Eventually, according to UVA historian J.C.A. Stagg, “Congress passed Macon’s Bill No. 2, a perplexing law that removed all restrictions on American trade, including those against France and Britain, empowering the president to reimpose the restrictions on France or Britain only after one of them had repealed its restrictions on American trade and the other had failed to follow suit within three months.” This ultimately led to an embargo against Britain, which, combined with British armament of natives in the Midwest and impressment of American sailors, caused the War of 1812.