Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-06-15
4 dOliars per Blnuin.

promulgated by France la the Duke If 3as-
sano 5 report, as biudingupon all nations
She Cannot adpit. as a true declaration OF
pubiiclaw, that free-silips make free 20 IDS,
nor the converse of that proposition, mat cs
pemy's ships destroy the character Of metz
trail property IN the cargo--she cannot coI,-,
sent by the adoption of such principle To
deliver absolutely the com nerce Of France
from the pressure of the naval power IF G.
Britain, and by the abuse of The neutral flag,
70 allow her eneiny to obtain, without the
expense OF sustaining naVy, for the trade
and property Of French subjects, a degree o.
security and freedom which even the COM
merce of her o@s subjects cannot find un-
der the projection a the British navy.
She cannot a;imit, rs a principle OF pub
lie Law, that q maritime blockade can alone.
be legally applied to tor1re3ses actually in-
vested by land as we'll as by sea, which Is the
plain meaning M consequence of the Duke.
of Bassann's definition.
She cannot admit as principle OF public
law, that arms and military stores are az
lone contraband of var, and that shi TIM
Der and naval stores are excluded from that
description. Neither can she admit, with.
out retaliation, that the mere fact of Conn
nlercial intercourse with British ports and
subjects, should be made crime in all na.a
tons, and that the armies and DEGREES of
France should be directed 10 enforce priIfs
ciple so new and unheard of in war.
Great Bri,ain feels, that to relinquish her
just measures of self-defeuce aud retalit; II,
! would be To surrender the best meals fher
own preservation and rights, and with them
| the rights of other nations so long as France
| maintains and acts upon such principles.
l am commanded TO repreSen; to the go-
vernmcnt OF America, that Great Britain
feels herself entitled to expect from them
an unreserved and candid disclaimer Of tho
right of France TO impose on her and on the
world, the maritime code which has been
thus promulgated, and to the penalties Of
which America is herself declared TO be liz
| able, if she fails to submit herself to its eye
actions America cannot, for her own cha
racter, any longer temporise on this SUBJ
ject, or delay coming to distinct expianaS
ten with France, as vel as with Great
Britain, if she wishes to clear herself from
the imputation Of beng an abettor OF such
! injustice.
| America, as the case now stands, has not
a pretence for claiming from Great Britain
| repeal of her orders in COUNCIL. She must
recollect, that the British government
| for 4 moment countenanced the ca, that
| the repeal of those orders could depend up
on any partial or conditional reveal If the
DEGREES of France What she always avow-
| ed, was her readiness to rescind her orders
| in council as 5000 as France rescinded, ,4h-
| solutely and Internationally her deerees.--
| She could not enter into any other engage
| ment without the grossest injustice Ia her
| allies, as well as the neutral nations in ge-
neral, much less could she do so, if any
| special exception was to be granted by
| France upon conditions utterly subversive
| of the most important and indisput,bie MAJ
| rhine rights of the British empire.
| America has now proceeding forced ups
| on her by France, on which, without sur
| rendering any of those principles which she
may deem it necessary for her own honor
and security to maintain she may separate
herself from the violence ard injustice ofthe,
enemy. She owes it noS only to herself to
| do so, but she is entitled to resent that
! course OF conduct on the part of France.
| which is the only impeachment to her obtain
| ing what she desires at the hands of Great
Britain, namely, the repeal Of the orders III
| Council.
| am authorised to renew to the American
| government the assurance of his royal high
ness anxious desire to meet the wishes O.,
America upon this point, whenever the cen
duct OF the enemy will justify him in SO de-
ing
Whilst America could persuade
however enormously, that the Berlin and
Milan DEGREES had been actually and totally
repealed, and that the execution of the en-
gagement made on that condition by the Bri.
fish government had heen declined sbs
might deem it justihable, as a consequences
of such persuasion, to treat the interes, and
commerce of France with preference and
friendship, and those of 6. Britain with hos.
tiiity bat this delusion is at an end Anne
RIGA now finds the French DEGREES not onF
in full force, but pointed With augmented hos
tlity against 9. Britain. VIII the govcru-
ment of the United States declare thai tho
measure now takeR by France is that repeat
of the obnoxious DEGREES which America eZs
. pected would lead to the repeal of ,he Bri-
fish orders In councils WIN the American
government, unless upon the principle of de-
nying our retaliatory right of blockade, un-
der any imaginable circumstances, declare
that there is at this moment ground upon
which the repeal Of our orders IN council can
be pressed upon us; or that the repeal could
now be warranted upon any other ground
than an express abdication OF the right itself.
which America well knows whatever NAV
be our desire 10 conciliate, is concession
which the British government cannot and viii
not make.
If this be true, for what purpose can she
persevere in her hostile attitude towards C..
Britain, & her friendly one towards Francee
Do the American government really wish to
aid France in her attempt TO subjugate G
, Britains Does America expect that Great
Britain. contending against France, vii, az
the instance Of America disarm herself, and
submit to the mercy Of tie opponentl Ifboth
these questions are answered in the negative,
upon what ground can she for a moment I,n-
ger continue the hostile measures against as ?
The America N m on inf frcoureo art ,,,or t 80