Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-02-04
Frsm-the National hstelEesfsde''.


1pateh SUBJECTS 10 caPtafe q ssasf' al 1raas'
nOs open IN time ct peace.
w e rrcomne nd she Peinsato OF TINS PAM
-sphies 10 every man Ambitious CT maklpg
ehalnsrli accurately acquainted with the doc
trine recently set up by Great Brnatn, and
with the arguments by which It IS at
tempted 20 MAINTAIN is. The magnitude Of
y the suhiecs, the deep interest Il mas exelt-
led, the Interesting effects is may have on
the prosperity, aad eventually, perhaps on
he peace cE the country, make II int duty
or eyery American cKizen, alive TO me
shoaos and interest OF his country, TO fJrm
precise and definite ideas respectngis, that
inc may be qualified to determine what
measures il may be proper TO adopt 10 a.
vert iniuries whlch might otherwise be op-
pressive The discharge OF this duty will
be greatly-fac,ii.ssed by tneiperuss<ot this
tract, in which the subject is Diseased 10 a
calm. able and comprehensive manner,
It's length forblds the giving IL entire.
We shall OCCASIONALLY, however, oAer al
extract, calculated 20 awaken public aken-
ton. Ii commences as tollowo:
In times of peace among all nations, their
commercial Intercourse Is under no other
restrictions than what may be imposed by
the respective laws, or their mutual COM
pactss No one or more nations can justly
controul the commerce belween anytwo
or more of the others.
When war happens between any two or
more nations, question arises, IN what
respect il can affect the commerce OF ma.
sions not engaged in the war'
Between the nations not engaged IN the
war, it is evident that the commerce caunos
be affected at all by war between Others.
As nation not engaged IN the war re.
main. IN the same relations OF amity and
of commercial pursuits, with each OF the
behgerent nations, as existed prior 10 the
war. IL would seem that the war could not
affect the intercourse between the neutral
and either of the belligerept natfeas,: aed,
thas-the neutral nation mleh. treat < trade
with eiiher,or both the belllgerent nations,
with the same freedom as IT no war hac
had arisen between them. This, as the
geueralrule, is sufficiently established.
But inasmoch.as the trade OF neutral
nation witt beliigerent nation might, ~
certain special cases, atfect the safety OF Its
antagonist, usage. founded on the princi-
.Dle of necessity, has admitted few ex.
ceptions to the general rule.
Thus, all instruments OF war, golng-'n.
10 The hands OF one bslligereat nation,
NAV be intercepted on the high seas, 10y
rs adversary. j,
In like manner, neutral trade with
a place actually besirged, is liable ts be
interrupted by the besiegers-
II is maintained also on one side, tho
strongly contested on the other, thar the
property of nation at war, IN neutral
ship, NAV be seized and condemned by
the enemy of that nation.
TO these exceptions, Great Britain has
mr. dervakeu to add another, as imPortan,
as It IS new. She asserts 2 right 10 IN
tercept the, trade of neu'rals with her cue
mics IN all cases, where the trade, as !!
respects the ship, the cargo, or even the
individual por, of destination, was not as
free before the war, as It Is made curing
g1h- war.
In applying this doctrine, the British
government and courts have not, as yet,
extended il beyond the trace OF nsutrals
en- the coasts, and With the colonies OF
enemies. But it is manifest, that this IL,
initiation is founded on considerations OF
rxpedieucy only and that the docsrlae
is necessarily applicable TO every Other
branch of nsutral commerce with oelii-
, rercnt nation, which was not open to the
saeee nation in time Of peace. 1t might
INDEED with .eoual reason be extended far
thrr. Itmigh:sbc applied TO the case OF
trade legally permilled to foreign nations
"a time Of peace, but not actually carried
ON BY them 10 time Of peace; because IN
time of peace actually carried on by the