Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-01-30
cRrAT CUMBERLAND PLACE,

* IVY LUkD3
Il / battered myself, from what passed II
our last interview, that should have Deer
honorea, before this, win an. answer from
your lordship, 20 my letters, respecting the
iate SEIZURE of Ansrican vessels, l q
stood it 70 be agreed, that the discussion
(which then took place, should De consider
ed a. ane6 c,al, as explanatory only OF tae
ideas which we might respectively entertaso
or the subject, aud that our iordship woaio
afterwards give nae sneh a reply 10 my let
ters, respecting that measure as ms maJss'
Fry's government might dssHeSo have CON.
municased TO the government etsthe United
Sta,es. 10 consequences, 1 have since Walt.
ed with anxiety such a communication, IN
ahe daily expectation OF receiving Il. isIs
A4ar from m, intenlion TO give yout tsrdship
.nv trouble in thIs business, which can a
void. as the time which has since elapsed
anAScienfy saews. Bur the great import
ance OF the sIblect, which mas indeed De-
come more so, by the c~ont1uaance'ot the
same policy, snd the frequency os sslzares
(Which are still made OF American vessels.
s5lace me in a situation Of fecullar RESPONSE.
Billy. My g~overon,ens will expect OF me
correct inior NATION on this point, Ia. ali lis
views, and | am very DESTROYS OF comply
ing with lis just expec station. must, there
fore. AGAIN request that yort. l1sdshlp Will
be SO good ss to enable m maxi saca q
representation TO my goye'q nsnt, OF that
measure, as bis maJesty's government may
think proper tolgiye.
am sorry to add, that the longer | have
reflected on the subject, the more confirm
ED | have been in the objections TO the mea.
sure. If we examine it in refereree to the
law of nations, it appears to me to be re-
spagaaut to every principle OF that law; il
by the understanding or as itmay be more
properly called, the agreement Of our g.
yernments, respecting, the commerce.
question, I consider it eqaally reprgnans &c
lhe principles Of that agreement. In both
these views your lordshiP will permit me to
make some additional remarks on the sub
-ject.
By thelaw of n~agions. as setlledby The
most approved writer's, no other restraint il
acknowledged an the trade OF neutral ma
tions with shose at war, than that ithe I'M
par,lal between the latter; ,hatlt shall no
extend 10 articles which areSdeemed contra
band of war nor TO the transportation o.
persons in military service nor to places
a~ctaalIy blockaded or besieged. Every O.
sher commerce Of a neutral with a belligc,
rem, is considered a lawtul commerce.; 3
severy other restraint on 1t 70, either OF the
belligerents by the other an unlawful re-
estraint.
The list of ccntraband is well defined,
as are also the circumstances which consti
tute a blockade. The best authorities have
pnla lin con6ning the first to such articles
as are used in war, and are applicable &c
military purposes; and requiring TO con
stitu,e the later, The disposition Of such
force, consisting ef stationary ships, SC
near the port, by the power which attacks
it, as TO make it dangerous tor the vesss'
of q neutral power TO enter II. The late
treaty between Great Britain and~Kussla
desigaa,es these circumstances as neeessa'
nv to constitute a blockade, and it isTbe
xlieyed that it was never viewed before il
q light more favorable to the invading
power.
The vessels condemned were engagedir
a between the United States
and some port in Europe, or between those
states and the Yves, India islands, belong
inc 70 az enemy Of Great Britain. In9hs
European voyage the cargo consisted o
ane prsductions Of the colonies; in tn,
voyage to the West Indies, it consisted
4of the goods of thespowet to which tn
colony belonged, and to which the shiI
gas destined. The ship and cargo in eve
ry case, were b eapropsrty of Americas
citizens, and the cargo had been lande'
and the duty on i. paid in the United States