Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-02-15
SPEECH
OF THE
HON. HERMANUs BLEECKER'
Delivered in the H. Of Rehresenfat'ves
January Z,
ON THE NEW ARMY BILL.
SPEECH
CONTINUED.

the question IS not now what Wa
when war was declared. Our relations
with the belligerents have materially and
essentially changed. So much have
they changed, that / declare, without
fear of contradiction, that had they been
on the 18th June last what they now are,
we would NO, have gone to war, hope
no gentleman of this committee Will de.
ny this But if any gentleman should
deny it, the nation will not believe him.
Sir, we hare received new, important
and interesting evidence Of the true state
Of our foreign relations since the decia
ration of war. Facts which were then
unknown, & which have shed Hood OF
light upon the situation and policy OF the
u States, have since been published TO
the world, The repeal OF tie orders IN
council itself, BY removing the principal
cause of the war, bag produced most
material change !; for had they been re-
pealcd before the war was declared,
there would have been no war-and let
it be remembered that they were repeal
ed before the war was kno7rn in England.
But this is not all to which l refer: !
mean TO speak Of the evidence we have
received respecting our relations with
France; and l hope gentlemen will not
be startled or ;ffended by what am a.
bout to cay I declare confidently and
boldly, that Naholeon has inveigled us
into the zyar. He has cajoled and de-
ceived sus. But for bis arts, intrigues
and dupIicity, the U. States would not
now have been at war with Great-Bri-
tain. Yes, sir, he has led US on step by
step, till he brought us to the edge OF
the precipice, and plunged us into the
abyss We have been BUNDLED and
mortified. He has triumphed ever our
character, our honor, our rights, our in
dependence, I do not say these things
hastily, carelcssly or tightly. And l will
add, that after the discovery of the deceit
and duplicity, which the emperor of
France has practised upon us, it became
the duty of this government to 60 back
to the ground it occupied before thePre
sident's proclamation of Nov. 1910, or to
declare immediate war against France.
A proper regard to the honor, the cha
racter and independence of the country,
demanded this of its government.
Sir, the proof of what have said is
plain and it is time that it be stated
here and spread before the nation. |
beg the attention of the committee to
the facts On which it rests need not
20 back farther tt4a,Hto%he law OF May
1910, which provided, tina, the non-in,
tercourHe act Should cease as to that bel
ligeren, which should Il. repeal its de-
crees, violating our neutral rights, and
that it should operate Oh the other which
should fail so tc do within three months
after the presidents proclamation Of the
fact of such repeal This law ond the
conduct of the president under 1t are the
imme Gia+e Cause of the WI, and the
present unhappy sta'c nt tni county,
Onthe SIN Aug, lO,theDuA G de Cadore
wrote his famous letter @ Con. A n.
strong, the American minister ID Paris,
stating tha, the Berlin anaMilan DEGREES
would, up. n &C tain conditions cease
on the lst OF November then next. On
the authority OF this leite', thc President
of the United States issued his proc!a-
matien, declaring the fact, that toe
French DEGREES were repealed But the
British government not considering the
letter of the Duke dc Galore sufficient
evidence Of their repeal, did not revoke
their orders in council, and in conse-
eueDce our non-intercourse act vert in,
70 operation against Great Britain the
February following. Notwithstanding
the proclamation Of the president, great
doubts existed in this country, whether
the French DEGREES we're in fact repeal
ed. To remove these doubts, to confirm
the proclamation, toprercnt enquiry and
i'll, estigation in the judiciary tribunals of
the country the act of March 1911 was
passed. Yet, sir, it has ever since been
denied, that the DEGREES OF Berlin & Mi
Ian were repealed TIE public print,
have teemed, and the tables of this
h ouse have been loaded with the proofs
of their existence AID execution You
remember, sir, an impression, in many
respects All original one, unanswered, &
unauswerable argument of the honora-
bic gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Ran
delphi on this subject in this house, to-
wards the close 81 the last session. But,
si.', Notwithstanding all this this govern
ment persisted in declaring. that the
French DEGREES were repealed. Go
not inenn.,o discuss TIT stale matter
The statement make is necessary to nv
present purpose. The question of their
repeal was the pbi@c' of very volu.
'ninons and long continued cor spon.
dence between Mr.. Foster the B fish
minister, and our secretary Of state The
discussion. believe, was prctrac,ed to
the last moment Of peace. War was de
clared on the 18th Of June. Some weeks