The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-08

his predecessor snatched at the former interpreta-
ton and preciptately announced, by proclamation
OF November 2 the dc f1co repeal of the French de-
crees, and that under the arrangement adopted, If
England did not, in the meantime repeal her orders.
non.nterconrse would be revived against her, from
the I'd February succeeding. The haste and blum
der Of this proceeding was more remarkable from
the fact that Napoleon had said not word regard
ing the compensation for his heavy spoliations whic
had been made joint and equal condition with the
repeal OF his DEGREES. II was very wonderful GER
tainly that the President should have allowed half
the condition to be ignored.
Serrurier, who arrived at Washington "a the
French ambassador early in 1911 being questioned
on the point informed the government OF N.noIeon,e
peremptory refusal TO make any such coupe sation.
Still the President was quiet, and when Mr. Robert
smith, the Secretary of State proposed to catechise
the Minister respecting the real Neaning of the
proposition of Napoleon regarding the edcts and to
ask him to state explicitly whether the DEGREES had
been repealed, from the preceding November, as
understood here they were to BE- Mr.. Madison tremu-
lousy inhibited any request for explanation. He
wished to hug his deluson long as possible and to
make 1t ground for operation on the British gov
eminent. But the pretence was too shallow TO de-
ceiye them. 10 the repeated and urgent invitations
to repeal their orders because Napoleon had with
drawn his DEGREES, the invariable reply was-Show
us the evidence. Produce an official act of the
French government repeating the Berlin and Milan
DEGREES, and we will Immediately comply with your
desire. The question became, thus, which party
should first reeede. Napoleon had invited England
to do Co. or was willing she should act in the belief
that he had done if she chose England was invnci
BILE in the purpose that Napoleon should make the
first retrograde-an open, papable retreat, and
no feint, her condition. As being the first TO
commence the policy Of infraction upon neutral
rights and established customs, England should,
properly have first taken the backward step. Her
refusal to respond to Napoleons act, supposing it
were by conditional offer, greatly exasperated the
people Of the United States So the unfriendly acts
continued both sides still in force. England even
stationed squadron upon our coast to seize our
vessels = n Ma
continued TO seize the vessels of the United States
on the Continent and on the seas, under charges of
search by the English being practiced upon them,
DC, for which purpose fleet of small, fast sailing
vessels was provided, France having now regular
navy. He also imposed most extraordinary restrc-
lions on the trade of the United States with France,
putting so heavy duty on cotton and some other
articles as TO amount almost to prohibition. So
vexatious were these regulations that the Secretary
of State in one OF his official papers, asked what
inducement America had to get the English orders
repealed If France chose to block up her own ports?
II became, he averred, of no more consequence
whether the English Introduction were removed
from the Frer, trade, than would the subject Of a
blockade OF the Caspian.
During the year 1870 the products of the United
States reached England by being carried first in
United States vessels to Sweden Denmark, Norway
Spain, Portugal, Madeira and Florida. Spain and
Portugal were occupied by British armies.
Early in 1871, the Chesapeake affair was settled
Madison agreeing at last to adjust it detached from
other matters. The revival Of non-intercourse
against England was HeferTeu LlI March z. Yet
after it was thus reinstituted Napoleon continued
to hold the American property before seized in Sc
questaton, and continued also his captures on the
ocean, though limiting the cause to search on tie
part OF the British And ne declared, also, the Ber-
lin and Milan DEGREES to be still the fundamental
laws of his empire. The condition of things was thus
as bad as ever. Barlow the poet, had been sent to
France, in February to replace Armstrong, and to
endeavOr to negotiate commercial treaty, adjusting
all differences task utterly hopeless. Free trade
release of property held and indemnity for that sold
and destroyed were the claims he was instructed to
prefer. Napoleon and his ministers amused him
for awhile, to keep the United States quiet toward
France. Barlow requested the Emperor to open the
continental ports to the trade of the United States
as compensation for non-inteTcourse with Great
Britain. After long consideration, the reply was
that it could not be objected to- provided the United
States would secure the safety of her flag against
England. OF course, Napoleon would not consent
to allow and encourage in his ports trade which
would be made tributary to England
In May, 1872, a very explicit proclamation from |
the PrinceRegent of Great Britain, final answer
to the repeated solicitations Of the American gov I
vernment in regard to repeal of the British orders,
having been published, declaring that such repeal I
would occur upon official evidence being furnished
OF the revocation of the Napoleonic decrees Barlow
seized the occasion of this official CALL to urge upon
the Emperor the production Of the evidence de- |
mandedby England. Thus pressed, the minister
of Napoleon transmitted to the American Plenipo
tiary copy of what appeared to be a secret order
OF repeal against the Berlin and Milan DEGREES, dat
ed April Is, 1911. II would appear, that to satisfy
the United States, If required, document of actual
repeal had been at some time prepared, but which
was not to be produced so long the United States
government could be kept quiet without il. The |
object of this secrecy, of the whole of Ma
poeon in regard to the repeal of the DEGREES, was
to effect his end OF involving the United States in
his war Had the order of repeal been before given
10 the United States, he knew it would be at once
sent to England, and would undoubtedly have the
effect to induce the repeal OF the British orders and
thus remove all chance Of driving the United States
Ixs.r L.:
there was no mistake as to his policy at this time.
He kept back, therefore, the order Of repeal until
he fully assured by the preparations and tone in
washington that war was foregone conclusion,
and gave it, then, knowing that war would exist |
before it should come before the eyes of the Ame-
rcan cabinet
Barlow Immediately sent copy of the order to
England, and her obnoxious acts in council were ut
once rescinded. But it was too late-Napoleon had
tri,mphed. The United States had four days before
declared war.
Preparatory to this step, an embargo for sixty
days had been laid on the 4th of April and the war
bill passed June Is. Up to this time, the number of
captures of American vessels by the British amount
ed TO eli, of which 52s were prior to, and 3s9 sue
ceeding, the orders in council of November 1907.
over 1000 American vessels, II is said, had been
taken by all the belgerents.
The chief cause of the war being removed stimuli
tanousy with its declaration the British government
at proposed an armisice, to arrange other diff
fcultes by treaty. But Madison knew the young
and ardent leaders who had just entered Congress,
and who showing aside the cautious old men before
at the head of the party with their hestating poll
cy and who had forced even himself to the unwil-
ling alternative Of war, by the threat of defeating
him OF O denomination (for timid, honest man
may have his courage affected by personal interest,
where his judgment Is already convinced,) he knew
they would not sanction peace without the attain
ment Of all the objects involved In the war. So he
replied to the proposal, that he would listen to no
terms without the full remuneration of the right of
search and impressment. Congress, at the next
session, sustained him in the act.
During the first year of the war our prvateers
covered the ocean, and captured three hundred
British vessels. Our trade continued also with the
north OF Europe, and thus indirectly, as well
through the West Indies, with England In 1913,
ports were generally closed mp and both priva-
teers and merchant vessels, TO great extent kept
in by British squadrons. On the OF thc fall Of
Napoleon, in 1914, our government hurried to get
oUt Of the war, without any concessions whatever
from the enemy. and very glad TO be able to avoid
the dissgreeabc necessity of making them itself.