Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-11-30
Feom the United States Gazette.
THE FRENCH DEGREES.

flS6Q on DOtn SUES Vi lllC ltidiltiS oh thN oei"
;ect of the French DEGREES, violating our neu-
trail commerce, and after all the diplomatic
cunning which has been displayed, with no
other view than to involve the matter IN mys-
terry, it is no wonder that large proportion
of the community should find themselves be-
wildered IN their attempts to ascertain the ac-
tual situation of affairs between the United
States and France. 1t has been unequlvocally
declared by our government, and the declara-
ton is persisted in, that the Berlin and Milan
DEGREES have been revoked, and that since the
Ist of November 1910, they have ceased to Vi
olate our neutral rights. 1t is well known,
however, that French depredations upon our
commerce are still continued, and that the
emperor of France embraces every favorable
onportunity to declare and repeat, that those
DEGREES constitute the fundamental and IRE
yocable law of his empire. The discussions
upon this subject have been so dlttused, eX-
tended over so wide surface, and contound-
ed with such various matters in no way con-
n.cted with the question, that 1t has become
work of no little difficulty to get at the points
OF real importance and to trace the connexlon
be,ween them, In such way as to lead to
s,tsf, ctory result. Every one acquainted
that France has not practically ceased to vlo-
late the neutral commerce OF the United
States but our government insist that, d.
hiomaticaHythe DEGREES are revoked according
TO the true intent and meaning of the act OF
congress of May 1910, and that the United
States are therefore bound, in good faith to
ast &C ordngly.
II is on this ground that we now purpose to
meet the friends of the administration, and
con6ning our examination to such documents
as the government themselves have thought
At TO publish, to prove, by q COMPARISON Of
tbose documents alone, that France never did
comply, even in frgfeSsion, with the condl-
tons held out in our act OF congress. In do
ing this we shall throw out of view all extra
neous matters, and endeavor to place the im-
nortant facts and arguments in such a situa-
ton as to enable the reader, with few MI
nutes' attention, to comprehend the whole
subject, and to form satisfactory opinion of
the merits of the controversy.
In Nav 1910, an act of congress was passed
IN which Great Britain and France were con-
sidered as equally violating the rights of the
United States, in consequence of which 1t was
nroyided that in case either of them would so
revoke or modify her hostile edicts as hatthey
should cease to violate the neutral commerce
ot the United States, the president should de-
clare the fact by proclamation after which,
three months should be allowed to the other
70 follow the example. and in default OF so
doing, then all importations from the terrific
rics Of the power so refusing to comply with
onr inst demands were to be prohibited.
II is scarcely necessary to remark, that &C
+hi l., Of he NJ
nust first make concessions to us, as the In
;ured party, alike injured by both, before any
distinction could be made between them, or
any measure of coercion adopted exclusively
AGAINST either. This construction was given
TO the law by the governments themselves IN
their instructions to their ministers III France
and ENGLAND and gen. Armstrong was even
ordered to declare to the French government
that the law would not authorize the president
70 revive the non intercourse against Great
BRITAIN until France, in addition to the revo-
cation other DEGREES, should make full restl-
tuition of the American property seized upon
the pretended principle ofreprisal
Ne overtures were made by either nation
20 avail itself of the provisions of this act until
the 5th of August, 1910, when the duke OF
Cadore, in an official note to gen. Armstrong,
declared that the Berlin and Milan DEGREES
we're revoked, and that after the lst of No
vember following they would cease to have
Eject, g it being we'll understood that in con-
sequence of this declaration the English vii!
,eSoke their orders in council and renounce
The new principles of blockade which she
-,;sbed to establish or that the United States,
:, conformity with theft act of congress, will
cause their rights to be respected by the En-
glish. ... ;. :. oh,o..a ~,
che re, ocation was not pretended to be either
Immediate or absolute. Putting out of sight
s .he condition required to be complied with on
n s consequence. notof the revocation of those
-sserees, nor of their ceasing to have effect
IA, barely in consequence of that declaration
the United States, by frsf putting their. law s
". ,n,ration, were to cause their rights to be
nra ~ by England, before they could claim