Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1811-07-15

proceedings pFpi'hcr cftisvse powers
compared Diu l,.osr u III other |, il
nv discussions, With ttcia rcsptciiv.
iaosinsiirs. Aase invariably hah nj
eve steadily on tire tights, the interest
and ne shoncur uf the United States
N4sei have IN adisppsllion TO itien
.ltiv uiy county viih either oflhe bel
iigefei.s naiicns Never did | absiaif
from assfrsiug the iehts,cr from vim
oicating tic Ioncr Il Tie United slate
itom "a apprehension ,lrat either
France Or Grrat-b tam might hereby
be ex,ibited 10 The world III al odiCus
point al view. The following drsup NJ
cfa letter % General Armstrong was
accordingly prepsted by,me inlmedi-
alelY siser tbo letter. 81 the Duke OF Ca
tlore, u which il refers had been reciv-
~. III was in the usual form laid be-
fore tie Fresidcn, for his appreciation.
lie, however, objected to the ssndipg
0. il. And, IS tie.e is reason to be-
lieve sha, this very letter constituted
pMt cf tie ground Of the hostility Of
Lr. Madison to me, tits but proper to
give Il publicly.
CcTy cf the dreugh' cf the letter proposed
20 BE sen; p General Armstrong.
DEpAerNxxr OF SrATE, JUNE, 1910.
CENERAL ARMsrRorc,
Your letters of the - with their respec-
tive enclosures were received on the 2lst
esv OF MAY
In ther re of,be Duke of adore nothing
can be perceived to Justify the seizure ofthe
American property in the ports OF France
and IN these of her allies. The Facts
well as The arguments, which it has sssum-
cd. are contued by events known to the
world, and particularly Nv that moderation
oftemper, which has invariably distinguish
ed the conduct ofthis Government towards
The BeHigereHt nations. After foFbear-
snce eqHalitd only hy our steady observance
Of The laws of neutrality aud OF the implu-
table principles ofiustice. 1t is with no little
susprzc that the President discerns IL the
french Government disposition TO repre-.
sent The United States as the original ag
ssressor An act Of violence which under
existing circumstances Is scarcely less than
al at Of war, necessarily required an ex-
,isna,5on which would satisfy not only the
II States, but the world. But the note Of
the Duke q Galore, instead Of a lusutica-
tien has rot fdrnislrd even plausible pal
iliion az d reasonable APOLOGY Tor the seiz-
IRE of the American property.
There has never been period OF time
uhsa Tie Uni. ed States have ceased 70 pro-
test against the British Or1crs IN Council
with regard TO the resistance with which
the United States may have deemed il pro-
rYcrto oppose to such unlawful restrictions,
i obviously belonged TO the American Cow
ernmens alone 10 prescribe the mode. II a
system of exclusion OF the vessels aad ner-
chanaize Of the Bciligerent powers from
cur ports has been preferred 70 war, II mum
ici9gl prohibition has been restcI,d 10 in
s,ead of invasive relation, with what propri-
ety can the Emperor # he French pretend
tsses n that method Of proceeding any
thing else thsn lawful exercise Of severe
5c-4s powers To constr'i@ the exercise Of
this power into cause Of wariike rePrisal
isa spccies cf oiotstion, which could i be
admitted, would have . tendency TO subyert
TIE sovereignty OF TIC L States.
France has converted our law Of exclu-
son into a pSetext for the seizure Of the pro-
stlute was slsoin force agains, tie vessels
of G. Britain III It's operation had been
considered bv the French Government as
of sufFicient efficacy to Ius;ift this pretended
rep.issl, that every operation, rs IL would
have been norc severely fell by Great Bar
tair. ought also Is have bees considered as
constituting a resistance TO her orders, the
nan existence IF which Resistance has been
wsted By the y K Of Galore as the pretext
FIR h at ~ iolcnce exercised on the A
inerican property The u. States havn
resisted ,h- British Orders, the real ground
az comp plant would seem 20 be, not so much
that the American Government has not re
sisted tax on Their Navigation. as that il
has likewise resisted the French DEGREES
v h,ch had assumed nrescriptivc power
oser the policy of the II. States, Is repre-
hcnsible as the attempt Of The British Gov
crnmcnt "a levy con ribu,ions or our trade
,N4s blaxions Placed in situation where
tax was proclaimed on the one hand, and
- rule OF aCtion prescribed On the other, The
J. states owed 1t to tieir own honor to re-
slst viii correspt dag measures the cupid
iyaf the. cne and the presumption OF the
oNner, When tie american Government
sees - tbe provisions Of the British orders
81 ASSUMPTION 81 maritine power IL cont a.
yen,ion Of the law Of nations, how can il tail
assote perceive 40 the French DEGREES the
adoption Of principle equally derogatory
and Injurious 10 tie neutral character Of The
II States.
NOTE