Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-06-15

cabinet employed itself in labored essays
10 persuade Great Britain, that the pre-.
tended repeal was real and absolute
until they terminated the discussions By
a declaration Of war.
1t is now sufficiently apparent that il
the DEGREES had been effectualiy resist
ed, the orders in council would not have
been issued--for as soon as the real re-
peal was produced. Great Britain anuul-
led her orders according to her uniform
engagement. Unfortunately, however,
the country was plunged into the war,
before the revocation could be known
here.
The declaration Of the Frencheminis.
ter, that the DEGREES of April 1911, was
communicated to our cabinet; was true,
or il was not. If il was not true, why
have not the administrator Indignantly
denied the fact, and taken such posi-.
ton in relation to that per6dlous power
as the occasion required ? If it was trde,
and the war has been produced by the
concealment, will not all the Hood that
has been or may be shed in carrying it
on, be required at the hands Of its au.
*thors!
!, II upon the discovery Of the per6dy
of the French government, thepresldcnt
had revoked his proclamation, we agree
With your excellency "that the hume.
roas svils that have followed from that
unfortunate measure might have been
prevented"
And considering the restrictions which
the European powers, in time Of peace,
usually impose on trade with their colo.
nies--ws perfectly agree with your ex-
cellency, " that is probable that if our
government had maintained system of
impartial neutrality and had imposed no
restrictions on trade, that notwithstand-
ing those DEGREES and orders we might,
by reason Of our neutral character, have
enjoyed commerce more lucrative for
the last seven years than would have fal-
len to our share had the whole world
been at peace"
The orders in council having been
thus removed, the only remaining ailedg-
ed cause of war was the right which G
Britain claimed to take her own seamcn
from our merchant ships.
That cause alone was not considered
as sufficient objection to the arrange
ment vino was made with Mr. ErskDe,
and little doubt can be entertained. that
another arrangement equally advantage
Gus to the United Ststes might Gave been
made and the var instantly brought to a
close. As imprcssments bad been con
tinaaIly diminishing, ii is not easy TO per-
ceite why the necessity Of war for that
cause should have increased.
Bes'des, the people had expressed
great satisfaction with that arrangement,
and would undoubtedly have rejoiced,
had similar course been pursued
BY this we do not mean that the man
ner should have been exactly followed,
for we should exceedingly regret that
any offensive terms should have been a.
gain introduced, having direct tenden.
cy to defeat the negotiation.
The people fortunately understand the
subject of irnprsssment much better than
formerly, and it will be difficult to per.
suada them that they are to be bene6tted
by the employment and protection Of TO-
reign seamen.
The result of the late investigation
upon this subject in this commonwealth,
abunsantly proves that the risque of i'm.
pressnent Of native American seamen is
so small, that it scarcely excites their at.
tention or regard. Indeed it must be
considered as singular Circumstance,
that our western brethren should express
and seem to feel 20 much more sympa.
thy for the wrongs suffered by the sea.
men than the ssameu do for themselves.
1t ought to be recollected that the evil
dence on that examination, was taken
under oath, from merchants Of this state
who had employed ,hs greatest number
OF seamen, in voyages to ell parts of the
world and it is much to be desired that
such further investigation will be had in
other commercial states as will present
the whole truth upon this very interest
ing subject.
We concur with your Excellency in
the belief, that. British scamen have
been patronized at the expense of our
own, and tina, if G. Britain should con.
sent to relinquish the right of taking her
own subjects it would be Of no advan.
tage to osr native seamsn, it would tend
only to reduce their wages by increasing
the number of that class of men"
We believe there never was subject
more grossly misrepresented, both as to
the cause and effect, than this Of i'm.
pressment.
Give our gallant seamen ships end
employment, and they will not call upon
the landsmen for protection or for bread.
Your ExceIlency very Justly observes
that " the natisnal constitution vas form.
ed and adopted for our own defence, and