darkness, to overthrow all that is legitimate." The following is an extract from the proclamation of this monarch: belonging to the engines by which such vessels shall be worked, shail be composed of wrought iron or copper. That every boiler on board such steam-packet, "If, at the age of infancy, the instructor substitutes should, previcus to the packet being used for the doubt for faith in matters of religion-if, in place of conveyance of passengers, be submitted to the inshewing him the world as it is, he leads him astray spection of a skilful engineer, or other person con by some ideal picture of the destinies of man, and his versant with the subject, who should ascertain, by relations to society; if, in place of occupying his pupil trial, the strength of such boiler, and should certify with subjects on a level with his capacity, he gives his opinion of its sufficient strength and of the secuhim questions to discuss, which are often difficult to rity with which it might be employed to the extent decide by men accustomed to think; if the youth thus proposed. That every such boiler should be proprepared, saturated with false science, then enters vided with two sufficient safety-valves, one of which the university, and finds only a contempt for every should be inaccessible to the engine-man, and the positive doctrine, or a mania of reforming social other accessible both to him and to the persons on order according to chimerical systems-if he is taught board the packet. That the inspector shall examine to despise all which others have established-if, final- such safety-valves, and shall certify what is the ly, far from acquiring habits of salutary discipline, he pressure at which such safety-valves shall open, grows familiar with every species of insubordination which pressure shall not exceed one-third of that by and licentiousness, and, in place of respecting the which the boiler has been proved, nor one-sixth of laws, regards himself as an inception, above punish- that which, by calculation, it shall be reckoned able ment and rewards, must we be astonished that, not to sustain. That a penalty shall be inflicted on any only at the universities, but also at schools, the most person placing additional weight on either of the rash opinions are heard on the subject of religion and safety-valves." government; on all which is highest and most sacred? Is it astonishing that such an education only brings for the state bad servants and dangerous citizens? What is there to hope for the maintenance of thrones, for the preservation of our institutions, for the safety "Mr Owen set off from Derby, to embark for the of Germany, when men thus educated shall fulfil all public offices? A single glance at the inquiries, which United States, for the express purpose of treating a melancholy necessity rendered indispensable in for the purchase of Rapp's celebrated settlement of more than one part of Germany, offers too dark a Harmony, including all the landed property and picture of what may be expected of the rising gene-buildings upon it. The property contains more than About 1000 acres more are rich meadow ration, to make it pleasant for his majesty longer to 20,000 acres, 3000 of which are already under cultidwell on it. The emperor, however, considers the vation. search after remedies for so many weighty incon- land on the banks of the Wabash. His object is to veniences as belonging to the most important subjects erect communities upon it, similar to the plan to be which the diet will have to consider. His majesty put in execution at Motherwell. The colony is situated also thinks he should not act worthy of the place he upon the southern extremity of the state of Indiana." holds in the confederation, and which he desires always to hold in the confidence of the members, if he were not to recommend this object to the particular care of the diet." A commitACCIDENTS TO STEAM ENGINE BOILERS. tee of the British house of commons, appointed to investigate the causes of the accidents to steam boilers, have come to the following resolutions, which they have proposed to the consideration of the house: "1. Resolved, That it appears to the committee, from the evidence of several experienced engineers, examined before them, that the explosion in the steam packet, at Norwich, was caused, not only by the improper construction and materials of the boiler, but the safety valve connected with it having been overloaded; by which the expansive force of the steam was raised to a degree of pressure beyond that which the boiler was calculated to sustain. FOREIGN NEWS. Great Britain and Ireland. The Glasgow Journal, has the following paragraph respecting Mr. Owen, who has recently arrived at New York. Talma, the great French tragedian, was about to appear on the London stage for a few nights, at an enormous salary. It is said that he was born in England, but left it at a very early age-and that he speaks his native language well. Kean is employed for 28 nights, at 481. per night. The countess of Derby, countess of Craven, and lady Thurlow, all at present living, were formerly Misses Farren, Brunton, and Bolton, of Drury Lane