Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1811-06-14

Yards of a year, to the total stsgnaiion oil
that navigation and commerce, withoul
ka9 wing way the immense sacrifice hao
taught to repose entire confidence in the
wisdom and patriotism of the President,
were induced to believe his declaration that
"great and increasing. dangers to our ves-
sells, seamen and merchandise" rendered
the embargo Indispensable he knew,
and all who read Armstrong's and Cham.
pagn,'s Shelters will know, that they exhibi.
ted no dangers requiring an embargo. All
the increased danger was exhibited in the
letter of Regner stating the Emperor's de-
cIsion on the meaning OF his Berlin decree I;
and that every merchant knows was. incon-
side rable even as the dust of the balance,
comparative with the whole Of our foreign
commerce laid PROSTATE by the embargo.
The official translation of the 5th article
of the Berlin decree Is in these words
/" The trade IN English merchandise is for.
hidden. All merchandise belonging to
England, or coming from IT'S manufactures
or colonies, is declared lawful prize" This
is the article on which the grand Judge Reg,
nier delivered the EmPeror's decision of
which Gen. Armstrong asks OF Mr.. Cham.
paguy an explznarion-''p particularly whe.
Their it be his NJ alcsty's intention in any de-
gree, to infract [break or VIOLATED the obli-
cations OF the treaty now subsisting between
the United States and the French empire :"
10 which Mr.. Champagny answers, by
repetition of the Emperor's decision. 1t
was perfectly immaterial to whom the mer.
chandize belonged: though to the citizens
OF the United States, 1t was lawful prize,
fit consisted of the manufactures or pro-
duce OF England or her colonies. Now ay
our treaty with France, ratified by Bona
Parte himself, we have right to load our
vessels with English manufactures and pro-
duce, not only when these belong to the
citizens ofthe United States, but even when
they remain the property of the British;
and to capture them, because they are Bri.
fish properly, is direct violation of our
treaty with France. Bat treaties and pro-
misses have long since ceased to bind the
Rulers ofthe GREAT NATION. Bonaparte
and his predecessors, the Directory, have
baen ahse peifdlous; and this Mr.. Iefer-
son and Mr.. Madison perfectly well know.
Mr.. Madison letter of May %, 1907,
to Gen. Armstrong; calls the Berlin decree,
ga gross infraction of neutral rights" And |
in subsequent letter February s, 1908,
referring to the Emperor's construction |
(above stately of this Berlin decree, saws, (
: II violates as well the positive stpulations I
of the convention of Septe mber 80, 1900, |
Tour last and only existing treaty with {
FranceI as the incontestibie principle oil
public law" Andyet the French minister. /
Champ gny, has the effrontery 10 say --.s'. 1t !
has seemed easy to reconcile these mea
sures Gin executing the Berlin decree) with
the observance OF treaties !"
But must again recur to Mr.. Jefferson's !
message. Every reader viii bear in mind !
that the fourpapers Herewith communicated |
were offered as the sole ground for laying an
embargo. He said they " Showed the great
and increasing dangers with which our YES.
sells, our seamen and merchandise was |
threatened on the high seas and elsewhere,
too, the be!ligerent powers Of Europe. -.
have shewn that the terms Of the British |
proclamation manifested lesSening not all
increase OF dangers TO our seamen; ; and it |
had no relation to vesseis or merchandise |
The other three papers regarded the French:
and these, then, if any, must show the
. great and increasing dangers" mentioned
by Mr.. Jefferson. Now take his own o.
pinlon otthe Berlin decree and of the French
emperor's construction oft, as expressed
in Mr.. Madison's letter to Gen. Armstrong,
dated Feb s, 1903, in which he says-''tho
conduct of the French government, in CIV
IDC this extended conet,,,r,;o~ 80 a. dacra.
and indeed in issuing one with such an APP
parent or doubtful import against the rights
OF the sea, IS the more extraordinary, mas.
much as its inability to enforce il on that eie-
meat exhibitedthe measure in the light Of an