Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-04-26

the most impOFtahpo' SiS."s, 81
therefore look rather TO the later stages
nc ,he discussions. In showing the ne.
eessity of the stand government nad
made, he felt confident, that tnose "no
had recommended negotiation WITH a.
merica, if they found that she naa pre-
sumed upon mere supposed opinions III
her favor, would be among the most ior-
ward to resist her, and to maintain the
rights and interests ofthis country. a
merica might soon see, that. anxious 20
be her friend, we were equally oe'er'
mined not to SURRENDER what was essen
t;al TO our interests. He lamented, that
in the communication of the President
to Congress-, and the report OF the MI
mister Of Foreign Relations,' almost G,
very ancient subject Of grievance tha
settled by amicable treaty, and even oy
explanation and atonement III some ca
se:, had been brought forward the ten
dency of which was to protract every
reasonable hope OF peace, by inhamihg
the hubble feeling. This certainly was
not the temper III witch America should
have proposed. an, armistlce. Inc
main points in the American deeiara-
ton were what concerned illegal block
AIDES as they. called it, aud the I'M
,prsssment of seamen, subjects OF his
Majesty, from American merchant SHIPS
The blockades might be SAID 10 nave
been taken out of,the argument. bv the
,proposaI of an armis'ice; but theiprlnei-
ples were oontended for, 50 as to leave
no clear read for future settlement
| Mr.. Russell, though he did not claim
any D, eliminary admission, yet required
an indemnify FROM us for all captures
under the orders in council, as the ct
feet OF illegal blockades, * seemed par
tieularly to sllude to that ct lSoe'-A-
merca might have given up this point
afterwards, but she lad net ahown any
disposition TO be satisfied with our tor
|. bearance, but had laid in her claim tor
indie unity. and for our abandoning our
rights at future period. The differ
ences of opinion here on the orders IN
council, arose rather upon commercials
expcdiency, than on the rights OF this
country to throw back on the enemy ths
effects of his own injustice. lie would
wave that SUBJECT at present but must
say, that no relaxation OF these osde's
proceeded from any disposition to suffer
our rights to be shaken. Government
was always anxious SO TO modify the sys'
TEN, as to accommodate and concIllate
neutrals as much as possible, and to en-
bark America, if it esold, In proper
feeling of the conduct Of France. Un-
der all forms we distinctly maintained &
preserved our rights He should ever
defend the justice and necessity OK the
orders in council, both as against France,
and in the contemplation of sound poll.
ey for the interests of tho British en-
pire. The absence Of tue American
market might njure trade in some pla-
ces but without the orders, France
would have been commercially triumph
ant on tho continent. He was an adml-
| rsr of the system, in the spirit in which
| it was conceived by the late Mr.. Percl-
val. 1t was moGifed in 1909 as narrow
ly as possible, and subsequently, after
| the duke of Bassano's declaration. New
efforts had been made respecting the II.
cense system with similar views. In
| fact, we had always relaxed cur conduct,
when doing so was not subyersivs ofthe
| plan for coercing France to give up Ter
system. As 10 the blockade OF 1906, 1t
| remained, for three years uneomplained
of; even the American minister In Lon
| don praised the policy Of the government
who declared it. Its justice had been
since constantly maintained by succeed
ing administrations. 1t was supported
by an adequate force, according to the
ordinary laws Of nations, and rested OIL
the ttuest principles Of maritime law
1t was due to Mr.. FcA, who was then
secretary for foreign affairs, to say, that
lie did not notify the blockade till he
had written to the admiralty to krov
whether they could undertake strictly
and properly to enforce it. The eharae-
ter ofthe country in that blockade stood
on grounds which neither France nor
America could shake: The next great
point made by the American govern.
ment was on a subject which we consi.
| dered to be one Of the main pillars OF
our maritime strength,-the right ofim-
pressment. In the different overtures
which the American government had
made upon this point, he thought the
house would not see any material differ
ence. Ii would not be uninportant,
however, to observe the comparative de-
gree of interest which had been set for
ward in so prominent manner. He
could not avoid acknowledging, that the
subjects of America, and the other neu
trail nations, must have incidentally sut-
fered by the exercise Of the rights of the
belligerent powers. 1t was natural for