theatre. France. The following account of the interment of the remains of the late king of France, is extracted from a Paris paper of the 25th September. The funeral of his late majesty took place on Thurs day. The road by which the procession was to pass, and particularly the Faubourg St. Denis, was thronged by an expectant multitude, and, notwithstanding the immense concourse, and the absence of troops to skirt the route, the greatest order prevailed. The troops wore crape on the arm, the drums were "2. Resolved, That it appears to this committee, muffled, and the instruments of music ornamented that, in the instances of similar explosions in steam with the symbols of mourning. The procession set packets, manufactories and other works where steam out with the sound of cannon, and the bells of all the engines were employed, these accidents were attri-churches pealed the funeral knell. The carriages butable to one or other of the causes above alluded to. "3. Resolved, That it is the opinion of this committee, that, for the prevention of such accidents in future, the means are simple and easy, and not likely to be attended with any inconveniences to the proprietors of steam-packets, nor with any additional expenses, as can either be injurious to the owners or tend to prevent the increase of such establishments. The means which your committee would recommend are comprised in the following REGULATIONS: "That all steam-packets, carrying passengers for hire, should be registered at the port nearest to the place from or to which they proceed. That all boilers black cloth. At the doors and on the hammer-cloths necessary, except in time of war, when, with the aid of Divine Providence, these colonies will have received all the development which we propose to give them. "Given at Tsarskoe Selo, the 15th of Angust, in the year of grace, 1824, and of our reign the twenty-fourth. (Signed) "ALEXANDER." palm-branches. The coffin was covered with a rich "Thanks to the Almighty, during three successive pall, ornamented with a silver cross. At the head years, the empire has stood in no need of recruiting, was the crown of France, and at the feet the sceptre and our faithful and much-beloved subjects were and hand of justice. The number of troops was enabled, without having their attention turned aside about 11,000 men. The rain, which threatened to fall from their domestic concerns, to enjoy, in the bosoms during the procession, held off till after its arrival at of their families, the fruits of a peace which bas hapSt. Dennis. Upon reaching that ancient burial-place pily not been disturbed. The organization of the of the kings of France, the royal remains were pre-military colonies has greatly contributed to render sented by the grand almoner to the dean of the royal recruiting less often necessary. It will no longer be chapter, preceded by the canons and clergy. The royal coffin was temporarily placed under a canopy erected in the midst of the choir, ornamented with the royal mantle of cloth of gold, and surmounted by the crown, covered with crape. In advance of the coffin were the sceptre, the hand of justice, and the sword, and it was surrounded by two gardes de la Manche, five heralds at arms, and four of the king's East Indies. By an arrival from Calcutta, news has body guards. The body was followed by prince Tal- been received that the Birmese war was still raging, leyrand, grand Chamberlain; the duke d'Avray, cap- with no prospect of its early termination. The Britain of the guards; the duke d'Aumont, and the duke tish army had been drawn from Chittagong, for the de Blacas, chief gentlemen of the chamber, and the purpose of a general junction of forces in Rangoon, chief gentlemen of honor near the king. Next came which they succeeded in capturing. Rangoon is the the Dauphin, the duke of Orleans, and the duke of principal port of the Birman empire, has from 30 to Bourbon, in deep mourning, and wearing long man- 40,000 inhabitants, and contains some Christian mistles. At the reception of the remains the usual prayers sions; among them, one of the American Baptist Sowere recited. After the magnificat, the body was con- ciety. The Birmesc, taking advantage of the withveyed into the chapel of St. Louis, which has been drawal of the British force, had approached Chittaconverted into a chapelle ardente, and were it will re-gong, with an army of upwards of 50,000 men, but main for thirty days, before it is deposited in the hearing of the fall of Rangoon, retired towards Áva. vault of the Bourbons. In the procession it was re- The British army rescued many of the missionaries, marked that the clergy, with flambeaus, as announced who had been ordered to execution by the Birmese in the programme, did not attend. commanders. The publication of the official accounts of the war had been suspended at Calcutta. It is remarked, that this is the third time in the history of France, that three brothers have successively ascended the throne. In the fourteenth century, three sons of Philip le Bel reigned successively, under the names of Louis 10th, Philip 5th, and Charles 4th. In the sixteenth century the three