Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-05-11

I can form but enc conclusions, and that IS that
you are6etyayed; that your best interests are
sacrificed, and your safety, liberty and inde-
penslence hazarded to enable the French en-
peror 70 extend his conquests, and finally to
destroy the only hoaoer Jet unsubdued.
| have already remarked, that where pro-
misses or eompacts are mutual, where some
thing is to be performed on one side as we'll
as on the other, it one party fails in the per-
Torrance, the other is discharged. Now if
the French Emperor's Berlin and Milan de-
crees, which so atrociously violated our rights
as a neutral nation, were not revoked, then
the United States, were not bound to revive
and enforce the non-importation law against
Great Britain. But those DEGREES were not
revoked on the lst Of November 1910, nor
have they been since revoked. On the con-
trary, the emperor has repeatedly declared
them to be fundamental laws of his empire
Nor has he SO modified them that they cease
to violate our neutral rights. Many of our
vessels have been captured and condemned
which were firmly engaged in the commerce
which no ether laws prohibited and their
conde nnation proves those DEGREES to be still
in force. But of what avail is it, if those de-
crees were repealed The neutral rights and
the interests of the United States, require that
our commerce should be perfectly free with
all nations which are wiling to admit our YES
sells into their ports, whether they be neutrals
or the enemies of France. Notwithstanding
which, the armed vessels Of the emperor take,
burn, sink, destroy all our vessels destined to
Spain and Portugal, s their dominions, which
lie has treacherously invaded and endeavored
to subdue. Bat he has not stopped here
In the Baltic sea, French armed vessels make
prizes OF al the American vessels they can
find, although bound to Sweden and Russia,
nations at peace with France their papers
arc sent to Paris, and all are indiscriminateIy
condemned; his imperial majesty himself fire.
quently sitting and passing the Ubiquitous SEN
fences and condemnation. The President and
Congress know all this for the facts are pub
lished in the newspapers, and admit OF no
doubt yet are they driving the u States in
to war with G. Britain, for such is the avow-
ed object OF all their war preparations,) under
the pretence of performing it's unfounded
compact with faithiess tyrant -
repeat, that even 1.-THE Berlin and Milan
DEGREES had been explicitly and formally re-
voked, the pretended "compact" would not
be binding on the United States seeing the
French Emperor thus causes our vessels and
their cargoes to be captured and condemned,
or burnt, sunk and destroyed at sea, in viola
ton of our neutral rights setting at defiance
his own treaty with The United States as well
is the law of nations. And yet this perGdious
monster our government seem anxious to
conciiate, to gain his good will ! to perform
a compact which was without confederation,
and which if it had been founded, he has vio-
lated and continues most grossly to violate OH
his part
am lost in establishment at this state Of
things! Upon any fair and honorable princi-
pie, it is utterly incomprehensible,-
Hume, in bis History of England vol. viii.
says, +" An important project was formed, not
the city London, bat by that example to gain
him the ascendant in all the corporations of
England, and thereby .giOe the greatest zvound
to the legal constitution, Vhtch the NEST fo7v-
ertul ar most arbitrary monarchs had never
yet been able 10 mfict. All the royalsts, tho
Enplishmen, and even, to a certain degree.
lovers of liberty, were yet induced, from en-
nity to the Opposite faction, and from the de-
sire Of SUPERIORITY, to concur in this violent
measure."-
Will this fact from Hume aid US in attempt
ing to account for the conduct Of some no.
norsble gentlemen at Washington
TIMOTHY PICKERING.
april l5th, 1912.
ELEGANT EXTRACTS"