rious publications issued by autho. in consequence of the decrees rity, the advantages to be expected in their favour, carried their indis. from such a system, were represent. criminate piracies to such a length, ed in glowing colours. But the as wholly to drive away from the impression they produced was very French coasts those neutral vessels feeble, and that confined to the which good policy would have in. states whom the French govern- vited and encouraged, in order to ment had other means of influencing raise the value of the produce than reasoning. But on the 3d of and merchandize of France, and July, 1796, a decree was passed, lower the price of freight and insu. directing 66 all French privateers, rance.

The French government, and ships of war, to treat the ves. taught by experience, the folly of sels of neutral nations in the same their piratical system, laid down as manner, in which the ships of those maxims, that the most extended and nations suffered themselves to be unlimited piracy is by no means a treated by the English.” This de. genuine source of wealth and procree was notified to the Americans sperity; and that an agricultural by the, French minister at Phila. state, such as France, rich in phydelphia, 27th of October, in the sical productions, and various in. same year. In consequence of this dustry, which consumes a great decree, numerous captures of Ame- deal, and should export a great deal, rican vessels were made by the is particularly interested in the precruizers of the French republic, servation of all commercial regula. and of some, by those of Spain. tions, in their greatest extent and On the subject of maritime affairs, Security. the Directory, in January 1798, The Directory having represented issued another decree; “That all these things in a memorial, addresships, having for their cargoes, in sed to the legislative body, conclu. whole, or in part, any English mer. ded that it was high time to adopt chandize, should be held lawful some marine code, that should be prizes, whoever might be the pro. better suited than the present, to the prietor of that merchandize; which interest and exigencies of the coun. should be held contraband from the try. They declared it to be their single circumstance of its coming fixed opinion, that, in the present from England, or any of its foreign situation of affairs, the liberty of settlements." It was also enacted, privateering, instead of being farthat the harbours of France should ther encouraged, and extended, be shut against all ships, except in should be restrained and modified. cases of distress, that had so much This memorial respecting the maas touched at any English port; rine trade, was referred by the and, to complete the climax of bar- council of Five Hundred to a select barity, that neutral sailors, found committee. The subject of it was on-board English vessels, should be under consideration, but nothing put to death. The execution of this determined on, when the Directory last decree, was prevented by a and legislative councils were superdeclaration on the part of Bri. seded at the close of 1799, by the tain, threatening retaliation.- consular government. A matter of The numerous French privateers such importance did not escape the

я

attention of the first consul. A de. declared to be in a state of blockade. cree was passed, annulling all for. He appointed commercial residents mer decrees and decisions, respect. in every trading country. . And no ing neutral vessels, and restoring the ship was to be admitted into any laws and usages of the monarchy, of his ports without a certification in 1778.*_It is probable that, at of origin, that is, of the nature of this time, Buonaparte entertained the goods they carried, and that no thoughts of establishing his power, part of these was English. The by moderation, justice, and the arts wants of men, not the less importu. of peace, and conciliating the good nate that they were luxurious or ar. will and confidence, both of France, tificial, having opened back doors and other nations. But if such to various English articles, both were ever his views, they were manufactures, and colonial produce, entirely changed at the period he enforced the execution of his which forms the subject of the decrees against English commerce, present narrative. Every other by means of new regulations, with consideration seems to have been greater and greater rigour. In conse. absorbed in that of self-aggrandize. quence of these decrees, the English ment, and indeed, of self-preser. commerce, during the months of Auvation. He could exist only by gust, September, and October, 1807, war and rapine. He had deter. that part of the year in which the mined to go on, conquering, and Berlin 'decree of November, 1806, to conquer.

By a decree dated at was carried into fulleffect, was not onHamburgh, 11th of November, ly greatly cramped, butlay prostrated 1807, and another at Milan, 27th on the ground, and motionless, be. of December, declaring the whole fore a protecting and self-defensive island of Great Britain to be in a system was interposed by our orders state of blockade, he prohibited in council. An order of council, and compelled all the other conti. January 7th, 1807, containing a nental powers, even Portugal for measure of inild retaliation, had a time, not excepted, to prohibit been evaded, and turned to the ad. commerce with any of the domini. Vantage of the enemy, in carrying ons of his Britannic majesty. No

No on circuitous trade to this nation was allowed to trade with country. I Therefore new orders any other country, in any articles of council were issued on the 11th, the growth, produce, or manufac. and 21st of November, allowing tures of any of the British domini. neutrals to trade with countries not ods, all of which, as well as the at peace and amity with Great Bri. island of Great Britain itself, were tain, on

the condition of their

a

* Vol. XLII. 1800, HISTORY OF EUROPE, p. 54, 55. † This piot was established beyond all possibility of doubt and contradiction,

р by the speech of James Stephen Esq. in the debate in the house of commons, March 0:h, 1809, on Mr. Whitbread's motion relative to the late overtures of the Annerican government.

