Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-08-09
From the Salem Gazette.
MIR. PICKERING'S ADDRESS

To THE
PEOPLE OF THE UNITED ST.fTES.
No. XIX.
FELLow-CITIzENs,
I'm my last address, exhibited the per-
fdiOus. treaeherous, and iniquitOus cha
racter of the seizure and coniiscation of a
multitude of American vessels and car
eoe. by the French emperor, in France,
Spain, Holland, Italy and Naples, under
the pretence Of retaliating for some pro-
visions of the Non-IntercOurse Law OF
March 1, fSGs, law approved by Mr..
Jefferson among the last acts of his ad-
ministration. 1 stated from Mr.. Madi-
son's own communication to Congress, the
declaration of the French government,
that this seizure being an act OF repri-
sal, the law of reprisal must govern
that is. an irreyOcabie condemnation OF
the property. Mr.. Madison knew also, by
past events, that the restoration OF pro-
perty so seized and cOniiscated, was hope
less; and particularly for reason for
merly given him in another case. by gen.
Armstrong; That the amount Of the pro-
pertu at that time seized 7cGS so great, as
alone to render hopeless all attempts at
sauing it. Mir. Madison as well as every
other man of information i'm the United
States, we'll knows that.th right and the
zcrong, in any ease, is never question
with the French emperor !; but merely
7rhat he shalt get or lose by any OF his
acts. Notwithstanding all which, Mr..
Madison dared to inform Congress, that
he had anticipated" anu s. expected"
the property so seized, by an act of reta-
EatiOn, and to a east amount would be re-
stored,* What could induce him to make
this declaration, from which the facts
and circumstances exhibited in the preced-
ing number, must evidently appear I'M
founded and false-l am now to enquire
and explain.
1t will be rec0lleeted that / have repre-
sented Mr.. Jefferson and his leading par
tisans, who have risen to power by deceiv-
ing the peOple-as l have seized upon
their general prejudices in favor ofFrance
and against England (prejudices which
were the result of our revolutionary wary
as the surest means of acquiring populari-
ty. While France, under the name of
republic, appeared to be struggling in a
terrible revolution, to establish a free 60
yernment, she enjoyed the good wishes of
all the people of the United States, men
of all parties joined in bidding her Gods
speed. Some few there were indeed. who,
wise by the lessons of history, or in their
own profound reflections, saw nothing III
the French revolution which could lead to
so happy conclusion. They foretold,
and we see their prediction verified, that
it .eoaid end in q military despotism.-
These wise men wished to check the ex-
trayasant enthusiasm Of the people, So far
*We are Just now informed, that the
French emperor has ordered to be released
sixteen American vessels which had volunta-
rily entered the French ports since the lst of
Nov. 1910, ON which day, as President Madi-
SON had declared, the Berlin and Milan de-
crees had been repealed. On the faith OF this
proclamation, unwarranted by law, and un
supported by fact, small number of Chiefly
IL not wholly small vessels, ventured 10 enter
the ports of France. These the French en-
peror caused to be seized and after holding
them for many months under sequestration,
he has been graeioHsty pleased to restore them
to the consisnecs, with permission to sell
their carsoes, but o6hgins them, after paying
enormous duties on them, to take, in return,
tsvo thirds of the proceeds of the sales in
French SIX Such is the .freedot, and such
are the advantages of our trade with France
And what has the Emperor in view in this
wonderful indulgence The fishermen of
Marblehead, where the Emperor appears to
have very numerous friends, perfectly under
stand the old proverb-Io fhrozv in a nlaekrel
to catch cod. The above small number of
small vessels, seized without any pretence of
Justice, have been set at liberty to tempt
greater numbers and of larger size to come
within the reach of his hook and the sweep Of
his net.