Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-02-12
INTERESTING LETTER.

I'VE have been fapored (says the Trenton
FederaHst with the tellazving interesting
extrect Of letter from captain Of
vessel in France to his friend in Ne1v.
Jersey, dated
ROCHELLE, (France) Nov. %, 1910.
"When wrote you last, was in hopes
of being oHt of this dreadful country be-
fore this time; but when a man is once
in France, and has business to accomplish,
it is past human foresight to tell when he
will leave it. Notwithstanding every exer.
ton ON our part that could be made tor
Fastening our departure, almost four months
have elapsed since arrived here and re.
ceived the fraternal embrace Of French at
lection and care. SO verv solicltous were
they for my welfare, that was not so much
rs allowed to attend to my own business
my vessel was seized, as iss fore mention
ed, Immediately after my arrival, because
had been SO unfortunate as to be boarded
by an English cruiser on the passage, al.
though had no cargo, and was only bring
ing passengers to France. My sea-stores
OF every kind were taken out Of the vessel
AMI sent to the custom.house depot, there
to be lodged until the special decree of the
Emperor of the Great Nation, sienifying
his pleasure upon this great affair, s.,ould
be known AT length, after TWO months
had been consumed in pe,ilioning, remon-
strances, hopes and disappoinjmen;s, it
pleased his highness to decree that the YES
sci should be liberated from seques,ra,ion,
On condition that we would export cargo
OF French produce to which we acceded.
"A few days since, another imperial de-
cree has besn received, giving US pernis-
sion to take our sea'stores again, on cond-
ton Of pay'Ag duty of SO cents per pound
on our coffee, the same on our refined su-
gar. and 40 cents on our brown sugar; SO
that the whole amount Of duties levit d on
our s,a-stores, which were brought for ship
and passengers use, is equal to abou, one
thousand d5Aars.
But Why should complain, who am
iorei6nsr, when the subjec of France
share a Sl2,ious part in every imperial de.
cree /; almost all OF which are Tame d for
the purpose OF injurng the English, aad
the question nsver asked whether thew will
ben ii or 'njure the French. War is the
order OF tbs day. l believe many OF the
rrncounters OF the cabin: Of S.. Cloud with
the commlIce and Manufactures of the
British turn eutvrry different from whs
was expected. English goods have for
loug time been prohibited in This country
since which large Quantities of those goo1s
have been il duced into the French do.
minions, by captures of English vessels.
These G4ods have been permitted to be sold
on condition of being exported by the pur.
chSsefs within Certain length OF time.
In oider that no fraud should be practised,
the goods were deposited in the imperial
dep@ts, under The direction IF the custom.
houses, wherever they might be. A short
time since decree has been passed that anv
persons attempting to introduce English
goods into France, or any of the countries
under her influence, shall forfeit the whole
Of their property, be branded 7sith a hot iron
and serss IN the saA1es far life. Shortly
after this, another decree came out, that all
English manufactured goods deposited in
the public custom-houses for expectation,
aQQ al ASui0 I'LL france, or III the
countries under her influence, as we'll as
those which may be tax by her armies.
SHALL BE BURNT!
g 1t was the opinion Of MANY that this
decree would not be put in force; but no
sooner did il arrive than it went into ope-
ration, and the BURNING commenced
this day at this place. went to see it
with many others, and being novel sight,
it excited the curiosity of every person, and
although believe hardly anv one approves
of the measure, no one dare oppose it We,
some of the owners of the goods could
hardly refrain from cursing the man who
was thus robbng them of their property in
So hart f-ced manner. What was rather
singular TO me-, was, that part Of the goods
which were burnt to day, were Dutch and
B,ngal goods. As observed before, few
people approve of these violent measures.
II is common observation among them,
that the cord could bear no msre-,hat tn.
people would not submit; but one decree
is passed after another, infringing their