Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-10-08

na country or uo,.--rhis sor, ot bloc
kade Sy proclamation. is founded upon
he perversiou OF very reasonable doc
lrine of he law of nations. tina, when
town or castle is actually invested, that is
to say, so surrounded tina, its inhabnants
have no means OF getting out. and While
there is hope ofreducing the town or tor
tress j, shall not I've lawful FOR a neutral
O enter into the besicSed or b!oCkad.d
port, or 10 Carry ia any provisions to their
assistance I, was rese,ved To Great Bril-
tain 10 discover that under this very ra,i.
onal ard limited doctrine was comprized
the rIgh to declare al the ports Of on
enemy in a state of blockade, whether ac
tuahy invested or not aud where ,here
vas neither hope nor an intention of re
duc'ne he post Of the county. Now there
is another equally clear principle of he
law o. nations, aid iha is that neutral ma
tiops may lawfully carry on Their uade
wi'h ether vt the beligcren, nations with
nut interruption. One OF these two prin
clples must then fall, for they cannot sub
STAT ,ose her, TIA bsliigsrent nation ha
the right ~ declare whole country in a
'tats CT block ade, whether actually bl.c
T, k,dcd ar not, ~ Wheeler there DC hopes
( of red eng the plac ar not, hen III,
| right IF neutrnls IS merely Nug.;ory and
may be- expunged fror the tra;e oil na,i-
onS.
Bu i, may be said ,ha; G.. Br a n k ep,
u hee. offihe por's 81 ner ece mics which
.h1 declares bTockaded. THIS may be
partly rue, but this blockade 10 merely
rom mai; 1t nrveg has interrupted the in
( curse of az st ports with the other
norts of the SANE country; nor Is il done
siih 'tie hope or infcn:ion Of reducing he
! p see IN famine which is The ,-sc,ct oi
he principle a"d urrn which alnne he
right to exclude nrUtr ais is founded
This leads me to consider The wickedne.,
| and liz justice Of hesc prircipI,s a. prac
t-cd by your government. IN Sc inter
rup,ions 70 neu,iaIs are no, done or per.
united with v'es ori1luying HE enemies
so much 3, w,;h he design If aiding the
com aierce of(S. Britain, or uf CT ecSiug ,he
! growth of ucu;ri NATIONS of whose pros
| p-r J she s jealous. Tha, tbs is the case
IS manifest because your gov roaent
! peTnit: the free importation of he same
! g o 5 10 her enemies from her own per
hat she prevents neutral, f,rm carrying.
|, is a taGs well Known that Amer can YES.
| sells bound 10 the SPANISH colonies have
! been condemned ia the Bahamas, their
cargces purchased by Brush subjects,
and stripped for those very Spanish colo.
MICS under iicence from council with
n kin own sign manual.
| Tina . n"t merely confined 10 that
trade, but in Gisa, Britain i self the com
merce n he produce Of colonies i, permit
tee from the ports Of England directly to
the ports of the enemy.
! Ii ~ no, therefore TO injure 'heir enemy,
IT is not to CIT off his supplies, that dis
vexa'ory warfare IS carried ON sgains,
neutral commerce, it 10 Simply 20 AFRO
gate TO herself, To monppnlise the adyap,
I tages of a lucrative trade, & 10 check the
too RAPID growth Of na'Ion whose pros.
peritg she breads,
This bise, selfish, and abominab!e
principle is explicitly svowed in the
pamphlet which has l.l-iy been published,
and which shall examine in another
| lumber.
AN AMERICAN.