The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-01-02

Philadelphia, bound to the poGcffions of his
MajeHy's enemies in the EAT az we'll as Wet
Indies. 1t is faid the object of fome OF tbefe
equipments is to force trade with the blacks
in the iRand Of St. Domingo, in which attempt
| the public prints have ftated 70 circumfsantai-
| ly, as to leave no doubt on the fuhje6t, that
| two American vefies have been captured hy
French crnizers, after making refiitance. But
! have frong reafon to believe, that the deiti-
nation 1T Others, particularly from the port of
Philadelphia have been with cargoes Of contra
band articles totte enemies poiIefIious in the
EAT and Wet Indies.
"Let their deitination, however, be what
they may, II cannot, / conceive, but be iuitly
| confIdered, that fuch ornaments, on the part
or the citizens Of neutral fiate, mutt be at
tended with consequences preiudicial to 4 bel
hgerent power, and may, therefore, be deem
ed rightly as offenGve, for which reaion the law
OF nations has ,fated one of the firft obligations
or neutrality TO be that Of abfanng from all
participation in warlike expeditions. The arm
ed vef1eis alluded to, may become the proper
ty OF the Kings enemies either by capture at
iea, or ny purchaic in the ports to which they
are defined, and are thus in readiness to he
converted Immediately into inttrumcnts of hol-
tihty againft bis Mtirfy, whit i'm another
point OF view, they are calculated to protect,
the veflels when they are loaded with contra.
bandarticles, aganftthe awfufearch & detention
of alawfnlly commfiioned cruizer, when the lat
ter fhal be of inferior force. Indeed conceive,
that IT may not be giving too great an extent to
the principle of the law of nations, without at
tending to the nature of the cargo, 10 confider
the very arms, ammunition, and other imBle-
nents of war, with which fuch veiitls arc fur
nifhed as contrabaud articles, when the vef-
ies have been thus equipped without the au-
thority OF the nation to which they belong.
undertand, Sir, thar the armamcnts in
lquefion have in fact taken place under no
commiffion or authority whatever from the go
vernment of the United States. I have there
fore Thought it my duty to have the honor of
IN akne you acquainted with the information
that has reached me ON this fuhirtt, and if the
tobfrrvations which have taken the liberty to
make upon it fhouid happily be conformahlc
tn the fentiments of the American government,
caa fafely trutf to tbeir juftice, as well as to
their iea'osiy of obferving the mot ffriGt nes-
ltrallty in the prefcnt war, to take fuch mea-
furrs ihall appear to them the mott proper
for fuppreaing the illegal proceedings COM
planned of on the part of thoie individuals, CT
it;zens Of the United States, who fhall appear
| TO be concerned in theta"
! In letter from the Charge d'Alfaires of
France, dated the 18th of May, 1901, and adj
dreGed TO the Secretary of State, b. obferves,
&C The undersigned is Informed in manner
which leaves him no room to doubt it, that
the American merchants, who purfue this COM
! merce (c'eaning the commerce with St. Do
mingo) publicly arm in the ports of the Uni
ted States, veIeis which intended to fup-
port by force traffic contrary to the law of ma
tions, and to repel the efforts which the cruz
zers Of French Republic are authorized to
| make in order TO prevent it. Theft ermaments
hare alto for their object to cover the convey
snce OF munitions te the revolted of that colo
ny. The government of the United States
lcannot be igrorant Of thsfe facts which are
public the confquences thereof have Already
been manifefted in the Wet Indies, where Thu,
public paper. advfe that there have been acti-
ona between the French cruifyrs and A american
Yefe's carrying on this commerce. In conf
dermg the matter merely under the view of the
! law OF nations, il is manfef that American ci-
tizens under the very eyes Of their government,
carry on private and piraticll war aaaiuit
power with which the United States are at
nsare. The nnderEsncd would be wanting in
his duty ifhe did not vindicate, under fuch cir
cnmltanCeS, the ghts and dignity of his govern
| ment, which are openly injured, aud ii he Gid
| not call the attention of MIR. Madifon to the
| difagreeabe reGeGiio which the French govern
| nent would have right to make if the Silence
! OF the local authorities, refpetting ats Of this
nature, fioud Ne initiated by the government
| of the United States.'
"The French government certainly could
not fee without a profound regret, that after
| having gwen TO the u. States the mott marked
proofs of the deGre to place the good under.
| Handing Of the two nations upon the MOT i'm
| movable foundations, by abandoning nation
| al iatereRs which might have eventually pro.
duccd collifons, individual irtereH ihould now
I've permitted to compromit this good under
ltanding. Its regret would be Rill much srea.
ter, if, when the dignity and fafety of France
are openly injured in the U. States, by their
citizens, the American government mould pre-
ierye, refpe6tiDg thefe violations, a flence
which would appear to Offer an execute, and e.
ven fort of encouragement, TO all the excef-
ies which cupidity may attempt-Behde tina,
the peace of the two nations cannot but be fe-
riouily compromised by the proceedings of
i.'e individuals, ana by the repriials to which
they muf nccei1ariIy lead, this flate of things
would infalliby tend to diminifh the amicable
dhPniition, which the two governments with
TO cultivate"
DR. l.. obfcrved that the commerce as car.
ried on by the citizens of the United States is
not only violation Of the law ofnations which
the United States as an independent nation is
found tn obey but it is in direct violation of
treaty made in 1900, between the u. States
| and France. a m he