Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-06-18

| TO It. ~ general repeal OF the French de
| crees in favor of all neutral nations. and 81
such parts of them as prohibited trade
with France and the countries under hei
| control, in British manufactures, the United
States have not demanded, because they
had no right to demand it.
The United States have required of c. Bri.
tain no more than they required of France
namely, that her unlawful! edicts should be
repealed SO far as they related TO US. To
"a compliance with this demand your GO
vernment has prescribed conditions, the
mere recital of which is sufficient to shew
their injustice. The United States can me-
yer suffer their rights to be violated by Great
Britain because the commerce of her enc my
is not regulated to suit her interest and po-
licy.
If the Duke of Bassano's report to the
Conservative Senate Of France, published in
French newspaper, be sufficient evidence
that the French DEGREES are now in force, it
is not perceived ON what ground the nigh
evidence which has been afforded of their
repeal could have been resisted.
1t is further made a condition of the pro-
poscd repeal, by the declaration of the
Prince Regent, that it shall take effect at a
future uncertain day; and that rne orders in
council! should be again in force on a contn-
be the sole judge. II this were ground on
which the U. States could call upon France
to repeal aer DEGREES in case they were still
in force as to them, surely the French re-
peal, to take effect ON a future specified day,
and whose revival was not provided for OH
any contingency VIVA ever. was a ground on
which their call or Great Britain TO repeal
her orders in council in respect TO the Unit
ed States, ought not to have been resisted
In reply to your insinuation, that the de-
mand made on your government to repeal is
edicts which violate the neutral rights of the
u. States, is made in concert with France,
to obtain from Great Britain an abandon
ment of her maritime rights, it is sufficient
to refer you to documents which have been
long before the public, and particularly to
the letter of Mr.. Pinkney TO the Marquis
Wellesley of January IA, 1911, protesting in
the most pointed manner against looking Co
any other source for the opinions and prinC-
piles Of the United States than to the United
States themselves. Let me repeat, with re-
spect to the orders in council, that all we de-
mand IS, that they cease to- violate the neu-
trail rights of the United States, which they
have long violated and still violate IN the
high seas. Should they be continued as to
France, IN any form which may not violate
these rights, or as To any other neutral natl
on to which thev may De applicable, it would
be for such nation and not for the L. States
to contend against them.
The report OF the French minister ola
which this declaration OF your government
is founded, affords no proof that the French
government intended by it to violate its en-
gagement to the United States, as to the re-
peal of the DEGREES. 1t evidently refers to
the continental system, By the means relied
an N al 'INha ofE
be of no avail either in the support or viola
ton of maritime rights. This construction
is the more justihable from the considerati-
on that it is supported by corresponding acts
OF the French govern .nent continued from
the time OF the repeal, and by communicate
ons to the minister plenpotentiary of the
United States at Paris to the date of that re-
port.
/ beg you, sir, to be assured that it is pain
fu to me 10 have imposed the least embar-
rassment on you, by the correspondence on
the difference between the tenor of Lord
CastIereagh's letter to you, & your's found
cd on it t. me. / continue to persuade myself,
however, that you will become sensible, that
with knowledge of the extent given by your
government to the conditions on which a.
lone it's orders will be repealed, and that this
extent was always contemplated by your go
EC'hhChtj IL was lHpOSsiulc IoI tHe ITeSl-
dent to be inattentive to the fact, or to with
hold it from the legislative branch of the go
vernment; i have to add, that had it been
proper for him so to have done, the late hour
at which your note was received, not till the
noon of the 1st inst. was not in time to be Con-
s'dered in relation to the message semitic Con-
gress on that day.
With great respect and consideration,
have the honor to be, &c.
(Signed)