The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-02-22
EENOUIRE
RICHMOND, EEBRyhRr 90, 1905.
TRIBE TO sr. DOMINGO. No. II.

! What is the policy which our Government
may win 10 Dur!ue in the regulation OF our
trade. viii evidently vary with our relations to
the lfland Of s. Domingo. Our government
may either c0niider this iiland an ;,i6i-5-vdeyf
jc-'crsir7tr, OF as colony of France. # we adj
NIT 1t 10 he fhvereign State, ii will then be en-
ttied tu all the privileges of an independent 20
vernment, and our merchants will have the
Jane right TO trade with it as they have TO trade
with France itfelf If we Rill coBfider il as 4
colony oil France, our rights viii vary with orr
relations and our commerce will be fuhieeted
10 thoie ref(r6tious, which the general law of
nations, or our particular treaty with that natl
or, viii impoie upon il. What then is the rela
! ton, which we ihOnld attempt TO ftand in, with
regard TO this iiiaud On fuch quefion rs
ths, there can be no difference of opinion among
The politicians of the u. States. The irterefs
OF our country, and particularly Of the South
EN- States, evidently require thatthe prefrnt in
h2DltaHtS OF ST. Domingo i.Iould not efabIih
. thentsiceS into an iadeoanient Gate and our
relations 20 France, which would be intcrrunt
cd and detroyed by the Acknowledgement of
! their fovereignty and the reception oe their en-
bailadors. evidently inCulcate the fine policy.
Our conIrerciai relations with this inand mutt
therefore depend upon oGr relations to the
French nation. They NUT be preciftly thoft,
which the law OF nations, or our treaty with
i
upon MS The duty OF obferving.
Butthcre are three different methods for re-
gu'atlng this trade to St. Domingo. ne may
either prohibit il altogether, in ot0' oz.n rs wei
2S II foreign veGlis, Ia every commodity, whe-
tier c9atra5aai or aot, and to every 59rt in
the ilaad we may allow il the mott un-
bounded freedom we may fubieGt It to fuch
reitrctors as may erreit the trade IN 6,ue ca
fss, while they sl!owit IN c,hers. Tins the on
", .
does !trict jHHice to tEe French nation dictate,
and the t5Ecr of our own iuterefts, recommend
20 cur goverHm<nt
III the "mldoYqdclf-eedom''o Of trade may he
included the RIGHT Of GyMng merchant vei1tls
and then the CHei5iOn becomes, whether we
nall allow 20 cur merchants The unlimited riyht
Of arwing their yeHe,s, for the purpofe ofmain-
tanning an unlimited trade. Shall we in other
words, allow then the tzUc dF rent PRIVILEGES
IL: Of arnag their veiirs and ID Of main
tSinng this commerce, zv;f63ut any reftri6tion
]. The unlimited exercife ofthe ErRofthepr;viIe
gcs is plainly Incompatible with the ja?ice which
we owe to France. The convention OF 1901
Whit L eXcmpts the merchant vetieIs OF each
nation from any iearch by the lawfully commit
Toned cru't.rs Of The other admits the riclt of
examining and inpofcs the o5iipatio1 of exhi
biting, "rat only their 3eEorts, hut likewiii.
their certificates, fhewing that fher goods are
not Of the quality Of tho:t which are foecfed
to be cCntraband - Art. 10. Ii is fact how
ever, that t!fG power sttnanenr without &C..
penalty in the cafe of mifconduct, not onv en-
ahles the merchant vcGeis to refift this privilege
Of examination, but it is 4 fast, not 10 be deni-
ed, that this relifance has been IN Tome cafes
eXerted. Yet This convention while !. obliges
the merchant zgflLS to exhibit their papers, c.
blges our goyeTG1leat n the came time 10 ad6Dt
every 'nca!ure whicS may facilitate ths cxercife
Of this right and OF courfs to reE,oye every Oh
iifuttiou. The American governzent has then
pledged itfef by the words Of this convention
t" inbiect GrS7ed merchant yeftls to fl-5 3rgyie-
H2@J, as may fecUrs 20 the lawfully commit
oned cruilcrs Of the French government at leat
the right of granddaughter paflport certificates.
2. Tbs queftion is iuiceptible ofamuch ealicrfo
luton than the other; whether our government
iha'l limit in any degree the privilege of onr
merchants in carrying on this trade. There is
no part of the trade 10 St. Domingo which is
not contrary TO the aTretc of Cen Ferrand, and
con(tGacuty TO the rights of France. No one
will then deny TO France the right OF conffcat-
ing everyveft whatevcrbe her cargo, which is
bound TO the ports of st. Domingo. Our mer.
chants in this cafe have no rcdrefs, either from
the mercy Of France or in the violated protec-
ton Of their own government. This restriction
IS uI,llra! and proper.-It is one which our 20
vsrhnent does not impole, but which It ought
nuc 10 remove. It ID one, which is demanded
by the iuFice we owe TO France: and perhaps
it i, the oni2 one. When our government fur
renders every vcdcl, without reclamation,
which IS engaged in unlawful traffic, France
ought TO Ne contopted She has no right to
demand fur.hsr, that We flidll impofe previous
reitrstioHs upon it; that we ihdll declare par
tjcuidr carsoes unlawful, and flGieGt thofe
bnnche- OF commerce to particular bcn0lfies
See M. Jtfcrfon's letter of May IS, 's8, to
Mr.. Teraaat, tcrplenipotentiary france
Yet though iIdice TO France may not require
II, TO place fuoh relritt,ons upon the trade of
ST. Domingo oVr 07y1 iuterefs may demand
the hcriHce. II it be the dictate of policyI
that we fhorld prcferye our pacific relations
90 the French government, and that we lhould
do nothing which may lead to the erection OF
IN independent f)vercigrty in ST. Domingo, it /
is evidently our iut,reit to reftri6t every part OF
DIR traffic with that Gand, which may lead 20
iuch cOniequencea. But the letter ofthe French
minilter lately pubiiihed has already marked
OF for Us the chart by which we ought 70 di.
rect our cCurie. lie complains Of no other
par; OF The American cargges, than &" the l7H-
Hiii0g5 which are carried TO the revolted Of
that Colony;" and thcfe are the very arti-
Giles which may aiiih them in the eRablilhment
of their independence. Let our government
then redrid the expectation of the " contra
band Of war" TO st. Domingo whiR il leaves
evGy Other article Of commerce free from re