Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-10-01
English Ministerial Remarks,
From the Courier.

From the Courier.
&C It is to be remal kt d, that Bonaparte
effects to prescribe conditions to the revo-
cation of his decrees--he considers Ameri-
ca as pledged to oppose us if we refuse TO
a, acknowledge the rights of neutrals /; that is,
to 90 10 war--and he desires it to be under
stood, that in consequence Of his resembling
his DEGREES, Great Britain is to revoke her
orders in council, and abandon her new
principles Of bloc kade. Now he knows
iull well that America has made no such
pledge: that she has prescribed to herself a
line Of conductto be pursued in the event
of our refusing to resclnd our orders in
council. She pledges herself to do nothing
more than to stop all Intercourse with us.
AS 10 the new princi pl's OF blockade, we
have exercised none which we shall be at all
irvli.,. i 10 abardor-and we have given d
sufficient proof of this in the very first act
of our government after they were inform.
ed of his new decree. We have declared
the canal of Corfu to be in state of block.
ade and have thus shut the entrance into
the Adria;ic- Of these new principles Of
blockade, If new they are. he has himself
furnished US with a justification. His de-
crees excluded us from every port and eve
ry part of Europe from Hamburger, with
which we were certainly not at war; from
the ports of Prussia-ircm Austria. He
cannot keep in every part Of Europe suf-
hcient French force to shut out cur naval
force. But he makes use Of his influence
or preponderance over the European pow
ers to exclude Us. We caanot have in eve
ry port in Europe sufficient naval force to
keep it in strict and actual blockade, but
we have the prePonderance on the ocean,,
and We adopt system of reprisal and re-
talation founded on the strctest Justice
Glad would We have been if we had suffer-
ed France to enjoy all the advantages Of
commerce through neutral trade, whilst we
were suffering every injury that could re-
suit from his DEGREES. But would any man
have advised SO absurd a policy? Would
any man suffer his country to perish because
the measure necessary for its preservation
might press upon neutral commerce, which
Bonaparte had previously violated. There
IS no contract without reciprocal obliga-
ion, and if neutrals did not oblige the other
party to adhere to the law of nations, they
;ould not complain of us for not adhering
o it. Before the Berlin decree, Bonaparte
lad adopted new and extraordinary means
or distressing our commerce means which
lad produced the order in council of May, |
1906, during the ministry Of Mr.. Fox, by |
which order, the coast. from the river Elbe
o Brest, was declared in state of block
lde. But neutrals were still permitted to
approach the said coast, and enter the said !
liver, except the coast and ports from Os-
end to the Seine. No sooner had Bona
sarte succeeded against Prussia, than he
ook possession of Hamburger, confscated
Ill British property, and issued his Berlin
decree. All the measures we have adopted
nave been the consequence of measures
previously adopted by him.
" If he revoke his DEGREES, our orders
upon those DEGREES will be re-
voked also; but if he suppose that we shall
abandon any part of the old maritime law,
he will find himself completely mistaken; !;