sons of Henry II. also bore the crown in turn. They were Francis the 2d, Charles 9th, and Henry Sd. The following is the speech of the king to the peers and the deputies: Peru. Information has been received, via Porto Cabello, that Bolivar and Canterac have met and had a general action, in which the latter was killed and his army routed. Bolivar had 15000 men, and lost 6000 in killed and wounded. He had possession of Lima and Callao-he drives all before him. Latest-Paris papers, to the 2nd Oct. received at New York. Charles X. entered his capital, Paris, on the 27th Sept. and was received with great enthu My heart is too deeply affected to allow me to ex-siasm. press the sentiments which I feel; but I should be There is a report that some Russian troops have arunworthy of him who has left me such great exam-rived at Majorca, in the Mediterranean. ples, if, yielding too much to my grief, I did not preserve fortitude enough to fulfil the duties which are imposed on me. I was a brother, now I am a king; and this title, of itself, points out the conduct I ought to observe. It seems that the dey of Algiers is about to make war on Spain and Sardinia. is using great severity to keep the people quiet. Many of the cities and towns of Spain are disturbed by mobs-they appear to have some connection with political matters, and several bodies of inI have promised, as a subject, to maintain the char-surgents are said to be organized. The government ter and the constitution which we owe to the sovereign of whom Heaven has just deprived us. Now that the right of my birth has made the power fall into my own hands, I will employ it entirely in consolidating for the happiness of my people the great act which I have promised to maintain. My confidence in my subjects is entire, and I am fully certain that I shall find in them the same sentiments with respect to me. I must add, gentlemen, that, conformably to the institutions of the king, whom we deplore, I shall convoke the chambers at the end of December. Russia. Manifesto of his imperial majesty:-"We, by the grace of God, Alexander the first, emperor and autocrat of all the Russias, &c. &c. Having judged it necessary to raise a levy of recruits this year to complete our armies and fleets, in which there is a want of men caused by the ordinary reductions, and the leave of retirements, which we have granted to the veterans who have completed their time of service, and whose number was considerable, as well as The account of the defeat of the captain pacha at Samos is confirmed—indeed, it is said that Canaris had fulfilled his oath of blowing up the admiral's ship, on board of which the pacha was, and that he himself perished with his enemies. Another report discredits the whole statement, but confirms the ac count of the previously stated defeat of the Turkish flect. The Egyptian fleet had not yet done any thing. It was designed to attack Hydra; which was well fortified and garrisoned, and encompassed with fire ships, ready for the enemy. CHRONICLE. General Alvear, the minister from Buenos Ayres, has left Washington on his return home-he having been dered the those whose maladies or infirmities ren- appointed commander in chief of the army ordered unfit for service, we ordain there shall be a levy, throughout the whole empire, of two recruits in every five hundred souls, conformably to the articles of our ukase, dated the 26th of August, 1818. to take the field against the royalist Spaniards in Peru, IIe is accompanied by his secretary, col. Yriaste, who will also have a command in the expedition. Kosciusko. The cadets of the United States military academy, at West Point, have offered a gold medal, of the value of fifty dollars, for the best design for a monument to the memory of gen. Thaddeus Kosciusko. It is to be erected at West Point, on a romantic spot, situated on a bank of the Hudson, and known by the name of Kosciusko's garden. The arts. Charles Bonaparte, the son of Lucien, is preparing for publication a continuation of Wilson's splendid edition of Ornithology. It is to be published in the most superb style. Science. Mrs. Cutbush, widow of the late professor Cutbush, of the military academy at West Point, bas issued proposals for publishing, by subscription, a new work, by her late husband, entitled "A system of Pyrotechny, comprehending the theory and practice, with the application of chemistry, designed for exhibition and for war." New York canal. The benefits resulting from this canal are not alone confined to that state. A Vergennes paper mentions the arrival there, of the canal boat Eclipse, from Salina, N. Y. with 1000 bushels salt. Five vessels, with freight, for that and the neighboring towus, arrived at the landing in Vergennes in one day. below Youngwomanstown, Pa. This is the first quadruped of this species, that has been seen or taken in that part of the country by any of the oldest inhabitants. Negotiations with France. DOCUMENTS TRANSMITTED TO CONGRESS. To the Speaker of the house of representatives of the U. S. Washington, 24 February, 1824. Department of state, Washington, 2d Feb. 1824. The secretary of state, to whom has been