Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-03-05
quorum yet present when this paper
went to press.-Nat. In.ehigencer.
WASHINGTON Cry, Feb. at.
RELATIONS WITH GREAT
BRI AIN.


We hope the length of the follow
ing article will not deter cur readers
from perusing it with that attention
which its intimate connection with our
present situation is calculated to ex-
cite. Stripping it Of the inadmissible
doctrine which the writer advances,
apparently more with view to hi.
own consistency as its only supporter
heretofore, than from any connection
which II has with the present question !;
I,lr Cobhett's remarks present us with
forcible, and in many respects very
correci view of what has been and
what ought to have been the policy OF
Great Britain towards this county,
1t will be seen that he completely JUS
tines the Executive in the ,ersund IA
ken (though not at that time known to
HIM In relation to the blockade of Nav
1906, which he declares to be the
, foundation and origin of the new sys-
tenn OF blockade distinguish
ed by the name of blockadcs, de.
crees or orders in council-which has
hsrrassed our commerce and outraged
the law efnations for the last FIVE wears.
lie does not entert>in doabe that
the declaration of the FREQ ch minister
was to be viewed as an official anun-
cinsion ct an act of his government /;
and supper his reasoning on this head
ny an apt ahosion to a case in point.
r.csntl, occurring between the British
and French governments, in which
the British government without hesi-
tation offers to consider an official de.
eisration by the French government
IN the light Of an actual performance
OF the act declared or promised TO be
done. The inference is correctly &
unsnswerably deduced, that The British
blscksding system SHOULD have ceased,
II not before, at least in the same man
ner as the French, immedia.eiyton the
receipt by the British government of
the note OF the DUO de Galore to gen.
Armstrong in August last aud that
the refusal to relinquish it was a con-
tradlcuon OF all the declarations of
mis- Majesty ard his Maie.ty'a minis
tiers Of their readiness to abandon the
system whenever an opporspnity should
oi;sr Itself. The lester OF che Mar.
qlis Wellesley on .his sabjecs n. proves
10 be mere evasion, quibblc un.
worthy statesman or great nation,
and thus takes she sround from under
those in our public prints and on the
floor OF Congress who have bortomed
an acCusatIon asai3st tho Executive
on the suppositlon that the declaration
CT the British minister in relation 10
the orders in council was of The same
character with that of the French
ministar o. Foreign sffairs in relation
to the Berlin and Milan DEGREES II
any man has Till ROW doubted the
disposition of the British govern ment,
in defiance of iustiee or policy
to adhere 10 its vexatious and illegal
orders, disFegarding even that haugh
ty consistency in error that na;ioa mas
heretofore affected TO maintain, let
him read this article and doubt no
longer. 1t is emitted TO the more at
ttntion as drawn from a source which
no man ever suspected OF partislity TO
America; as the production OF man,
1yho, in whatever situation ne has been
placed, has invariably manifested the
utG'ost contempt for our republican
institutions, and la5ored INCREASINGLY
to degrade them 10 the eyes OF the
world. When such man takes the
SIDE OF the American rights, blush
OF shame shoald tinge the cheeks of
those among US who have 80 heartily
espoused the other side of the ques-
tion.
From Cobbett,s Political Rerister.