Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-06-22

ton !; but it my memory will serve ~ !,
will endeavor to take up the gauntlet ~ \
spects two arguments advanced bv The = 81
tleman to shew his aversion to the am ssa'
ment; and one of them, though nor na'
is rather extraordinary that the emhs.
that measure which he considers 50 r,;;a g
to his country, was laid at time when = :
British orders in council were not knon a'
this country he afterwards narrow.a ~ y
assertion by saying that they nigh, J., ny
been known in New York, but va v... 'lavt
known here. As at that time had ~. n %
honor OF seat in this house | canno, ~ d's J
clare what was known here. But tbs H.
say, that twelve or fifteen days before / )
embargo was known, it was known in NJ,
York that it was the intention of the Br;,;.
government to issue these orders that H.,
were agreed to on the 18th of Novenbss
and would be published on the 18th. r.
the gentleman says that even if thew wen
known they werenot officially known. Wb,s
information does the gentleman require r
authorize him to act Oacial informant,
regulates but small proportion of the ars
OF this body. The constitution has mad
it the duty ofthe president to lay btor
Congress such information as he NAV me-
sess in relation to the affairs of the nation
In ordinary times he calls the attention III
Congress to the interest of the nation eeD.
rally; and from the information which, 4r y
bring with them do they generally act
Yet this information is not official. Rs
what idea are we to attach to this house
suppose that on important occasions tIev
will not act without it? l would suppose
case. A messenger runs in and tells 70,
that the north wing of this building is on irs
Would you wait for official information d
the event from the President before yoa /
seek for safety? Of this fact of the nt,a.
ton OF the British government there was
sufficient evidence, short of positive proof
not only to the executive, but to this hous.
In the message of the President of the I. /
States accompanying the documents cala ]
the correspondence between Mr.. Armscw
and Mr., Champagny, we find this passage:
The communications now made shewir,
the great and increasing dangers with whd8
our seamen and merchandise are threatendSl
on the high seas and elsewhere from the !g
hgerent pozuers, SEP What 6elEgmat
P0zDers Who were the belligerents (morIl
than one, observe) to whom the PresidaE
in this language referred Can it be said !
that he meant France and Spain or didkS
not mean France and ENGLAND ? Tah9
this with another fact: that it was know
as early as the correspondence between Mr. 4
Armstrong and Mr.. Champaign was recev
ed, that twas theintention of the French 60
vernment, (about one year after the dated
the Berlin decree to extend it to American
vessels. This first information was a GdS
from which another fact was to be in}crrdM
The orders in council ISSUED seven dsn
alter the treaty was signed CONTAINED prar
tleal exposition by the British governma
OF the Berlin decree, and declaration ,ts
ii Its operation was extended to neu,ra]s. Gs
Britain would for self preservation, retalie
those DEGREES, unless neutral powers wo5
resist. No doubt could remain with daN
American government on comparing the ird
formation from Mr.. Armstrong with III
proclamation Of the intention to issue sud
orders. But if this be not Sufficient to ests (
bllsh the tact, that these orders were knoa y
to the government, it Isl fact that they wer
known at New York long before the en-
barge and as only three days after re-
CURED tor the passage of the mail from a
YORK to this place, it is fair to presume thss
twas not only known to the government t j
to every gentleman of observation at this
place, what the course was which tn
BRITISH government intended to pursuit.
ind that the information was publish
ca IN a New-York paper of the 18th d
December. In the intelligence given at III !,
bar OF the house of commons, Mr.. Martbs