The Alexandria herald. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1811-1826, 1813-07-26

Ill june 1917, ltWaS not Inc puOncatlon OF
the French decree, but the clamors of Eng
lish merchants and mechanics, which pro-
duced the revocation. And this he infe RS
from the fact, that the French decree was
in possession of the English government
for 33 days, during all which time the house
of commons were discussing the merits of
the orders in council, before those orders
were revoked.
Tothe utter confusion Of this fanciful n.y.
pothesis, will read an extract from the
English order Of revocation. The order
bears date the Esd of June 1912.
And whereas the charge des affaires of
the u. States of America, resident at this
court did, on the Goth day of May last,
transmit to lord viscount Castlcreaghs one
of his majesty's principal secretaries of
OF state, copy of certain Instrument then
for the first time communicated to this
| court, purporting to be a decree passed by
the government of France on the 18th day
of April, by which the DEGREES of Berlin
and Milan are declared to be dc6nitiveiy no
longer in force in regard to American YES
| sels.''
| He then states, that although "the tenor
of said Instrument does not satisfy the
conditions Of his former declaration, vet
wishing TO re-establish the intercourse be-
tween neutral, and belligcrcnt nations, he
therefore is pleased to revoke his orders
so far as they relate to American vessels
and property.
The prince regent does here expressly
aver, that the conlecturcs Of the hon. gem
tleman are visionary.
| he docs declare, that his revocation is
founded on the French repeating decree.
But this cannot bc true, says the hon. gen.
tleman, because the prince regent received
i the French repeating decree on the goth OF
May, and delayed his revocation until the
Esd of June---A few facts will dispose oil
this captious objection.
| Mr. Perceval, the prime minister of Eng
land, was assassinated on the 10th of Nav.
The ministry was at once substantially dis
solved. The gentleman cannot have for
gotten the ministerial interregnum which
ed, and which continued for more than
one month. He cannot have forgotten the
various negotiations of CastIerearh and
Liverpool, of Canning and of Wellesley, of
, Erskine, of Gray, of Granville, and finally.
OF Nloira. Nor can he but remember, that
no ministry was establishc until after the
18th OF June. is not that gentleman aware.
that without responsible ministry, the
constitution of England docs not recognize
any act OF its government, as legal and va
I'D. He must know, that instantly upon the
iull re-establtshment of the ministry, the
subject Was decided, and the orders in
council evoked
Nor had C the enquiries in the house
| OF commons or the pressure If the people,
any Gecisiue effect, in producing that rcvo-
catIon---I hat Pressure had long been felt
by the people and long known to the Eng
llsh government the loud clamors of the
| people had long been heard without the
slightest efect---Nor did the enquiry by the
commons produce one newtdct TO influence
the revocation. No, sir, there is no Yea-
son to doubt the fact, that the receiptIof the
French decree produced the revocation of
the orders IN council on the Esd of June
10 morris there any pretencc for saying
that me some cause would not have pro-
duced the same effect on the Esd of June
1911. With all these facts before us, is it
not clear as the light Of day, that if the re-
pcaling decree of France had not been con-
cealcd, If atthe time of its date it had been
made known to congress, to Britain and TO
the world, this war would have been avcrt-
ed
And now, let me appeal to this house and
to the people of America, if this decree
was communicated 10 MIR. Russell ia April
1917 and by him supp essed, he merits
and shall receive the everlasting execra-
tons OF his country. If either by Mr.. Rus
sell or the minister Sufrier, it was commu-
nicated to Mr.. Monroe, and by him con-
ccaed from the executive, is there niche
in the temple of infamy sufficiently infa.
nous for hims But if by any means the
decree came TO the knowledge Of the pre-
lel h. a..