The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-03-01
ENQUIB
RICHMOND, MARCH, |, 1905.
TRADE TO Sr. DOMINGO.
application Of Primaries.

ot our government TO impofe; one detected hv
the iaHiee we owe To- France, and the Other
dictated by the boiiey Of orr own interrffs
The firit of theie reii6tous relates to the now.
er OF Gy'ning, the other to the right of ranfi,or
ing eoN!F0D"Hd articles. little preceding prin-
c'pies ne correct, we are bound u place fiich
reHrletions upon the right Of arming merchan,
VeHeiS' as may 'ecnre to the lawfully commit
oned crulterS of the French government the n :
pu!ated right OF examining their pa!ibort and
certificates: and we owe it to our own ;nteref,s
to place fuch refriclions upon the oua;;tv Of
me cargo, as may prevent the tranfDortation Of
the coItrahand OF war TO the Inand of ST. Do
mineo. Admit that thefe principles are cor
rect, and the plain path ri policy lies open be-
ore us. The whole difficulty will thenconii(t in
the proper application Of the principles. Our
enquiries will then be wholly confined to an in
vcttgation ofthe mott effe6tual ,7ea1s for re-
itrctng the transportation of contraband of
war, and the power OF reiiitng an examination
oy lawfully commi!lioned CRITTERS. Let no
one imagine however that thefe expetiieutS are
amy 10 De Uncovered. Whoever reflects upon
the complicated operationsof commerce g. the
ambiguous tendency ofthelaws; will6rcuer,Jv
be at lois to difcover that precife ioher of re-.
ERECTION, which may limit an unlawful or i'm.
pohtic object, without lettering the proper free
dom OF trade. The deliberations Of the r,rct;,nt
ConSreiS ON this very fuhieG1 will Iuficier,Ix
prove the extent ofthis difficulty; for athouob
the CAn''Gnes BIZ has been in dfcuiiop. frn,,
the earieft period of the ffion, its details have
never yet been icti!ed, and at this moment the
o''l is yet pending before ne Senate.
Inc Senate appear however to have decided
upon the general nature THE reftri6tions which
II mould embrace, although they have not vet
agreed upon the preciie extent, to which thev
| aG
which our armed mer chantmen NAV make ia
4 proper examination of their papers. the law
VIII probably annex very heavy penalties upon
this HnIazvfm nit ot'tbTrar7as. To prevent
thelr tranfpoitation of the contraband of .war
TO st. Domingo, it is provided bv the nreiept
b'il that no armed veticS illall obtain a clear
ance at onr cuftom Houfes, until the collector
has examined the lift of fnch arms. ,,,nmun;mI;;-
o" nc. which articles are to be brouoht hack
INTO the United States under certain penaIties
or satisfactory account is to be rendered of the
manner III which they have been difpofee, Of
onch reHrictIon as this is evidently more
icomPa,ihie with our interefs than the abfo!ute
Prohic,t'on OF arrning merchant vefes, or of
exporting our manufactured arms and ammu
mtion.-Should the Clearance Bill oaGs with
theft proviioS, it evidently embraces every re-
Friction which is required by the iultice we oye
to france or the belt policy we owe to our-
f-lves.
lie was originally the intention ofthe Editor
20 eXpo'e all the INTERPRETATIONS which had
neen propagated on this iubieGf hv tome tbe
FEDERAL prints to criticize all :hcir fophinicate1
arguments to prove, that MIR. JefcrCon'srecoro-
mendation to Congrefs to adopt meafures for
rtehrainlng eftet!ually in future" " perfons ref
ding in the United States" who have taken
on themiFiveS to arm merchant vehels, azAto
n = n 1,r1oe, .,,,t,
tries, IN defiance ofthelaws Of thofe countries ,,
that this Recommendation was ! e fupgeifed bv |
er0nebing POLLY on the arrival OF the n;,,;9.,
1avrsan; 2dly that it was dictated by ? haired |
81 commerce and merchants and srdIy that il |
Is inconhitent with the principle Of uev,ro; !
trade iUFportrd Dy MIR. JefFerron when fecre.
tary OF tate, in his letter of May Is. 1895. to
MIR. Tenant, miniter pIenipotentiarvof Erance
hut thetc allegations have already been anC,yer-
ed at great length and with confiderabIe INC
ceis, blythe Philadelphia Aurora.
One remark more will cofe our view of this
important iubie6t. The trade TO ST. DOMINGO.
has never yet received satisfactory inveHiesti.
on. The debates of CongrefS on this fubieet.
which nave been already pubfhed, were very
mort IN proportion TO ITS Importance, and the
arguments of thofe who fpoke, turned rather
upon the details of the Clearance Bill, than mo-
on ab!traet principles or the laws of nations.
As to the Eiiays which have appeared in the
public papers, they have generally been com
Poied by the Editors themfelves, and have been
generally written with too little ability and at
tention to throw much light upon the fubieta.
his held is Till oPep then to the dfcufIion of
enlightened politicians who have an arnnle
opportunity of exercifng their ingenuity by in
veitigating the following abfratl points:
/. Can colonyin fate of rebellion be regard.
ed in any Ofber light than that of beLy;gereat
nation; or is il entitled to fs4vgr privileges
This enquiry will determine the extern of
the contraband articles.
g. If the mother country has a right to con6der
eTe,y article as eontraEaa4, which is defined
to the rebelliouS colony, has fhe fill further
right to demand that all trade to this COLONY
ihould be Prohibited altogether, or that il
Mould be reftricied by neutral nation.
s. IF munitions or military apparatus alone is TO
he conlidered as contrabznd, has fhe right
to demand that the expectation of tbeGs
ihou'd be prohibited or placed under certain
rearctions?
4. Or nas the mother country any other rights
than examining the papers or the cargoes of
neutral vefIels; and Of conflicting either or
both, If they fhould be defined 10 the rebel
lous colony?
CURSORT STRICTUR
90