Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-11-01
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

V"S.
DEPARTNENT OF STATE,
January IS 1914
Gentlemen The British government
having declined the. Russian mes iatinn,
and proposed to treat directly with the
United States, the President has, on due
consideration, thought p opsr TO accept
the ove' ,ure. To give fleet to this Az
rapgement, il was necessary thet a new
commission should be termed, and Tor
that purpose that new nomination
should be madeto the Senate, By whose
advice and consent this important trust
is commil,ed 10 you.
Ysu will consider the instructions gI-
ven to the commission to treat undsr
The mediation Of Europe, as applicable
TO the negotiation with which you are
nsw charged, except as they may be
modi6 d by this letter.
shall call your attention to the most
important grounds Of the controversy
with e Bri,a.L only, and maks such -.
marks on esCh, and on tae whole sub
the former Instructions. and are deemed
applicable 10 the present junctare, TAX
ing into view the negoliAtioa in which
you ave about T. engage
On im,ressmen,, as to the right Of the
y. States to be exemptcd from il, |
have no hing new TO add. The senti
meDts of the President have undergone
no change on that important subject
THIS degrading practice must Cease {;
our hig must protec, Tie crew, or The
y. States cannot consider then selves an
Independent, nation. To sst,le This dit-
terence amicahly, the Presiden, is viii.
ling as you are alread, iniOrTed by the
former Instructions. to resove all pre-
texts Tor it, to the i;i.h government,
BY excluding all Bit .h seamen from
our vessels, and even tu extend ihe"ex.
ciusion to all British subjects, il ncces.
say, excepting only the tew already ma
,uralized, and to s;ipulate Likewise, the
surrender cf all British sean,cn desert.
ing in our ports in future from Brush
vessels public or private. II was pc,
sumed by oil di'passionate persons that
the late la" Of Congress relative to sea-
men would effectuallY accomplish the
object. But the President is willing. IS
YOU Ind, to prevent possibility Of TAIL
ure, to e. tsrther
Should treaty be made, il is proper,
and would have conciliatory effect,
that all our impressed seamen who msy
DC discharged under it, should be paid
Tor their services by the British govern
nen., for the time Of their detention,
the wages which they might have ob
;ained IN the merchant service OF their
own country.
Blockade is the subject next in poin,
# importance which you will have TO
arrange In the instructions bearing
date on the 18Th of April, 1918 it was
remarked. that as the B itish govern
msnt had revoked its orders in counCil.
aud agreed that TO blockade could be
legal which was no, supported by an a.
dsqua,e iercs, and that such adequate
farce should be applied to any blockade
y hich it might hereafter institute, this
cause Of controversy seemed to be re.
aoved. Farther re Hec,ion, however, has
added great force to the expsdiency and
Importance Cfa precise definition of,he
public Law on this subject There is
much Cause to presume, that if the re
peal OF the orders in council had taken
place in time 10 have been known here |
before the declaration Of war, snd had
The effect OF preventing the declaration. |
not only that no provision would have
been obtAi.ed sgaiost impressmen,, but
tina, under the name Of blockade the
same extent of coast would have been
covered by proclamation as had been |
covered by tbs orders in council, The
var, which these abuses aud impress.
msnt contributed So much to produce,
mig possibly preveLtthat conse quence. |
Bat it weuld be mare satisfactory, if |
oct mere sale, to guard against it by
formal definition in the treaty. Ii is
true, should the British government vic
late rgsin The legitimate principles Of
blockade, in whatever terEs, or under
.vhs,ever pretext it nigh, be done. the
Y. States would have in their hands a
resort; but principal