Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-11-09

sight of the ultimate object OF their policy.
In the measures to which they have been COM
PEELED to resort, they have IN all respects
maintained pacific relations with Dott, parties
The alternative presented by their late acts,
was offered equally to both, and could ope-
rate on neither, no longer than it should per-
severe in its aggressions on our neutral rights
The embargo and non-intercourse' were
peaceful measures. The regulations which
they imposed ON our trade were such as any
nation might adopt in peace or war, wlthout
offence to any other nation. The non-lmport-
alton is of the same character, and it it makes
a distinction at this time, in its operation be-
tween the belligerents, it necessarily results
from compliance of one with the offer made
to both, and which is still open to the compll-
ance of the other
In the discussions which have taken place
on the subject of the Orders in Council and
blockade of May 1906, the British govern
ment in conformity to the principle on which
the Orders in Council are said to be founded,
declared that they should cease to operate as
soon as France revoked her edicts. 1t was
stated also, that the British government would
proceed hari hassu, with the government OF
France, in the revocation of her edlcts.
will proceed to shew that the obligation on
Great Britain to revoke her Orders is COM
plete, according to her own engagements,
and that the revocation ought not to be long
er delayed.
BY the act of May lst, 1910, it is provided,
" That if either Great-Britain or France
should cease to violate the neutral commerce
of the United States, which fact the Presl-
dent should declare by proclamation, and the
other party should not within three months
thereafter revoke or modify its eeicts In like
manner, that then certain sections IN tor
mer act interdicting the commercial inter-
course between the United States and Great
Britain and France and their dependencies,
should from and after the expiration of three
months from the date of the proclamation,
be revived and have full force against the
former, it's colonies and dependencies, and "a
gainst all articles the growth, produce, or
manufacture Of the same.
The violations of neutral commerce allud-
ed to in this act were such as were commit
ted on the high seas. 1t was In the trade be-
tween the United States and the British do
millions, that France had violated the neutral
rights of the United States by her blockadlng
edicts. 1t was with the trade of France and
her allies that Great Britain had committed
similar violations by similar cdicts. 1t was
the revocation of those edicts, so tar as they
committed such violations, which the United
States had in view, when they passed the law
of Nav lst, 1910. On the 5th OF August,
1910, the French Minister Of Foreign Affairs,
addressed a note to the Minister Plenpoten-
tiary of the United States at Paris, informing
him that the DEGREES of Berlin and Milan
were revoked, the revocation to take effect
on the lst of November following that the
measure had been taken by his government
in confidence that the British government
would revoke it's Orders and renounce its new
principles of blockade, or that the United
States would cause their rights to be respect
ed, conformably to the act of May LIST, 1910.
This measure of the French government
was founded on the law of May LIST, 1910, as
is expressly declared in the letter of the duke
of Galore announcing it. The edicts of G.
Britain, the revocation of which were expect
ed by France, were those alluded to In that
act and the means by which the United
States should cause their rights to be respect
ed, in case Great Britain should not revoke
her edicts, were likewise to be found in the
same act. They consisted merely in the en-
forcement of the non-importation act against
Great Britain, in that unexpected and impro-
bable contingency.
The letter of the 5th of August which an
nounced the revocation of the French DEGREES
was communicated to this government, in con-
sequence of which the President issued pro-
clamation on the I'd of Nov. the day after that
on which the repeal Of the French DEGREES was
to take effect, in which he declared that all
the restrictions imposed by the act of May lst,
1910, should cease and be discontinued in re-
lation to France and her dependencies. 1t was
necessary consequence of this proclamation,
also, that if Great-Britain did not revoke her
edicts, the non-importation would operate on
her, at the end of three months. This actual
ly took place. She declined the revocation,
and on the I'd of February last, the law took
effect. In confirmation of the proclamation
an act of Congress was passed on the Cd of
March following.
Great Britain still declines to revoke her e.
diets on the pretension that France has not
revoked hers Under that imDreSSion che