Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-01-09


TIE French'dccrees has beer productive of any
beneficial effect, it is this-that it has been
clearly asccrtained that the ostensi5lc reasons
for the continuance of the orders in council arc
not ke real reasons, = fact which enlightened
men never doubtcd.> But Us the mass of mar.
kind are not enlightened, it was, perhaps, ne
cessar.'. to b-,ng.tle point out distinctly to the
view of the most common capacity; so that, in
the cvert oC var, the Amer lean people might be
unanimous in their excrtioHs for the n,ainte-
nance OF their rights and this, in truth, forms
the only plausible apology for dir government
for s,Hrrn,g itself to discuss with IA English
minister question between the United States
and France, Of (Which TIC American Executive
was the sole .,adgc. =. -
Mr.. Aonroe ansged this part of the cores
pontience with no mean skill !; for he brought
Mr. Foster TO confess, by palpablc implication,
that it nat The anti-ne,Itral operation of the
edicts that Great Britain Vas DESTROYS should
cease; bnt that it was the b2aring which the
French DEGREES had upon the introduction of
British produce and manufactures to the ports
OF the Continent OF Europe, thai she wished
might he suspended In this lies :he pith ofthe
diplomatic CONSIST relative to the orders in
council, between Mr. Monroe and Mr. Foster
All the rest is mere addition or surplussre
Mr. Foster lahore to establish that all the nrov-
sions Of Napo,con's sdcts are an ine,ivin5i- air
ofpolicy Mr Monroe dcsignstes them as hart
~ ,naniei9di. and party Infringing The lasp Of
nat;ors, very justly cOntentling that i'll their lat
ter character, they have been rescintled. At
this stage Of the discussion the diplomatic
thrusts on either side are more brisk and vieo-
rous than n any other; and Mr. Foster very art
fu'ty eHtieavors to represent the American Sec
rotary ~ state as identifying our side of the ar
grment with the arguments OF the French go-
vernme1t, and to enforce the belief that.
althonrh France had seized orr property and
sold it cor her own Immediate benefit, our Ex-
ecutive was, nevertheless, unfolding the doc
trines under colour Of which France had COM
mitted such outraSes. The tenor and scope of
of Mr.. Monroe's reply, howevcr, shews Mr. Fos-
ter's reasoning to he sophistica! and demon
strates that the only crime OF the United States
vas, that they would not confounC. their own
fGrticRldy rights which France had violated,
with those general rights, which she had also vi.
olated, and which were referable for protection
to The law of nations. OF the invasion of orr
general rights, under national law, as long as
we permitted it to the detriment of Great Bri
tain, the latter was authorised TO complain; but
when VIC procured the cessation of the Invasion
OF those general rights, the cause OF complain,
also ceased for Great Britain Cannot iustifab!y
pretend 20 set herself up as complainant much
less rs dictator in relation to the particular
rights of tae United States. II she could. she
would DC the sovereign, and prescribe the rule
of orr conduct.
That France should exclude, in The mass, all
British productions from the ports over which
ahe has control, is, no doubt, with Great Bri-
tain, good ground for hStred and 70; aliaton on
France; and where Napoleon makes il the
Point ef-ionor to exclude them, George tho third
or the Prince Regent may equally make it the
point q honor 70 insist upon their admittance
Eut, then, tAe question is altogether k-tsyesn
France and England The admittance mast be
ATTAINED by British means. The United States
hnry. al, 4 -.
tam whininTly represents that Bonaparte de-
prives her Of the trade of continental Europe,
she complains of her own folly; for what has
enabled Napoleon to do so, but the silly policy
Of Great Britain herself? If one were 10 listen
with credulity to Mr.. Foster, he would believe
that the United States were bound to retrieve
he disasters which English follies have produ-
ced!
Indeed one cannot help smiling at the chill
dish declaration of Mr. Foster in his letter of
the 26Sh OF July to Mr.. Monroe, when lie saws,
" Great Britain does contend against the system
- OF terror put in practice by France, by which,
"us~yfing authority wherever her arms or the
" the hniidity cfndtiOrS gOW enable her to extend
Z" her Influence, she makes it a crime to neutral
" countries as well as to individuals, that they
should possess articles, however acquired
Switch may have been once the produce of
" English industry, Or Of the British saiE''s
What is this, in effect, but m acknowledgement
OF the superior power of her cnemyl What is it.
Oh the part of the British minister, but misc.
rable l:mentation over the triumphs Of the
French arms The usarped authority of France
as Mr.. Foster terms it, is nothing more than
what he confesscs in the same breath )ycon-
quest, and the influence resulting from CON
quest, have put it in tic power OF Napoleon to
exercise. And IS this not the nvariabe result
ct war When the British have CONQUERED a
French island, do they not exclude ncutrals
from il, or admit them under such municipal
regulations 80 hey choose to enforce And who
has ever thought Of complaint on that score
To complain, then, Of this usurpcd authority. *
to complain OF the effects of the war in which
Great Britain is engaged. A nation that enga.
sts ~ hostiiities necessarily subjects herself to
all the evils which they produce. The state
that commits the decision Of is cause ta the
sword, commits ito sharp weapon and should
be prepared for suffering and calamity. Is it
not, therefore, rucrie, Is L not ridiculous, for
al English minister TO set up a doleful lsmenta-
ton At the exercise by France OF an authority
which the fortune Of war has sanctioned ,
hut, mark the singular logic Of Mr.. Foster
'fhc emperor Of France has no right TO inter
dict tie admission Of English produce and man
ufactures into the ports Of Europe err, the Bri.
tis' have right TO interrupt; the neutral trade
OF the United States Mr. Foster might as well
have said, Ny country is no match for its enc
my, Franc, but it is match for the United
States, and as Great Britain cannSt beat tho one
she will rob the other !" This is the plain Eng.
lish OF il. No other solution can be found in
the whole correspondence And really, when
look at the current of Mr. Fosters sophistry
with calm consideration, | think there is rs
much room for pig as for contempt A cause
which sustans itself uron so Slender basis,
must finally be driven for protection under the
arm Of naked force.
IN. Occasional Uriter.