Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-07-09

and particulsr.-Si-.1 do Admit taa. TIC
re.oiutien. are strongly marked with
particular, categorical, and even inqui-
sltoyi.l character. From them no ca
suistry, no ART can enable the pteside"l
20 escape. They were thus drawn Tor
no other reason than to preclude oil eva
SION and eiusion- To obtain the farsicn-
lar and Precise III formation deD'oadF6-i
we'll know tina, the ordinary. genrrat
form is more proper and more respect
iul. But SIR. there may BE- cases IN
which mere form. must yield to snb.
stance and necessity, County respect 70
psen republican sincerity. is not THIS
precisely such casef
At,he close of The last session uPon
the motion of the hon gentleman iron
Mary land, (Mr. Gold.baroueh) a reso-
luuon vas adopted IN the ordinary and
general form.
"Resolved, Tha, the President be re-
aues,ed Ia cause to be laid before tins
house the French decree, purporling to
be a repeal of the Berlin and Milsn de.
crees. referred to in his message OF the
4,h of November last, "fogeiher ,vith
suck informGr,en az he may tossess, con-
eersine III. time and manner u me FRO
nlulga ron Of he same" sc. &c. lhis
is the material part of the resolation.-
What was the reply to this resolution I!
A simple communication of The degrad-
mo accusation of the French minister *
,ha, on'y--Not one word of denial or
of cnmmcnt-Not a murmur of resent
rnent at tire foul stigma Which the duke
of Bassano had attempted to tlx on the
honor ct the executive and tbs character
Of the country All information thai lie
president NIGHT possess reio'I' e 20 the
time and nanncr of Dromuig"ahg, the
decree W.. refused OF ev"dca S there
by the bio, on our NATIONAL honor vas
rendered teniold deeper and h'atker.
Would these hon. gentlemen have US
repeat an experiment ah,ch issued IN
such cnn,euu-pce. Would they ash.n
;.dopt course which would agair DIS
appoint Us and disgrace our country =
No. sir--If this irtur nation ought tn BE-
Obtained. this is the on'v firm. The only
manner, TO obtain it. We must tell the
executive. WITHOUT Ambiguity and with
precision. ard vet, with every respect
compatible with our duty, our objects.
and our requests If these resolutions
pass. they must be met with satisfactory
Information, or with refusal to commu-
nicate. The reply will rest with the
president. g. uoon hin he the responsible
li,v for The form and substance OF that
reply. Having disposed OF the form OF
these resolutions, will now proceed 10
their substance.
An instrument. pu'portipg to bes
French decree, modifying or repeating
the Fr-nca Berlin and Milan deere SO
lar as they viplstcd our neutral rights.
was communicated by the duke OF bas-
sano to Mr. Barlow our minister lnFrance,
on the lO,h Of MAY, 1912. This decree
bears date he 24th Of A,,ril. lsll.-lt
rad been concerted for more than on
year from the time of lis date. Mr.
Bari ow. Conscious that the pubiIcatio
IT the decree, az its date, would have
<ayed this country from many evils, and
aston,.heG al its crncealment, demanded
If me duke of Bsssan9 whether 1t bad
ese~ been Published. The duke replied
that it had been communicated to our
minister at Trace, ard sent or to Mr..
Serrurier to be communicated to our
government. l! the duke OF BassSnU
stated the fact correctly, then our 60
yernment was gully Of coneeating The
decree. If he stated talseh"od, then
his own government is guilty ct the
conc ealn.ent, with the full addition Of
duplic,y and falsch:od Certainly. the
charge Of The French minister implcat
ell the honor and the bonrsty OF the ex
ecutivr Of this country Il struck a blow
at The integrity ard honor OF the govern
men,. Yet the executive has never
publicly denied the foul accusation. 1t
is TO arrive at trnth in relation to this
dark and alarming transac'ion, 70 scqult
the innocent ard 10 hang the guilty up,
detachable speciacIe 10 the universe,
that these resolutions are offered. Let
me ask the house, let me ask the nation,
is not the object laudable ; is rot the
duty inportan, and imperlous!
Mr.. Speaker have not one doubt,
that if that decree had been published at
the time of iss date, it wonld have pre-
vented the present war ard ell its Gala
mitons consequences To establish this
position, must solicit the attention OF
the house to the facts ard events which
conducted this devoted Dalton to Us
present disastrous situation. After un
successfully negotiating for the repeal
of tie French decree. and British or
ders-afler wild and destructive ex-
pertinent bad erinced. that the embar.
go, a measure, founded in the erossest
poli,ical error, continued in ohstinacy,
-, Il A,d;, :. Il, catiop al DISGRACE and com.