The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-11-15
(Efens Co66ett's Political Resis,cr.)
TO TIE PRINCE REGENT.


to your royal hghncss, makes il more impcrous u,,-
On us to examine we'll the grounds upon which We
are proceeding with regard to the American states
The President has called the Congress together
and, there be little doubt OF has object being &c
propose to them, for their appreciation, some n,,a
sure more OF warllke character than any which he
las hitherto adopted nor can We, it seems co me-
be at all surprised at this, If, is rumored it he
true, that MIR. Foster, munster in Amvri-
ca, has ma,le communication to the American go.
yernmcnt, making the revocation o. our. orders in
Council depend upon the conduct OF Napoeon AS I'd
the continental system. The rise and progress OF
the orders in council and the French DEGREES have
already been noticed, and sufficiently dwet upon ,
4 has been shown that the grounds of the present
dispute, namely, the fragrant violation of neutral
rights did not originate with France, but with En-
gland On ii not with England, with Prussia il has
sieen shown, and no will attempt to deny the
fast, that the French DEGREES passed AFTER the
Issuing OF our orders in council that they were mas
sed expressly in the way OF retaliation thar thev
were to be revoked when we revoked our orders
II has been shown, that we profess to be animated
with sincere and most desire to III woke our
orders, and, indeed that expressly declared thar
We would revoke them whenever the French w,,,,d
revoke their DEGREES. 1t has been shown, that TN.
French officially informed the American govern
ment, that the DEGREES were revoked, s. that there
upon, the American government cailed upon us IN
thlhi our promises in revOkug orders but tla,
fne did not do this that e9uded the fafi,ne,.
IF these promises, and, in short, that we have not
Invoked, or softened the rgour OF any part of o,,r
orders. II has, in word, been shown that while
the French have revoked their decrces. while the,
IN consequence OF the Inconsistencies of tmeric.
Lave ceased TO violate her neutral rights, we pc,s.
Sere IN such violation The prctext for ibis was at
hrst, that the Emperor Napoleon, TIA gh he said he
had revoked his decrecs, had done it. an.! mem,
not to do it. This, may it please your royal hc,,
ness was, 1T appears to me, very strange Kind of
language to towards other powers. Il was ,reat
.sg the American government as sort OF political
idcot twas telling it, that it DID not understand the
interests of America, and that it was unworthy Ia he
entrusted with power. And, it was saving to tho
Emperor OF France, that he to he regarded as
Shut out of the pale of sovcreigns that he was IN
10 account to be believed; that faith was to be
gwen the official communications of his Minister'S
Or OF any persons treating in his narne.--Thns then
Shc door against peace, against exchange OF prison
fsrs, against sotening ofthe rgors of war in anv
way or in any degree, was for ever barred and the
termination OF war was, intact, made L dcpend upon
the death of Napoleon. Bat, this pretcxt could not
!ast long, for the DEGREES actually revoked j
the revocation went into effect and those DEGREES
are now wholly deal as to any violation of the men,
cxl rights OF America 1t was, therefore, necessary
~ urge some new objection to the revocation of Our
orders in council ; and, it is said, that MIR Eos
Yer has demanded, that, condition of the revoca
ton OF our orders in council, the French shall revoke
~ the commercial regulations which thew have adoD,
~ since the orders in council issued that is 70
II, that Napoleon shall give up what he calls the
tntinenta system, and admit English goods into
The Continent Of EUROPE.
do not say, may it please your royaI lIirhness
tfAt Mr. Foster has been instructed to make SUCH n
temand-l state the proposition find it describ
I'll in our own public prints hit, this can have no
isit,ton in saying, that proposition so rep,ete with
proof OF having flowed from impudence, and isno-
rance the most consurnrnate is to be fountIn r.,
history OF the diplomacy OF the universe The 60
.crnmcnt OF America have no right Whatever
iY interfere with the internal regulations of the
drench Empire, or of any other country and, the
sentimental sy stem, ii is called consists merely oc
internal regulations. These regulations have nothing
oil IN, ftAv ~, ft,ar rhfc rfA Il
violate, in any degree, any of those rights and.
therefore, America cannot without setting even com
mon sense at defiance Ire called upon to demand AN
abandonment OF that system. But, sir, permit me
10 stop here, and to examine little into what thai
system really is. 1t forbds the importation into The
Empire OF Napoleon, & the states of his allies any
article, being the manufacture produce Of England
her colonies. This, in few words, is the CONT
mental system And, your royal highncss, certainly
need not be reminded, that it is system which has
been very exactly copied from the commercial code
q England herself. Your royal highness's minister's
and many members Of Pailiam mt have sptjken of
this system the effect of vndictiveness oh the mart
of Napoleon; as the effect of mad lespotsm |
which threatens Europe with return of the barba-
rous Sgea hut, sec nothing in this system that
has long made pant of our own system 1t is no.
tDtious, that the goods manufactured in France are
prohibited in England; it is notorious that French
Wine and brandy forbidden to be brought hi,he.,
lin short it is notorious, that article, being the
manufacture or produce OF France is Dermitted IN
fIon, fine, Imprisonment and ruin, attend all those
who act III infracti0n of this commercial code
This being the case it does to require an uu-
common portion O. impudencc of self-concet for
us to demand of the Americans TO cause the CONT
mental system to be abandoned rs q condition upop
which willing to to eioLate teir riri.s
But it has been said, that Napoleon cnforces bis sys-
fem with SO much rigor and barbarty This does !
all alter the state of the case between us and
america, who has power, and, if she had the pow
CT, who has rioh to interfere with his internal re-
jSto the fact OF tas a!ledged barba,ity Of Napoleon
All rulers content with accomplishing tier OBJ
ikct and in this case, it would be his interest to
i4hct greater penalties, than the accomplishing Of
bis object required. Oirowt laws against smuggling
are not the Indest in the world and, we hay,
seen them hardened by degrees, til; they answered |
the purpose that the government had in view. We |
have been told. indce that Napoleon Furnishes ofen-
ccs against his commercial code with enormous fines
with imprisonment, and we have heard of instances
where he has resortcd to the punishment of death
These seventies have been made the subject OF most
syievous complaints against him here !; thew have |
Drought down upon him rcproaehes the most bitter
they have been cited proofs indubitabIe of the
despotsm under which his people eroan
But, sir have confidence enougli in yo;r Justice
and magnaO nifty to remind yOU, that there is nothing
which his commercial cole inicts-thst there is no.
thing in any OF the punshmeits that even ruor has
conveyed to our ears-no, nothing, in any of these
SURPRISING in severity-nay, nothing in any of them
equalling in severity, the punshncnts provided for
in the commercial code of England, having for their
object, towards France, precisely that i'm view |
which the continental system has in view towards |
Er overthrow. In support Of this assertion could
20 IF he cfs I'M L,,. \