The Embargo

Act
On December 18, 1807, President Thomas Jefferson stated a few remarks
before Congress: “To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States: The communications now made, showing the great and increasing
dangers with which our vessels, our seamen, and merchandise are threatened
on the high seas and elsewhere, from the belligerent powers of Europe, and
it being of great importance to keep in safety these essential resources, I
deem it my duty to recommend the subject to the consideration of Congress,
who will doubtless perceive all the advantages which may be expected from
an inhibition of the departure of our vessels from the parts of the United
States. Their wisdom will also see the necessity of making every preparation
for whatever events may grow out of the present crisis.” The idea of an
embargo was born with initial intentions of preventing impressments and
expressing the nation’s neutrality during Napoleonic Wars. On December
21, 1807, the act was passed by Congress over Federalist opposition and at
the behest of President Jefferson. He supported and saw it as an alternative
to war. However, Massachusetts Governor James Sullivan and Secretary of
the Treasury Albert Gallatin were against the
measure of debate about an embargo. The
Embargo Act ended up hurting no one but the
United States. By prohibiting U.S. vessels from
trading with European nations, the prices of
even domestic shipping drove up to an
unreasonable rate. Both the English and the
French had far less reason than usual to be dependent on American goods
due to an unusually abundant planting season in Europe the following year
after the act was passed. Vessels violating either the French or British
blockades would be seized; this risked the loss of American merchant ships
to both sides. New England merchants looked on the scheme as an attempt
to defraud them of a livelihood. The French confiscated $10 million worth of
U.S. shipping in European ports under the pretext of assisting the embargo’s
enforcement. Increased British exports to Latin America matched a decrease
in British exports to the U.S. The Embargo Act embarrassed and divided the
Republican Party and increased the popularity of the Federalists. On March
1, 1809, the Embargo Act was finally repealed by the Non-Intercourse Act,

Amy Pham
The Embargo
Act
which specified that Great Britain could no longer import specific
manufactured goods to the United States.

Amy Pham