Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-06-22

me exclusive operation OF them. To these
appeals her government has been ecuaIly
lnHexible, as if willing to make sacrifices OF
every sort, rather than yield to the claims OF
justice or renounce the errors of false pride.
Nay, so far were the attempts carried, To o.
vercome the attachment of the British Cali.
net to its unjust edicts, that it received eve
ry encouragement, within THE competency
OF the Executive branch of our government,
to expect that a repeal of them would be
followed by war between the United States
and France, unless the French edicts should
also be repealed. Even this communication.
although slencing for ever the plea of dis
position in the United States to acquesce ip
those edlcts, originally the soleplea tor them, :
received no attention.
1t no other proof existed of prcdetermi-.
ration of the British government against a.
repeal of its orders, it might be found in tine
correspondence ofthe Minister Plenipo,enti-
airy of the United States at London, and ,b,-
British Secretary for Foreign Affairs in 1910
on the question whether the blockade of
May 1906, was considered as in force or as
not IN force. 1t had been ascertained thar
the French government, which urged this
blockade as the ground of its Berlin decree.
was willing, in the event of it's removal. to
repeal that decree; which, being followed by
alternate repeats of the other offensive edicts.
might abolish the whole system on both sides
Inns inviting opportunity for accomplishing
an OBJECT SO important to the United States
and protested SO often to be the desire nj;
ooth the bsuigcrents, was made known to
the British government. AS that goveru-
ment admits that an actual application of an
adequate force is necessary to the existence.
OF legal blockade, and II was notorious.
that IT such force had ever been applied.
It's long discontinuance had annulled the.
blockade III question, there could be no suf-
hcient objection OH the part Of Great Britain
TO a formal revocation of it /; and no imagin-.
able objection to declaration of the fact
that the blockade did not exist. The decIa-,
ration would have been consistent with her
avowed principles of blockade, and would
have enabled the United States to demand
from France the pledged repeal of her de-
crees; either with success, in which case.
the way would have been opened for gene
raj repeal OF the belliger ent edicts; or with
out success, in which case the United States
would have been justified in turning their
measures exclusively against France. The
British government would, however, neither,
rescind the blockade nor declare it's non-ex-,
istence; nor permit its non-existence to be-
inferred and affirmed by the American Ple-
nipotentiary. On the contrary, by repre-
senting the blockade to be comprehended in
the orders in council, the u States were.
compelled so to regard it in their Subsequent.
proceedings.
There was a period when favorable,
change in the policy of the British cabinet,
was justly considered as established The.
Minister Plenipotentiary of His Britannia.
Majesty here proposed an adjustment of the.
differences M ir,tn .aI,r
the harmony ofthe two countries. The pro-
position was accepted with prornptitude,
and cordially corresponding with the inva>
rIable professions of this government. A
foundation appeared to be laid for sincere
and lasting reconciliation. The prospect.
however, quickly vanished. The whole pros
ceedmg was disavowed by the British 60
vernment without any explanations which
could at that time repress the belief, that.
the disavowal proceeded from spirit IF hosl
tility to the commercial rights and properf-
ty of the United States. And it mas since
come into proof, that a the very moment,
when the public Minister was holding the,
language of friendship and inspiring conf,
dence in the sincerity of the negotiation with
which he was charged, secret agent ofhis
government was employed IN intrigues, hav-,
ing for their object subverson of our go
Ply Union.
Tn reviewing the conduct of Great Britain
towards the United States our attention rs.
necessarily drawn to the warfare Just re-
newed by the savages on enc of our extensive.
frontiers; a warfare which is known to spare
neither age nor sex, and to be distinguished
by features peculiarly shocking to humanity.
1t is difficult to account for the activity and
combinations which have for some time been
developing themselves among tribes in the
constant intercourse with British traders &
garrisons, without connecting their hostility
with that influence; and without recolIect~.
ing the authenticated examples of such inter-
positions heretofore furnished by the officers
and agents of that government.
Such is the spectacle of injuries and in-
dignities whichhave been heaped on our
country and such the crisis which it's un-
exampled forbearance and concilatory eff.
forts have not been able to aver. 1t miehr
at least have been expected, that an enlghts4
ened nation, If less urged by moral oblieati.-
ons, or invited by friendly dispositions on
the part of the United States, would have
found, in its true interest alone, sufficient
motive to respect their rights and their trans
guilty on the high seas that an enlarged
policy would have favored that free and pc
neral circulation of commerce, in which The;
British nation is at all times interested, and
which, in times of war, is the best alleyia-
ton of its calaulities to herself, as well IA
the other belligerents; and more especially,
that the British Cabinet would not, for the
sake of precarious and surreptitious in
tcrcoursc with hostile markets, have perse-
vdrcd in Course of measures, which ne.
cessarily put at hazard the invaluable mar
ket Of "a great and growing country, disposed
to cultivate the mutual advantages Of an ac-,
tive commerce.