The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-01-03

were some few IDEAS, whichie wished h,cor-
porated with i.-they would better shew the
mahnerl in which, foreign nations mad treat
J Ell the United States.
MIR r.. stated, that his object was, to make
certain passages in the Preamble (Which ne
ready more definite & explicit in their state
ments that though The Berlin Decree qvas
issued a November 1906, it was not put into
execution against the U. States, till the Gaze
OF the Horizon, which case was not known
10 tie British government. at the time when
their orders OF Council were issued that in
this Report the grounds en- which they had
I0ceniissued, were called ga hackneyed & ia
iquitoos pretext of retaliation;" buth wish
ed to show svhy this was "hackreyo;l and
lniquitons preteXt )" for &c conceived, that
Ii the Berlin Decree had gone into execute
on, 1t would have afforded CT. Britain sumo
Colour of Justification The pretext of re-
ta,ia,ion, though ever so hackneyed, would
net have heen so niqutous.-There was an
other Important fact omitted in this Report,
that seven days after d treaty of .4Diity and
! Commerce had been signed bv the British
commissioners. the British orders OF Janua-
ry were issued. He wished to put this fact
also IN a clearer point Of view, and to show
that TINS aggression upon the rights of his
Icountry, was not only unsupported by any
lpretexe or retaliation, but that it was in the
very face of treaty of Amity and Commerce,
so recently signed by the British Commissi-
oners He should therefore move the fol-
lowing amendments. To strike out the fol-
lowing sentences from the 9TH paragraph:
"From the impotence of the French feet,
that decree had very little other effect tow
ards US, than to display the hostility and i'll
justice of the government from Which it pro-
iceeecd. Too. Britain, however, it answer
led an important purpose 1t furnished her
with preteXt to crown her grand project
of rc-colonizing the United States. Accor-
dinghy, on the hackneyed and ubiquitous pre-
tencc OF retaliation, she issaed against MS her
iorders It council o. January and Nov 1907"
| And insert the following rs substitute
6 Vorr Committee, however, think it proper
to remark, -thpt 'is decree tho dated de 81
l"' NoveTnbei 1906, was not enforced agains. A.
m srican Conmerc, until the Sept; following, in
| "a. cast oftbe iiag.-ol' The DELAY, thevare vii
ling To aScrbe, not at ;i, the libeYiitv but al
Together To the insidious policy of she French
| government. Her hostility and Injustice have
been sufficiently manifested towards us in her
previous and Subsequent conduct The fact is |
only Important, as il takes from the British gov
eminent, even the shadow Of pretence fo her
ia'-'smed Orders of Council snd ulcrs clearly |
eViGces The motives winch dictated them These
orders which were intended to crown her grand
project OF rc-colon.nr the y States 1rc d.ed
| III 'nvary and November. 1907. Those of Ia
nUary were issl'ed at time w,,cni il yvas believed
| even III England, that the emperor Of France
! would not attempt 20 give to the Berlin decree
tiiV other than municipal! :s.d l,ar,i,-ss eli;
and what 10 more, extraordinary. auly seven
says 1t Ter tre;,ty of INIT AMI Commerce wild,
TINS country had been ,gned by The British com
! m!Ssicncrs. The Orders # Nov be due n;
the very day that Mr. armstrong became afEici
ally acqutn ed w,th the first unii'i-ndi, decision
OF the french council % pr,z 5 under The arre,s.
~ t'fc 2lst ot Nov 1896; rai therefore affords
The strongest ground Of pres ,inp;icn, that these
ORDERS, as wei $ those Of january preceding
were issued without rc;eren e t. the c0ncii,ct
o. France towards Nentrd Commerce The
hacilneyed and .ntlultous prete;;t uf retaliation
was, Notwithstanding, resOrted to, by her. with
as 'nu1 un5iushing IT '1sry, IS ifthc ftcts jus
titie,l. instead of disproylag the assertion; and
hei Orders oi Counrii were INSTANTLY enforced e.
g"i'l"t American property. Ely, SEE
Mr. Il. said that these facts we're susceptible
OF proof, trom the public documents which
had been submitted to every American Ci
tzen he might prove them by the Nale of
the British Commissioners by the evidence
OF the British merchants examined before
the House OF Commons M-y hal clearly
proved, that the Berlin decree had not gone
mo execution; insurance had not risen, and
therefore ms amendment had stated, that
this fact had been known ~ Great Britain
re Should prove them, by Mr. Armstrong;
letter OF November II, 1907, in which he
says that he had been yeSterday furnish
ed with the first unfriendIv decision under
the berhn decree; which clearly proves that
the British orders had been issued OH tie pp-
ry day that Mr. Armstrong had receiy @.s
notice OF the execution of the Berlin decree :;
50 tnat Great Britain did not issue her orders
on the principle of retaliation, but Oh a plan
OF aggression previously settled. These facts
too. did not vndicate the conduct of France :;
be ;ause the amendment expressly states,
THAT 1t WAS not from any iiberaity OF. genera
sity Oh her part, that her decree had not
gone ~ u execution. He was not there. ore
tie aPoiOgis of France
n SNORT discussionherc took pllcc, resDsct.
ing the time, when MIR Arms .rr;,g receiv-
cd notice Of the case OF tie Horizon. as well
as the time, when the case was decided.
Mir. Peyton made several reuiarl.s, to
sho" that the amendment proposed by tn.
gentleman from Yves: Horcland, was D rGect-
ly unnecessary. Tie Report Itself had init
mated that the Berlin decree was mere
prcteH, iUr Tia British orders in council.
lHe amendment was LOST.
3 ne question was thcn taken on ADOPTING
the Preamble, On whic!, question Mr. YcrDV
called t'' the Ayes and NAYS fhey were
as fo.,ow: