted to show in a long and iabourcd
disquisition, that France was the first ag
greSsor in the attacks upon the rights OF
our commerce, and that Great Britain has
merely retaliated her injustice.-As tins
sub ect is curions as vel; as Important, it
may be worth while to investigate the proofs
assigned on this occasion. Nothing will be
found more absurd than this futile attempt
t.justify the entertainments of G.. Britain.
We shall not goback to the British Orders
ct June IL, 1898, nor to those of 10th of May
1906 though these were certainly the first in
the series of aggressions-But let us take
the recent Orders naked and by themselves.
Let us see what this writer refers to as a
proof of his assertions
The proofs that he relies on, are the case
OF the ship HorlZon-the letter of the Grand
Judge, Regnier, minister OF Justice, of Sept
18, 1S07-letter of Cretet, minister of the
interior IL Mr.. FauSsat, merchant at Dor
deaux, of the same date, on the case of the
American ship George Washington-the
letter OF ChampagDy, minister of foreign re-
iations to Gen. Armstrong, of the 9TH Oc-
tobcr, 1S07-and the correspondent conduct
Of Holland and Spain, the vassal nations of
France
These facts do NOT Bear out the favorite j.
dea. that France has been in every instance
the first agglessor, and that Britain has on
ly TefaH0ted the injuries cf her enemy
These facts, if they prove any thing at all,
support only these three conclusions l. That
the case of the Horizon. was unknown to
the British cabinet, & consequently could not
have provoked the vengeance of their cele-
DRAFTED Orders.-2 That these declarations
ct the French government were not ONLY I'M
n Eriti I>,,t ~ ,l,,
were never executed except in the clsc OF
the Horizon, and consequently that France
Sill remains the aggresscr onkyin words"
and ). That these very declarations, in
the extent and ..trGcity of their rcaaCed at
tacks upon the rights of the United States,
tall short, sghtiess distance, Of the British
Crcers.-A brief analysis of these proofs
Will lie sufficient 10 demonstrate these three
positions.
]. That the case Of -. Horizon could MOI
have formed the Basis of the british Orders
is Sufficiently established bv the following
extract Of speech Of MIR Eppcs delivered
IN The House Ct Representative onApril 7th,
ID the Debate on the passage of the bill Tor
raising an additional military force. Mr.
Gptes Yields to no member of Congress j.,
the clearncss and correctness of his views:
These are the commercial iniarics nc
ce'vcd from Great Britain T'hcy arc JUS
uhed, the late Orders part;cu'ariv Of Jsnua-
ry ant November 1907, as measures Gf re-
taiiation. How far thcy car be supported Oh
thIe ground, will appear from a statement
OF faciS lrc FIRST i;is,a:cG i'll which the
Frerch decree of November 9th. was put
Ip force against the neutral rights of the u
M ed Sta!es, was the oaee ri i;,e ifursu.,,
an American ship bound from Great Bri-
tam to Luna, wreCk ed on the Coast of France
MS decIslon took place III October 1907
and was not known to the A meiican minis
ter at Paris. until some time m November
So that when the British Order il January
1dO7, was issued no case had occurred OF al,
application Of the FreDch Decree to tine A.
merIcau commerce. At the date of the late
orders OF Hoves.ber 18th. the only appre-
henSion which had occurred, was unknown
to the British Government. It could there
lore have NO shave IN producing This allcde-
q retaliation.--On the contrary, it had been
expressly communicated 80 tie British 20
Vernment. by the American riinis,eI AZ Lon-
don, that explanations aacGn.raActed br a.
NJ overi act, had b"cn given &C. our minis.
te' ut Paris, which justified a rsI;1i;ce, filit
the French decree would not bc put I'm force
Against the United :;tates. Seizures nae
lately been made and oar Vessels Acquesier.
ed-these we know. 10 have taken place m
Ser tie French decree Of December 17'h.
processing to be retaliation OH the British
orders Of November ,lh"
2. The ieftcr IF P,guiri.is more re'c-
want to the Justification OF Erj. e. Iiiscer-
tain thJt thie a1cug,cut be4fs date an SEPT
18Th; but it b. c'oce s'ed ,n -he bur-..i a
xte nil sierra cas'.et a.i.;l t'ic case Of tse
it7riz' dta"s j.. iatu i.ghC ga theCr-e ~
al ihat care en- tie -3t nf Cct. J s91 r5e
world - tfc f,st Uue irfoiu,ea .. ,,l.e
CO3.fat 81 q; Isl rccri4-v mad. I'D, i.. ...o-t