Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-01-08

IT 1t should be necessary for you to
meet the question, whether tire hon-in-
tercourse will be renewed against G..
britain, IN case she should mot COM
prehsnd in the repeal OF her edic,s her
b.ocaades, which are not consistent
with the law of nations, sou may,
should It be found necessary, ie, it be
understood, that repeal of the lie.
gal hiockades, Of a date prior to the
Berhn decree, namely, that of MAY,
1906, will he included in the conditi-
on, required by Great Britain i; that
particular blockade having been avow-
ed TO be compiehended in, and Of
coursc identified with, the orders in
council With respect 10 blockades OF
subsequent date, or not agains,
France, you will press the reasonable.
ness of leaving them, together with fu-
tufe blockades, not warranted by pub
lie law, to be proceeded against, by
the u. States in the manner they may
choose to adopt.
AS hae been heretofore stated to vo,l. a
satisfactory provision for restoring the pro-
perry lately surprised and seized by the
'orcer, or at the instance, of the French go
vernmtnt must be combined with a repeal
otthe french edicts, with view to a non
intercourse with G. B. such provision be-
Ing an indispensable evidence of the just pur.
pose ct France tow ards the u. States. Aud,
you Will, moreover, be careful, in arrang-
ing such provision for that particular
case CT spolaticns, not toweaken the ground
on which redress OF others may be Justly
pursued.
II the act of Congress, which has leea.
Used tree trade with both the bellige rents,
Without guarding against British interrep.
tons OF 1t with France, whilst France can
not materially interrupt it with G. Britain,
be complained of, as leaving the trade on
tue wcrstpossibic footing for France, and
ON the best possible enc for G.. Britain, the
french government may be reminded of
the other feature oil the act, which puts it
IN their own power to obtain ether an in.
terrupncn or our trade with q. Britain,
OF REGAL OF hef interruption of it with
France.
Among the considerations which he
long 20 this subject, it may be remark
ed, that II mig ht have been reasonably
expected, by the United Sta .es, that a
repeal OF the French DEGREES would
have resulted from the British order
IN council of April, 1909. This or
der expressly revoked the preceding
orders OF November, 1907, heretofore
urgedby France N justification of her
DEGREES, and was not only different in
It's extent and its derails, but was es.
sentially different in its policy.
The policy Of the orders of 1907,
was by cutting off all commercial sup
Plies, to retort on her enemies the
distress, which the French DEGREES
was intended to inaict on Great Bri.
tain.
The policy of the order of April
1909, II not avowedly, was most GER
tainiy toPrevens such supplies. by shut,
ting out those only which might flow
from neutral sources, in order there by
TO favor a surreptitious monopoly to
British traders. In order to counter.
act this policy, it was the manifest in
terest OF France to have favored the
rival &. cheaper supplies through neu-
trails; instead of which, she has coop
Grated with the monopoiising views of
Great Britain, by rigorous exclusion
OF neutrals from her ports. She has,
In TACT, reversed the operation, origi-
naily protested by her decree. Instead
OF annoying her enemy at the expense
OF friend, she anno,s friend for
the benefit of her enemy.
1t the French government should
accede to the overture, contained in
the act OF Congress, by repeating or
so modifying its DEGREES, as that they
will cease to violate our neutral rights,
you will, it necessary, transmit the re-
peal, properly authenticated, to Mr..
PInkney, by special messenger; and
you viii hasten and ensure the re-.
'ceipt OF 1t here, by engaging vessel,
II no equivalent conveyance should OF
fer, to bring it directly from France,
and by sending several copies TO MIR.
Piokney, to be forwarded from British
ports. he
have the honor to ~, &C.
X. SMITH.
Cen John Armstrong, &c. &c.
Mr. Smith, Secretary of State, to General
Armstrong.
Department oil State, July II, 1910.
You viii herewith receive duplicates of
my letters 10 you Of the Goth Iune, and Cd and