Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-06-29

state. as my conception, that there were
three things which prevented that accom-
mediation between the two countries, which
was SO essential to the prosperity OF both.-
They were these: the proclamation, the
refusal TO coalesce with Great Britain IN re-
sistance TO the Berlin decree; and lastly,
the. refusal TO repeal the embargo. these
are the three reasons which prevented the
accomplishment ofsthat good OF which the
President has put us IN possession. Great
Britain demanded that we should intimate
bv our conduct or assurances that we would
not submit to the innovations on maritime
law attempted by the Berlin decree, and
throughout the whole Of thiscoTrespondence
made it point that she would never give
up her orders in council till she had some
proof to that effect from us. She now has.
that pledge, and it is a great misfortune
that twas not given before. Yes, sir, the
FIRST resolution reported by the committee
of foreign relations last winter, adopting
the language of Lords Holland and Aurk
land, declares that the. United States ean-
not submit to the French DEGREES. Liam
disposed, on this part of the SUBJECT to
give the present President credit tor ms a.
droitness. I should not be surprlzed, Fir'
were the secret history Of the cabinet eFer
to be. written, if it should turn out tiht'
without the knowledge OF the then frPi-
dent of the United States, the pre- sent e.
sident had, by making very surly race at
Great Britain, caused demand 70 De mape
Of France that she should revoke her ae-
cree, and given that very pie age which "
Britain demanded of US. Great Britain IS
sued her orders in council to keep US from
France. II was said that we could not go
with any safety on the ocean between the
French DEGREES and British orders. Now
was supposed to be the happy time when the
planets were auspicious for involving US IN
a British war: but it did so happen that,
in the nature of things, we could not de-
clare the British orders to be unlawful with
out declaring the French DEGREES to be un-
lawful also. We could not oppose one with
out also opposing the other. ne very mo-
ment that we fought both Great Britain and
France, Great Britain did not want any
quarrel with us. If we had put ourselves
in opposition to France when the question
was raised in the note attached to the treaty,
we should never have had the orders in
council. But we had them. We did de-
clare, after we had them, that we would
give the pledge. 1t was rendered indispen-
SADLY necessary by our refusing to ! nlu I've
ems resrItE To the Berlin decree,
that the orders in council should be issued.
That pledge now having been given, 1t be-
came as necessary that the orders should be
withdrawn. 1t was folly for Great Britain
to have continued them. We were fighting
Great Britain Con paper for what !? Be
cause she Joined us in the maintenance OF
our neutral rights. We acknowledged that,
as soon as the Berlin decree was acted on,
it was cause of war; but felt too proud to
vindicate ourselves from the imputation of
submitting to it, because Great Britain had
asked it of us. When we lad passed the
law as to France, and ex-
Guided French ships from our harbors, we
were placed in a situation which disabled
us from submitting to the Berlin decree, and
are now in that situation. would observe,
that, at the time these measures were agi-
tated, we had all little sand in our eyes
we did not understand the SUBJECT SO COM
pletely at that time as we do now; and /
am pretty we'll satisfied, that when the Sc
cret history of the two last years is divulg-
cd, i, will be found that while the former
president was sndeavoring to fan the flames
of war, the secretary of state, by original
ing these resolutions, &c. was smoothing
the way for the happy discharge Of his pre-
duties when he should come to the
chair. I think it did him honor. Ihe
ground then having been taken, we, stand
Ing pledged in the face of the world to re-