= Macon's Bill Number 2 = '''Macon's Bill Number 2''' was an import control act. <> ---- == History == During the [[WorldHistory/NapoleonicWars|Napoleonic Wars]], the impressment of American sailors into the [[UnitedKingdom/ArmedForces|Royal Navy]] became a major sovereignty crisis. The [[UnitedStates/EconomicPolicy/EmbargoActOf1807|Embargo Act of 1807]] sought to remedy this through economic retaliation, but largely was considered a failure. '''Nathaniel Macon''' introduced a bill written by [[UnitedStates/AlbertGallatin|Gallatin]] in late 1809. This became known as '''Macon's Bill Number 1'''. It would have established a new embargo against both the [[UnitedKingdom/WilliamCavendishBentinck|UK]] and [[France/NapoleonBonaparte|France]], and also provided the [[UnitedStates/JamesMadison|president]] with power to revoke the embargo if either nation ended their own trade controls. It passed in [[UnitedStates/Congress|both the House and the Senate]], but with important amendments in the latter's bill, and no attempt to reconcile the bills was made. In the following April, an amended bill known as '''Macon's Bill Number 2''' was passed. It established a deadline of March 1811 for both the UK and France to end trade controls, at which point the embargo would be re-implemented. In effect, it was an offer to embargo the enemy of whichever nation ended trade controls voluntarily. Madison signed the bill into law in May. Napoleon [[ThePresidencyOfJamesMadison|saw an opportunity to weaponize American trade against the British]]; he declared his trade controls revoked effective November, conditional on British trade controls also being revoked. This was never a possible outcome, and so effectively forced Madison to declare for the French side. ---- CategoryRicottone