Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-22

mittee think it Just to remark ehsa eii' a. ~
the British government does not appear ~
baye been adopted in the sense IN when
has been since construed. On consideration
of all the circumstances attending the measure
and particularly the character OF the dlst'n-
ouished statesman who announced II, We as e
persuaded that il was conceived III a spir' o.
Cancellation and intended to lead to an accom-
,nodation of all differences between the Onlted
States and Great Britain. Ills death dlsap-
nointet that hope, and the act has since pc
come subseryienr to other purposes. 1t has
been made by his successors pretext FOR that
vast system Of usurpation, which has soiong
oppressed and harrassed our commerce
The next actofthe British government which
claims our attention is the order OF councli OF
January 7, 1907, by which neutral powers are
prohibited trading from one port TO another OF
France or her allies, or any other country
with which Great Britain might not freely
trade. By this order the pretentlon OF Eng
land. heretofore claimed by every other pow
er, to prohibit neutrals disposing OF parts OF
their cargoes at different ports OF the same
enemv, is revived and with vast accumulation
ofiniury. Every enemy, however great the
number or distant from each other, is consl-
dered one, and the like trade even with pow
ers at peace with England, who from motives
of policy had excluded or restrained her COM
merce, was also prohibited. In this act the
British government evidently dlsciaimed all
regard for neutral rights. Aware that the
measures authorised by 1t could mud no pre-
text in any belligerent right, none was urged.
To prohibit the sale four produce, consisting
of innocent articles at any port OF the oeiIige-
rent, not blockaded, to consider every bell-
eerent as one, and subject neutrals, to the
same restraints with all, as 1t there was but
one, were bold Entertainments. But to re-
strain or in any manner interfere with our
commerce with neutral nations with whom u.
Britain was at peace, and against whom she
had no iustiGable cause OF war, tor the sole
reason, that they restrained or excluded from
their ports her commerce, was utterly incom-
pstible with the pacific relations subslstlng be-
tween the two countries.
We proceed to bring into view the British
Order in Council of November 18th 8O7,
which superseded every other order, and con-
sumnated that system OF hostility on the com
nerce of the United States which has beef
since so steadily pursued BY this order all
France and her allies and every other country
at war with Great Britain, or with which she
was not at war, from which the British flag
was excluded and all the colonies OF her enc
mics, were subjected to the same restrictions
as if they were actually blockaded in the most
strict and rigorous manner, and all trade III
articles the produce and manufacture OF the
said countries and colonies and the vessels en-
gagged in it were subjected to capture and
condemnation as lawful prize. 10 this order
certain exceptions were made which we Tor
bear to notice, because they were not adopted
from regard to neutral rights, but were dc
tated by policy to promote the commerce Of
ENGLAND, and SO far as they related to neutral
powers, were said to emanate from the Gle
,nency Of the British government
It would be superhu0us in your committee
to state, that by this order the British govern
ment declared direct and positive war against
the Z States The dominion OF the ocean
was completely usurped by it, all commerce
forbidden and every flag driven from 1t or
subjected to capture ana condemnation, which
did not subserve the policy OF the British GO
vernment by paying it tribute and sailing
under it's sanction. From this period the u.
States have incurred the heaviest losses ard
most Notifying humiliations. They have
borne the calamities Of war without retortlng
them on its authors.
So far your committee has presented to the
view of the house the aggressions which have
been committed under the authority OF the
British government OH the commerce OF the
the T. States. We will now proceed to other
wrongs which have been still more severely
telt. Among these is the impressment of oar
seamen, a practice which has been unceaslns-
" maintained by G. Britain in the wars to
which she has been a party since our revolu-
ton. Your committee cannot convey in adj
equate terms the deep sense which they en-
terrain Of the injustice and oppression Of this
proceeding. Under the pretext Of impress
sing British seamen, our fellow citizens are