These decrees’ and orders of council all had to do directly with imports and exports via the sea. This adversely affected the United States. For a time American merchants were able to contrive many ways to evade these rules that were set forth. This fraudulent commerce was menacing to American prosperity. With determination to put a stop to all trade with France the British brought about the impressments controversy. American pride was dealt a blow by the indignation of the British act of impressment. This policy empowered British naval commanders to forcibly “draft” British into service in an emergency. The problem was that British often worked on neutral vessels like those of the United States, and the British also refused to recognize the naturalization laws of the United States. Jefferson accepted the right of the British to impress legitimate British citizens from American merchant vessels, but he was irked when
These decrees’ and orders of council all had to do directly with imports and exports via the sea. This adversely affected the United States. For a time American merchants were able to contrive many ways to evade these rules that were set forth. This fraudulent commerce was menacing to American prosperity. With determination to put a stop to all trade with France the British brought about the impressments controversy. American pride was dealt a blow by the indignation of the British act of impressment. This policy empowered British naval commanders to forcibly “draft” British into service in an emergency. The problem was that British often worked on neutral vessels like those of the United States, and the British also refused to recognize the naturalization laws of the United States. Jefferson accepted the right of the British to impress legitimate British citizens from American merchant vessels, but he was irked when