The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-11-15

the case. ii
Ihave the honor to be, &c. &c.
(Signcd)
.4ugnstus y. Foster,
| Esq. Se. &c. SIC.
| MR.sFosTER TO MR.. MONROE.
! s2sy WASHING TON, Oct. 81, 1911.
SIR.
. Id'd not reply at.great length to the OBJ
servations contained in your letter of the LIST
inst. on the psctcnsions OF Great Britain as
relative to the French system, because you
seemed to me to have argued as il but u part
OF the system continued, and even that part
had ceased to be considered as a measure of
war against Great Britain. For me to have
allowed this, would have been at once to al
low in the face of facts that the DEGREES of
France were repealed, and that her unprc-
ccdented measures, avowedly pursued il de-
fance Of the laws CT nations, were become
mere ordinary regulations of trade. l there
fore thought lit to cmiiEc my answer to your
: remarks, to general statement of the sum
of the demands of Great Britain, which was,
that France should by elicctually revoking
her deCrCcs revert to the usual method OF
carrying Gu war as practiscd i'll civilized Eu-
rope.
/ The prctcnsion Of France to prohibit all
commerce in articles of British origin in eve
ny part of the continent is enc amoDr the
many violent innovations which are contain
ed in the DEGREES, and which are preceded,
by the declaration of their being founded on
a determination of the Ruler Of france, ashe
himself avowed, to revert to the principles
which characterised the barbarism of the
dark ages, and to forget all ideas of Justice
| and even the common feelings of humanity
! in the new method of carrying on war atlop-
ted by him.
1t is not however question with Great
Britain of mere commercial interest, as
you seem to suppose, which is involved
in the attempt by Bonaparte to blockade
her both by sea and land, but one of feel
ing and of national honor, contending as we
do against the principles which he profes-
ses in his new system of warfare. 1t is
impossible for us to submit to the doctrine
that he has right to compel the whole
continent to break off all intercourse with
MS, and to seize upon vessels belonging to
neutral nations upon the sole plea of their
4 having visited an English port, of their.be
| ing laden with articles of British or CO.
lonial produce in whatsoever manner ac-
quircd.
/ This pretension, however, is but part
of that system the whole of which, under
our construction of the letter of NJ Cham
pagny of August S, 1910, corroborated bv
government and not inyalidated by any un
equivocal declaration Of contrary tenor.
must be considered as still i'll full force.
In the communication which you lately
transmitted to me, / am sorry to repeat
that / was unable to discover any facts
which satisfactorily proved that the DEGREES
had been actually repealed, and l have
already repeatedly stated the reasons which
too probably led to the restoration of a few
lof %1,x A I, I.
of the Berlin and Milan decress after Nov.
l. Mr.. Russell does not seem to deny that
the DEGREES may still beikept in force, only
. he thinks they have assumed a municipal
character but in NJ. Champagny's decIa-
. ration, ambiguous as it was, there is no such
division of them into two different charac-
, tiers, for if the contingency required by the
! French Minister took place, the Berlin and
Milan DEGREES were to cease according to
his expression without ny qualification.
If therefore part of them remain or he
, revived again, as seems to be allowed even
here, why may not the whole be equally
i SO ? Where proof can be obtained of their
/, existence, we have it, namely, in the ports
of France, in which vessels have been avow-
eddy seized under their operation since No
vember /. Of their maritime existence we
cannot so easily obtain evidence, because of
the few French ships OF war which venture
TO leave their narDOrS. Who can doubt
however but that had the Ruler of France
a navy at his command equal to the enfor-
icing of his violent DEGREES, he would soon
show that part of them to be no dead let
ter The principle is not the less obnoxious
because it is from necessity almost dor
mant for the moment, nor ought it there
fore to be less an object obe strenuously re-
sisted.
Allow me, sir, here to express nv sim
cere regret that have not as yet been able
to convince you, by what cannot but con-
slider the strongest evidence, of the continu-
ed existence of the French DEGREES. and
consequently of the unfriendly policy of your
government in enforcing the non-importa-
ton against us and opening the trade with
our enemies. His Royal Highness will am
convinced, learn with unfeigned sorrow, that
such continues to be still the determination
of America, and whatever restrictions on
the commerce enjoyed by America in His
Majesty's domnions may ensue on the part
: of Great Britain, as retaliatory on the re-
! fusal by your government TO admit the pro-
ductions of Great Britain while they open
their harbors to those Of His Maiesty's en-
emies, they will, am persuaded, be a1op-
ted with sincere pain, and WITH pleasure
relinquished whenever this country shall
resume her neutral position and impartial
attitude between the two Belligerents.
] have the honor to be, with the greatest
consideration and respect, sir, your most
obedient humble servant,
1 AUG. J. FOSTER.