As in the instance of a cargo of wine from Bourdeaux, destined thitough this, country for Amsterdam. At Amsterdam, insurance was done at 30 per cent. But the trade could be carried on through this country, at 5 per cent.

Q2

touching touching at the ports of this coun. be wholly fruitless. “Our commerce try, and paying the customs or, had been in a state of suspended taxes imposed by the British go- animation; and to complain now, vernment. The neutrals were thus because it was not as flourishing as placed between confiscation and in its best former period, was just confiscation. If they went to an as reasonable as if a man, rescued enemy's port without first paying from drowning when his vital funcduty here, they were to be captured tions were suspended, should find by our cruizers : and if they came fault with his deliverer next day, here and paid the duty, then they because he found himself weak and would be confiscated if they went languid, or not so full of life and to the ports of the enemy. The vigour, as before he fell into the options were both of them hard. river. * The American government prohi. A treaty of amity had been made bited, as far as their authority could by lord Grenville, with America, have effect, the subjects of the on 31st December, 1806: but it was united states from taking either.-- not ratified by the president of the The French certificates of origin, Congress. For an unauthorised were devised to prevent British co. act of force, committed against an lonial produce from finding a mar- American ship of war, spontaneous ket. Now however, under the reparation had been made by Great operation of these orders, the whole Britain. But with this particular of the colonial produce, French as

American government well as English, being brought to attempted to connect the general this country, would be so mixed question, respecting the right of that it would be impossible for the searching for British seamen, and enensy to distinguish the one from deserters; to abandon which, was the other, and our own colonial considered by the British governe produce would no longer be undera' ment, as inconsistent with the mari. sold. This was the general spirit time rights of Britain. or object of the orders of council. To balance, in some measure, the

was a kind of compromise be discouragements arising to our com, tween helligerent rights, and com- merce, from the misunderstanding mercial interests. It was a system with the united states, which was that ran into great complexity; every day growing worse, a com, order upon order in explanation, mercial and friendly intercourse was was issued respecting various cases. established between Great Britain, And on the whole, immediately af- and general Christophe, who having ter the orders of council were issued, defeated and destroyed the emperor trade began again to lift up its head, Dessalines, governed a great part and to flourish: not perhaps so of the island of St. Domingo, under greatly as at its best former period; the more modest title of the presi, for the injurious and violent system dent of Hayti. He had been long of the enemy, though counteracted opposed in arms, by Petion at the by the orders of council

, could not head of the Mulattoes.t But in the Mr, Stephen's speech on Mr, Whitbread's motion, &c.p.31. + Christophe himself was born in St. Domingo, but of African parents.

case, the

It

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decisive campaign of 1807, the Mu. who had pointed their weapons lattoe party were broken and dis. against his person? Why should persed, and Christophe remained, that CANNIBAL Petion shed such though not without a competitor for* deluges of blood, if it was not on the supreme power, yet without any a plan of destruction, conceived on formidable rival. Christophe ap- purpose to diminish the population pears to have possessed in a very of Hayti? A plan in perfect uui. eminent degree, the virtues of hu. son with the projects of their im. manity, and a regard to the true placable enemies, a plan favoured interests of his country, as well as by a faction that had never made good sense, and military skill and any account of the blood that was courage. He declared it to be the spilt, wheu it was to be subservient great object of his government, to to the ambitious views of the com. repair the havock and devastation mander.” of Hayti, by the establishment of Christophe, with the assistance just laws, social order, freedom of of other men, of enlarged views, trade, and above all, a commercial had been employed for some time, and friendly alliance with the only in the formation of a new Con. people that had stood forth in šup- STITUTION for Hayti;

which was port of regular government and law, proclaimed on the 17th of February

, in so many countries subverted, and 1807, the fourth year of indepen. every where shaken. He had great dence. It is founded on a moral confidence, and a predilection, for and religious basis; it breathes a the personal character of the En. spirit of moderation, justice, politi. glish. He spared the lives of the cal wisdom, and enlarged views of crowds of prisoners that had fallen the true interests of Hayti, in its into his hands, took great care of foreign and in its internal relathe sick and wounded, and assured tions, or concerns. Slavery was for all men, peaceably disposed, of his ever abolished in Hayti. Every protection. This was his ultimate man was to find a sacred asylum in view, even when their mistaken his own house : his person and proconduct had reduced him to the perty were secure, under the safe. necessity of opposing it by force of guard of the law. Assassination

“ The friend of humanity, was punished with death. The first (says he) the man who loves his magistrate was invested with the country, and is submissive to the title and quality of president and laws, demands to know what pur- generalissimo of the forces of pose the rebel Petion meant to Hayti, at land and sea. And he serve, by exposing to massacre the was to appoint his successor out of miserable tools of his ambition? the number of his general officers. What would have been the destiny The whole of the articles or clauses of those miserable people whom the of the fundamental laws, or con. fate of war had placed under the stitution of Ilayti, fifty-one in power of the president, if his cle. number, were reduced under ten nency had not spared even those heads.-I. The condition of the