The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-02-08

(Sfpf. 5. ] 9-eGrl9.
YOU mutt, Sir, have obferved and known
according to my initruaions at the time of the
communication of the Note ofLord Hawkfbury,
TO the Foreign miniiters re6ding in London, the
imPreiiion which this publication of the ftrang-
cit maxlnns- of politic, and focal morality
could not fail TO produce on tn c mind of the
government with which YOU refide. | think
ought to return to the fubje6t. I, therefore,
Tend you officially copy of this note, and ex-
pretsly charge you, by order of his MaieRy, to
make IT an obje6 of fpecial conference with
the Miniftry of -
The proie6 which the Englifh govern
ment has conceived for the laft half-century,
gradually to aboliih the tutelary fyRem of pub
lie law which animates and engages al, civil
zed nations, developes itfelf with fearful pro-
greiilon. Will other governments refrain from
making oPpoiition to fuch an enterprise till
there no longer exits any moral bond which
may preferve their rights, guarantee their en-
gagements and protect their interets,
The powers of the Continent have feen
with what audacity the faith of oaths has been
fported with by this government, and TO-
Tenn j reaties violated even before thew were
carried into execution. The maratime nations
every day experience its tyranny. There no
longer exits any theoretical principle of navi-
CATION, any written convention, which has not
been fcandalouAy violated on every fhore and
in every fea. Neutral States know that even
in uiing the rights which fill remain to them.
with the mott timid circumfpeetion, they ex
pole themfelves to infult, to pillage, and to ex-
termination.
Ihofe States, in fine, which have the I'M
happineis to be at war, no more rely on any
reciprocal principle ofmoderation and iuftice
All the bonds exiting between them and neu.
trail powers are broken.--Approacht the COATS
and entrance into the ports and iflands, though
htnate at the ditance off leagues from the
itation or their iquadrons, have been prohibited
by hmplc proc!amations.
Thus the Englifh government has hitherto
oppoied to every power, according to its par
tcu'ar petition, maxim injurious to its honor,
and fubverfive of all its rights. 1t row attacks
them all together, and the more completely to
attaInit end, directs its blows againft morality
Itielf, and fI may 70 fpeak, againft the religion
of public law.
:" In all countries and in all times, the Mi
niitry OF Diplomatic agents has been held in We
neration amongit men.
:" Minis,eIS of Peace, organs of Cancellation,
their preience is an augury of wifdom, of inf
tice and of happinef. fpeak an acf only
to terminate or prevent thofe fatal differences
which divide Princes and degrade nations, by
the paflions, murders, and miferies which war
produces.--Such is the object of the Diplomat
&c Miniftry, and to the obfervation of the duties
1t Impofes, and to the generally refpeetable cha
raeter of the men who exercife this facred Mi
nftry IN Europe, is that quarter of the world
indebted for the glory and happ:nef; IL 1Hiovs.
but theie happy reisIts torment the Jealous
ambition of the only government which finds
its interes in the ruin, the dfgrace, and the fer
vitude of their government.
1t wiihes Diplomatic Minifters to be the
Inftlgators ofplots, the agents of disturbances,
the Directors of fecret Vaccinations, vile fpies,
and cowardly confpirators it charges them to
foment fedition, to excite and pay affaf1inations,
and it would endeavour to fheld the infamous
fervice with the refped and inviolability which
are due to the mediators of Kings the Pacifica-
tors ofnations.
Diplomatic Minifers, Gays Lord Hawkfbu-
ry) ought not to confpire in the country in
which they re6de againft the laws of that coun-
try but, they are not fubiea to the fame
rules with refped to ftates to which they are not
accredited" Admirable reftrieton. Europe
will be filled with confpirators, vet the defen-
ders of the public law will have no right to COM
plain. There will be always fome local diff
lance between the chief and his accomplices.
The Minifters ofLord Hawkfbury will pay for
the crimes which they will caufe to be COM
mitted but they will have the prsdent defer
ence for public n1orality-that they will not
be at once the obligators and witneTes of the
fact.
" Such meafurcs are the height of audacity
and hipocricy. Never has the opinion of Cabi-
nets, and the common fenfe of nations, been
fported with 70 little flame. His Maiefy the
Emperor thinks it is time to put an end to this
difaftrous train of principles, fubverfive of all
focal order.
" You are in confequence ordered to declare
to the Government with which you refide, that
his Majefty will not acknowledge the Engliih
Corps Diplomatique in Europe, 70 long as the
Britifh Miniftry fhall not abftrain from charging
its minifers with any agency in war, and not
retain them within the limits of their functi-
ons.
" The evils fuffered BY Europe arife only
from this, that il is every where believed, that
we are bound TO obferve the maxims of mode
ration and liberality, which being iuft only from
reciprocity, are not obligatory, except to tbofe
who fubmit to be bound by them.-Hence Co
vernments have as much to fuher from their
own junice as from the iniquity of a mniftry
which acknowledge no law bot its ambition
and its caprice.
The evils of Europe arife from this, that
public law is confidered under partial point
of view, whereas it has neither life nor force
but as a whole.-The Maritime Law, Contipen-
tai Law, and the Law Of Nations, are not parts
of the Public Law, which NAV be coniidered
and obferyed fparately. The nation which
pretends to introduce arbitrary rules into one
OF thefc parts, lofes all its rights TO the priyi-