Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-12-02
From the United States Gazette.
THE FRENCH DEGREES.

In our former discussion upon THIS SUI
iect it was proved, from official documents,
that the Berlin aid Milan DEGREES, instead OF
having been revoked ard ceasing to operate
on the lst of November 1910, as our govern
ment pretended to expect, were actually III
full operation on the 25th Of December follow
ing that the order then issued to suspend,
for a time, the Condemnation merely of Anne
rcan property Captured ard seized under
those DEGREES after the ist of November, but
to retain the vessels and cargoes iii state OF
sequestration, was expressly declared to be in
consequence not OF any modification OF the
French DEGREES, but Of the determination "a
vowed by this government to Conform its
measures to tue Continental System, as evinc-
ed by the presidents proclamation, aud the
instructions issued from our treasury depart
ment TO the officers of the customs, intertlict-
ing the importation of British merchandise al
ter the ID of February
The proclamation Of the president was re-
ceived by our charge d'Gfares in France On
the 9Th of December 1910, as appears by a
letter from Mr.. Russell TO the secretary of
state, dated at Paris on the 9th Of June last
At that time Mr.. Russell bad Just received
intelligence ofthe seizure of an American yes
sci and her cargo al Bordeaux on the 5th Of
December, "under the Milan DEGREES Of the
"23d November and the 18th December 1897,
" eIhreSsly set .flrt6, for having come from
. an English port, and for having been visit
A." ed ~ an English vessel of war" Mr. Rus
sell very properly resolved to make use of
this strong case, to test the validity CT the
supposed revocation OF those DEGREES, bv de-
manGing the release of the vessel and cargo,
and disavowal Of the conduct OF the officer
who had seized them, il compliance with the
engagement entered into by the duke OF Co.
dore with gen. Armstrong, on the 5th Angus,
1910. " A CRISIS" says Mr.. Russell, " ii
8 my opinion, presented itself which was 10
80 decide whether the French edicts were re-
=" !racted as a hrcimwary 70 the erecu'ign Of
" or !azv, or whether, by the non Ierf5rm-
" anee oi one party. aud the fromht hert1rD,-
{" Gnce OF the other, the order in whi-h these
I" measures ought to stand, was to be resers-
$ ed, and the Amertcan y0Vernmsnf 8huEsQ
F." inro tie lead, where national honor and THE
"LAw required ii 70 JoAou." The experiment
was accordingly made ty Mr.. Russell. ard
completely filled lie deemed it important
10 obtain an explanation OF this act, " proving
tho continued operation of the DEGREES, pre-
sious TO communicating The proclamation OF
the P:esident;" and for this purpose had an
Intellectual Interview W irI trr quEe ri Cadure
on the 18th December. The difficulties which
arose III that interview, of which no per.icu-
l-r account has been submitted to the .fgeri
can tu5Ae, determined Mr. Russell, on II.
18th to communicate the proclamation. J.,
the mean time the officers of the cus:omhouse
1t Bordeaux commenced the ullading o. the
vesse! on the 10th OF December, and COM
p!eted the work on the 20th of that month
Their traces verbal Of the Goth, SAYS Mr..
Russel, . expressly declares that the confs-
" cation OF this property was 70 be pursued
before the imperial council e pr;zes q. Pa
" ris according TO The deccees OF Milan
On the 25th the dixie ~ Massa. the grand
Judge, and the duke O! Gee. the minister OF
finance issued their orders as heretofore re-
cited, 10 the presioeE, o. the council Of pri-
yes and the director general CT the customs.
declaring tha, Iii consequence OF the presidents
proclamation and the Instructions from the
treasury department, the American ressels
and caTgoes captured or seized under the
Berlin and Milan DEGREES, after the lst oi No
yember, were 20 remain in a state OF seones-
tration, and not to be condemned. until the
I'd OF February. a, when time, as the minis
ter Of finance declared, further instructions
would be given, as 20 TIC ds!in!tige measures
to be adopted.
What has been said must surely be suf:ci-
ent to satisfy every rational inquirer that the
French edicis were neither rctraC;ed, nor in
the slightest degree modified, 20 az d nre!i,ai-
nary t. .lts sreeH::o7 81 CTR lag :" but as Mr.
Russell expresses it, thu, " the American 60
yerDment was shuRed into the lead, where
national honor and tie ~, required it to fol-
low"
1t now remains 20 inquire what was the
state OF our relations with France, after the
ID of February, the period at which cur 60
yernment commenced the actual fulfilment
OF q" her engagement" TO carry into execu-
ton the continental system, against G. Britain
As yet France had obtained from the Unit
cd States nothing more than tromise TO COM
mence, q, future day, their opposition to the
system Of Great Britain and in return pro.
fessed to do no more than TO arrest the course