Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-05-29

! cOmmatIa Is very liiiiiito3
and main masts, which before mehtioheu
| no person killed, and but one "a boy woahoeu
For further particulars refer you -
| Capt. Caldwell, who is charged with l'Io w
! livery of this communications.
| have the honor to be, with great rcSPeC''
sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. paul HAMILTON, Sec. cfthe .Havy.
ADDRESS
70 THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.
No. XII.
FELLOW CITIZENS,
Among the topics which I proposed to
discuss, [ mentioned the Embargo; ana
that i would prove 20 you, that it was not
imposed " to keep in safety our vessels,
our ,eamen and merchandise as MIR.
Jefferson pretended, when he recommend
cd that measure to congress. The en-
barge law has indeed been repealed; but
as all the laws since passed by our own
government, to shaclie our commerce,
have grown out of that deceitful measure,
it is necessary to bring it under review.
Besi-,es, it will contribute to the display
of Mr.. JeffcrsOn's real character.
The Embargo.
On the 18th Of December, 1907, Presi-
dent Jefferson sent to congress the follow
ing message -
To tie Senate end House Of Representatives
ofthe United States.
THE communications now made, showing
the great and INCREASING dangers with which
our vessels, our seamen, and merchandise,
are threatened, on the high seas, and else
where, from the bel!igerent powers of Eu-
rope; and it being of the greatest importance
to keep in safety these essential resources, l
deem it my duty to recommend the subject to
the consideration Of Congress, who will doubt
less perceive all the advantage which may be
expected from an inhibition Of the departure
of our vessels from the ports of the United
States.
Their wisdom will also sec the necessity Of
making every preparation for whatever may
grow out Of the present CRISIS.
/ ask return of the letters Of Mcssrs.
Armstrong and Cllampagny, which it would
be improper to make public.
THOMAS JEFFERSON.
December Is, 1907
The communications accompanying the
message consisted of four papers, which |
Described, as far as was then permitted,
in my letter of February it, 1903, to the
late governor Sullivan.
l. A proclamation, dated Oct. l6, 807, by
the king of Great-Britain, requiring his "a'n-
raj 6orn subjects, seafaring men, serving Oh
board the ships of war or merchant vessels
of any foreign states, to return and aid IN de-
fence of their own. The right to issue such a
proclamation, no we'll informed man will ques
ton. 1t is right exercised by the European
nations generally, perhaps universally, when
they engage in war; and it is a right OF pecu-
liar importance to Great Britain, at time
when her safety is menaced and endangered
by the most formidable power which has ever
existed in Europe. Thus far there seems TO
be nothing in the proclamation against which
any one can take exception. But it authoriz-
es and directs the continuation OF impress
ments Of British natural born SUBJECTS rom
merchant vessels. What a:e the rights or
Great Britain in this case, and what the rights
of neutrals, is a very important question:
which would demand scperate discussion.
1t is sufficient at present to say, that the DAN
ger ofimpressments of American seamen was
not Increased; on the contrary, the precautions
enioined by the proclamation would lead 10
the conclusion that the danger was diminish
ed and such I believe to have been the tact.
.. The second paper of the communicate
ons was letter Gearing date Sept. 10, 1907
from the French grand judge, Regnier' to
the imperial procureur (or attorney general
of the emperor's council of prizes, containing
the emperor's Interpretation of his Berlin de-
cree of Nov. 81, 1906, concerning which the
council entertained some doubts To the
question, l. Can armed vessels under that
decree, seize in neutral vessels, either In
glish property, or all merchandise proceeding
from English manufactures or r, territories -
the grand Judge answers" His majesty no.
tihes me, that since he had not thought pro-
per to express any exception in bis decree,
that there is no ground to make any in the
execution, with respect to any thing whatso-
hoe MT (eCI6eI