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

ade. or OF any other kiRI tAai "aS eseI
contested till of lsse, IN favor OF q beill-
perent against a neutral power. ltls nst
on any prlncip!e that it is applicable to any
suen case. thai the measure can be defend,
ed. On WHAT principle then IS supported
bv Greas Britain? What is tbs aaiure and
extent of her doclri0e? what. are the 'cir-
cufnstances which recommend the argu-
ments which support Ii! For
on these points WI cannot refer TO the weh
known Writers on the law OF nations : no
illustration can be Obtained from them 0t a
doctrine which they never heard OF. we:
mustl look for il TO an authority mors mo-
dern.: 10 a which, however respectable
for the learning AMI professional abiliiles 81
the ladge VINO presides, IS, nevertheless
sne which, IRON many considerations is
not obligatory on other powers. LA re-
nort OF Ihe decisions of the court OF ad.
miral,y of this kingdom, we hnd a notice
OF a series Of orders issued by the govern
ment, cf dlfrrentd dates and imports, whlch
have regu!a4ed thaslbusiaess. The hrstVf
rhese bca.s date % the 9th OF November,
1z93 the second on the 9th snuafy t794s
the third on the 25th January, 1898. q
ther orders have been lssucdsince the coma
management Of the present war. II is these
orders which have authorised the seizures
chat were made, at d & rent times, 10 the
course of the last war, and were lately
made by British cruizsrs OF the vessels, OF
the Umged States. They too form me
law whica has governed the courts IN h
decisions on the several cases which have
arisen under those seizures. lhe shrst OF
these orders prohibits altogether every spe-
ciestcf commerce between neutral countries
andeenemies colonies, and between neutral
and other countries, in the productions Oh
those ~colonies /; the second and subsequent
orders modify it 10 various forms. Inc
fdoctrine, however, In every decision, IS
the same i; is' commended infeach, that the
character and just extent OF the principle
lis to be found IN he FIRST order, and that
every departure iron, 1t since, has been 9
relaxation of the principle, no, claimed "a
right by neutral powers, but conceded III
their favor gra,uilously by Great Brian.
In support of these orders It IS urged
that as the colonial trade is a system OF mo.
poply 10 the parent country In time OF
peace, neutral powers have no right 70
participate in it in time of war, although.
they may be permitted SO do by the parent
couutry-Yhat a bel!igeren. hasa right
70 inserdics them from such a commerce.
/, is on this system Of internal restraint
this regulation of colonial trade. blythe pow,
ers having colonies, that a new principle q
the law of nations is attempted 10 be tound-
ed: one which seeks to discriminate in
respec. to the Of neutral powers.
with a beHigerent, betweer different
parts of the territory Of the samc power,
and likewise subvefts many otser prinel-
pies Ct great importance, which have,
heretofore been held sacred ameng nations.
1, is bciiesed thar so Important suPerstruc-
ture was never raised upon SO slight a
foandai On.
Permit me 10 ask, does 1t follow, be-
cause the parent country monopol'zes ~
peace the whole commerce OF rs colonies,
tina. in war il should have no right to re-
euiase it at all? That on the contrary II,
should be construed to transfer, In eqaali
ex,en, a right to its enemy, to the preJa..
dice of the parent country, OF the colonies:
and Of the neutral powers? If this doc.
trine was sound, it would certainly insinu-
ate a new and singular mode Of acquiring
and tossing right, one which would be
highly advantagvou to party Wi : it was
| equally iaiuriuud 10 the osher. 10 the co.
lonies especia!ly it would prove pecu'i-ry
ruinous and oppressive. Il is knewn that
they are essentially dependant for their ex
| i~stencc, on supplies from other countries,
especially the United States Of America,
who being in their neighborhood have the
means of furnishing them with the great