Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-07-22


upon the best conviction of his un-
derstanding, and with the most up
right motives) who will not readily
forget the impression which the first
communication Of this decree made
on his mind. As soon as it met his
view on his way home from the very
congress in which war was declared,
not in answer 10 any question but
from the spontaneous impulse oil lo-
nest emotion, bul he exclaimed
{. This was not known 20 the govern
ment before the declaration OF war"
Is not the Inference Irresistible, that
had it been known. in his opinion. at
least. war would not and ought not
ia have been declared. Sir, could il
have been without utter intamy {
Ne had taken our stand to treat
10th bellIgerents alike, until one
should first cease from Injustice
and on that event only had pledged
ourselves to punish the other. Tn
der beIiefthat France had solemn
" retraeted her ubiquitous DEGREES,
and that we were bound by the obi
cations Of honor to redeem our
plightcd faith we waged a CONNER
cial warfare with England, which
we afterwards changed for actual
What does this decree tell you? f.
very word of it deserves notice.
Seeing by law passed on the co.
March, 1871, the Congress of the
United States has ordered the exc.
cu,ion of the provisions OF the act OF
non-intercourse. which prohibits the
vessels and merchandise of Great
Britain, her colonies and dependen.
ries. from entering into the ports OF
the United States considering that
the said law is an act of resistance
to the arbitrary pretensions conse-
Grated by the British Orders in
Council, and formal refusal to ad-
here to system invading the indie
pendence of neutral powers, and OF
their flag. we have decreed and 10
decree as follows -
"The DEGREES of Berlin and Mi
Ian are defnitiyely. md to date from
the tst Of November last, consider
ing as not having existed in regard
TO American vessels"
The very issuing Of this decree
nrocIaims that the Berlin and Milan
deerees had not been heretofore
repealed. II tells you and ii tells the
world, that it is not a fact. as you
have declared, that France has done
the act which justified you on your
own principles in making a dis'inc-
ton between her and q. Britain
II eontemptuousIy holds you forth as
having been cheated into course Of
conduct which agreeabIy to your own
doctrines was submission to France.
1t treats with scOrn Your preteDsion,
that France had departed from her
system towards Yen. 1t announces
that You have abandoned your
scheme Of neutrality. 1t declares
that YOU shall be relieved from the
oppressive DEGREES in consequence OF
your law Of March. 1911, and be.
cause the gracious arbiter Of your
fate deigns to view that as sutiici-
ent manifestation Of your accession
to his maritime confederacy. Sir
| (said Mr.. G. my face burns when l
venture even to ask, if this decree
had been before you, could you have
insisted on the policy ola war with
Britain 2 In May, 1910. you could
not select between the rival heliige-
rents. In May. s1t, the only change
in the account of your wrongs is an
act of the meanest deception, Il most
outrageous insult on the part of
France. Would this have so
changed the political balance as
10 have made you direct your hos
| tiIity against her enemy 1t would
mott could not have been so.--
However firmly l believe that il
has pleased a Christening God topu-
nish our sins by darkening the un-
Outstanding of those who have go
,crned in our councils, yet know
there was yet an American spirit
! among them, which weu'd have been
called forth had this decree been
presented to their view. Its pro-
mitigation would have disclosed the
gulph which was yawning TO devour
us. Instructive Nature would have
recOiled from destruction.
Yet, sir, this decree, the suppression
of which. has involved my country IL
! war-thi, decree. of which our First