Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-07-22
eerent, bu, pledged the faith Of the le,

pledge y to beCome tho ehS.S
one which should persist IN inJusnce' d.
ter the other should have returned tron
the eyi, of her ways. II either sh'uio
reose from the violation Of our Deu,'a
rights, aad on three msnths nouce
the fact, ter rival enemy should rsius,
70 initiate the proise- worthy example
than bv AN introduction of all trade win
her ports. or in her productions, the 90
s,;oate foe VS. 40 DC punisted This
law afforded tit opportunity tor FRENCH
Juggling. The famous letter OF the Sun
Of August 1910, Of the duke oil Cadorc'
o,rporied TO be founded on 1t. his let
ter announced e revocation OF the Berlin
and Milan decrees, which were to cease
70 have effect on the LIST OF November
following, upon one or the other OF Two
conditions, renuncia,ion by Britain OF
her ma itlme doctrines, her principles
of blockade;" or an enfo cement by Anne
RIGA against Britain Of the Introduction OF
intercourse.
This equiuocal promise was pronounc.
ed by our executive an actual refeaI OF
the obnoxious DEGREES; and Britain was
demanded, upon the fact of such repeal,
to comply with her engagement, to re-
woke her orders alledged to be retaiato-
nv. This demand was resisted upon
the ground, that the letter, instead OF re-
peaIing, re.afiirmed the DEGREES, the sole
objects of which were to compel bri-
tain to renounce her maritime rights, or
neutral nations to withhold communion
from her. Facts were asserted, and
brought forth on each side in support OF
the respective constructions given to
this delphic letter. At this time, and
during this conflict OF exposltiens IN the
interpretation of the French Puzzle-a
conflict which, had it not been followed
by consequences the most serlous,would
have been indeed iudicrous-let US sup.
pose that the repeating decree OF April
%, 1911, had made its appearance, as oy
it. date it ought to have done II must
have entirely changed the state OF at
fairs. 1t must have silenced the contro-
versy as to the construction OF the ipta-
nous Galore letter, while it established
what was then he fact. 1t must have
forever severed The fatal alliance which
the Pre- sident's proclamation had made
between the law Of May, 1910, and this
pretended repeal Of the DEGREES on the
Sd of November. And, sir, whether II
had been followed by a corresponding re-
vocation Of the British orders or not, l;
would in all human probability, have pre-
vented this calaniitous war. Would II
have been followed by corresponding
revocation of the British orders 1t IS
not given to man TO pronounce With GER
tain,y upon any event which has not nap
pened; but if il be possible to arrive az
truth, bv inferring from what did take
place, what would have taken place bad
the same Causes been brought INTO ear.
ller opera:!on there is no reason 70 d"''ol
but that such a revocation would then
have followed This decree OF the 28th IT
April, 1911, however insulting to the
American government IN giving 1t the
lie in the face of the world, & however lii
other respects, the detestabe reverse OF
what ought to have been desired, Was
formal and absolute abroga,ion OF the
obnoxious edcts, as regarded the Unlt-
ed States. Under the hand ct the en-
peror, and with all the solemnitles OF d
fundamental law of his empire, 1t an
nouncd, " the DEGREES of Berlin * Mi
Ian are dsfnifiueiv, and to date from the
lst day Of November last, considered as
not having existed in regard to Ameri-
Can vessels" Could there be any mo-
tive of interest, any suggestion OF pride,
to prevent Great Britain from thereupon
declaring, that as these DEGREES were de-
initively Withdrawn from American ves-
sells, so also were her orders in council?
So far from it, every inducement must
have operated with her to adopt this
course. She would find IN the edict OF
the 2Sth of April, complete victory
over the American government as to
controversy, whether France had there
to!ors repealed these DEGREES. ltwould
have afforded to her one of the most de-
sirable opportunities to contrast her
good faith with French perfdy. If she
regarded her honor, it would have urged
to the measure-If she valued american
Tadc, she would not fail to embrace
the certain means of restoration-lf she
cared for the Friendship of America, she
had it completely in her power to dis
solve the bands which tied her to France.
The president was bound BY the act Of
March. 1871, on which the French de-
cree of the 2sth April, protested to be
founded, to restore intercourse with Bri-
tain on the revocation of her orders, and
nc man was ignorant, much less the Bri-
,ish court, that a restoration of that in
,ercour,e must and would have been
followed by the resentment OF the tyrant
of France. And do we not know, that
as soon as this decree was made known
~ the Pri,iSh government IF did occa.