Macon's Bill Number 2,[1] which became law in the United States on May 14, 1810, was intended to motivate Great Britain and France to stop seizing American ships, cargoes, and crews during the Napoleonic Wars. This was a revision of the original bill by Representative Nathaniel Macon, known as Macon's Bill Number 1. Macon's Bill Number 2 was the fourth in a series of embargo measures, coming after the Non-Importation Act, the Embargo Act, and the Non-Intercourse Act (1809). Macon neither wrote the bill nor approved it.[2]
The law lifted all embargoes with Britain and France for three months. It stated that if either belligerent ceased disrupting American shipping, the United States would embargo the other, unless that other country also agreed to cease disrupting American shipping.[3]
Napoleon successfully exploited the bill to further his Continental System, effectively a French embargo on Britain that France tried to enforce on continental Europe, and to damage British-American relations. A message was sent to the United States, purporting to agree to the law's demand. President James Madison, a staunch opponent of the bill, had little choice but to accept Napoleon's ostensibly sincere offer. However, as Madison suspected, Napoleon's purpose was manipulative. When Britain threatened force against the United States in response, Napoleon reneged anyway, having achieved his goal of pushing the United States and Britain closer to the eventual War of 1812.[3]
Notes
↑ Formally known as "An Act concerning the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France, and their dependencies, and for other purposes."
James Madison Jr. was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison was popularly acclaimed the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.
The Tariff Act of 1789 was the first major piece of legislation passed in the United States after the ratification of the United States Constitution. It had two purposes: to protect manufacturing industries developing in the nation and to raise revenue for the federal government. It was sponsored by Congressman James Madison, passed by the 1st United States Congress, and signed into law by President George Washington. The act levied a 50¢ per ton duty on goods imported by foreign ships; American-owned vessels were charged 6¢ per ton.
The Embargo Act of 1807 was a general trade embargo on all foreign nations that was enacted by the United States Congress. As a successor or replacement law for the 1806 Non-importation Act and passed as the Napoleonic Wars continued, it represented an escalation of attempts to persuade Britain to stop any impressment of American sailors and to respect American sovereignty and neutrality but also attempted to pressure France and other nations in the pursuit of general diplomatic and economic leverage.
In the last sixteen days of President Thomas Jefferson's presidency, the Congress replaced the Embargo Act of 1807 with the almost unenforceable Non-Intercourse Act of March 1809. This Act lifted all embargoes on American shipping except for those bound for British or French ports. Its intent was to damage the economies of the United Kingdom and France. Like its predecessor, the Embargo Act, it was mostly ineffective, and contributed to the coming of the War of 1812. In addition, it seriously damaged the economy of the United States. The Non-Intercourse Act was followed by Macon's Bill Number 2. Despite hurting the economy as a whole, the bill did help America begin to industrialize, as no British manufactured goods could be imported, so these goods instead had to be produced domestically.
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Macon's Bill Number 1 was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on December 19, 1809, by Nathaniel Macon from the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Relations. The bill was drawn up by Albert Gallatin and prohibited public vessels of France or England or private vessels owned by subjects of either power from entering American ports; forbade the importation of goods from either country or its colonies; and provided that whenever either country should revoke or modify her edicts so that they would cease to violate the neutral commerce of the United States, the President of the United States should issue a proclamation announcing the cessation of the prohibitions of the act towards the revoking power.
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Events from the year 1809 in the United States.
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