referred the resolution of the house of representatives, of the 11th of December last, "requesting the president of the United States to communicate to that house copies of such parts of the correspondence of the late minister of the United States at the court of France, with the French government, and such parts of the correspondence of said minister with the secretary Domestic industry. At the late annual fair in Paw-of state, relative to claims of citizens of the United tucket, Rhode Island, 25 ladies received premiums for States for spoliations upon our lawful commerce, as, productions of their industry and ingenuity. in his opinion, may not be inconsistent with the public interest;" has the honor of submitting to the president the papers required by that resolution. During one week, upwards of 114,000 lbs. of butter and lard passed through the canal, at Utica, N. Y. Flannel. At the Brighton, (Mass.) fair, a piece of flannel was presented, woven by water power, which is supposed to save half the expense of weaving by hand. The use of water power for the manufacture of flannel is said not to have been yet commenced in Great Britain, and is an American invention. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. Extracts from the general instructions of Mr. Monroe, sccretary of state, to Mr. Gallatin, envoy extraordinary, and minister plenipotentiary of the United States to France, dated Department of state, Washington, 15th April, 1816. "It has, at all times, since our revolution, been the sincere desire of this government to cultivate a good intelligence with France. The changes which have taken place in her government have never produced any change in this disposition. The United States have looked to the French nation, and to the exist Domestic buttons. We, some time since, noticed the manufacture of highly gilt buttons, at Waterbury, Connecticut; they were then made almost as an experiment. We are pleased to learn, that the enterprising manufacturers, Messrs. Aaron, Benedict and Messrs. Leavenworth, Hayden and Scoville, have considerably enlarged their works, from the encouragement they have received; that the prejudice which at first existed, had been done away, and that our most respectable merchants and merchant tai-ing government, as its proper organ, deeming it unlors give their orders freely, from perfect confidence that they are, at least, equal to those imported. Emigration. A meeting of colored people has been held at Troy, N. Y. for the purpose of taking into consideration the propositions of the president of Hayti; and, at Cincinnati, Ohio, a society has been formed with a view of ascertaining correct intelligence in regard to the soil and climate of the island. Ohio and Mississippi. A contract has been entered into, by authority of the government of the U. S. to clear the Ohio and Mississippi of the snags and sawyers which so much impede the navigation of those justifiable to interfere with its interior concerns. The existing government has, in consequence, been invariably recognized here as soon as known. Should you find that unfounded prejudices are entertained on this subject, which a frank explanation may remove, you are authorized to make it. "Cherishing these sentiments towards the French nation, under all the governments which have existed there, it has not been less a cause of surprise, than of regret, that a corresponding disposition has not, at all times, been reciprocated by the French government towards the United States. The history of the last ten years is replete with wrongs, received from that government, for which no justifiable pretext can be Died, at his residence in Greensburgh, N. Y. colonel assigned. The property wrested, in that space of time, Bernardus Swartwout a soldier of the revolution from our citizens, is of great value, for which repahe was in many important engagements under gen.ration has not been obtained. These injuries were La Fayette. rivers. received under the administration of the late emperor of France, on whom the demand of indemnity was incessantly made, while he remained in power. Under the sensibility thereby excited, and the failure to obtain justice, the relations of the two countries were much affected. The disorder which has, of late, existed in France, has prevented a repetition of this demand; but now, that the government appears to be settled, it is due to our citizens, who were so unjustly plundered, to present their claims anew to the French Singular coincidence. The Charleston Courier contains the obituary of two persons, who recently died in that city, of the name of Cannon. They were cousins, in the 30th year of their age, were born on the same day, and left the world at nearly the same hour. Wonders of the vegetable world. At the Middlesex, (Conn.) cattle show, a water-melon was exhibited, weighing 48 pounds-at Salem (Mass.) a beet, 25 pounds-in Hillsborough (Mass.) a cabbage-head, 22 pounds at Portland (Maine),a Canada squash, weigh-government." ing 97 pounds-and in Canada, near Montreal, a cucumber, four feet two inches long!! White bear. On the 18th ult. a white bear was killed on the west branch of the