Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-04-14


vent Of Which, in ali probability will b.. ,hat,
ater making Use cf the latter AS an ias,ramert
& assist him III reducing he former, lie will turn
a5ainS' his al'y. and plant his triumphant though
.teaeherous banner OH the walls OF Constantine
pie.
MIR PLEAsANTs,
Pi.kMlI me now according to nv
promise to say few words respecting the
british claim to search and seize our YES
Seis, and concerning the law of nations, OH
which they ground this claim
Inc defenders Of the claim say, that
without It, the British navy could not sup
port its superiority overits enemies; nor,
could Britain inflict wound on their COM
merce II they bs permitted to export their
produce III neutral vessels, and to import
III them the productions Of their coionies,
as wei us OF other countries. But if Bril-
tam mas the g'- t superiority in numbers
OF shiPS ard scaHien, md III tie skill and
bravery OF her officers and men Of which
she boasts, can she not take, destroy, or
bloc& up IN harbCrs the ships of war and
prlvateers of her enemy? can she not do
The same with their merchant ships and
S not this enough To enable her TO disgrace
them distress their commerce, whilst she
appears g:oriousiy triumphant on the seas,
ana ENJOYS an unreStrGincd commerce with
her COLONIES and the rest of the world
Can Ii really be ofserious importance to
such commercial nation as Britain. whose
navy Sc greatly exceeds in ever, respect hat
OF her enemies, to labor as she does 10 pre-
vent neutral powers from supplying them
even with what she calls contra5aud arti-
cieS AS long as neutrals supply her with
the same articles, and encrease hc,. COM
I'll a S,tt1r a | -
| rity' she ought not only to he salts lied, but
To be pleased to see her rivals yaiulv. and
| al an immense eXpencc, purchasing naval
stores, &c. which she boasts must be use
less IN their ports, or, if sent out, must
fairly and honorably become her PROPERTY,
grazing her trlumphs, and INCREASING her
naval strength.
! IS 1t Just OF honorable to plumber neutral
nations, to carry on a 7vay in dysgnysr a.
sanst them, under pretence of miuring her
| eneIhy surely not, for it is hirafic0f ard
J disgraccfui, and as unnecessary and innDo-
!itic, as II is unjUst-For the rigorous SC. ,ich
and the condemnation of neutral vessels has
but little effect or nation which never re-
heo much on navigation, ard external COM
! merce' Gnd which, especially at present,
commands by its rivers, canals and land
, carriage, the commerce Of almost all Eu-
rGpe.
IL IS therefore unnecessary and it is i'm
p"iIuc, because 1t renders her an object oi
detcstation amongst neutral powers, and
will lay the foundation of her destruction
For their hatred VIII induce them at some
future period perhaps not far distant t.
combine together, and t. unite with hernow
| formidable enemy, III whom too b., this
practice she eXcItes an immortal hatred
! IL IS impossible that Denmark, Sweden
and the United States of America shou:t
lever forget the insults of Britain or fsi
To lay h"id on the first opportunity wheel
may occur, OF being revenged for them, or
at least Of preventing such insults i'm future
Tic H0cdca and Russians will soon sex
The folly OF their having made ii their in
tcTcSt 10 wish success 70 the nation, whicl
laG grossly insultcd their fag, violated thci
1eutrai right, and Boosted that she cou!,
and would coufine them to the Baltic sea
ana destruction, TO that nation which elor
0usly contends for the freedom of the seas
nd winch alone can procure for them thos
tights which more than once they hay,
claimed, and have been ON the point d as
serting even at the risk of "A war with tn
tremendous power of Britain AS to tn
British assertion that their tyrannical con
duct on the seas is justified by the law G
NotiNHos We NAY WIN DOluilCSS OcIy tnGt
IS and without having recourse to Ora
HHs, Pg0cHdorI, Vaffci, t5c. GSc. &C. t
see what they say ON the subject, it woul
be sufficient to remark. hat the lar o
NATIONS ma0t be. /ouHdcd on jusHce, and
IHohcy suited u fhe r neral interests an
IhaflhiHess Of maHkiHd i: u must dcHeHd IN
on 7RUTH md mt soPBIS9Rr. and ShOytk
~01mGad the imhLicit obedieHcc offHc ciUil
lizcd 7porid, and not require ARMfES an
"fgTES 10 cHf0rce lis erccufion In Shori
= oHght 10 be If such naturc, that i'm
mast 7vise and just hgisiat5rs ofihc mas
HHghfcHsd nations u The earth had beei
conUcHed for khe soie furE>se If enacfiH.
u cam Or LABS. for thc use NJ DiaHkil,d, !
woUld be fouHdiH that code. Apply such
,Iw tEcn TO the case OF neutral vessels, avn
, affirm, that il would Erofecf an eHcB,U'
IhrohcrfVia such UcsSci5 as much as on Heu
raj groUnd. Such 4 h70 sV5llld DIScOUE
TENARcE ind not ENCOURAGE Lhr iRfcr
rHiifloH o. commerce bcfween tactic nati
2Hs and 7Oouid DIMINISH and not &c
CRATATE me horrors n maritime 7vay/nr,
] 'vheh, IgbcH extended 10 the shihs an