Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-11-17

tive stlpulatleAs ca tnS e0la - - - 2
srth. 1900, as the incontestible principles
&c public law: and the president charges
.von to superadd to whatever rePrese ntations
Won may have previously made, . formal
reImonstrance in such terms as may be best
calculated either to obtain q recall OF the II
legal measure, so far as itrelates to the Y.
States, or to have the efect OF Leaving IN
full force all the rights accruing to them
from failure to do SO.
That the execution Of local laws against
foreign nations on the high seas, IS viola
ton of the rights of the former and the
freedom Of the latter, will probably not be
questioned. "A contrary principle would IN
fact imply the same exclusive dominion over
the entire ocean, as is enjoyed within the
lnnistsof the local sovereignty, and a degra-
dation Of every other nation from its COM
mon rights and equal rank.
Ifitbc commended that the decree, as a
retaliation on the other belligerent, at the
expence Of neutral nations, is justified BY a
sculpable acquiescence in the prior measures
of that belligerent, operating through neu-
trails, YOU will be able to deny such acqui-
escence, and to urge moreover that, On eve
~ supposition, the retaliating measure could
not be Justly enforced, in relation to neu-
trails, without GLOWING them at least a rea-
sonable time for chusing, between due mea-
sures against the prior wrong, and an acqui-
cscencc in both. The copy of the repre-
sensations to the British government, thro'
its ministers here, on the subject of its Or
ders Of January, 1907, will at once disprove
an acquiescence On the part OF the United
States, and explain the grounds.on which
the late extension Of the French decree OF
November, 1906, is an object of just re-
nionstrancc.
The conduct OF the French government,
in giving this extended operation to It's de-
cree, and indeed in issuing one with such
an apparent or doubtful import against the
rights of the sea, is the more extraordinary
inasmuch as the inability to enforce it on
that element exhibited the measure in the
light of an empty menace, at the same time
that it afforded pretexts to her enemy for
severe retaliations, for which ample means
are found in her naval superiority.
The accumulated dangers to which the
Illegal proceedings Of the belhgerent nations
have subjected the commerce and navigate
On Of the United States, have at length IN
duced Congress to resort to an embargo on
our own vessels, as measure best htted tor
the crisis, being an efectual security for our
mercantile property and mariners, now at
home and daily arriving, and, at the same
time, neither a measure nor Just ccuse Of
war. Copies of this act were, soon after
its passage, transmitted to MIR. Pinkney,
with an authority to assure the British go
vernment, that it was to be viewed in this
light, and that it was not meant to be the
slightest impeachment to am;cable negotiate
ons with forsign governments. he was re-
auested to avail himself of an opportunity of
communicating to you and Mr. IRVING,
this view Of the subject, and [ hope that
YOU will have been thence enabled to present
it to the French government. Net relying
however On that indirect opportunity, send
BIZ this another copy Of the act, with an IN
siruction from the President, that you make
It the subject Of such explanations as will
guard against any nlseonception Of the po-
icy which led to it. It is strictly nlea-
sure Of preeaution, required by the dangers
incident to external commerce, and, being
indiscriminate in its terms and operation to-
wards all nations, can give no just offence
to any. The duration of the acts not fixed
by itself; and will consequently depend on
a continuance or cessation Of its causes, ina
degree sufficient in the Judgment of the le-
gislature, to induce or forbid its repeal.-
It may be hoped that the inconvenience,
felt from it by the bslligerent nations, may
lead to change of the conduct which i'm
posed the inco1sveniences Of it on ourselves.
France herself will be sufferer, and some
r L IL I.<