The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-02-19

have failed from the different ports of the Uni
tied States, fome loaded with articles contrz-
bind Of war, {guu-p powder is i,id to be the ye-
neral articlc) Others with caigocs o: innocent
goods, and Others again in bailah. After the
loiliyent enquiry which 1t has been nv duty 10
mase on 10 Important iubiect. think that
can have the. hcncr of Rating 20 you with GER
tainty that ieveral veiie.s of the above defcri5-
\ ton, which are mentioned to he ichooner rig
eed, have failed lately from the port of Balti
more, whlift Others, of larger iize, even nlps
oil comfortable burthcn, and completely equip
ped for war, have failed from the port of Phi
ladephia, bound TO the poi!ehions OF his ma
jelty's enemies in the Eait IS well as WeG-Iu-
dies. Il is fad, that the ohi>N of fome of
! theic equipments is TO force trade with the
blacks, IN the itiand of ST. Domingo, in,whicn
attempt, The public prints have Rated 10 cir
cumfanilaily, ae 70 leave no doubt on the flb-
jeSt that two American veticls have hten cap
! tured By French cruizcrs, after making rrif-
lance but have 0tong IestOn 10 ,e!ieve that
the deitlnation OF Others. particularly fiom the
port Of philadelphia, has been with cAreoes of
contrShard articles 70 the enemies ponrfions
IN the Ear and Weit-inf.ics. Let their dcRi-
nations however, he what they may, il cannot,
conceive, hut be ;ufiy corGdered, that fuch
| arinaments, on the part of The citizens of rcu-
tra' tate, Tnut he attended with conicquences
p'eJuiicial To bchg ,rent power, and NAV
therefore. he deemed rightly as o!icnGve, for
which reaion the law or nations has natcd one
Of the 6rt obligations o. neutrality TO be that
81 abHsining from all participation in warlike
expeditions. The armed veGels alluded to,
may become the property OF the kine's enc
mics, either by capture al lea, or by purchafe
IN the ports TO which they are defined, and are
thus in readiness to be converted immediately
intoin!iruments ofholtiity againil his majefty,
Whit IN another point Of view, they are calcu-
| lated 10 proteG the vefIcls, when they are loa-
ded with contr4bsnd articles aalinit the law
fui !earch aud c,tcl:iOa If Il lwfalv commit
toued crnzer, when the l',tter hall happen 10
be ofiDferior force. lnde-d, ] conceive that il
may not be giving 90 great AN extent TO the
principle of the law OF uations, without attend
ing to the nature Of the charge, TO coniil berthe
very arms, ammunition, and other implements
of war, with which fIch veIcls are furnin,ed
as contraband articles, when the vc(ltls have
been thus equipped without the authority of
the nation ~ which they belong.
! uHderftaTd, Sir, that the armamentsin uuec
! ton have, in fact, taken place under no conf
milton or authority whatever from the govern
ment OF the United States. | have, therefore
thought it my duty TO have the honor Of making
| you acquainted with the information that has
reached me on this fuhisa, and, if the obferva-
tIoiis Which nave taken the liberty to make
upon II ihoud happily be confornable to the
! tentincnts at The American government, CAT
tlfey trait to their iuAice, as well as To their
jeaioufy OF obferving the mott tritt neutrality
IN the prcleni war, 70 take fuch neatlres as
ihall appear to them the mott proper for fip
pre.ting the Illegal proceedings complained Of,
on the part OF thote individuals, citizens of the
United States, who NALL appear to bt concern
cd in them.
r, have the honor to be, with high reipea and
con6dcratiOn,-Sir,
Your mott ohsdt. humble iervant,
tSiSned) ANT. MERRY.
! I'll. Hon. James MaliJcn,
! Secretary 81 STATE.