Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1813-06-07


restrictions On trade, that no;withstand.
ing those DEGREES and Orders, we
might, by reason of our neutral characs
ter, have enjoyed a commerce more lu-
craliye for the last seven years, than
would have fallen TO our share had the
whole world been at peace.
IL May, 10, the Congress directed
that the Non.lptercourse Act should
cease IS the belligerent which should
first so revoke its edicts as that they
should cease TO violate our neutral COM
merce, and that it should operate on the
other which should neglect so 10 do
within three months ailer the Presi.
si.nt's r.ociamation, declaring the fact
than suCn revocation had taken place.
On the 10th of August following, the
Duke of Galore in letter to our Min.
lister in France, stated that the BerHn
and Milan DEGREES were revoked, and
that afer the first of November then
next, they would cease TO have effect
IL being understood that the English
should revoke thsir Orders in Council,
and renounce their new principles Of
blockade or that the United States
should cause their rights TO be respect
ed This letter was considered by the
President IS an absolute repeal of the
French DEGREES, though it appeared to
many persons a; that time to have been
only provisional repeal, upon condi-
,ions that might never happen, and was
not confirmed by any instrument of
which the courts or people Of France
were Obliged TO take nolice. he Presi.
dent, however, on the Cd Of November,
1910, announced by Proclamation that
the Decress OF Berlin and Milan were
revoked and in March following the
Congress passed Law confirming that
Proclamation, and the revival OF the
Non Intercourse against Great Brit.
ain.
WHEN our Governmest was thus
committed, it was the policy OF the
French Emperor to convince the Brit.
ish nation thai his DEGREES were not re.
voked, and he tooN efectual measures
for tina, purpose. His public ships by
his authority and under his instructions
committed depredations on our COM
merce and burnt Our vessels the
French cruisers and priyateer oap,uied
them and they were condemned In the
French Courts nor has France made
the least PREPARATION for the plumbers.
On the 5 ST of March, 1911, the EN-
peroI declared to his council of Com.
merce that the DEGREES of Berlin and
Milan we're the fundamental laws of his
Empire Many other declarations of
this kind were made by The French
Government, and though our Ministers
demonstrated against them as contain
ing no exception in favor of the United
States, aud requested some authehuc
act OF the French Government TO Just
ify our national measures no satistact-
ion could be obtained 1.-THE President
hadthen revoked his Proclamation, the
numerous evils that have followed from
that unfortunate measure might have
been prevented But as it the French
Emperor was determined TO put our,
Government In the wrong, the duke Of
Bassano IN May, 1912, when it might
be presumed that war between this
country and England would take place,
produced 10 Mr. BARLOW a decree which
bore date The 2Sth of April, 1871, re-
pealing the DEGREES of Beria and Dhilar,
and assigning as the cause of the re-
peal tue act OF Congress OF March, 1911.
lie suppose therefore; that the French
DEGREES were repe aled on the I'd of Mo-
yember, 1910, involves the absnrdity
that the effect took place long before the.
cause
At the same time that the above de-
cree was produced by the French Min.
isler, he informed MIR. Batlow that the
decree had not been published but de-.
clared it had been communicated tc our
former Minister in France, and likewise.
sent to the French Minister here, with or
ders to communicate it to MIR. Monroe
On the correctness of this statement it
may be improper 10 form an opinion I'M
I'll our government explain the transac-
ton. But OF this we may be certain,
that it that decree was made in April,
1871, according to its date, it was con-
cealed for the purpose Of producing
war between this country and Great
Britain for the party who concealed it
we'll knew, that if that decree was known
in England the Orders in Council would
be revoked. If the decree bore false
date, and had not been communicated
10 QUO Ministers, no man either in the