Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-10-01
Frop, the Liverpool Courier, Of Ausust %.

France.-We have inserted in another
place. the new commercial decree of Bona
parte. by which colonial and Other produce,
heretofore prohibited, are, under certain
restrictions, permitted to be imported into
France.
On the constructions, intent and motives
ofthis decree,we perceive our contempora-
ries 10 be much at variance /; some consider
it a .acis abandonment of the restrictive
system Of Bonaparte, others as leaving that
system in full force, and as amounting to
Just nothing. We have given the subject
some consideration, but we cannot fully
aequiesce in either of these opinions. That
it will go to relieve our intercourse with the
con,inen, can be but partially admitted after
the scale of duties has been nlinutely cxa-
mined. The wants of the continent, saw
some, will create demand, and the tariff
is rated so high to supply the demand of the
French treasury. That the wants of the
continent are pressing enough we doubt
not but it is also to be remembered, that
the continent is sunk in poverty, that in.
dustrv cannot have been SO long impsded,
the sources Of national wealth SO seriously
impaired, but that the power ofobtaining
luxuries must be lessened in proportion, and
that when the produce of the land is ro,ting
on the hands OF The holders, and when con-
sequenty The value Of land and The price of
labor has rapidly diminished, there is no
such supeifuity of means as to enable the
people very ext, nsively TO purchase the ar
ticl,s specified in the decree.
Nor yet is this decree 10 be considered
as amounting 10 nothirg. This is not the
character OF French proceedings. They are
never neutral, they produce either much
good or much misc Eief they either aim di.
rectly at some great object, or insidiouIy
adapt themselves TO effect some great latent
intentien. OF the latter character we con-
ceive this new decree win be found, and
connected as it is with the letter TO General
Armstrong, bearing date on the very same
day, it is surprising that the whole has not
been discovered to be trick to draw the
bonds between America and France closer,
and to induce the former to declare against
England.
Let us look for moment at the contents
of this letter. The embargo is praised, and
ri,v r,v,r- intercourse IS uuItue i'm, 81. Ilxsas
offensive TO France because it interdicted
French vessels from entering the ports Of
the Us. and his srquestration of American
property is justified as ameasure OF reprisaI;
a inter OF rig lit. Well but this act is reve ked
& the ports of America are open 70 French
commerce, ard therefore &c in this new state
Of things" says The French minister, 81
am authorised to declare to you, sir, That
the DEGREES Of Berlin and Milan are revck,
cd, and from the 1st Of November they will
cease to be in force, Al bting underStood that
in conse quence Off declaration the Eng
llsh shall revoke their orders in council and
rtnounce their new primo plies of blockade,
or that the United States conformablv to
the act you have Just communicated, shall
cause thsir rights to be respected by the
English" Then iolowsa fulsome decla-
ration how much the emperor =" loves the
Americans, and that their prosperity and
their commerce enter into the views of his
policy" A style so different from that he
usually assumes, SO opposite to true dignity
that ii bet1ays the true object of the letter
which is to spirit up the French party in A.
mercia. This is the true intent Of bis tawning
profes sions He contesses his inability to eff
feet the ruin of England, even with the aid
of the whole continent, and now in fact
supplicates the assistance of America, and
changes the growl of the tiger into the OBJ
sequious Grinning Of an ape.
Let Us now connect this letter with the
decree. Suppose the Milan and Berlin de-
crees and the British government, out of
fear lest the American non-ntercourse acts
should be revived against this country, re-
scind their orders in council. France gains |