Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-02-24

Defvered in the II. Of Refrese"'3'''''
January S,
ovTHE NEW ARM DILL.
n mi, .tate the executive power OF
this nation formally pas, into ne" aa'us,
but substantially remained under the u'a
nripciples of aston, and subject 10 tA'
former influences. 1t was desirable ina,
a fund of popularity should be acquired
for the new administration. According
" an arrangement was made with Mr.
Er.kine, and no questions asked con-
corning the adequacy of his powers
But lest this circumstance should not
defeat the proposed arrangements
clause was inserted in the correspond
ence, containing an insult to the British
government, offered in the face OF the
world, such as no man ever gave TO
private Individual whom he did not mean
to offend. The president of the United
States said, in so many words, to the
person at the head of that government
that he did not understand what belong.
ed to his own honor, as we'll as it was un-
ders,ood by the president himself. The
effect of such language was natural, II
was necessary; it could not but render
the British government averse to sane
ton Erskine's arrangement. The erect
was anticipated by Mr.. Robert Senlth'
then acting as secretary of state. He
objected to its being inserted, but It was
done in the presidents own hand writ
ing. AS Mr.. Erskine's authorlt! Was
denied By the British government, 1t IS
we'll known that, in fact, on the point OF
this indignity the fate Of that arrange"
ment turned. Can any one doubt that
our cabinet meant that it should have
this effect? 1 send you word, Mr. Speak
er, q" that have agreed with yeur mes.
senger, and wish you to ratify it. l
think you, however, no gentleman, not
withstanding, and that you do not un-
dcrs,and, as we'll as /, what is due to
your own honor "-Wha think you, sir?
Would you ratify such an arrangement,
if you could help it Does prefer Of
settlement, connected with such Ian
cuage, look like disposition or an in-
tention to conciIiatc appeal to the
common sense of mankind, on the point.
The whole state of the relations, in
duced between this country and Great
Britain in consequence Of our embargo
and restrictive systems, was, in fact, a
standing appeal to the fears of the Bril-
fish cabinet. For Notwithstanding those
systems were equal in their terms, so
far a. they affected foreign powers; yet
their o2e, alton was notoriously, almost
wholly upon Great Britain. TO yield
to that pressure, or do any thing which
should foster in this country the idea
that it was an effectuai weapon of hos
tility, was nothing more than conceding
that she was dependant upon US. A
concession, which when once made by
her, was certain to encourage resort
to it BY us on every occasion of Difficult.
ty between the two nations. Reasoning,
therefore, upon the known nature OF
things, and the plain interests Of Great
Britain, it was foretold, that during its
continuance she would conccde nothing.
And the event has justified those pre-
dictions. But the Circumstance the
most striking. and that furnishing the
most conclusive evidence OF the indis-
position of the American cabinet to
peace, and their desermin alton to carry
on the war, is that connected with the
pretended repeal o(the French DEGREES
in November 1910, and the consequent
revival in 1871, Of our restrictive sys-
tenn against Great Britain.
If fever body of men were pledged
to any thing, the American cabinet, its
friends and supp tiers, were pledged
10: the truth of this fact, that the French
DEGREES of Berlin and Milan were d~i-
| nitivcly repealed as It respects the D.
/ nited States, on the first OF Novemb r
1910. Ifevar any body of men staket!
their whole stock of reputation upon any
| point, our cabinet did it on this. They
and their par,izans asserted and raved.
| They denounced every man as British
nartizan who denied it. They declared
the restrictive system was revived, BY
the mere effect of the proclamation
But lest the courts Of iaw should not be
as sabservient to their policy as mis 1t
be wished, they passed the law of the
| Cd March 1911; upon the basis of this
repeal, and of its being de6nltive. The
British government refused, however,
TO recognize the validity of this repeal,
and denied tho. the Berlin and Milan
DEGREES were repealed on the lst No.
vember 1910. q. our cabinet asserted
| Thus, then, stood the argument between
the British ministry and our cabinet.
The British ministry admitted, that if
The Berlin and Milan DEGREES were re-
oealed on the lst November 1910, they
| we're bound to revoke their orders In
| council Rut they denied that reDeal to