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Virginia Argus
Richmond, Virginia
What is this article about?
Extract of a letter from Paris dated Jan. 2, 1812, reports French government's stance against repealing Berlin and Milan decrees to avoid prompting Britain's Orders in Council repeal. Emperor aims to draw US into hostilities with England, views US neutrality as harmful, and may seize American property if Britain relents. US merchants face insecurity; mentions Mr. Barlow's efforts.
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Extract of a letter dated Paris, Jan.2, 1812.
I must decline being interested with you in any further adventures, with or without license, to this country. The last, you will perceive, yields not a profit adequate to the difficulties with which the trade is embarrassed; and it seems to be the prevailing opinion here, among the more intelligent of the French whose opinions I have had an opportunity of learning, and two of them are connected with government, that no accommodation will be acceded to by the emperor, inconsistent with the existence of the Berlin and Milan decrees, although the emperor will continue, by special suspension of their operation, in every case to countenance the spirit and the measures of our own government, and to encourage our citizens to support our government in them, as long as the variance between England and the U. States is kept up, and we contribute to the revenue here by paying the tariff duties. It is agreed on all hands, that the emperor's policy is, not to afford evidence of the repeal of his decrees, lest it should produce the repeal of the orders in council; and by this policy, the people here do not disguise that they are sanguine, that we shall be gradually led into hostilities with England. But from recent communications from England, an apprehension is entertained that she may be constrained, for her own sake, to relinquish her orders in council; in which event, there can hardly be a doubt but that all American property within the emperor's grasp will be seized, not merely on account of its magnitude, nor from enmity to us, but from a fixed resolution to give a fair trial to his favorite plan of subduing England, in which circumstances every day make him more and more sanguine; for politicians here undertake to prove, that the neutrality of the United States would be more pernicious than their enmity to the success of his system. Although I cannot see into this, yet the idea seems so rooted, that I would not trust to any effort Mr. Barlow can make to the government here to abandon it: and so long as it prevails, our merchants will be subject to insecurity. Hence you will infer, that the relations of the U. States at this moment is not viewed by this government as neutral towards England.
Freeman's Journal.
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Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Paris
Event Date
Jan.2, 1812
Key Persons
Outcome
no accommodation inconsistent with berlin and milan decrees; potential seizure of american property if england relinquishes orders in council; us merchants subject to insecurity; french view us relations as not neutral towards england.
Event Details
Letter writer declines further trade adventures due to low profits and trade difficulties. Prevailing French opinion, including government-connected individuals, holds that emperor will not repeal Berlin and Milan decrees to avoid prompting British repeal of orders in council. Emperor's policy aims to lead US into hostilities with England and supports US measures against Britain while US pays tariffs. Apprehension that Britain may relinquish orders, leading to seizure of US property to pursue subduing England. US neutrality seen as more pernicious than enmity; doubts Mr. Barlow's efforts will change policy.