Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-07-10
and Milan DEGREES, a. existing against

vessels. ana says, Wfoh s'i."@t 81
ment'' shall be3.s fulfilled" the vessels
shall be restored. That engagement
was faI6lled by the law OF the Cd OF
March. 1911, which have already stat
ed, confirmed the proclamation OF the
president, and established non.impor.
tation act against England.
On the 28th Of April, 1911, the
French tyrant issued his repeating de-
cree-I will read it to the house ::
Translation.
PALACE OF ST. CLouD.
2sth of April, lslL
.Natoleon, Emheror Of the French, &c.
On the report Of our minister OF tef-
eign relations:
Seeing by law passed on the, "a OF
March, 1911, the congress of the United
States has ordered the execution OF the
provisions of the act Of n.intercourse,
which prohibits the vessels and mer'
chandze of Great Britain, her colonies
and dependencies, from entering into
the ports Of the U. States.
Considering that the said law IS an act
of resistance, to the arbitrary preten'
s;ons consecrated by the British orders
in council and, a f~rpal refusal to adj
here to system invading the indepeDd-
ence Of neutral powers and OF their Hag;
we have ordered and do decree as toll
lows:
The DEGREES of Berlin>and Milan are
deHniively ard 10 date from the Ist Mo-
vembcr last. considered as not existing
in regard 10 American vessels,
(Signedl NAPOLEON.
By The emperor.
The minister secretary OF state.
(Signed) The Count DARu.
This decree is in perfect conformity
to every act or proceeding OF theFrench
government 1t fulfilled the promise
made by the Duke of Cadorc, in his let
ter Of tie 5,h August. America by the
proclamation, and by the law OF March
1911 bad resisted England and virtual
" declared qrar asGinst her--sAc hnstat-
flied the conditions presented IN that
letter, in consideration Ct 7phich me re-
heQlmg decree Of France Rns Issued
Whether that decree was issued at the
time it bears date, or whetber by cu!lu
sion with Mr.. Barlow, it "as anteda,ed,
is OF no portancc---in either case 1t
exhibits he true meaning OF all the acts
Of Fiance which preceded it. Il pro7cs
the faIsi,y of the Presidents proclama-
tion-.the fatal error of the law of March
ard demonstrates that the American
President was the dupe of the ,yrant,
that "a he was shufiied into the lead
where na:inna! honor and law required
that he SHOULD follow.
4 have said il the French repeating
DEGREES had been made known to the
congrc So, to the American people, and
to England, in the spring OF 1911, II
would have prevented the present dis
astrous war-permit me now to prove it.
From the date of the Presidents procla-
nation, down to the very declaration of
war, our government took the ground
that the French DEGREES were in truth
repealed, by the letter Of the Duke de
Cadore, on the 5,h of August preceding
and upon this basis deman led The re.
vocation ofthe British orders in council,
Britain, denying that Cadorc's letter
vas any repeal or modification, demand
ed the Instrument ofreheal issued by the
Emperor as the only ground on which
she would revoke her orders. Neither
the French or the American govern
mert pretended thar any such inStrumcnt
was in exstence-but the latter govern
nent, deceived By The arch jugglcr. as
sumed the fact, and founded thereon
hostile proceedings against England
If the decree had been published, it
would have been impossible that the
vile deception could longer have been
cherished by either government, and
congress would have boen forced by
very shame, 10 have retraced their steps
TO have rescindcd the proclamation,
to have repealed the law OF March, and
to have placed the country on the same
ground which she occupied In May
1910. A war will, England could aot
then have followed-unless indeed the
administration had been prepared ohen-
~ to ah,ndon all those principles OF
/" ,asionai honor. national independence,
national Justice" and national policy
Hhich they had adopted ia the session Of
1908.
Yes, sir, even though the British or
ders had remained unrepealed and un'
modified, the publication of that decree
would have cut the "gortlian knot" re-,
leased this country from the tolls OF the
tyrant, and have averted, perhaps fore
yer, this unnatural war. But suppose
in this am mistaken, yet, have we not
reason to believe, that ifthe French re-
pe,lng decree had been known to Eng
land, she would have modified her or
sders in council, and continued peace
could h.rc heen the c0DSeOucINE-