Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-02-11
OF AMERICA.
LONDON, December 81.
From tie Courier.

We have this day published all the docu
ments accompanying the American president
Message, those relating to the Orders Iii
Council excepted, which, to be sure, are the
most voluninous. This will seem strange to
our readers, the main point lying within so
small compass. viz. whether the Berlin and
Milan DEGREES are repealed or not! But
the American Government involve the dis
cussion of that question with other points not
Immediately connected with it, and arc, as u
sua|. to use a word peculiar to their Dlctlona-
ry, remarkably LENGTHY in their Diploma
tic Correspondence. They wish us always
to take i. for granted, that the French DEGREES
are repealed, because Donaparte tells the a
merican Government they are repealed, and
thev communicate that information to US.
Now we, who have not much faith III Bona
parte's assurances, look to his actions, and hAd
that vessels have been seized under the Ber-
lin and Milan DEGREES since November l.
Ave, but saws Mr.. Monroe, we have received
fresh proofs that they are repealed, because
four or five of our vessels have been lately
released. To which MIR. Foster re]olns,
"that the seizure Of American ships by France
since Nov. E, and the positive declarations ct
the French Government, are stronger proofs
of the continued existence OF these DEGREES,
than the restoration Of five or six vessels, too
palpably given up for falaeious purposes, is
a proof of their revocation"
The perusal Of the American state papers
relative to these orders in council, convinces
us more and more that America has not that
great principle which she ought to have, I'M
PARTIALITY between the belhgerents-a
fair estimate Of the circumstances, and, 1t It
will please better, Of the wrongs OF each; and
conduct regulated accordingly. This is what
ENGLAND has required but 1t is what America
pertinaciously withholds. If the orders In
council infiict DIRECT wrong upon the y.
States they could not be justified by the con-
duct of the enemy; but the wrong is direct
only from France, the Original aggressor-
Our orders do not conten plate the Y. States
they look only at the enemy, and they are "a
gainst him not measures Of aggression, but
self defence. America suffers from them IN
cidentally, by a reflected andnota direct stroke;
stroke too not given in malice or wantonness,
but in self-defence. When she calls upon us
therefore to rescind our defensive measures,
the orders in council. it is incumbent on her
to prove, by indlsputable evidence that the
offensive measure, the French DEGREES, are re-
Dealed-and this she has not and cannot prove.
The adjustment of the affair OF the Che
SAPEAKE might seem to open talrer pros
Dect of an anicabIa settlement OF other points
than has vet been held out. But let our read
ers consider the manner, half sulky, halt at
fronting, in which our proposals are entertain
ed They are accepted too with GOODNESS;
and still the language Of complaint is used at
the PREPARATION having been SO long delayed
Whose fault was ii? The act was disowned by
our Government as soon as it was known, and
an offer of PREPARATION made-but it was the
American Government that wished to mix the