Susquehannah, a few miles "A gross sum will be received, in satisfaction of the whole claim, if the liquidation and payment of every claim, founded on just principles, to be established, cannot be obtained. "The management of this important interest is committed to your discretion, as to the moment and manner of bringing it under consideration, in which the prospect of obtaining a satisfactory reparation will, necessarily, have its due weight. You will be furnished with a letter of instruction, authorizing you to provide for it, by convention, should that mode be preferred." The secretary of state to Mr. Gallatin. Department of state, Washington, 7th May, 1816. SIR-On the presumption that his most Christian majesty may be disposed to provide, by special convention, for the just claims of the citizens of the U. States against France, as also for the like claims of French subjects against the United States-this letter is given to you by direction of the president, as an authority and instruction to negotiate a convention for that purpose, with such person or persons as may have a like authority from his most Christian majesty. I have the honor to be, &c. JAMES MONROE. Extract of a letter, No. 10, from Mr. Gallatin, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to France, to Mr. Monroe, secretary of state, dated Paris, 11th November, 1816. "I have the honor to enclose a copy of my note, of the 9th instant, to the duke de Richelieu, on the sub- | ject of indemnities due to citizens of the U. States, on account of the illegal and irregular sequestrations and condemnations made under the authority of the former government of France. I had some difficulty in collecting, from scattered documents, the information necessary to present a correct view of the subject, and adapted to existing circumstances." Paris, 9th November, 1816. Monsieur le Duc-I had already the honor, in some preliminary conversations, to present to your excellency a general view of the losses sustained by American citizens, under various illegal acts of the former government of France; and, for which, the United States claim an indemnity from the justice of his most Christian majesty. licenses. But that plea was, in point of fact, destitute of foundation with respect to the United States That they had uniformly opposed the aggressions of Great Britian, on their neutral rights, is notorious. It is not less true, and appears from all their public acts, and from the tenor of their negotiations with both belligerents, that it was solely owing to the acts of France, to the Berlin and Milan decrees, that still more decisive measures of resistance were not early adopted against Great Britain. So long as France and England equally continued to violate the neutral rights of America, she could not have selected either of those nations for an enemy without tamely sub mitting to the aggressions of the other, and without deviating from that impartial course which it was her constant endeavor to pursue. And when, at last, the French decrees had been revoked, so far as America was concerned, the perseverance of England in continuing her unlawful orders, and in violating the rights of the United States, produced a declaration of war, on their part, against that country. Notwithstanding the intrinsic justice of the claim of the United States for losses sustained by their citizens, under the Berlin and Milan decrees, it was intimated by your excellency that those decrees, having been of a general nature, other nations, that had also experienced losses by their operation, would have had an equal right to an indemnity, and that those acts, not having been enumerated in the last treaties and conventions between France and the other European powers, amongst those for which a compensation should be made by France, the United States ought not to expect to be placed on a better footing than other nations. It would be preposterous to suppose, and it cannot have been intended to suggest, that the United States can, in any case, be bound by treaties to which they were not parties, and in which no attention whatever could have been paid to their interests. Nor can, by any correct analogy, the principles therein adopted, be applied to America. The allied powers naturally sought to obtain indemnity in those cases in which they were most interested. Almost all, if not all of them, had been, durThe right to an indemnty, being founded on the lawing the late European wars, either at war, or in alof nations, extends to all cases, where there has been liance with France, whilst the United States had nean evident infraction of that law, such as it is recog-ver stood in either of those relations towards her. nized by civilized nations. Hence, it necessarily followed, that the injuries susOf the acts of the former French government, tained by the subjects of those powers, differed essenopenly violating that law, those issued on the 21st tially from those inflicted by France on American November, 1806, at Berlin, and on the 17th Decem- citizens. The Berlin and Milan decrees, so far as ber, 1807, at Milan, were promulgated in the shape they extended beyond