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our ships； and impressed into her service more than six thousand of
our citizens； till she had declared； by the proclamation of her
Prince Regent； that she would not repeal her aggressive orders _as to
us_； until Buonaparte should have repealed his _as to all nations_；
till her minister； in formal conference with ours； declared； that no
proposition for protecting our seamen from being impressed； under
color of taking their own； was practicable or admissible； that； the
door to justice and to all amicable arrangement being closed； and
negotiation become both desperate and dishonorable； we concluded that
the war she had been for years waging against us； might as well
become a war on both sides。 She takes fewer vessels from us since
the declaration of war than before； because they venture more
cautiously； and we now make full reprisals where before we made none。
England is； in principle； the enemy of all maritime nations； as
Buonaparte is of the continental； and I place in the same line of
insult to the human understanding； the pretension of conquering the
ocean； to establish continental rights； as that of conquering the
continent； to restore maritime rights。 No； my dear Madam； the object
of England is the _permanent dominion of the ocean_； and the
_monopoly of the trade of the world_。 To secure this； she must keep
a larger fleet than her own resources will maintain。 The resources
of other nations； then； must be impressed to supply the deficiency of
her own。 This is sufficiently developed and evidenced by her
successive strides towards the usurpation of the sea。 Mark them；
from her first war after William Pitt the little； came into her
administration。 She first forbade to neutrals all trade with her
enemies in time of war； which they had not in time of peace。 This
deprived them of their trade from port to port of the same nation。
Then she forbade them to trade from the port of one nation to that of
any other at war with her； although a right fully exercised in time
of peace。 Next； instead of taking vessels only _entering_ a
blockaded port； she took them over the whole ocean； if destined to
that port； although ignorant of the blockade； and without intention
to violate it。 Then she took them returning from that port； as if
infected by previous infraction of blockade。 Then came her paper
blockades； by which she might shut up the whole world without sending
a ship to sea； except to take all those sailing on it； as they must；
of course； be bound to some port。 And these were followed by her
orders of council； forbidding every nation to go to the port of any
other； without coming first to some port of Great Britain； there
paying a tribute to her； regulated by the cargo； and taking from her
a license to proceed to the port of destination； which operation the
vessel was to repeat with the return cargo on its way home。
According to these orders； we could not send a vessel from St。 Mary's
to St。 Augustine； distant six hours' sail； on our own coast； without
crossing the Atlantic four times； twice with the outward cargo； and
twice with the inward。 She found this too daring and outrageous for
a single step； retracted as to certain articles of commerce； but left
it in force as to others which constitute important branches of our
exports。 And finally； that her views may no longer rest on
inference； in a recent debate； her minister declared in open
parliament； that the object of the present war is a _monopoly of
commerce_。
In some of these atrocities； France kept pace with her fully in
speculative wrong； which her impotence only shortened in practical
execution。 This was called retaliation by both； each charging the
other with the initiation of the outrage。 As if two combatants might
retaliate on an innocent bystander； the blows they received from each
other。 To make war on both would have been ridiculous。 In order；
therefore； to single out any enemy； we offered to both； that if
either would revoke its hostile decrees； and the other should refuse；
we would interdict all intercourse whatever with that other； which
would be war of course； as being an avowed departure from neutrality。
France accepted the offer； and revoked her decrees as to us。 England
not only refused； but declared by a solemn proclamation of her Prince
Regent； that she would not revoke her orders _even as to us_； until
those of France should be annulled _as to the whole world_。 We
thereon declared war； and with abundant additional cause。
In the mean time； an examination before parliament of the
ruinous effects of these orders on her own manufacturers； exposing
them to the nation and to the world； their Prince issued a palinodial
proclamation； _suspending_ the orders on certain conditions； but
claiming to renew them at pleasure； as a matter of right。 Even this
might have prevented the war； if done and known here before its
declaration。 But the sword being once drawn； the expense of arming
incurred； and hostilities in full course； it would have been unwise
to discontinue them； until effectual provision should be agreed to by
England； for protecting our citizens on the high seas from
impressment by her naval commanders； through error； voluntary or
involuntary； the fact being notorious； that these officers； entering
our ships at sea under pretext of searching for their seamen； （which
they have no right to do by the law or usage of nations； which they
neither do； nor ever did； as to any other nation but ours； and which
no nation ever before pretended to do in any case；） entering our
ships； I say； under pretext of searching for and taking out their
seamen； they took ours； native as well as naturalised； knowing them
to be ours； merely because they wanted them； insomuch； that no
American could safely cross the ocean； or venture to pass by sea from
one to another of our own ports。 It is not long since they impressed
at sea two nephews of General Washington； returning from Europe； and
put them； as common seamen； under the ordinary discipline of their
ships of war。 There are certainly other wrongs to be settled between
England and us； but of a minor character； and such as a proper spirt
of conciliation on both sides would not permit to continue them at
war。 The sword； however； can never again be sheathed； until the
personal safety of an American on the ocean； among the most important
and most vital of the rights we possess； is completely provided for。
As soon as we heard of her partial repeal of her orders of
council； we offered instantly to suspend hostilities by an armistice；
if she would suspend her impressments； and meet us in arrangements
for securing our citizens against them。 She refused to do it；
because impracticable by any arrangement； as she pretends； but； in
truth； because a body of sixty to eighty thousand of the finest
seamen in the world； which we possess； is too great a resource for
manning her exaggerated