Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-13

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hostile measures against British commerce
the enormous FABRIC of usurpatlon and tyranny
which France has endeayored to exhibit 70
the world as the law OF nations.
America cannot now contend that the or
ders in council exceed in spirit OF retaliation
what is demanded by the DEGREES, the prlnrl-
ples, or the usurpations of Bonaparte. The "
States government must at last be convinced
that the partial relaxatons OF those DEGREES IN
favor of America have been insldlonsly adopt
ed by France for the mere purpose OF lnduc-
ine her to close her ports against u. Britain,
which France cannot effect herself by force,
and she must admit that if Great itain were
now to repeal her orders in council against
France, it would be gratultously allowing TO
France the commerce of America and all the
benefits deriyabIe from hertfag as an addi ION
al Instrument for the annoyance OF Great Bril-
tain, and that at a moment when every state is
threatened with extinction or really destroyed
for merely supporting their own right to trade
with Great Britain.
am commanded, sir, to express on the
part of his royal highness the prince regent,
that while his royal hlghness entertalns the
most sincere desire TO conciliate America, he
vet can never conccde that the blockade OF
of May 1906 could Justly be made the toun-
dation, as il ayowcdly mas been, tor the decree
of Bonaparte and further, that the British
government must ever consider the principles
on which that blockade rested accompanied
as it was, by an adequate blockading force) to
have been strictly consonant to the establish
ed law of nations and legitimate instance OF
the practice which it recognizes.
Secondly, that Great Britain must continue
to reject the other spurious doctrines promuI-
grated by France in the duke of Bassano's re-
port, as binding upon all nations She cannot
admit, as true declaration of public law,
that free ships make free goods, nor the
converse Of that proposition, that enemy's
ships destroy the character of neutral proper
ty in the cargo-she cannot consent by the
adoption of such principle to deliver abso-
lutely the commerce OF France from the pies.
sure of the naval power of Great Britain and
by the abuse Of the neutral flag to allow her
enemy to obtain, without the eXpence of sus
tanning navy, for the trade and property Of
French subjects degree Of freedom and Sc
curity which even the commerce OF her own
subjects cannot find under the protection Of
The British navy.
She cannot admit as a principle Of public
law, that aaritime blockade Can alone be le-
gally applied to fortresses actually invested BY
land as we'll as BIZ sea, which is the plain
meaning or consequence Of the duke OF Bas'
sano's definition.
She cannot admit as principle Of public
law that arms and military stores are alone
6 Il hot CHI ,hep
naval stores are excluded from that descrip-
ton Neither can she admit without retaiia-
ton that the mere fact OF commercial inter.
course with British ports and subjects should
be made crime in all nations, and that the
armies and DEGREES of France should be di-
rected to enforce principle so new and un-
heard Of in war.
Great Britain feels that to relinquish her
lust measures of self-defence and retaliation,
would be to surrender the best means OF her
own preservation aud rights, and with them
the rights Of other nations SO long as Francs
maintains and acts upon such principles.
am commanded to represent to the go
vcrnment of America, that Great Britain feels
herself entitled to expect from them an unre-
served and candid disclaimer Of the right Of
france 10 impose OF heF anu Oh lhe "cilu tue
maritime code which his been thus promul-
gated, and to the penalties Of which America
is herself declared to be liable If she fails to
submit herself to its exactions; America Cam
not, for her own character, any longer tempo.
rise on this subject, or delay coming to dis
tnct explanation with France as well as with
Great Britain, if she wishes to clear herself
from the imputa,ion of being an abettor Of
such injustice.
America, as the case now stands, has not a
pretence for claiming from Great Britain re.
peal of her orders in cour Gil. She must re.
collect that the British government never for
| moment countenanced the idea that the re.
peal of those orders could depend upon any
| partial or conditional repeal of the DEGREES oil
France. What she always avowed was her