and seized about ten millions of American property.

By this time it was clear to most Americans that, however unfriendly the
British policy, it was honesty itself compared to that of the Emperor,
whose sole aim seemed to be to ensnare American vessels for the purpose
of seizing them. The Federalists in Congress expatiated on his perfidy
and bare-faced plunder, but nothing could shake the intention of Madison
to stick to commercial bargaining. Congress now passed another Act,
destined to be the last effort at peaceful coercion. Trade was opened,
but the President was authorized to reimpose non-intercourse with either
nation if the other would withdraw its decrees. This Act, known always
as the Macon Bill No. 2, became law in May, 1810, and Napoleon
immediately seized the occasion for further sharp practice. He caused an
unofficial, unsigned letter to be shown to the American Minister at Paris
stating that the French decrees would be withdrawn on November 2, 1810,
"it being understood that the English should withdraw theirs by that time
or the United States should cause its rights to be respected by England."
Madison accordingly reimposed non-intercourse with {207} England on the
date named, and considered the French decrees withdrawn. The situation
was regarded by him as though he had entered into a contract with
Napoleon, which compelled him to assert that the decrees were at an end,
although he had no other evidence than the existence of the situation
arising from the Macon Bill.

There followed a period during which the American Minister at London,
William Pinkney, endeavoured without success to convince the British
government that the decrees actually were withdrawn. The Portland
Ministry had fallen in 1809, and the sharp-tongued Canning was replaced
in the Foreign Office by the courteous Marquess Wellesley; but Spencer
Perceval, author of the Orders in Council, was Prime Minister and stiffly
determined to adhere to his policy. James Stephen and George Rose, in
Parliament, stood ready to defend them, and the Tory party as a whole
accepted their necessity. When, therefore, Pinkney presented his request
to Wellesley, the latter naturally demanded something official from
Napoleon, which neither Pinkney nor Madison could supply. Finally, in
February, 1811, Pinkney broke off diplomatic relations and returned home,
having played his difficult part with dignity. To aggravate the
situation Napoleon's cruisers co