Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-07-25
DECLARATION.

DECLARAI1CN.
e The Government OF France, having by az
Official Report, Communicated by It's Ministei
for Foreign Affairs to the Conservative Sc
nate on the 10th day OF March last, removed
all doubts as to the perseverance OF that go,
vernment in the assertion of principles, and IL
the maintenance of g system, not more hostil"
to the maritime rights and commercial inter
ests of the British empire, than lpcnpSlstent
with the rights and independence OF Neutral
nations and having thereby plainly developed
the inordinate pretensions, which that system
as promulgated in the Decree OF Berlin and
Milan, was from the first designed TO enforce ;
his ROYAL Highness the Prince Regent, acting
in the name, and on the behalf OF his Majesty,
deems it proper, upon this formal and anthem
tic republication of the principles OF those de-
crees, thus publicly to declare his Royal
Highness's determination still hrmly to resist
the introduction and establishment OF this ar
bitrary code, which the government Of France
openly avows its purpose to impose by force
upon the world, as the law OF nations.
"From the time that the progressive inluS-
tiee and violence OF the French government,
made it impossible for his Majesty any longer
TO restrain the exercise Of the rights Of war
within their ordinary limits, without subnait-
ting to consequences not less rulnous to the
commerce of his dominions, than derogatory
10 the rights of the crown, his Majesty has
endeavored by restricted and moderate use
of those rights of retaliation, which the ber-
lin and Milan DEGREES, necessarily called INTO
action, TO reconcile Neutral States TO those
measures, which the conduct OF the enemy
had rendered unavoidable: and which bis
Maies'y has at all times protested his readi-
ness 10 revoke, so soon as the DEGREES OF the
enemy, which gave occasion TO them, should
be formally and Internationally repealed, and
the Commerce of Neutral Nations be restored
TO its accustomed course
"At subsequent period of the war, his
Majesty, avai!ng himself Of the then situation
Of Europe, without abandoning the principle
and object of the Order in Council OF Novem-
Der 1907, was induced SO to limit their opera
ton, as materially to all viate the restrictions
thereby imposed upon neutral commerce -
The Order in Council Of April 1909, was
substituted in the room OF those OF November
1907, and the retaliatory system of Great Brl
tain acted no longer on every country III which
IN force. but was confined in its operation to
France, and to the countries upon which the
French yoke was most strictly imposed; and
which had become virtually pare of the do
minions of France
I" The United States of America remained
nevertheless dissatisfied and their diss2tls-
faction has been greatly Increased by an artl
fee too successfully employed on the part OF
the enemy, who has pretended that the DEGREES
of Berlin and Milan were repealed, although
the decree effectng such repeal has never
been promulgated; although the notification
of such pretended repeal distinctly described
ii to be dependent on conditions, in which the
enemy knew Great Britain could never &C
quiesce ana although abundant evidence mas
since appeared Of their subsequent execution
"But the enemy has at length land aside
all Discrimination; he now publicly and solemn
" declares not only that those DEGREES still
continue in force, but that they shall be rigid
" executed until Great Britain shall comply
with additional conditions, equally eXtrava'
rant and he further announces the penalties
# those DEGREES to be in full force against
oil nations. which shall suffer their flag to be
&c i Is termed in this new code, "denatlon'
allied"
F" In addition to the disavowal OF the block
ade Of Nav 1906, and of the principles or
,rb;cb that blockade was established, and IL
addition @ to the repeal of the British orders il
council-he demands an admission ofthe prin
ciples, that the goods Of an enemy, carried un
der neutral flag, shall be treated as neutral
that neutral property under the flag OF an e
| nemy shall be treated as hostile that arm:
and warlike stores alone TO the exclusion o
ship timber and other articles of naval equip
ment) shall be regarded as contraband of war
! and that no ports shall be considered as law
| fully blockaded, except such as are invested
and besieged in the presumption of their be
ing taken en- prevention d'etre prls'j and il
to which merchant ship cannot enter with
| out danger"
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