Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-11-25

pend oa the execution OF All unlaxf,,I u .
and on the acquiescence OF neutr.l i a as.'
~ such lTlfraction Of their rights. And ae ~
were also issued notwithstanding the aa ss
.comnlunlcatio made bv the m;n;.tsr r.s-
the United States, that the French de-.
was construed and executed SO as NOT ~;
fringe their neutral rights, and without ~
previous notice or intilnatisn denying ~
correctness Of that statement.
The Berlin decree as expounded and
ecuted subsequent to the 18th Sentsmh.
1907, and the British orders of council
the I 1th November ensuing, are thereeos
as they affect the United States co-temns
raneous aggressions of the belligerent DOW
'ers, equally unproyoked and equally md
feasible on the presumed ground Of acou;rs
cence. These, together with the Milan d.
cree Of December, 1907, which flied H.
measure, would on the principle Of seIeae1
fence have justified immediate hostiEt;ss Il
gainst both nations on the part Of the Unit
ed Ssates. They thought 1t more clipibl.
in the FIRST instance by Withdrawing tbf;;r
vessels iron, the ocean, to avoid war, at leas.
for season, and at the same time, to sn,,cS
their immense and defenceless commerce
from impending destruction.
Another appeal has in the mean tim.
i:ecn made, under the aasa Gritty vested ii the
President for that purpose, to the justice and
true interests Of France aid England. The
propositions made by the United States, and
the arguments urged by their ministers are
hefore Congress. BY these the very Ore.
text OF the Illegal edicts was removed; and
It is evident that revocation by either ma,
ton on she ground on which it was asked
either must have produced, what both pre-.
tend to have in view, restoration Of til.
freedom OF commerce and Of the acknowl.
edged principles cf the law of nations Or
in case Of refusal by the other belligersnt
would have carried into effect, in the most
Efficient manner, the ostensible object of the
e9icfs, ard made the United States party
in the war against him. The effort mas been
Intellectual. The propositions have been &C.
tually rejected by one Of the begerent
powers, and remains unanswered by the o.
Their. In that state of things, what course
ought the United States pursue Your
committee can perceive no osher alternative,
but AFFECT and degrading submission; war
with both nations ora continuance and liz
forcemer, OF the .prcssat suspension Of COM
merce.
The FIRST cannot require any discussion.
But the pressure of the embargo, 50 sensi-
bly, felt, and the calanlities insepars5le froa,
state Of war, naturally create a wish that
some middle course might be discovered,
which should avoid the evils al roth, and
not be inconsistent with national honor and
independence. That iliusio, i.,ust be dis
sipated; and it is necessary that the peo-
pie Of the United States should fully under
standthe situation ia which they are placed.
There is no other alternative, but war
with both nations, Or a continuance OF the
present system. For war With one OF the
bclligerents only would be submission to the
edic.s and viii OF the other; and a repeal in
whole or in part of the embargo, must ne
cessarily be war or Submission.
A ssneralrcpea! without ara,ing, would
be Submission to bbth nations.
a general repeal and arming of our mcr-
chant vessels, would be war with both, and
war of the worst kind, suffering the enc
mics to plumber us without retaliation upon
them.
Z A partial repeal must, from the situation
of Europe, necessarily be actual submission
to one of the aggressors, and war with tn
other.
The last position, i. the only one or which
there can be any doubt; and it Will be most
demonstrated by selecting a.
monest the several notifications, which
might be suggested, thas which may on frss
view appear the least exceptioaablc; pro-
~ ,.a,,no1 fbo a,,,ha,o,o tor only