Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-01-12
From the Philadelphia Register.


by the pr,aartizans of our tirne-servlng rulers,
g Hhich Of the 6eaigere'sts committed tie n,
first aggression on our neutral r1seSS
has been at length put to rest by Mr.. jetfer-
sons message to Congress on the 25d OF
last month, transmitting :" Copies OF acts,
decvees, orders and proclanations, affecting
the commercial rights OF neutral nations.
Aware that such call tor these papers
Was grounded on facts, which could net, By
any prevarlcation, be eiuded, the executive,
IN its o7gn shane, has been compelled to
state then, in the order, which they were
issued by which it is placed beyond the
shadow Of doubt that the first aggression
was committed by France, in the decree, ct
which the following are the first and second
articles. dated ON the ID OF May, 1898:
Is. Article /. The French ships OF war and
6 nr;vateers may arrest, and bring into the
{. Tor,s o{ the republic, the neutral vessels
g which shall be laden, wholly or IN part. ei-
" tber viii, articles of provisions belonging
!. 70 neutral nations, and destined Tor an e
6 nemy's port, or with merclnsndlz-s be-
" longing 70 an enemy:
..S, The merchandise belonging to an
g enemy shall be declared good pr'ze, aud
!. & co,fscated to the profit of the captors
! &C the articles Of provisions belonging 70 neu-
& trail nations, and laden for an enemy $
mort, shall be paid for according to their
value in the place TO which they were
| g destined
This decree was mctby the British 60
rarnnent IN additional instructions TO tie
commanders Of their ships OF war, OF which
the following is first in point OF prae, and
hears date on the 9Th OF June, 1898; :.
.1st. That it shall be lawin TO stop ard
e d.,fa;n al vessels loaded wholly or IN part
q with corn, -four or meal, bound to any
C nort in France, or any port occupied by
C he armies of France, and to send them
g n snch ports as shall be most convenient,
c Ii order that such corn ne"i or ioe'f7 may
$. be purchased on behalf OF his majesty, s
government, and the ships be released al
sster such purchase, and after due allow
"ance for freight, or that the masters OF
"su,h ships, on giving due security, to be
e aporoved ofby the court OF admiralty, be
permitted to proceed to dispose OF sheir
cargoes ofcorn, meal or -four, in the ports
!" of any country in asnity with ms inajes-
ety."
| To establish to conviction, that France
| was rot ONLY the first aggressor, as is above
shewn. in point of time, but that her ncstl-
!;tv towards the Il. S. Greatly exceeded that
Of her antagonist, both az IT was committee
N Aae,ant violation of m existing treaty,
and as it outraged the common righ.s OF
humanity, burning or ships al sea, and by
nakine prey and prisoners 81 the property
and seamen OF the United States, who had
the misfortune to be si,ipwreeked on Der
coast, (no,e nhospitablc than the shores
Of Africa we have only to mention the
case of the ship Horizon, with reference 10
The numerous cases Of capture tni1ier the
infamous Berlin decree, which vas issued
by Napolt on in November, 1906, retortec
BY the British Orders in Council, ct NO
vennber, 18o7-one year subsequent:
But woeful indeed, Gas the Editor OF
the N. York American Citizen, Indignantly
sars) is the posture OF an independent ma
$ ton, which finds itself gravey enqulrlns
g which of two other nations first began TO
6 wrong it, and which has wronged It the
& most. And bitterly enhanced we say
are the calan,ities Of such nation, when
weak or worthless rulers, instead OF select
ing the first oppressor for its foe, adopt the
very policy which he appears to dictate
prclerring measures, which are both the ru-
in and reproach of a once happy free and III
dependent people. But, as has been before
remarked, credulity has its limits as wei, as
temper, and there is point of suffering be-
yond which endurance becomes Impossible