Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-07-10
Mr.. GRosvENoR's SPEECH
ON
MR. WEBs9ER's REsoLUTIoNs
CONTINUED

- q "a .
Mr.. Speaker-After the first OF No
vember, after the official proclamation
of the President had, in the face OF the
world. pronounced the Berlin. ans MI
Ian DEGREES repealed or modified, SO as
no longer to violate the neutral COM
merce of America, american pessets
zvere eohtured on the sea and seized IN
France. under these Dery DEGREES were
prosecuted under these very decrees, &
never released from the grasp OF these
DEGREES, until late in the year ISL; ana
even then, not released by virtue OF the
Duke of Cadore's pretended letter Of re-
real, but in consequence OF special or
ders of the emperor, founded on the act
of March 1911, which confirmed the
proclamation of the president, and esta-
blished a neutrality-suspicious. act against
England. If this droposition be true 81!
doubt is at an end. For, folly, or pre-
iudice itself cannot believe, that those
vessels were seized and held nearly
year under DEGREES which zpere nor IN
eriStence. They cannot believe, that
the courts Of France could act upon aud
enforce laws which year before had
been repealed and exunsuished by the
government | vii! read TO the house
one case selected a. fair specimen OF
numerous others. tits the case ct the
New Orleans packet, detsiletl in letter
from Mr.. Russell to the Secretary OF
State, dated the 9Th Of June, 1911. That
vessel arrived in France onthe 81 OF
December, more than month alter the
proclamation of the President had been
issued. MIR. Russell states, that con
the 5th of December, the director OF the
customs, at Bordeaux, seized her and
her cargo under the Milan DEGREES OF
the Esd of November, and l7th OF De
cember, 1907. expressly set forth Tor hs-
wing come from ain English port, and tor
having been visited by an English yesse!
OF war" The proclamation of The pre-
sitient arrived in France, and was receiV-
ed by MIR. Russell On the 18th OF the
same month, He had on the 10th pre-.
sented = remonstrance against The pro-
cceding and kept back the proclamation
For what purpose did he thus act!
To test the question, he says, whether
The French DEGREES were in truth re-
yoked To have used the proclamation
he says, I" would be nothing better than
absurdity and basely employing the de-
claration OF the president, that the Ber-
lin and Milan decree had been revoked
as the means of obtaining their revoca-
ton" He therefore keptit back, to as
certain, {" whether the American go
yernment had been shuffled into the
lead, where national honor and the law
REQUIRED it to follow" He did kecp
back the proclamation, aud the question
was decided-.his remons'rance was dis
regarded For he SAYS, that 'he hro-
cess vrrhal issued after his renionsttance
was presented. expressly declares tha'
the con6sca,ion OF this properly was 10
be pursued before the imperla! council
of prizes at Paris, according 10 the de-
crecs of The Esd OF November and the
Eth OF December, 1907, or IN other
words the DEGREES of Berlin AID Milan"
His remorstrances having effected no.
thing, Mr. Russell did proceed, sab
surdiy and basely," to use the proclama-
ton. He communicated it to the French
government, on the Nth OF tie same
month, and he says from this very l7th
of December all furt! 81 proceedings
against the New Orleans packet were
suspended
These are the facts, and what is the
inference oi This honest and indehehden
minister. 1" 1t appears, Therefore, that
the remembrance of the 10th OF De-
cember arrested the proceedings "com-
planned Of" sc.
Now sir, it ahtears to me, that more
barsfaced perycrsion of iacIs was never
admitted by any minister. The remon-
STRANGE produced no effect whatever -
Until the Eth, when the proclamaticn
was presented, the vessel was vigor-
ously prosecuted"-Frum that moment
all further proceedings against the New
Orleans packet were suspended" That
instrument alone, arrested the pro-
ceedings complained Of" not only "a
gainst the New Orleans packet, but all
other vessels which had been captured
after the first of November. This is de-
monstrated By an order issued by the
French government to the president OF
the council of prizes, on the 25th of De-
cembcr, exactly eight days after the
proclamation had been communicated
by Mr.. Russeil-sufer me 20 read an
extract from that order.
In consequence Of this engagement
entered into by the government OF the
United States TO cause their rights to
be respected, his majesty orders that all
the Cause. that may be pending IN the
council of prizes, of captures of Ame-
riean vessels, may after the lst OF Nov.
and those that may in future be brought