Jefferson hardly knew what to do. He might declare war on both Great Britain and on France. 杰斐逊几乎不知道该怎么办，他可以向英国和法国宣战，

　　But to do that would surely put a speedy end to all American commerce. 但是，这样无疑会加速所有美国商业的灭亡。

　　In the old days, before the Revolutionary War, the colonists had more than once brought the British to terms by refusing to buy their goods. 过去，在革命战争之前，殖民地居民曾经以拒绝购买英国的货物抗拒英国人，

　　Jefferson now thought that if the people of the United States should refuse to trade with the British and the French, the governments both of Great Britain and of France would be forced to treat American commerce properly. 此时，杰斐逊认为如果美国人拒绝与英国人和法国人做生意，这两个国家的政府将被迫以合适的方式来对待和美国的贸易。

　　Congress therefore passed an Embargo Act. 因此，国会通过一部《封港令法案》，

　　This forbade vessels to leave American ports after a certain day. 按照这个法案，再过一段时间就不再允许美国的船只离开美国的港口。

　　If the people had been united, the embargo might have done what Jefferson expected it would do. 如果美国人团结，这个封港令的执行可能达到杰斐逊所预想的目的，

　　But the people were not united. 但是，当时的人们不团结，

　　Especially in New England, the shipowners tried in every way to break the law. 特别是新英格兰的船主们想尽千方百计来违反这项法律，

　　This led to the passing of stricter laws. Finally the New Englanders even talked of seceding from the Union. 这种情况导致国会通过更为严格的法律，最终，新英格兰人竟然提出脱离联邦。