prohibitory municipal regulaof public decrees, applicable, at least nominally, to tions, although nominally general, applied in fact alother nations as well as the United States. Other acts most exclusively to the U. States. If there was any were exclusively directed against America; appear-exception, it was in amount too small, and applied to ing also sometimes under the form of decrees, as that nations whose weight was too inconsiderable, to be of Bayonne, of the 17th April, 1808, and that of Ram- taken into consideration. Of the other powers, many bouillet, of the 23d March, 1810; and, at times, be- had no interest that indemnities should be obtained ing only special orders for seizing or selling certain on that account, whilst several of them, namely, American vessels and cargoes. To these various acts England, Spain, Holland, Denmark, and Naples, had must be added the wanton destruction, at different a direct interest that the principle should not be adtimes, of American vessels on the high seas. mitted. It will, of course, appear, that, by the conThat the Berlin and Milan decrees, so far as they vention between France and Great Britain, compendeclared liable to capture and condemnation neutral sation is to be made by France for all the property of vessels, pursuing an innocent commerce, and contra- English subjects confiscated or sequestered, not only vening no municipal laws, were an evident violation during the last war, but also during that which preof the law of nations, has not been, and cannot be, ceded the treaty of Amiens, and including even the denied. The plea of retaliation, grounded on a sup-loss arising from the reduction of the public debt of posed acquiescence of neutral powers in certain acts France, to one third of its nominal amount, with the of Great Britain, and urged in justification of those exception of the seizures and confiscations made in decrees, was unjust in its principle, and altogether consequence of the laws of war, and of the prohibiinadmissible, when affecting a neutral instead of an tory laws. And the exception precisely embraces enemy. And, even that pretence for plundering a the principle classes of injuries, for which the Unitfriendly power was abandoned, when the two bel-ed States are entitled to indemnity, since their grounds ligerant governments, whilst continuing to capture of complaint against France are the abuse on her the vessels of the neutral trading with their respective part of belligerant rights and the unlawful extension enemy, permitted a direct commerce, by means of of prohibitory laws beyond their legitimate sphere. Not only were the Berlin and Milan decrees an evident and acknowledged violation of the law of nations; not only the plea of retaliation against England, and of a presumed acquiesence in her aggressions, was unfounded, with respect to the United States; not only neither the treaties between France and the allied powers are binding on America, nor the principles adopted in those treaties applicable to the relations in which she stood towards France; but those decrees were also an open infraction of the treaties subsisting between the two countries; namely, of the 12th, 13th and 14th articles of the convention of the 30th of September, 1800, which did not expire till the 31st of July, 1809. For, it was therein stipulated, that the citizens of either country might sail with their ships and merchandise, (contraband goods excepted), from any port whatever, to any port of the enemy of the other, and from a port of such enemy, either to a neutral port, or to another port of the enemy, unless such port should be actually blockaded; that a vessel, sailing for an enemy's port without knowing that the same was blockaked, should be turned away, but neither be detained, nor her cargo be confiscated; that implements and ammunition of war should alone be considered contraband of war; and that free ships should make free goods, extending that freedom even to an enemy's property, on board the ships belonging to the citizens of either country. The French decrees, in violation of those stipulations, after having declared the British islands and possessions in a state of blockade, although they were not pretended to be actually blockaded, made liable to capture and condemnation all American, (as well as other neutral) vessels, sailing on the high seas, from or to any English port, or even which might have been visited by an English vessel, as well as every species of merchandise belonging to English subjects, or of English origin. It is true that, in answer to the American minister who had applied for explanations respecting the construction intended to be given to the Berlin decree, assurances were at first given that it would produce no change in the previous regulations respecting neutral navigators, nor in the convention with the United States. This construction, which gave to that decree the character only of a prohibitory municipal law, was adhered to during the ten first months which followed its promulgation; and it was only in September, 1807, that merchandise, found on board of neutral vessels at sea, was declared liable to