The Sun.
London, England, 1806-02-27 00:00:00

TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED 3TATES-.

•.- .
In compliance with the . request of 'the. Senate,
expressed in thyir-Resolution_of Dec.. 27, I now
)ay before them such _documents and papers (there.
being no other inibrniation in m,y .possession) as re-
late to complaints by the
.Goverunaent of France
!ii,inst-the commerce carried ,on by the Citizens of
the 'United States to the French . Island of,St. Dp-
mi ago.. JuvEßsos.

•,•• • • • •
1,2.031 G2NB:RAL T1.11112..EAU • TO THE SECRE'T'ARY OP

STATE, '
Qaoter 145 1805.

The:Undersigned Minister-Plenipotentiary:of- his
Ir4erial and Ituyi,d Majesty to -his .ExCellency the' .•
President of the United States of America, has .teSti7
fled, in his conversation with the Secretary .of State,
his just disco;atent with the commercial relations,
which many 'Citizens of-different States of the Union
maintain with the. rebels of every colour who have
42ementariiy withdrawn the Colony of St. Ddiningo
from the legal authority.
The principles injuriously affeaed by such a corn--
'meree, or rather by such a systini of robbery (bri-
rndage), are so -evident,' so generally adopted and
ticknowledged, not only by all. Nations who have a
colonial system to, defend, but even by those who
have none ; and moreover to every wise people, to
whatever political aggregation they may belong : so
that the Statesman, if he has not lost every idea. of
Justice, of, humanity, and of ,public law, can no
more contest their wisdom than their existence.—
And certainly the Undersigned, •in finding hit-itself
called by his duty, as well as by his inclination, in
the bosom of a friendly people, and near the respeEt._
able Chief who directs theirGovernment-:-Certainly -
_the Undersigned ought not to have expeCled that his
first political relations would have for'theit objeta a
complaint so serious, an infraCtion- so:manifest of
law the most saered,' and the best observed by every
Country under the do-minion Of civilization.
But it was not enough for some Citizens of the
United States to convey Munitions of;evcry kind to
the rebels of St. Domingo—to that race of African:
Slaves,' the reproach and. the rdiese of nalmre.---:It,
ivas moreover necessary to insure the succes of this
ignoble and criminal traffic by the (ye of force.—
The vessel* destined to protect it are eonStruet-
vd, loaded, quid armed in all the Forts of 'the-
, Union,- under the eyes of * the American 'people, of
its partieular-authoritr, and of the Federal Govern-
ment itSelf; and this Government, which has taken
'for the basis of itsparticular career the most serupul.
ohs equity, and the most impartial neutrality, does
not forbid it.
Without doubt, and notwithstanding the profound
consideration with which the Ministerrlempotenti-
'lay of the French Empire is penetrated for the' Go-
verimient of the Union; he might enlarge still
farther upon the reflections suggesfe7d.by §ach a state
of things, a circumstance so irriportant, so unexpea-,
ed.- But it would be equally as afflicting: for him.
to dwell upon it, and to state its consequences,
es it would 1-)e for the Government to hears the-M.
The. SeCretary of State, who perfectly knows the
jw,tice of the principles and ;the legitimacy of_ the
114 i-it-referred to in this Note, will be of, opinion,.
'that neither afe susceptible of discussion, because a
'principle universally assented to,. a right generally
established, is never diseussed;Or at-least is discussed