Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-11-09

eat-Hrltaln. Sfe has declared that sh.
would proceed ha,i tassu in the repeal wi,n
France, and the day beiug fixed when the re.
peal of the French DEGREES should take efec,
it was reasonable to conclude thai Great.Bri.
tain would fix the same day for th. repeal Of |
her orders. Had this been dohe the pTocL.
nation Of the President would have announced
the revocation of the edcts of both powers :,
the same time and in consequence thereof tie
non-importation would have gone into opera.
ton against neither. Such too is The Natural
course of proceeding in transactions between
independents states and. such the conduct
which they generally observe towards each
other. In all compacts between nations it is
the duty of each to perform what it stipulates
and to presume on the good faith of the other
for like performance. The United States
having made proposal to both beiligererts
were bound to accept a compliance from ei.
Their, and it was no objection to the French
compliance, that it was in form to take effect
at future day, that being form not unusual
in laws and other public acts. Ever when
nations are at war and make peace, this obi.
CATION of neutral confidence exists, and is re-
spected In treaties of commerce, by which
their future intercourse is to be governed, the
obligation is the same. If distrust and jealou.
sy are allowed to prevail, the moral tie which
binds nations together in all their relations, in
war as well as in peace, is broken.
What would Great Britain have hazarded by
prompt compliance in the manner suggest
ed She had declared that she had adopted
the restraints imposed by her Orders in Coun.
Gil with reluctance, because of their distress
ing effect on neutral powers. Here then was
a favorable opportunity presented to her, to
withdraw from that measure with honor, be
the conduct Of France afterwards what it
might Had Great-Britain revoked her or.
ders, and France failed to fulfil her engage.
ment, she would have gained credit at the ex.
pense OF France, and could have sustained no
injury by it, because the failure of France TO
maintain Ter faith would have replaced Great
Britain at the point from which she had de-
parted. To say that disappointed reliance on
the good faith of her enemy. would have re-
preached her foresight, would be to set high
er value on that quality than on consistency
suspicion towards an enemy the plain obliga-
tons of justice towards friendly power
Great Britain has declined proceeding fa'i
tas$u with France, in the revocation of their
respective edicts She has held aloof, and
claims of the United States proof not only that
France has revoked her DEGREES, but that she
continues to act III conformity with the revo.
cation.
To shcw that the repeal is respected, it is
deemed sufficient to state that not one vessel
has been condemned by French tribunals, on
the principle of those DEGREES, since the first
November last. The New Orleans Packet,
from Gibraltar to Bordeaux, was detained but
never condemned. The Grace Ann-Green,
from the same British port, to Marseilles, was
likewise detained but afterwards delivered up
Internationally to the owner as was such part
Of the cargo of the New Orleans Packet as
consisted OF the produce of the United States.
Both these vessels proceeding from British
port. carried cargoes, some articles of which
in each, were prohibited by the laws ofFrance
or admissible by the sanction of the govern
ment alone. It does rot appear hat their de-
tention was imputable to apy other cause. If
lmputabie to the circumstance Of passing from
British to French port. o. on account ct
any part OF their cargoes, it affords no cause
OF complaint to Great Britain, as violation of
our neutral rights. No such cause would be
afforded, even III case of condemnation. The
right OF complaint would have belonged to the
United States.
In denying the revocation of the DEGREES,
SO lar as tits proper subject Of discussion
between US, 1t might reasonably be expected
that you would produce some examples Of
vessels taken at sea, in VOYAGES to British
ports, or OH their return home, and condem
ned under them by French tribunal None
such has been afforded by you. None such
are Known to this government
You urge only as an evidence that the de.
crees are not repealed, the speech OF the en-.
Peror OF France to the deputies from the free
cities of Hamburg, Bremen and I.ubeck; the
Imperial edict dated at Fontairibleau on the
18th October, 1910; the report CT the French
minister Of foreign affairs dated in December
last, and letter Of the minister Of Justice to
the president Of the council of prizes, of the
18th of that month.
There is nothing in the first of these papers
Incompatible with the revocation of the De-
crees, in respect to the United States. Ii is
dlstinctlv declared hy tha E,,,Da,or IN his