The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-07-26
MONDAY, JULY 26, 1918.

lishea non-importation act against Eng
land. 1fthis proposition be true, all doubt
is at an end. For folly or prejudice itself
cannot believe, that those vessels we're
seized and held nearly year under dc.
crees which were not in existence. They
cannot believe that the courts of France
could act upon and enforce laws which a
year Ecfoic had been repealed and extin-
guished by the government. will read TO
the house one case, selected as fair spe.
clmen OF numerous others. 1t is the case
OF The New Orleans packet, detailed in a
letter from MIR. Russell TO the secretary of
state, dated the 9th of June, 1871. That
vessel arrived in France oa the SD of Dec.
more than month after the proclamation
'ol tho president had been issued. MIR.
Russrl states, that 4" on the 5th of Decem-
Der, the director Of the customs at Bor-
deaux seized her and her cargo under the
Milan deCrecs Of the Esd OF November and
l7th OF December 1907, expressly set,
Eforttb Tor having come from an English
port, and tor having been visited by an Eng
ilsh vessel oil war" The proclamation OF
the president arrived in France, and was
received by Mr. Russell, on the 18th of
the same month. He had OH the 10th pre-
sentcd rcmonstrancc against the proceed
ing and kept back the proclamation. For
what purpose did he thus act? To test
the question:, he says, whether the French
DEGREES were III truth revoked. 10 have
used the proclamation, he says " would be
nothing better than absurdity and basely
employing the declaration OF the president,
that the Berlin and Milan DEGREES had
been revoked as the means of btainine
their revocation" He therefore kent IL
back to ascertain whether The American
government had been shuffi ed into the lead
where national honor and the law required
1t to follow" He did keep back the pro-
clamation and the question was decided
bis remonstrance was disrerarded. For
he says, that the flroces per5al issued If
ter his rcmonstrance was presented, ex-
pressiy declares. that the copfscatien nj
this property was to be pursued before the
imperial council Of prizes at Paris, accord.
ing to the DEGREES of the Esd of Nov. and
the 18th SCI Dec. 1907, or in other words
the DEGREES Of Milan"
Ills remonstrances having effected moth.
ing, Mr.. Russell did proceed, .sabsurdIv
and baseiy," to use the proclamation. He
communicated 1t to the French government
on The Eth of the same month and he
says from this very 18th of Dec call fur
ther proceedings against the New-OrIeans
packet were suspended"
These are the facts, and what is the in
terence oil this honest and independent mi.
mister. 1t appears therefore that the re-
monstrance OF the 10Th December arrested
the proceedings complained of," SC.
Now, sir, 1t appears 10 me, that more
"aFelaced perversion of facts was never at
tempted by any minister. The remon.
STRANGE produced no effect whatever. Tn.
I'll the 18th, when the proclamation was
presented, the vessel" was vigorously pro.
secuted. From that moment al! further
proceedings against the New Orleans pack
ct were suspended" That instrument,
alone arrested the proceedings complain.
ed ot,' not only against the New Orleans
packet, but-a'I other vessels which had been
captured alter the first of Nov. This is
demonstrated by an order issued by the
French government to the president of the
council OF Prizes, on the 25th Of December
| exactly eight days after the proclamation
had been communicated by Mr. Russell
suHer me to read an extrac. from that mr.
der
"ln consequence Of this engagement en-
tered into by the government Of the u. S
70 cause Their rights TO he respected, his
majesty orders that all the causes that NAV
be pending In the council Of prizes, of cap
lures OF American vessels, made after Che
st OF Nov. and these that nav in future he
brought before 1t, shall not be Judged ac-
cording TO the principles Of the DEGREES 81
beriin and Aliian--but that they shall re.
main suspended; the vessels captured and
seized to remain only in state of seoucs.
tfatIon, until the ID of Feb. next the peri.
cd at which the Y. s. havini- CnlGllrd liz