The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-02-15
UonHrRGa.
HO USE OF REPRESEyNIdTI
80 SATURDAY, Feb. 2.
FOREIGN RELATIONS,
(('nnIinne6


Mr.. GARDENER expressed his hope that
in The present embarrassed condition of our
affairs NJ gentleman was disposed to argue
Oh the question with any thing like party feel
ing. 1t ever there was a case in which it was
necessary to lay aside party feelings, it
was at this time. The few remarks which
he should submit to the consider ton OF the
Ause, would have only for their object the
public good and general prosperity of the
people of the United States. shall not
(said Mr.. g. occupy the attention. Of the
House by bringing to their recollection the
different expedients to which the couatry
may had recourse tor the purpose of curing
the evils which have afflicted it Ii is e.
nough say that however honestly intended,
and howe r. much good has been honestly
hoped from t0em, the result expected has not
been realized. ii is not too much to say
that Ill no one ms, ance has the system which
has been IN operation for four years past,
been productive OF beneficial conse Quence S
| ~ ourselves. il were easy TO detail how
pernicious has been the influence oil that
sys en- IN ourselves; it has produced no
good, but one continued series of evil. At
this time, with these effects before us. on
one side of the House, feeling no disposition
TO embarrass the operations OF the govern
ment, and ON the other side no disposition
10 persevere in this fatal system, we should
| look at our actual condition to provide a
remedy forit.
After the first proposed non-intercourse
law had tailed at the last session; after the
failure of the project of the chairman Of the
committee of foreign relations (Mr. Macon)
who reported the bill which every and no
body was for, we adopted the law of the first
of May The,President has acted on it,
MIR. q. here quoted the law, to shew the
nature of its provisions During The recess
OF Congress, the French government notified
| this government that the unlawful edictS oil
France would cease on the first day of No
vember then next ensuing; and on the I'd
day OF November the President issued his
proclamation, not in the words OF he act,
as understand it, that France had so revo-
ked or modified her edicts as that they had
ceased to violate the neutral commerce OF
the U. States; not that it was fact exist
ing in his knowledge, but that it had been
officially made known to him that on Ger
tain day they would be revoked. / am not
| sill, disposed to fad fault with this proceed.
ing. Perhaps it may be considered, the In
,ention being made known to him, hat H.
was, from the courtesy between nations
bound to believe the fact. He was TO TAX
for fact that the unlawful edicts were re-
vOked, because it was promised that on I,
certain day they should cease. But, SIR,
submit it to the cool judgment of the House,
whether, although, from this SORE of courte-
4 sy necessary aud proper to be exercised IN a
negotiation between he y. States & France,
the Pres dent was bound to believe hat these
edic's we're 50 modified as TO cease 10 exist ;
whether the British government was bound
to believe ~ 10 the British government
was given BY the law three monthst aban-
don her orders IN Council latter what -
After the French government had init ! a.
ted an in ention torescind its decreesl No
after the + ench DEGREES had been % revo
ked or modified as TO cease 10 operate on the
neutral commerce Of the u. States. The
same reason OF Courtesy which was oblga-
tory on the President, would net operate ON
her rival belligerent, Great Britain, to OBJ
lige her TO believe 1t. IT may then be cues
toned whether the state of things existed
which Congress had contemplated, tnree
months after which he nou-intercourse with
q. Britain was to commence. The actual
intention OF Congress was this: Each nation
taxing the ground that her edicts were con
sequent on the unlawful edicts of the other
and each asserting so Stoutly, that IL was re.
| ally difficult know whether either was IL
the wrong, and, IT either of them, which
The law was passed to ascertain which wouIt
| pers St 80 far as II was d well judged law
| SO far IL provided tisas If one ceased 4,