condemnation, merely on account of its being of British growth or manufacture. This fact is here stated for the purpose of observing, that the assurances which had thus been given, and the practical construction thus first put on the Berlin decree, prevented the early opposition which otherwise the United States would have made to it; and that this supposed acquiescence on their part, served as a pretence for the British orders in council of November, 1807, which were immediately followed by the French decree of Milan. The decrees and orders of the French government, which applied exclusively to the United States, will now be noticed. Assailed by the simultaneous agressions of the two belligerant powers, the first step of the American government was to withdraw the commerce of the United States from the depredations to which it was every where exposed. An embargo was laid in the latter end of the year 1807, on all their vessels: and, notwithstanding the extraordinary privations and the great loss of revenue which were incurred, that measure was persevered in during fifteen months. In the mean while, strong remonstrances were made to the French and English governments, on the subject of their unlawful acts. Not only was the appeal to] their justice fruitless, but it appears that, by an order said to have been issued at Bayonne, on the 17th of April, 1808, all American vessels then in the ports of France, or which might thereafter come into them, were directed to be seized, on the pretence that no vessel of the United States could then navigate, without infringing a law of the United States, as if the infraction of a municipal law could be lawfully punished by a foreign power; as if it had not been notorious, that a number of American vessels, which were abroad when the embargo became known to them, remained in foreign seas and countries, in order to avoid the effect of that law. The pressure of the embargo on the agriculture and commerce of the United States, became such that congress found it proper to modify that measure. By a law of the 1st March, 1809, the act laying an embargo was repealed with respect to all countries, England and France only excepted, and the vessels and merchandise of both countries were excluded from the United States after the 20th of May following; with the proviso, that, in case either France or Great Britain should so revoke or modify their edicts, as that they should cease to violate the neutral commerce of the United States, the commercial intercourse of the United States should be renewed with the nation so doing. This law in its nature was entirely municipal and pacific; and its object was to avoid immediate hostilities and to give further time for negotiations; to withdraw, as far as practicable, the navigation of the United States from the operation of the unlawful acts of both France and England, and to give to both sufficient inducements for repealing their edicts, by the actual privation of the benefits derived from the American commerce, and by the prospect that, in case of such repeal by either nation, she would again enjoy those advantages of which her enemy would continue to be deprived. The act was officially communicated on the 29th of April, 1809, by the American minister, to the French government. It was not at that time treated as hostile; and if it produced no favorable change, no remonstrance was made against it. But, towards the end of the same year, orders were given to seize all the American vessels in France, or in the countries occupied by her arms; and after a great number had been thus seized, principally in Spain and in Holland, an imperial decree was, on the 23d March, 1810, issued at Rambouillet, ordering or rather confirming that seizure, extending it to all American vessels which had entered France or those countries since the 20th May, 1809, and directing that the product of the sales should be deposited in the caisse d'amortissement. The act of congress of 1st March, 1809, was alleged as the motive for that outrageous In point of fact, it is not believed that any measure. vessel, the property of French subjects, had been At least, it is forfeited for a violation of that act. not recollected that any application was made, for the remission of such forfeiture, to the treasury department, which, by the law, was authorized to grant such remissions, and would certainly have done it, in any case where the law might not have been within the knowledge of the parties. But it cannot be neces sary seriously to discuss a plea, which was evidently but a pretence for plunder. It will be sufficient to observe, that the gross injustice of the Rambouillet. decree consists in its retrospective operation; and that if the French government had promulgated an order, excluding American vessels from the ports of France and of the countries occupied by her arms, and pronouncing the penalty of confiscation, after due notice of that order, American citizens, who might have voluntarily and knowingly violated the provi sions of what was only a municipal law, would have been justly liable to its penalties. The American property seized or captured by |