gmertca, , ?|emp, an& JUapoleon - Vote Hemp

America, Russia, Hemp, and NapoleonAmericans was greater. As of 12 April 1812, only four of thethirty-seven had been condemned, and three of these four wereso blatantly sailing for the English that Erving wasted littlesympathy on them. The only legal American vessel seized bythe Danes in 1811 and condemned in the courts of Denmarkwas the "Brutus," Captain Fenno, of Boston, bound from Ne wOrleans to St. Petersburg. 31At the other end of the Baltic, the love affair between Russiaand America continued to bloom. O n 24 April 1811, the daythe ice broke in the Neva, Adams was told by one of theRussian officials handling the examination of American merchantmensuspected of trading for the English that the ships inquestion had only to produce papers proving the neutrality ofthemselves and their cargoes to be released. Adam s noted that"as to the time which had been given for producing the papers,a year and a day had been fixed on . . . ; but if longer timewas wanting, he was as willing that they should have two orthree years as one." 32 And so it went throughout the entireshipping season of 1811.Th e Russians, however, did not completely ignore theirobligations to the Continental System. Th e alliance withFrance continued to exist. Forty tofiftyarriving merchant sailwere confiscated. Five American ships were seized. 33 But theadministration of the Continental System in Russia was muchlooser than ever before, and everyone knew it. For Americansthe exasperation of the long delays before admission was athing of the past, along with the constant worry that thewavering Tsar would suddenly acquiesce to French policy andconfiscate every American ship and cargo in his ports. Th ehonest American on his way to Russia could now be sure thatthe Russian government would accord him every courtesy and208