Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 4 (of 16)United States. Congress
History
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 4 (of 16)
United States. Congress
Law -- United States; United States -- Politics and government
Soon after these instructions were dispatched, it was
found that the British Government, anticipating from early
proceedings of Congress, at their last session, the state
of our laws, which has had the effect of placing the two
belligerent powers on a footing of equal restrictions,
and, relying on the conciliatory disposition of the United
States, had transmitted to their legation here provisional
instructions, not only to offer satisfaction for the attack on
the frigate Chesapeake, and to make known the determination
of His Britannic Majesty to send an Envoy Extraordinary, with
powers to conclude a treaty on all the points between the two
countries; but, moreover, to signify his willingness, in the
mean time, to withdraw his Orders in Council, in the persuasion
that the intercourse with Great Britain would be renewed on the
part of the United States.
These steps of the British Government led to the
correspondence and the proclamation now laid before you, by
virtue of which the commerce between the two countries will be
renewable after the 10th day of June next.
Whilst I take pleasure in doing justice to the councils of
His Britannic Majesty, which, no longer adhering to the
policy which made an abandonment by France of her decrees
a prerequisite to a revocation of the British orders, have
substituted the amicable course which has issued thus happily,
I cannot do less than refer to the proposal heretofore made on
the part of the United States, embracing a like restoration
of the suspended commerce, as a proof of the spirit of
accommodation which has at no time been intermitted, and
to the result which now calls for our congratulations, as
corroborating the principles by which the public councils have
been guided during a period of the most trying embarrassments.
The discontinuance of the British orders, as they respect the
United States, having been thus arranged, a communication of
the event has been forwarded in one of our public vessels
to our Minister Plenipotentiary at Paris, with instructions
to avail himself of the important addition thereby made to
the considerations which press on the justice of the French
Government a revocation of its decrees, or such a modification
of them as that they shall cease to violate the neutral
commerce of the United States.
The revision of our commercial laws, proper to adapt them to
the arrangement which has taken place with Great Britain,
will doubtless engage the early attention of Congress. It
will be worthy, at the same time, of their just and provident
care, to make such further alterations in the laws as will
more especially protect and foster the several branches of
manufacture, which have been recently instituted or extended by
the laudable exertions of our citizens.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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