Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-06-19
Office Of National Mteligeneer,
q o'ciock, p. NJ June l8,1SI2.

10
4o'ciock, p. M June l8, 1912.
The injunction of secrecy was about an
hour ago removed from the following Mes.
sage and Act. The report or manifesto which
preceded the act is too long for present pub.
Iication.
Senate and House Of Representatives Of the
United STATES.
communicate to Congress certain docu.
ments, being a continuation Of those hereto.
fore laid before them, on the subject of our
affairs with Great-Brtain.
Without going back beyond the renewalin
1908 of The war in which G. Britain is engas.
ed and emitting unrepaired wrongs of infer.
or magnitude, the conduct of her government
presents series of acts hostile to the q. S. as
an independent and neutral patton.
British cruisers have been il the continued
practice Of violating the American flag on the
great highway of nations, and of seizing and
carrying of persons sailing under it; not in
the exercise OF a belligerent right founded on
the law OF nations against an enemy, but OF
pal prerogatlve over British subjects.
British jurisdiction Is thus extended TO neu-
trail vessels in a situation where no laws Can
operate but the law of nations and the laws Of
the country to which the vessels belong and
self-redrcss is assumed, which, if British
subjects were wrongfully detained and alone
concerned, is that substitution of force for
resort to the responsible sovereign, which falls
within the definition OF war. Could the sci.
cure of British subjects, in such cases, be 10
garded as within the exercise Of belligerent
right, the acknowledged laws of war, which
forbid an article OF captured property to be ad.
Judged, without regular investigation before
a competent tribunal, would imperiously de.
nand the fair est trial where the sacred rights
of persons were at issue. In place of such
trial, these rights are subjected to the will OF
every petty commander.
The practice, hence, is so far from affect.
ing British subjects alone, that under the pre-.
text Of searching for these, thousands OF A.
lnerican citizens, under the safeguard OF pub.
lie law, and of their national flag, have beea
torn from their country and from every thing
dear to them have been dragged on board
ships of war Of foreign nation, and exposed
under the seventies of their discipline, 10 be
exiled to the most distant and deadly climes,
to risk their lives in the battles of their op.
pressors and to be the melancholy lnStru.
ments of taking away those Of their own bre'
thren
Against this crying enorrnity, which q. Bril-
tain would be SO prompt to avenge If commit"
ted against herself the u. States have III
vaiA exhausted renonstrances and eXpostu.
lations And that no proof might be wanting
oftheir concilatory dispositions, and no pre-.
I T. E tha
British government was formally assured ct
the readiness Of the y. States to enter into
arrangements, such as could not be rejected,
if the recovery of British subjects were the
real and the sole object. The communities ton
passed without effect.
British cruizers have been in the practice
also of violating the rights and the peace OF
our coasts. They hover over and harrass
our entering and departing commerce. 10
the most insulting pretenslons they have adj
ded the most lawless proceedings in our We.
ry harbors; and have waptonly split Amer
can blood within the sanctuary of our terrific
rial jurisdictions The principles and rules
enforced by that nation, when neutral nation,
against armed vessels of beligerents lowering
near her coasts, and disturbing her commerce,
are well known. When called on neverhe-
less, by the u. States to puaish tie greater
offences committed by her OWL vessels, htf
government has bestowed On their command
ers additional marks Of honor and confidence,
Under pretended blockadeS, without tHe
presence Of an adequate force, and sometimes
without the practcability of applying one, ous
commerce has been pIundereJ in cyerysea