Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-11-15

The q. States acquiesced in the unlawful and !,
injurious proceeding
/ state, sir, on undeniable authority tlla' (
the first instance in which that decree was was
put ii force against the neutral rights OF the
r.. States, was that of the Horizon, an a.
merican ship bound from Great Britain to
Lima, wrecked within the territorial Jurls-
diction of France, but condemned under ah
exposition of the decree extending to the
HIGH seas its operation against neutrals.---5
This judicial decision took place as late as
the 10th day Of October, 807, and was
not officially known to the minister plenlpo-
tertiary Of the u. States at Paris, till some
time in November. AT the date therefore OF
the first order of Great Britain no injury
whatever had been done to her, through an
aggression On the commerce OF the ~. >.
No presumption even had been sufficiently
authorised tia. the express stipulation IN the
treaty of France with the y. States would
not exempt their commerce at least from the
operation Of any edict Incompatible with
them. At the date even of the latter or
ders of Nov. II, it appears that the only
aggression which had then occurred, was
pretty certainly unknown to the British So
xer,lment, and could therefore have had no
share in producing this aAedged rstalia-
ton.
10 this fact that the ship Horizon was
the first that occurred of an execution OF the
French decree on the high seas. am able
to add that as late as the 5Oth November,
no other cause had been brought into the
French court Of prizes. From accounts
which have lately appeared, 1t is no more
than probable that unlawful captures by
French cruizers have since taken place, but
it remains to be known whether they are to
be referred to the concurrence OF the French
government in the Judgment pronounced IN
the case of the Horizon, or not rather to
French decree OF 18TH December last pro-
Tossing to be retaliation on the British or
ders of Nov. II.
state with equal confidence, that at no
time have the United States acquiesced III
violations of their neutral rights injurious to.
Great britain, or airy other he);gerent
nation. So far were thew, in particular. from
accuicscing in the French decree OF Nov.
1906, that the moment it was known to their
minister at Paris he called fcr explanations
of It's meaning IN relation to the United
States which were favorable & uncontradict-
ed by the actual operation Of the decree
that he steadily watched over the proceedings
under it, with readiness to interpose a..
eairst any unlawful extensA,n Of them to
the commerce of the United States that no
time was lost, after the decree came to the
knowledge of the government here, in CIV
ing him proper instructions on the subject;
that he vas equally prompt, on receiving
the decision Of the court in the case o. TIE
Horizon, in presenting to the French
government relnonstrance in terms which
can never be censured tor defect of ener-
cy; and that by the first opportunity
after that decision reached the presi-
dent the particular instructions required
by il were forwarded to that minister. Nor
is it to be forgotten that previous to the
British orders Of November, it hal been
explicitly communicated to the British
government at the American minister at
London, that explanations uncoptradicted
by any overt act had been given to our
minister at Paris, which juatiSes q re-
lance that the French decree would not
be put in force against tie. United States,
and that the communication w.s repeated to
the British government immediately on the
publication Of those orders.
What more could hive been required on
the part of the United States to obviate re-
saliating professions of any sort on the part
T of Great Britain REGULATIONS are mea-
surcs Of rigor in all cases. Where they are
to operate through third and involuntary
party, they will never be hastily rcsorted to
by a .nagnanimous or just power; which