Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-03-17

amity with his majesty, and from the i.orts
OF which the British flag is not excluded.
imported direct into British ports from
such country in British ships, or in ships of
such country; and also to suspend the said
acts SO far as relates to the expectation of
goods condemned as prize. Phil. Gax.
To the people of the Congressional
District composed of the counties
OF Mecklenburg, Lunenburg and
Brunswick.
FELLOW Citizens,
AT no period since the estab.
lishment of our independence, has our poli.
teal condition been calculated TO excite
such universal solicitude as at the present
juncture. After long and uninterrupted
enjoyment OF commercial prosperity, we
are left to deprecate and to remove, ifpos-
sible, the causes which have produced re-
verse OF fortune so sudden and deplorable.>
But whilst the evils and privations resulting
from a suspension of commerce, and which
have been experienced by almost every de-
scrlption OF the people, are most deeply TO
be regretted: We yet may indulge IN the
Iconsolatory reflection, that our mIsfortunes
nave not grown OUT of events, over which :
we could have had any control, and that
under the peculiar favor of Providence, we
still enjoy at home the ;nesti,nable bless.
ings OF peace, plenty and civil liberty.
Inc administration OF the general gov
eminent, by cultivating friendly intercourse.
with, and observing an honest and mparti-
al neutrality towards foreign nations, has
pursued wise and enlightened policy,
which warranted a hope that the U. states
might remain in some measure unaffected
oy the fatal collisions OF the nations of Eu-
rope. Instead of the ful6lment of this ex--
pectatlon, we have, sontrary to the acknow-
ledged laws OF nations, been wantonly made
tine victims OF commercial warfare be-
tween two powers, neither of which as a.
oelligerent having any claim whatever up
on US, or pretending to have received any
injury from US. 49,
Great Britain and France, having for ma
ny years practised system of unpreceden-
ted encroachments on neutral rights, appear
at length to have determined on the utter
destruction of those rights-Britain had
long arrogated to herself, the dictation of
maritime law ; had limited a. her pleasure,
by the ascendancy of her navy, the extent
! or neutral trade; had with a view to plum.
fder, repeatedly proclaimed whole coasts &c
immense empires liz a state of blockade,
without assigning to such objects any ade-
qsate force, as required by the law of bloc.
kade; and had outraged and trodden I'M
DER foot the usages of all civilized nations,
by violating principles of public law, which
mad been held sacred from time immemo-
rial: When the French emperor, in a mo-
nient OF triumph and exultation, unjustly
made those wrongs the grounds of retaliati-
on through the medium Of neutral privileges,
and on the 21st of Nov. 1906, issued his Ber-
I'm decree, declaring the British islands in
state OF blockade, and that no vessel hav-
ing oeen at, or coming direct from England,
or ner colonies, should enter at French
port. Ihis decree was not executed against
the U States, until October 1907. 1t how.
ever furnished a pretext in the mean time
TO Britain, for the harrassment of our COM
merce She accordingly issued her orders
OF January 1907, prohibiting American ves-
sels from going from one port to another of
her enemy; and in November of the same
year, Great Britain falsely protesting fur.
ther to retaliate on the Berlin decree, and
before by any possibility she could ascertain
whether the American government would
acquesce in the execution of that decree,
issued her celebrated orders IN cou-cil, in-
lterdcting all neutral commerce to any port
OF Europe, from which the British flag was
excluded; directing tn t Deutrals shoald
J trade to such ports only under British liz
censes and with British clearances that all
ships destined before the issuing of the or
uers 10 any OF the said ports, should frat
go into some British port, and that all YES
sells having " certificates of origin should
be lawful prize. These orders were on the
part of France, succeeded and retaliated
upon by the French Milan decree of De-
| cember 1907, declaring lawful prize every
vessel that should suffer the visit of an En-
slish vessel, submit to an English voyage,
or pay duty to the English government; Sc
also every vessel coming from England or
her colonies :-and the same British orders
have, since the Milan decree, been carried
still more rigdly into effect, by an act of
the parliament of Great Britain, passed for
that purpose: which act imposes direct
! and enormous tax on the exports Of the u
nited States.
Amidst the dangers and endorsements
which have faithfully described, & under
which, If the vessels of the u. States should
attempt to go to any part of Europe, lex
cept to the barren country OF weden) their
Garages we're exposed to seizure and con-
flscation, and their crews to imprison ment.
the president recommended aud congress
adopted the embargo law. This law corr
templated two objects. 1t was in the
tirst place intended as measure Of ore
in, Il = u