The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-06-19

of France, cannot but be aware of the
difficulties to which should expose myself
| in entering into an explanation ON any in
sulated passage in it. l might, perhaps,
oy continued silence on your part, never at
forwards have an opportunity of making
further explanation, and you are well a
ware how frequently points taken uncon-
nected with what precedes or follows them
are liable to misconstruction. y.
but, s,r, reason paramount to every o.
ther, tor my not committing myself to an
explanation on.any single topic, without the
discussion between us were to be continued,
is the publication of the highly importan,
declaration of his Royal Higkness, the Prince
Regent, to which had the honor to allude
IN my note to you of this morning. You will
there find stated, in as explicit and authen-
tic a manner as language can convey, the
grounds upon which his Maiesty's orders in
council will be revoked. 1 Cannot, it is true
as yet, refer you officially to this document,
but may now be in the expectation of re
ceiving it in a formal shape within a very
few days, and together with it every cxpla-
nation possible. which you may require.
l have the honor, &c.
(Sisned) AUGS. J. FOSTER.
The Hon. James Monroe sc. sc.
(COPY.) -
MR.. MONROE TO Mr.. FosrER!;
- Defdrfmcnf Of STATE, June 6, 1912.
SIR have had the honor to receive
your letter of the 4th instant. The receipt
OF that of May SOth has already been ac-
knowledged.
/. AS these letters relate to the same sub
Ject, the orders in council, shall take both
into view, in this reply.
am not disposed to make INV unnece.
sary difficulty, on account of the informality
OF the document alluded to in the last letter
IT the declaration of the Prince Regent wa.
sucn as TO afford the satisfaction desired
1t would be received, in any form entitled
to credit, with great interest, as a token of
Just and friendly Sentiments your govern
ment towards the United States. But no.
thing is seen in that act, of the character
which you impute to it. Without removing
single objection tothe principle on which
the orders in council were issued, and have
been maintained, it affords a complete justi-
ncation OF the demand heretofore made OH
your Governments for their repeal.
ne British government has complained
that the United States demanded the re
peal OF the orders in council on a conditio-
nal repeal OF the French DEGREES, al
though the French condition required no.
tiing CT Great Britain which she ought not
to have consented to ; and was, moreover
aCondluon subsequent, and not precedent
and 1t now proposes to repeal the. orders in
council conditionally also, with this differ |
ence, that the condition on which their re-
peal is to be made, is a condition precedent
and not subsequent, and is likewise one
which Great Britain has no right to claim.
L ms condition requires that the French
DEGREES shall be absolutely and unconditio-
naiiy repeated, that is, that they shall be
repealed according to explanations given
not'only as they related to the United States,
but as to all other neutral nations and al
so as they prohibited a commerce III British
manufactures, with the enemies Of Great
Britain.
SO far as the French DEGREES violated tn.
neutral commerce of the United States, we
had right to demand repeal of them
10 that extent we did demand their repeal
and obtained 1t. The repeal was declared
by an authentic and formal act Of the French
government, and communicated to this 60
vernment by the minister plenipotentiary
OF the United States at Paris, and to the
British government by their minister Dleni-
potentiaIy at London; and has moreover
been officially published within the United
States. The authenticity of the repeal was
placed beyond all controversy, and the Off
ciaI manner in which it was communicated
to your government ought to have been sa-
tsfactory toit. n general repeal of the
French DEGREES in favor of all Neutral natl
ons, and OF such parts of them as prohibited
trade with France and the countries un-
der her control, in British manufactures,
the United States have not demanded, be-
cause they had no right to demand It,
The United States have required Of c.
Britain no more than they required of
France namely, that her unlawful. edcts
should be repealed so far as they related
to us. To-a compliance with this demand
your government has prescribed conditions,
the mere recital of which is sufficient to !
shew their injustice. The United States
can never suffer their rights to be violated BY
Great Britain, because the commerce of her |
enemy is not regulated to suit her interests
and policy. rs.
If the Duke of Bassano'. report to- the
Conservative Senate of France, published in
a French newspaper, be sufficient evidence
that the French DEGREES are now in force.
it is not perceived OH what ground the high |
evidence which has been afforded of their
repeal could have been resisted.
1t is further made condition of the pro-
Pescd repeal, by the declaration Of the !
Prince Regent, mat it shall take effect at a !
future uncertain day 5 and that the orders !
in council should be again in force on a con-
tingency of which the British government
~ to ne the sole Judge. IT this were a |
ground on which the United States could |
call upon France to repeal her DEGREES in
case they were still in force as to them. |
surely the French repeal, to take effect on q |
future specified day, and whose revival was
not uroVulPI fot. otti any