Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-04-14
CIRCULAR,
~ OF THE =
HON. Daniel SHEFFEE
To HIS COMMITMENTS
CONTINUES.

Having been opposed to the COIN.
mencement of the war, as measu'o
D, egnant with incaleulable evils, "ilheot
ray ofhope beaming on my understand,
ing that ii would produce any suos.an'lai
good, looked upon an early perioo OF
It's termination with an anxious eye as
the only circumstance that could redeem
Us from impending ruin was gfaun-
ed therefore to hear that the leading
cause Of the war no longer existed
That the British government hnding
tile inutility of her orders in council
had about the period when war was de-
clared, revoked them. looked upon
peace as the inevitable result, believing
that hos,ilities woHld not be continued
when the cause which gave them birth
ceased to exist. did suppose that when
the catalogue of our wrongs had OWN
died to one itcm-when we had less
cause OF complaint than we had tor some
years past--when the attack on the Che
sapeake was stoned for-when the block
AIDES nc longer existed-when the orders
in council were abrogated-when tho
question of the carrying trade was put
10 rest, that peace would at once have
been restored, and the remaining sub
ject of difference taken up at leisure,
and discussed in a true spirit OF amity,
without which it never will be settled.
But unfortunately different view was
taken by those to whom tho constitution
has eonfded the power to close the
scene of blood. The war was continued
to compel Great Britain to reilnqulsh
the right Of search OH board our mer'
chant ships for her subjects end desert
ers, as the only effectual mean to secure
our seamen from impressmenls.
With view Gas was alledged) TO Sc
cure to Great Britain the services OF her
subjects, and to do away the necessity,
of reclaiming them, a bill was introduce
ed in the house OF representatives, late
in the session, to intcrdict the employ
ment of persons as seamen In our service
except natives of the United States, and
such foreigners as shall have been actu-
ally naturalized, or shall have declared
their intentions to besome citizens nile
gal form, before the close Of the present
war. Although the provisions Of this
bill are not such as | could have wished,
yet as it may possibly lead to peace, |
gaveit my assent. Itpassed the house
Of representatives by large majority,
but remains yet undetermined in the Sc
nate.
In taking survey of our present ST.
tuation, and the subjects connected with
it, cannot help feeling indignant at the
manner in which we have been brought
into it. 1t is to the perfdy Of the French
government that the war is owing
When make this declaration, l do not
intend to impute to our government
designed cooperation Or acqulescsnce
in the nefarioss projects formed to IN
veisle US int tho war. only say that
they placed confidence where it vas ne.
ver placed, but it was betrayed But the
fact that the arts and want al faith Of
Bonaparte have brought us where We
are, is unquestionable.. In 1908 the go
vernment of the United States declared,
that as long as France and EnglaRd
should both continue their injurious e.
diets, then in force against us, auar with
enc would be Submission TO the other, and
war with both was considered as i,npru-
dent and inexpedicnt. In May 1910,
congress passed law, by which it was
declared that if either power, France or
England, should revoke its edlcts, SO
that they ceased to violate our commerce
If the other did not follow the exam.
pie in three months, this government
would interdict the importation OF the
manufactures and proouets of tbc delin-
ouent party. On the 5th OF August in
the same year, the French minister for
foreign affairs having been presented
with copy of this law, stated to our
minister that the DEGREES of Berlin and
Milan were revoked, Con certain condi-
lions } and that on the first OF November
following they woald cease to operate.
Our government conGding on this de-
claration, without any other evidence Of
the reyocatios than the letter OF the
French minister, put the non-importation
system in force against England, the
British government having refused to
repeal their orders in council, without
an authentic document showing the re.
peal of the French DEGREES, which our
minister alicdgsd was not necessary, the
letter containing the hromise being su6f-
cient. The French emperor afterwards,
repeatedly declared in official commsni-
cations, that the DEGREES supposed to
have been revoked, were the fundamen-
tai laws of his empire, and our COM
mercc suffered under them, as if no
promise had been made to revoke them.
As late az the summer Of 1911 our mi.
mister in Paris repeatedly sequestcd
copy of .he repsaliAg dssree, to present
4, re ~. m