Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-02-07

lraised On co is.nirg q roundatior' Per-
init me u ask does i, follow, because
| The parent country monnpol;ses III peace
| the whole commercc 0! is colonies, THAI
in war il should have no rightt To regulate
1t at all That, on the contrary !. should
be constituted 10 transfer, in equal cx-
tent, right to It's enemy, TO the pre- IN.
dice of the parent country, Of the colonies,
& oeneu,ral powers! If this doctrine was
sound, it would certainly institute new &c
singular mode nfaequiring & losing rights;
one which would be highly advantageous
10 one party, while i, was equally iniuri-
Gus 10 the other. To the colonies, more
especially, it would prove peculiarly one
rous and oppressive. II is known that
they are essentially dependent Tor their
existence, on supplies from other coun-
tries, especially the United States Of a..
merica, who being IN their neighborhcod,
have the means Of furnishing them with
greatest certainty, and on the best terms.
Is it not sufficient that rhey be subjected
To that restraint in peace, when The evils
attending it, by the occasional interfe-
| renee OF the parent country, may be-, ard
are frequently repaired Is it consistent
with Justice or humanity, thpt it should
be converted into q principle, in favor Of
F.; an enemy, incxorable OF course, but 9th
! er;Tise wi,hou, the means OF iistcning TO
| their complaints, not for their distress o,
oppression only, but for their extermina.
ton? But there arc ether insupersble
objections 10 this doctrine. Are mot the
colonies Of every country part of lis
domain, end do they not continue to be
so Until they are severed from il by con-
slest Is not the power to regulate com
MERGE iucidcht TO the sovereignty, and is
| 1t not co-exsensive over The Whole terri
terry which any government possesses /?
Can one be!lgercnt acquire any right TO
the territory Of another, bu, by conquest
And can any rights which sppcriain here.
! 10, be otherwise defeated or cur,aiIed in
war In whatever light, therefore, the
subject is viewed, it appears TO me evi.
dsnt that this doctrine caanJt be support
ed. No DISTINCTION, founded in reason,
/ can be taken between the different parts
of the territory ecthe game power 20 JUS
tiiy it. The separation OF one portion
| ircnl another by the sea, gives lawfully
to the beiiiserenc which is superior en-
that element, a vast ascendancy in al. tbs
| concerns on which the success Of he
war, or the relative prosperity o. THAR
| respective domiDions, may ia any DEGREE
! depend. j; opens 10 sueh power amp!s
means for is own asgrandise and
Tor The harrassment and distress Of its
adversary. With these it should be
satisfied. But neiicr can that ciycum-
stance, ma: can any Of iateinai arrange
ment, which any ro,ve. may adopt for
The government OF rs Gon,mioas be con-
strusd TO give 10 lis eusmy any other I'D
vantage over il. They certainly do no,
Justify the doctrine in question, which, as
serts, that the law of nations varies in its
application to d,n.rent portions Of the ter
! ritory OF The same power that it oi:e
| rates I'D one mo0e, IN respect 10 one, and
IN another, or even no, at all, in respect
30 another that the rights OF humanity,
of Neutral powers, and sii other rights, are
To sink before it.
II is further urged that neutral powers
! ought not To complain of this restraint,
because they stand under it, on the same
ground, with rvspscl 10 that commerce,
which they held in time Of peace, But
this fset if true, gives no support TO the
pce;ension. The claim involves ques
tion Of right, not of interest If the neu
irai powers have right in war to such
commerce with the colonies of The enc.
! mics of Great Britain, as the parent
states re-pe Gliv-ly allowed, they ought
not 10 be deprived Of by her, n,r can its
just claims he satisfied by any compro-
mise of HE kind alluded TO. Forthis ar.
gume't to have the weight which IL is
intended TO give it. The commerce Of the
neutral powers wish those colonies should
be placei and preserved through Tbs war,
in. The same state, as il /, had rot occur.
red. Great Britain should in respect to
| them take the place OF tbs parent coun.
tIy, and do every thing which the latter
would have done, had there been ne war.
10 discharge that duty, it would be ne.
cesssry for her To establish s1ch police
over the colony, as 10 be able 10 examine
the circumstances attending il snnuaiy,te
/ ascertain whether the crops vVre eburd
ant, supplies from other quarters hao ii-
ed & eventually 10 decide whether under
such circumstances The parent country
would have opened the ports 20 neutral
powers. But these Offices cannot be per.
formed by any power which is not ~