The act of the last session of Congress concerning the commercial
intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France and
their dependencies having invited in a new form a termination of their
edicts against our neutral commerce, copies of the act were immediately
forwarded to our ministers at London and Paris, with a view that its
object might be within the early attention of the French and British
Governments.
By the communication received through our minister at Paris it appeared
that a knowledge of the act by the French Government was followed by a
declaration that the Berlin and Milan decrees were revoked, and would
cease to have effect on the 1st day of November ensuing. These being the
only known edicts of France within the description of the act, and the
revocation of them being such that they ceased at that date to violate
our neutral commerce, the fact, as prescribed by law, was announced by a
proclamation bearing date the 2d day of November.
It would have well accorded with the conciliatory views indicated by
this proceeding on the part of France to have extended them to all the
grounds of just complaint which now remain unadjusted with the United
States. It was particularly anticipated that, as a further evidence of
just dispositions toward them, restoration would have been immediately
made of the property of our citizens seized under a misapplication of
the principle of reprisals combined with a misconstruction of a law of
the United States.
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