Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-11-11

blockade etiectual, and that therefore il was
necessarily irregular, and could not possibly
be maintained in conformity to the law ofna-
lions.
Reviewing the course Of this statement, 1t
will appear that the blockade of May, 1906,
cannot be deemed contrary to the law OK ma
lions, either under the objections urged by the
French. or under those declared or insulated
by the Americas government, because that
blockade was maintained by sufficient ma
val force; that the decree of Berlin was not
therefore justified either under the pretexts
aRloeged by France, or under those support
e4bN America, that the orders I'm council
wsse hnnded on a just principle of defensive
retsiftSion against the violation Of the law of
nati&ns Committed by France in the decree
OF Berlin, that the blockade of May, 1906. is
now included in The more extensive opcrati-
on Of the orders III council, and lastly that
the orders in council will not be continued
beyond the effectual duration of the hostile
DEGREES of Fraree, nor lathe blockade of
May. lso6.Ncontinuc aftsfythe repeal of the
orders in conscil, unlskFhis majesty's gov
ernment shall aink ,af1to sustain it by the
lRecial applicatidhJ6fa sufficient naval force.
s&ifiis fact viii no9'be suffered to remain in
R9sbt, and if Ne repeal Of the orders in
csS4hcil should f8kc place, the inteution ofiii
Majesty's goyernmcnt respecting the block
ade Of Mayt 1906. will be notified at the
same time.
need not rccaDitulate 10 you the senti-
ments of His Majesty's government so often
repeated on the subject OF the French Minis
ter's notc 70 GeH Armstrong, dated the 9th
of last Aug. The studied ambiguity of that
note has since been amply explained by the
conduct and language of the government of
EtsuN ~, 4
instances is tn be found in the speech of the
chief of the French government on the 18th
cflast month to certain deputies from the free
cites of Hamburg. Bremen, and Lubbock,
wherein he declares that the Berlin and Mi
Ian DEGREES shall be the public code of France
as long as England maintains her orders ia
ConnciEff 1906 and 1907. Thus pronounce
ing as pkiniy as language will admit that the
sy stem ofaKiolence and injustice of which he
IS the founder, will be maintained by him I'M
I'll the defensive measures of retaliation to
which they gave rise on the part Of G.. Bri-
tain shall be abandoned.
II other proofs weYe necessary to shew the
continued existence Of those obnoxious de-
creeS, thev may be discovered in the {mpefi-
al Edict dated at FontambleaB in October 20.
1910, that monstroUs productions of violence.
IN which they are made the basis OF a srsten
OF general and unexanpled tyrfaly and or
preston over all countries subject to, alEei
with or within reach Of the poRcr Of France;
IN this report Of the French minister. for fn
reign a4airs dated last Secer1hSr, and Is the
letter OF the French Minister Ct X tice 20 the
President Of the Council OF Prizes. To this
latter, sir, / woEld rish particularly to iavite.
yovr attention; the date is 25th. December.
the authority II CONES from most tinques,irs1
able, aud you WI there find, .ir, the Dale OF
"A ASA in giving HE instructions1o the Coun-
Vk'9i SilSss IN consequence of the President
oikae kniVd St1ses' proclamation of Nog. 5.
Tvs capslsDsly avoiding to assert thai the
srcnch citcrees we're repealed, and ascfib;rs
not to sud&sepeal, but to the ambiguous pas
sage whI6hIhe quotes at leath from M Chas1
paSny's letter III Aug. S, the new attitude Ia
zen ~ America, aud you will also find an
evidence in the same letter Of the continued
capture OF AMERICAN ships after November.
and under the Berlin and Milan DEGREES, hav- |
Ing been Contemplated by the French govern |
ment, since there is a special direction given
tor Judgment on such ships being suspended |
~ consequence OF the American prociamati- |
Caa thea, sir, these DEGREES be said to lave
Teen repealed al the period when the Grocla- !
ination Of tho President Of the United Statps |
appeared. or when America enforced her |
act against Great Britain
are they so at tins moment! To the first
question the state papers which have refer !
req 10 appear to give sufficient answer
for even supposiRg that the repeal has since |
taken place 1t is clear that on Nov Sd there
was no question as to that not being then the |
case the capture of the ship New Orleans
racket sei2ed at Bordeaux, and ofthe Grace |
and Green,-seized at or carried into Mar
sel'les, bcapg cases arising under the French |
Uecfees orberlin and Milan asis very evident. |
1reat Britain might therefore complain of
oeng treated with injustice by America. even
slpPoslng that the conduct Of France had
since been unequiyocal.
America Contends that the French DEGREES
are revoked rs It respects h,r ships upon the
high seas, and you, sir, inform me that the
only two American ships taken under their
maritime operation as youare pleased to term
IL since nov l, have been restored but NAV
nos they have been restored in consequence
OF the satisfaction felt in France at the pass
ipg Of the non-importation act in the Ameri-
can Congress, an event so little TO be expect
20 Tor otherwise, having been captured in
lTect Contradiction to the supposed revoca-
.'on' why we're they not restored immediate
iys
The fears ef the French navy however
prevent many cases Of the Mud occurring ON
he Ocean under the DEGREES Of Berlin and
Milan, bot the most obnoxious and destructive