Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-06-29
TcoNTINUED.]
r lr. GARDENERS Speech continued.

IN. Gardenis,.'s opeech coaa'a'aHea.l
This was the answer given, TO this a
mount: 6 Your solicitude about the opera
ton of the decree is extremely idle, because
we are perfectly satisfied, and you should
be too, that the principle on which 1t goes
will never be carried into execution. II Is
easy to conceive, sir, how very tar such
declaration fell short of what was requested
in the note Of lords Auckland and Holland
1t came to this point either that the BRITISH
government was TO be satisfied, or to SO on
70 the alternative which was threatened. Il
did 90 on to il. The British government
did ncttrust 10 these favorable appearances
which it suited France to hold out. Who
then was wrong. zvs or they z Did France
Whole p0h ae ST tins mdsa q Sfs
al gunaent turned upon this at last: that il
there was sufficient ground to calculate that
the French government would not execute
Its decree, then the British government
ought to be silent; but if she did execute
it, that the British government should take
care of its own preservation. How is the
fact? France did execute the decree; and
from that moment there could be no doubt
that resistance was justi6able. But it APP
pears that Great Britain did not know 1t
was carried into execution before she issued
her orders in council. If SO Great Britain
displayed more knowledge of the character
of nations than falls to our share. have
read in speech made In the other house,
as to the embargo, that, if the orders IN
council were not known, yet the embargo
was lucky hit. Tken, sir, if G. Britain
did not anuz hat the Ra- 4; :, Tvs
execute q the orders In council were lucky
hit And sir, as to the question whether
the orders SD council were known here when
the embargo was laid, will just step aside
TO notice it. In letter dated February 10,
1903, to our minister at London, we find
this passage: My last, which was com
mitted TO the British packet, enclosed a CO
by OF the act of embargo, and explained
the policy of the measure. Among the
considerations which enforced it was--
what? The knowledge of the orders IN
council? No, sir the probability of such
DEGREES as were issued by the British go
vernment on the 18th Nov. &C." Now, |
do hope that we shall not have any more So
phistical wire-drawn reasoning to shew how
they might have been known, when Mr..
Madison himself has told our minister at
London that the orders in council were sup
posed to be meditated, and that their ap-
pearance afterwards justified the embargo.
But think that gentlemen are carrying this
point too far. Let them not go the whole
length of saying that the orders in council
were known before the embargo. 1t is
giving the lie to Mr.. Madison most indie
Gently; and as.to this way of compliment
ing him, though have very little to ex-
pect from<him, cannot concur in it. Not
only, SIR, am l willing 10 allow in the Ian
ruage of this letter that there was proba-
bility of the issuing the orders in council,
not only that the language of the. British
gazettes left little doubt of it; but | feel
justified in going a great deal farther and
say, that the celebrated note rendered it
improbable to suppose that any thing else
could have happened. The British govern
ment sale, 1--WE desire that France should
abandon her system, or, IT not, that YOU will
take some measure that will defend us."-
IF we expected that the British ministers
would. keep their word, we might safely
swear that the orders in council would Isl
sue. 1t is not necessary TO the purpose OF
nv argument at this time TO say that Great
Britain did right in issuing these orders in
council, though / am free to acknowlede
that, for the promotion of her own interest,
it was right; but it is my purpose to shew
that the ground has been yielded, and that