Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-11-13

,nothing appearing to be moro natural than
such an expectation, which seemed heces,
sary consequence of the disposition expressed
! by America to maintain her .neutraiity' ana
desirable in every otker point ot:view. can
mot indeed bring myseifto think, SIR that yeur
| candor would allow you, on consideration
to put any other construction on the matters
and had my arguments had sutlcient weight
with you in showing that the french DEGREES
were still in force, cannot doubt but you
would have agreed with me in the conclusion
| / drew it would seem therefore only owing
| to your not viewing the decelttul conduct OF
the French government in the same iiSht tnat
| it appears to his majesty's government that a
difference of opinion exists between us as TO
the proposal made, which under the convic-
! ton entertained by them was surely very
Just and natural one.
From the earnest desire of indicating my
self and my government from the charge OF
making any degrading or unjust demands on
that of America, have taken the liberty to
trouble you so far, and will now proceed to
shew WHY thought you had misunderstood
the passage of my letter which related to
the extent in which the repeal OF the French
DEGREES was required by Great Britain.
In the explanation which you desired on
this point, gave you that which the Mar
quis Wellesley gave to Mr.. Pinkney in an
swer to his letter Of August IS, 1876
and beg to refer you to the message OF the
President of the United States on the opening
Of Congress in December 1910, for proof
that the demand of Great Britain III the extent
| in which I have stated it was known to your
government several months ago; how was
| therefore to suppose in the term innovations,
as applied to the explanation given by me,
that you could mean otherwise than some
really new pretention on the part OF Great
Britain such as that France should suffer Bri-
fish property to be carried into her ports for
the purposes of trade If the warmth l was
betrayed into in endeavoring to refute sup
posed imputation of this sort, gave any offence,
| sincerely regret it, and will beg pcrmis-
sion here to say, sir, that if unconsciousiy l
have by any Of my remarks led you to suppose
they conveyed any improper insinuations, as
one paragraph of your letter would appear to
imply, am most unfeignedly sorry tor it, as
I entertain the highest respect For you person.
ally and for your government, and could only
have meant what wrote in the way of argu.
ment, or for the purpose Of contrasting the
proceedings Of Franco in her conduct towards
the United States with that OF Great Britain.
In reyerting to the extraordinary and UNI
,recedented situation of things that has arisen
out Of the war in Europe it would seem need
less to repeat the evidence there IS that the
lawless and unbounded ambition of the ruler
of France has been the origin OF 1t, and It cam
not be secret to the United States govern
lnent that this plan has been, and avowedly
continues to be, not to scruple at the violation
IF any law, provided he can thereby overthrow
the maritime power of England. Is it not
therefore reasonable in Great Britain to dis
trust an ambiguous declaration ct his having
suddenly given up any part OF a system which
he thought calculated to produce such an ct.
feet You say however that the DEGREES OF
Berlin an Milan are revoked America, as
not Being at war and thcreforc not seeing so
nearly into the views of France, may be less
;crupuous as to the evidence necessary to
prove the fact !; but, sir, it surely cannot be
,xpected that Great Britain, who is contend
ing for every thing that is dear to her, should
not require more proof on point so material
ID II ID UtluOuOtOuiy q wy iooAS
thing for the United States to have free and
unrestricted trade with both belllgerents, but
The essential security and most important into
rests of America are not involved In the qaes-
ton as are tnose of Great Britain. France
has levelled a blow which she hopes will prove
deadly to the resources of Great Britain, and
before the British government can with safety
give up the measures of defence in conse-
luence adopted by them, very strong proof
must exist of the cessation by France of her
novel and observation-disclosures.
confess, sir, with the sincerest disposition
to discover on the part of the ruler of France
A return to the long established practice of
warfare as exercised in civilized Europe, |
have been unable to succeed; and if the
French government had really meant to with
draw their obnoxious DEGREES, ii is inconceiva-
bic why, instead of allowing their intention to
be guessed at or inferred, they should not o.
penly and in plain language have declared SO
the DEGREES themselves having been clear.
ly enough announced OH their enactment, why
should not their revocation be equally expli-