The gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1798-1799, 1798-07-09

1
But that article only entities either of the con-
tracing parties to a participation Of any par
| ticular favor in refped of commerce or naviga-
ton which might thereafter be granted by the
other 70 other nations, on allowing the fame
compenf4tion, if the cenceaion was conditional.
1t has never been pretended to extend 10 pre-
exiting rights held and exercied under the law
Of nations, and barely recognized BY any fIb-
fequent treaty. If this could be Unified on hills
it was fhewn incontefibly by the underGgneds
that the arrette particularly complained Of, 70
| far as Il profefes 10 found i.felf on the treaty
with England, greatly tranfcends that treary'
and in its mott noxious article, that requiring z
rolc dequipage, has 20 relation to it. This all
efential crcumRance you have not been pIeG'
ed to noti:e ; and It is with infinite regret the
undersigned obj rye, that the difculGons at
which YOU hint are t. Re limited to The abules
OF the prir cipe efabliihed by the arrete, md
not extended to the compatibility Of the Prnci-
pie tfelf with iufice, the laws of nations, or ex
! ilting treaties.
II IS we'll known that fuch a difcuGion, if in
deed the UNDERLINED could be permitted 10 en-
fer upon il, would avail but little, Gnce the Yalt
MATS If American property captured by the
cruifcrs 8, condemned BY the cour Of Frame,
4
I role d'equinaQe.
The undersigned have been minute in their
attention 10 every fyl'able y,u have uttere1 on
this intere2 ting fubj-d, becaule ID has been often
confidored as having given c4ufe Of juit rri,4-
I ton to France and they are extr nely delir us
of probing 10 the bottom every iubjea which
NAV have afumed that complexion. Their
with is unafFett-d, to give to.every complaint its
real valus, in order thus to prepare tn way for
accommodation, Ivy the rslioquihm Mt OF iuch
as are not we'll founde I, and the admlHion Of
thofe which have real exitence
The third had Of your com )lai1ts, relative
70 the conduit Of he government Of the United
Sta-es, Gnce their treaty with EnglAn1
You oblerve that 70 loon Isl the treaty II qael-
ton had been put IA execution, the government
If the u. S. feeme1 to think iticlf diiPeaied from
he obfervance of any me Gures towards this
Republic, and you adduce in lupPort OF this
general oble va;ion.
m. The refur4l TO permit il the ports of
the United States, the 1ale of prizes made by
| French Cruizers.
IDLY The inveaives and calumnies againR
the French gov. its principles and its officers,
contained in certain journals, and pamphlets
+, Pub(hed in the United States, sc.
35Iy. The fpeeeh Of the PreGdent to Con-
gncf in May laR.
Firf The government Of the United States
does not permit the flc in thei- pores of prizes
made upon England by the crutrs Of France.
! The fa9 is admitted To ered it into an
ofence, it becomes neceGary to prove that this
mealure violates either the engagements or the
neutrality of the United States. Neither is at
| tempted. To ihow that il violates neither, h ID
tits been rendered neceGiry, would by no
means have been deemed an drduous talk. It
will now only briefly be obfervsd, that the 7th
article IF the treaty Of com nerce Of thu 9th Of
| February, 10, which alone rel ties 10 this lub-
Jet, 70 far f ON tipulAtiCg for h fac Of prizes
in their ports of either nation Limits itfelf o a
declaration that the cap ors thal have liberty
to bring them into port tree from duties, arretts
and iearches, and to depart with them to the
plares exPreGed il their commifIions thereby
evidently contemplating the then exiting r GU
lAtions Of this nation. France has manifcted
her own opinion on this iubed, in her treaty
with Greatbrtain Of the 10th Of Sept. 1886.
The oh article Of the treaty declares, that
it lhlll not be lawful for foreign CRITTERS who
ihall not be the fnbj cds Of one or the other
Crown, and who fall have a commifion from
any Prince, or State, enemies Of the one or the
other, TO arm their velels in the ports Of one or
the other Of the faid two Kingdoms, 10 fgfbers
qObaf they BaA iave fatsu, or 10 change the as in
any manner gvkaevr" In war with England
then, France Ing neutral, the cru lers Of the
U. S. are forbidden to fell their prizes in The
ports Of this republic. The 9TH article of the
realty IF Feb. 1878 being reciprocal, France
has pronoun ed h:r deciGon. that it does NOT
give her cruiiers a right to fell their prizes ia
the ports Of America. If this right had been
given by the treaty Of Feb. 1878, that between
the y. 5. and England could not be confirmed
to impair it. Nor is III Prohibition deplr-