Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-05-29

So, presume, II must nave ooch u4'''' 'Aiiy
understood, that they presented no neF9 grouAo
e, Justify an embargo for the Interests u us
r,reI Ssctes. These WsercSfS required INC
o...ic.,.ion Of those letters, with suitable
:, non, by the president, that our citiAehs
,.,;,,h, have seen what were the views and cX-
Items Of the French government; andre
r.,,c.to. nat coa alliance with those views
I,n,n,cd By our interest, our honor and
ours safety. :,
That these letters, unconnscted s0Hh me
embargo, required no secrecy, cpen III VIZ.
.Jcf%rsoH's opinion, we now certainly EMO"
for Just three months after he had recon-
ncndcd the embargo, he himself coianluhi-
Gated them TO congress for the very purpose
OF oying published. But mark how sncy were
communicated -huddlcd III with large mass
Of other papers, relating to British as well as
French negotiations and proceedings without
the Icas. int;nation that he had before pre-
sensed them to congress. together with the
Dris!sh proclamation, and Regnlcr's letter, as
me grounds OF the embargo + And certainly
80 person unaeoaainted with the secret could
have suspected that Armstrong and Champag-
-y's ies,crs were used as the principal grounds
Ct he embargo. Why then did Mr.. Jcher-
son Withdraw them, saying y wouid Dc
Improper TO make them public ! For two
.easons---to conceal his apparent concurrence
with the views of the French enperor---and to
wrap up the embargo IN mystery, which as
,onished and confounded thepeop!e, and N
duced their accuicsccuce III the measure.
For the message was public, and to go out to
the people, with the notice, that 1t You'd be
improper to publish Armstrong; and CHAM
pacny's le..ers, or even 10 suffer them TO re-
r,.in any where but in Mr., Jefcrson's own
cabinet. whence henatural inference woulcbe
taat these pagers contained the strong rea-
s;us for the embargo, but of q nature daaScr-
Gus to be disclosed. And: cdoubtiess, IN regard
TO his own views, Nj. Jefferson Judged cor
rectly.
The publication Of thess two letters, as
grounds If :hs PROPOSED embargo, might have
put the psoiec, in jeopardy. For although
the iinpiieit confidence Of the majority IN the
wisdom and patriotism of the President, with
some other considerations, assured its adoption
in Congress yet for its final success it was
necessary that the blind confidence OF the pec-
Die, whose pecuniary interests would De so
directly and essentially affected, should also
be retained. But the inawediQte publication OF
Champagny's letter as The ground ef TIE emf
5:rro, might have too clearly indicated, TO
same sag,cious citizens, not members or
Congress, and who would discuss tho point
with more freedoul--the real motives OF Mt.
Jefferson In recommending 1t; and by Its eX-
closure have hazarded, not only the measure
Itself, but the popularity of its author, before
,5e PASSIONS OF LIS PAR9r had been enlist
ed in his faoor And this stratagem was
crowned with success truly incredible, had
not the experiment verified it as a fact. The
extraordinary spectacle was exhibited OF a ma
ton, with more vessels and property, and a
prs,ter proportion Of the people engaged In
f,reicn commerce., than any other on the
globe, the British excepted, submitting, tor
upwards Of year, to the total stagEatlon OF
that navigation and commerce, zctthout Sno7v-
isz SHY tie immense sacrifice had 5een re-
o4red A ma iority of the nation, taught to
rcpose entire confidence i'll the wisdom and
patriotism Of the President, were induced to
believe his declaration that great and IN
creasing danger to our vessels, seamen and
merchandise rendered the embargo lndis-
pensaele While he knew, and all who read
Armstrong; and Champagnys letters Will
now know, that they exhibited no dangers
requiring Ain embargo. All the increased
danger was exhibited in the letter of Regnier,
stating the Emperor's decision on the meaning
of his Berlin decree and that every mer-
chant knows was inconsidera5le even as the
aust OF the balance, compared with the whole
of our foreign commerce laid PROSTATE by the
embargo
The Official translation Of the 5th arti-
Gle OF the Berlin decree is i'll these
wort,s g The trade in English merchandise
Is forbidden. All merchandise belonging to
Fnr!and, OF coming from its manufactures or
co!on;ss, is declared lawful prize" This is
II. article GA which the grand Judge ReSnier
delivered the Emperor's decision before men
toned. This is the decision Of which Gen.
Armstrong asks of Mr.. Champaign an expIa-
nation, particularly whether 1t be his macs
tvs intention, in any degree, to intract break
or violatsl the obligations of the treaty now
su5sis:iEg between the United States and the
Frencd empire :" TO which Mr.. Champag-