Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1806-02-17

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citizens, uhen employed in lawful
trade, no mention IS made by the
PreGjent Of this circumfance, as
highly important in its efcas to-
wards the American commerce, rs il
IS neceilary to demonltrate his iult
and pacific intentions.
Without any view TO recrimination,
| find it necefary to oblerve, thar al
though the violations Of the rights Of
neutrals are infinitely more frequent
and extenGve on the part Of England,
whole vehels Of the yyai navy have
almolt continually biockaded the
ports Of the United States, and what
is more, when this power daily ef-
tablilhcs new principles on the rights
sf ncutrals, which, in reality, tend
to undermine and annihiIatc them
the name Of Great Britain is no
where to be found in the columns
Of the preGdent's medlg-.
Thefe circumstances n thcmfelvcs
would no. authorize any anirladyer-
mons on my part, were it not for
mott efential one which immediately
affects the interefts Of the king, my
! matter. alludc to the many than
faHd American laiI0r5, violently fore
cd from the fhelter Of the flag, which
ought TO protect them, and compell-
ed to fight on board Bririfh fhips Of
war, againit the iubjeas Of the king,
my matter. fcannot but call the at
tention of the government Of the
United States towards fuch conduct,
that in their wiidom, they may a.
dopr the necehary mcaiures to cor
reG an abuie, which at the fame
time that it violates their neutrality
is extremely prejudicial to Spain.
The preGdent adds, I" On the
Mobile, our commerce. pafIing
through that river continues to be OBJ
ttrn6ted by arbitrary duties and vex-
-atious. fearches." Altho' Llis ader-
tioa i not accompanied b. any OBJ
fervation whatever, which might
caufe it TO &c viewed as a national
offence, | mutt obierve, that accor-
ding 70 my Information, the duties
on imports and exports are very mod
crate, only 6 per cents that every
power has right to regulate as they
pleafs thefc objects within the boun-
daries Of their jurifdidion, and that
this exercife Of tovereigntyis pra6tifed
by the American government at Fort
Stoddert; that is, within their lines,
without any Pretention on the part
Of Spain TO interfere in their regula-
tions, But even admitting il may
Be troublefome, it never furely can
be pretended as a national offence.
He afterwards fays-', Propoh-
tions for adjufing amicably the boun-
daries Of Louiiana have not been ac-
ceded to-" This ahrrtion is not
lriaIy corre6 for i IS, and always
has been, the with, as well as the
intention Of Spain, 70 adj4f amic4by
the limits Of Loui1ana but however
friendly (a1ric4ble) may have 5een het
| ditpoGtion towards il, ihe cannot
lacri6ce thereto either the dignity or
rights Of her crown 70 that it was
not, as the prafdent luPpofes, owing
to the want Of deGre Of adjnfiqg
anicably, that this buGnefs was not
concluded but rather from the ma
ture Of the proPotals, which were in
thcmfclvcs inadmilI5le. The para
graph continues" While the right
is unlettlcd, we have avoided to
change the fate Of things, BY taking
new potts, or strengthening ourfeIvcs
ii the diGputed territories, iD the
hope that the other power would not,
by contrary condu6t obllge US to
meet their example, AMI ehdanger
confiGts Of authority the iiIue Of
| which may not eaGIy b controlled !;
-Nsrt. Il is necefIarv 70 remark, that the
| navigation the Mobile, which appears ~
| furniih the Prelident motive uf complaint, ~
enjoyed Nv the Americans, in conlegaence
Of a gracious indulgence On the part of
Spain a. no right does yet exit, 70 navi-
g7te the waters Of that river withinE the bonn
daries sf Spain, who holds ercuivelv that