The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-06-02

trade on. AS the pretrXt, under which
these vessels were taken, is no justification
OF the act, you will claim an indemnity to
our citizens tor every species of injury arr
sing from it.
The Rambouillet decree was a still more
qnJ1stihable aggression on the rights of tho
". .. and invasion of the property of their
citizens. 1t bears date OH the Esd March.
1910, and made a sweep of all American
property within the reach of French power.
IL was also retrospective, extending back to
the goth May, 1909. BY this decree, every
american vessel and cargo, even those
which had been delivered up TO the owners.
by compromise with the captors, were sci.
zed and sold. The law of March LIST, 1909.
commonly called the nOn-intercourse law
was the preteXt for this measure, which was
intended as an act of reprisal 1t REQUIRES
no reasoning to show the injustice of this
pretensIon. Our law regulated the trade of
tne y. >. with other powers, particularly
with France and Great Britain, and was
s"oh a law as every nation has a right to a
uoPt. 1t was duly promulgated, and rea-
sonaoie notice given of it to other powers
IL was also impartial as related to the belli-
gerents. The condemnation of such yes
sells or France or England as came into the
ports of the u. S. in breach of this law VINO
strictly proper, and could afford no cause of
complaint to either power. The seizure of
| SO vast a property as was laid hold of under
that preteXt, by the French Government.
places the transaction in verv fan. Eeb, r.
an indemnity had been sought for on impu-
tea INJURY the measure OF the injury should
nave oeen ascertained, and the indemnity
IProPOruoned to it. But in this case no in
jury had been sustained on principle. A
trihlng loss only had been incurred. and for
mat loss all the American property which
would De found was seized, involving in in
0 n r., d.
mad entered the ports of France IN the fair.
course OF trade. 1t is proper that you should
MAKE it distinctly known to tile French CO.
Ierhment, that the claim to Just repara-
eion Tor these spoliations cannot be relin
quisnsd, and that q delay in making If
VIII produce very high dissatisfaction with
the government and people of these states.
II mas Deen animated that the French poJ
selnment would be. willing to make this
reParatlon, provided the u. States would
make one In return for the vessels and pro.
perty condemned under and in breach NJ
our noh-intercourse law. Although the pro-
position was objectionable, in MANY views
yel tnis government consented to it. to save
SO great mass # the property of our citiJ
ZehS'- AN instruction for this purpose was
given 10 your predecessor, which Won are
authorised to carry into effect.
he influence OF France has been eyerted.
to the injury of the United States. in ALI tins.
countries to which her power has extended.
In spain, Holland and Naples it has been
most sensibly felt. In each of these conn
tries the vessels and cargoes of Am ,rican
nefChants were seized and confisca; I'd. nm.
aer various DEGREES, founded i'm differen.
pretexts, none OF which had even the SEM
D.anoe OF rlSht to support them. As the u,
S e"a never injured France, that plea must
Ian and that they had injured either ne
those powers, was never pretended. You
VIII be furnished with the documents which
reiate TO these aggressions, and YOU viii
cialm OF the French government an indem-
uity' for them ''
ne y. states have also Just cause of
complaint against France, for manv Injuries
t sa were committed by persons acting I'M
DER her authority OF these the rnost die.
tnguished and leastjustiGable, are the ey.
-@h,PieS winch occurred, of burning the YES.
sels OF our citiZens at sea. Their atrocitr
iorod the iInputat!on. of them to the on
Verhnent lott, however, the u. 6. mnsc
t took ior repatriation, which you will accor-
It is possible that in this enumeration. T
may nave omitted many injuries of which,
l i|'I mas yet Deen transmitted to this
department You will have it in your mower
to acquire a more comprehensive know.
iedSe OF them at Paris, which, 1t is.cxpected
you VIII do, and full confidence is renol
sea III your eXertIons to obtain of the
french Government TIE just measure of
redress. v.
france, 1t is presumed, has changed her
Pohcy towards the United States. The re-,
vocation OF her DEGREES is an indication Of
that change, and some recent acts morr
favorable to the commercial intercourse
with her ports, the evidence of which will
be found In copy of letter from her mi
mister here of t,a,'~.,. III
the presumption. But much is vet to he
done by her, to satisfy the Just claims of this
country. 10 revoke blockades of bonnd-
less extent in the present state of her ma
rine, was making no sacrifice. She mus.
indemnify us for past injuries, and open her
ports To our commerce on a fair and liberal
scale. Ii she wishes to profit Of nentrai
ommerce she must become the advocate Of
neutral rights as well by her practice as her
theory. The U. S, standing on their own
ground, will be able to support these rights
with effect; and they will certainly fa;1 ~
nothing which they owe to their character
or interest.
Inc papers, relative to the 1mpcteue.
the Revanche de Cert and thy French nri,
yateer seized at New Orleans, viii be de-
hvered to you. They will, it is presumed.
enable you to satisfy the French Govern'
ment OF the strict propriety of the conduc,
OF the United States, in all those occ,rren.
ces.
The. frigate, which takes Won to France
VIII proceed to Holland to execute an order