The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-09-29
THE. ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND. SEPTEMBER 90. 1909.
FOR THE EWQ UIRER.
FRENCH INFLUENCE.

the first years OF MIR. JeHersou's administra-
tion--and descend at once to the celebrated
Era of the Berlin decree. q
This was the great occasion. OH which
the fedora! party boldly erected their bate
RES of accusation against the ministration.
Ascending to them, this decree wasa di.
rect attack Oh the honor of the u. States--a
submission to which vas an incomtrovertblc
proof of the predomiuance Of the French IN
fuenCe in our councils.
These arc FACTS. s -.
l.. That the moment the Berlin Decree was
known to our munster in Paris, he addressed
a letter to Decres, the minister OF Marine,
requiring to know whether it was meant 10
apply to the u. States the minister for
Foreign .46airs being then with the Empe-
ror in Berlin:
l. That Decree assured him, as his view of
its meaning. that :" an American Vessel could
not be taken at sea, for the mere reason that
She was going to o. Coming from port of
England -
That this decree was NOT hut IN force "a
ganse until the October following, except
III a.municitai zoay which the French had
right to dol,
That the case Of the Horizon was the first
one, in which twas put III force, contrary
TO the tagvs IF nations
That our minister lost no time in present
ing most energetic rcmonStrarce against
this decision
And that .by the first opportunity. after
that decision had reached the President. the
particular Instructions required by it were
forwarded to that minislsf." 80
If these are fdcts, what are the concfusi-
ons Where is that aggression upon the
right of the U. States. which we have not ep-
posed! where is the least Submission to
French injustice? Where is the French In
fuence? Where is the finger of Napole
on!" 40 where but i'll the imagination of
| Mr. GARDENER.
! To such as are possessed of the least dis
cernment i'll these matters, the very style of
the remonstrance of MIR. Armstrong would
seem to dissipate these illusions. Does the
minister of the ". States crouch before the
Gallo Emperor Is he afraid to utter the
independent sentiments of an independent
nation No. The style of Armstrong is such,
as no other minister of the o. Statss has
thought proper to use towards any nation of
Europe, and no minister OF Europe has deem
Led it prudent to use towards the Emperor of
France.
Has, then. the misfortune of shipwreck,"
says he in his note to NJ Champagny of No
vember 10. 1907, '' SO far altered her condi
ton, as to expose her to the injury of confis-
cation aisoe and is this among the tlrincities
which the defender of maritime rights means
to Consecrate by his power and his wisdom
IL is imtiossi6kc"-And in the close of the
same lister, where he tauntinsy retorts up
OH France the same Contumelious express
sions, which the minister of Foreign Affairs
had once applied 10 the conduct of England:
Thus it is, that she (England) has turned
to her profit and to the detriment of Europe,
bur more particularly of France, the audaci-
ity with which she mocks at all our rights end
insults even reason herself Against pow
er which forgets to such pitch all ideas OF
Justice, and all humane sentiments, what
Can be done, but toforget them for an instant
onesef!" Words, says Gen. Armstrong
On this passage, Cannot so further to slew
the e.rtixguiShed authority. in the one case,
OF the trea " subsisting between the u. States,
and his imperial majesty, and in the other,
Of thc iaD Of nations: to appeal to them,
therefore. would be literally appealing to
tthe dead"
When it was seen. from the case of the
Horizon. that the French were determined
to Put their decree in force against us-and
that the British were about to resort to some
new agsreSsions upon US the President of
the u. ,. thought Il wise to recommend some
step. that might elude the blow. The E m
barge was that step. And yet this very
measure. which is in opposition to both
France and G.. Britain, has been twisted in
to a new proof of the existence of French
iAihuChSSs y iiuotuy udS UOt neSl-
tated to insinuute, that the assigned grounds
are not sufficient to account for the measure
that the British Orders of Council of Nov.
were not known at that time, and that no
thing but Loue for France could have made
1t so down with the government. In lieu of
these loose suppositions, critics light as
air." let us attend to Facts. " conirmat lons
strong as proofs of holy writ
During !he month Of Feb 1907, Castle
reash and Perceval, two of the present min
listers. had publickly Tin parliament) scoffed
at the mildness OF the Orders of January ard
recommended such bold measure as that of
the Orders of Nov.
| During the latter end of Oct. and early
part OF Nov. the ministerial prints of Lon
don, began to assume new tone, and to
speak OF the existence of these blockading
orders. Extracts from these prints. and
| from letters to the merchants of the u S.
were published in our own pape"s, several
| days before the message of the President,
recommending the Embargo.
| But what is conclu.ive, inasmuch as il
proves that the minds of the members of
Congress, had auGcihGfed this very message,
| 1t is a fact that letters were previously pub
lished III this paper Qhe Enquirer) from two
OF tile most enlightened members, stating
the almost Certain PRONUNCIATION of these
| orders, and the necessity OF our resorting to
this very measure, the Embargo, as defence
against them. 80 very ingenious is Timothy
Pickering in the accodnt which he gives us
4 a.