Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-12-07
! WAsHIscTo TON C1rr, Dec. S

this day Communicated by Mr..
Ed. Coles, his private Secretary
the following Message to Con-
grcss
Fellcrr- Citizens E 81. ~ Senate, and
ofthe House Of Representatives.,
THE embarrassmcnts which have
prevailed in our foreign relations, and
SO much employed the deliberations
of Congress, make it a primary duty, in
meytingyou, to communicate whatev-
er may have occurred, 10 that branch
ofour national effaire.
The act ofthe last session Of Con-
gress concerning the commercial
intercourse between the United States
and G.. Britain and France and their
dependencies" have invited, in a new
form, termination Of their edicts a.
gainst our neutral commerce, copies
ofthe act were immediately forward
ed to our ministers at London and Pa
ris with view that its object might
be within the early attention of the
French and British governments.
By the communication received
through our minister at Paris, it APP
peered, that knowledge of the act by
the French government, was followed
by declaration that the Berlin and
Milan DEGREES were revoked, & would
cease to have effect on the first day
of November ensuing. These being
the only known edicts of France with
in the description Of the act, and the
revocation of them, being such that
they ceased, at that date, to violate
our neutral commerce the fact, as
prescribed by law, was announced by
a proclamation bearing date the Cd
day Of Nov.
7. 1t would have well accorded with
the concilia DRY vie VS., indicated by
this proceeding on the part of France,
TO have extended them to all the
grounds of Just complaint, which now
remain bnadjusted vita .ine II. States.
twas particularly anticipated that, as
a further evidence of just dispositions
towards them, restoration would have
been Immediately made OF the proper
~ of our ci,izens seized under a
misapplication of the principle of re-
prisals, combined with misconstruc.
tion of a law Of the United Statess
This expectation has not been fulfilled.
From the. British government no
communication on the subject of the
act has been received. 10 COM.
nication from our minister at London
of the revocation, by the French go.
vernment, Of its Berlin and Milan de-
crees, it was answered that the Bri-
fish system would be relinquished as
soon as the repeal Of the French de :
crees should have actually taken eff
iect, and the commerce of neutral ma
tfoos have Been restored to the con-
dition in witch IL stood, previously to
the promuigation Of those DEGREES.
This pledge, although 1t does not re-
cessaiiy import, does not exclude the
intention of relinquishing, along with
the orders in council, the practice Of
those novel blockades which have a
Ike effect of interrup;ing our neutral
commerce. And this further justice
TO u. United STATES is the rather TO
+ looked for, inasmuch as the block
aides in question, being not more con-
tray 70 the established la,~ of nations,
than inconsistent with the rules oil
blockade formerly recognized by G.
Britain herself, could have no ailedg-
ed basis, other than the plea of rrta.
liation, aliedged as the basis Of the
torders 10 council. Under the modi
Vocation Of tie original orders Of No,
Sember 1907, into the orders Of A
prji 1909, there is indeed scarcely ;
~ 1ninsltistinction between the order,
I'D the blcctsdes. One Of those IL
l,y .i,ipate biockades, bearing date il
NJ ~ 1905, having been expressly a
vci red to be still unrescinded, and {,
be, in effect, comprehended in the or
dess 10 council, was too distinc. 4,
bros CHIT w,thiu the purview Of the &C
of onsrese, not to be comprehende,
10 h explanation of she requisites 4
a c,t ,plIance with it. The Britisl
govsd ameus was accordingly appriz
ed ~ our minister near il, that sac
was II light IN which the subject va
10 be regarded.
On 10 otheFimportant subjects de
peadlrf between the United State