Chapter 4

FROM THE ORDERS IN COUNCIL TO WAR

Reservation of the British Government in signing the treaty of December 31, 1806 141

The Berlin Decree 142

Ambiguity of its wording 143

The question of "private property," so called, embarked in commercial venture at sea. Discussion 144

Wide political scope of the Berlin Decree 148

Twofold importance of the United States in international policy 149

Consequent aims of France and Great Britain 149

British Order in Council of January 7, 1807 150

Attitude of the United States Government 152

Military purpose of the Berlin Decree and the Continental System 153

The "Chesapeake" affair 155

Conference concerning it between Canning and Monroe 156

Action of President Jefferson 160

Use made of it by Canning 161

Correspondence concerning the "Chesapeake" affair 161

Rose appointed envoy to Washington to negotiate a settlement 165

Failure of his mission 167

Persistent British refusal to punish the offending officer 169

Significance of the "Chesapeake" affair in the relations of the two nations 168

Its analogy to impressment 170

Enforcement of the Berlin Decree by Napoleon 172

Its essential character 174

The Decree and the Continental System are supported by the course of the American Government 175

Pinkney's conviction of Great Britain's peril 177

The British Orders in Council, November, 1807 177

Their effect upon the United States 178

Just resentment in America 178

Action of the Administration and Congress 181

The Embargo Act of December, 1807 182

Explanations concerning it to Great Britain 183

Its intentions, real and alleged 185

Its failure, as an alternative to war 186

Jefferson's aversion to the carrying trade 187

Growing ill-feeling between the United States and Great Britain 190

Relief to Great Britain from the effects of the Continental System, by the Spanish revolt against Napoleon 191

Depression of United States industries under the Embargo 192

Difficulty of enforcement 194

Evasions and smuggling 195

The Embargo beneficial to Canada and Nova Scotia 198

Effects in Great Britain 199

Relief to British navigation through the Embargo 200

Effect of the Embargo upon American revenue 202

Numbers of American vessels remain abroad, submitting to the Orders in Council, and accepting British licenses and British convoy 203

Napoleon's Bayonne Decree against them; April 17, 1808 203

Illustrations of the working of Napoleon's Decrees and of the Orders in Council 204

Vigorous enforcement of the Embargo in 1808 206

Popular irritation and opposition 207

Act for its further enforcement, January 9, 1809 208

Evidences of overt resistance to it 209

Act for partial repeal, introduced February 8 210

Conflicting opinions as to the Embargo, in and out of Congress 211

The Non-Intercourse Act, March 1, 1809 214

Its effect upon commercial restrictions 215

Canning's advances, in consequence of Non-Intercourse Act 215

Instructions sent to Erskine, British Minister at Washington 216

Erskine's misleading communication of them, April 18, 1809 218

Consequent renewal of trade with Great Britain 219

Erskine disavowed. Non-Intercourse resumed, August 9, 1809 219

Orders in Council of November, 1807, revoked; and substitute issued, April 26, 1809 220

Consequent partial revival of American commerce 220

Francis J. Jackson appointed as Erskine's successor 221

His correspondence with the American Secretary of State 222

Further communication with him refused 225

Criticism of the American side of this correspondence 226

Wellesley succeeds Canning as British Foreign Secretary 229

Jackson's dismissal communicated to Wellesley by Pinkney 229

Wellesley delays action 230

British view of the diplomatic situation 231

Failure of the Non-Intercourse Act 232

Difficulty of finding a substitute 233

Act of May 1, 1810.--Its provisions 234

Napoleon's Rambouillet Decree, March 23, 1810 235

Act of May 1, 1810, communicated to France and Great Britain 236

Napoleon's action. Champagny's letter, August 5, 1810 237

Madison accepts it as revoking the French Decrees 238

The arguments for and against this interpretation 239

Great Britain refuses to accept it 242

Statement of her position in the matter 243

Wellesley's procrastinations 245

Pinkney states to him the American view, at length, December 10, 1810 245

Wellesley's reply 246

Inconsistent action of the French Government 247

Non-Intercourse with Great Britain revived by statute, March 2, 1811 249

The American Minister withdraws from London, February 28, 1811 251

Non-Intercourse with Great Britain remains in vigor to, and during, the war 252

Augustus J. Foster appointed British Minister to the United States, February, 1811 252

His instructions 253

His correspondence with the Secretary of State 254

Settlement of the "Chesapeake" affair 255

The collision between the "President" and the "Little Belt" 256

Special session of Congress summoned 259

The President's Message to Congress, November 5, 1811 259

Increase of the army voted 259

Debate on the navy 260

Congress refuses to increase the navy, January 27, 1812 263

Embargo of ninety days preparatory to war, April 4 263

The evasions of this measure 264

Increasing evidence of the duplicity of Napoleon's action 266

Report of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, March 10, 1812 269

Consequent British declaration 270

Use of these papers by Barlow, American Minister to France 271

The spurious French Decree of April 28, 1811, communicated to Barlow 272

Communicated to the British Government 273

Considerations influencing the British Government 274

The Orders in Council revoked 276

Madison sends a war message to Congress, June 1, 1812 279

Declaration of war, June 18, 1812 279

Conditions of the army, navy, and treasury 279