Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-08-05

Madison gives 10 OOn$3fOoo hi<O.
the attrocious Rambouiilet decree, ~
which millions of American property have
been seized and coniscated. Having
! mentioned the (pretended) revocation o.
the Berlin & Milan DEGREES, he says" !. II
would have well accorded with the eoneii-
iatory views indicated by this proceeding
nm the part Of France, to, have extended
them to all the grounds Of just complaint
which now remain unadjusted with the
United States. It was particularly anti
cipated that, as further evidence ofJust
disnositions towards them, restoration
would have been Immediately made OF the
property Of our citizens seized under a
misapplieation ofthe principle OF rePrisais
combined with misconstruction OF the
law of the United States. This expecta-
lion has not been fulfilled"
So gentle and so mild is the president
of. the United States in giving to congress
information of this fiagitious act of the
French emperor; when, if he had felt as
man, as an independent citizen, much
more if he had possessed any conscious
ness of the duty with the honest resolu-
ton to perform it, of the chief magistrate
of, the United States, charged with the
preservation and defence of their dignity
and Of the rights and interests Of their
citi2cns-he would have burned with in
disnation in reciting this abominabie rob-
berry, and the false and insulting pretenees
upon which it was committed. But did
Mr.. Madison really anticipate" and "ex-
pect. the restoration Of the millions OF
American property seized and confscated
under the Rambouillet decree! If he
did, then his childish credulity demon
strates his utter incapacity to manage the
affairs of the nation. If he did not anti
cipate and expect that restoration, then
he is chargeable with the most detestable
vice in solemn address to congress; an
address too at the opening of the session,
when full and precise information Of the
state of the great affairs of the nation is
particularly expected, and it is the presi-
dents constitutional duty to render. On
the 1st of March, 1909, congress, for in.
iuries alledged to have been received from
France and Great Britain, continue law
forbidding American vessels to enter thei.
ports, and pass law Qhe non. intercourse
law to exclude from ourports the merchant
vessels of those two nations; and giving
eighty days notice Of this exclusion, de-
clare that if after this time any Of them
enter the ports of the United States, they
shall be seized and confscated. What
was the conduct of Great Britain on this
OCCASION? Her vessels conform to the
law, and abstain from coming to our ports.
Neither do any French merchant vessels
enter our ports-none scere e1pected to en-
ter-tI,ey hare no merchant ressels uh:ch
cross the atlantic. Atlength the law ex-
pires by its own limitation, and many of
our vessels are taken and carried in OF
voluntarily enter the ports of France and
her Observation-Disclosures is of Holland and
Naples, of Italy, and of such of the ports
in Spain as were in the possession OF
France. But vastly greater numbers OF
our vessels enter the British ports. What
treatment do they receive from the two
nations In all the British dominions
they are perfectly safe. They sell and
buy with perfect freedom, and come ava,
when they please. In France and her de-
pendent states they are seized and confis- !
Gated. But mark the singular perfidy and
fragrant injustice of the French emperor.
The non-intercourse law was published ir |
the American newspapers, which are sent
to France. General Armstrong /" with
sufficient promptitude" Gas he informs us
delivers an official copy of the law to the
French government. A whole year or
more elapses without any complaint against !!
the law. Then the emperor secretly pas
ses decree Cthc Rambouillet decree Of
March sS, tS1O) TO take effect-not 60 or
30 days after it should be made public
but from the Goth of May, 1909; ten
months before the decree was made or
dering all American vessels which after
the Goth Of May had entered OF should
enter the ports Of his empire, or Of his
colonies, or of the countries occupied by