The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-12-24
I'HEIY'ir
III
BETWEEN cnEAT-BHI AND AMERICA.

4
| 7'gEAI'I'
PETwEEN CREkT-BRI AND AMERICA
| The following is the official Note delivered by
his mjesy's commissioners lo:ti HOLLAND and lord
Auckland, to tie American ministers, previous to
; tile signature OF thc trcaty -
NOTE
The undersigned. Henry Richard Vassal, lord
Hoiiaad, and William lord Auckland. plenipotcn-
u ries OF his BRITAIN III. jestv have the honor
20 lirorEn James Monroe and William Pinckney,
commissioners extraordinary and picnpotenii;ures
eli the United States OF America, that Ihcy are
now ieadyto proceed 70 the signature OF tue trea-
y OF amty, commerce and navigation, on the ar
tlcles OF which they have mutuaiiv agreed
But ut the sane time they have il IN command
from his majesty, TO CI the attention of the COM
missioners OF the United States, 10 some cxtraor-
binary proceedings which have la,ely taken place
on the Continent OF Europe, and To communicate
to them officially thf sentiments of his maesty's
government thereupcn
6 The proceedings alluded 20, are certain de-
clarations and orders OF tie French government,
issued ut Berlin on the 2ist November last.
g In those orders the French government seeks
20 lusttyo paililte IFS unjust pretensions, by
| imputlng to G. Britain principles which she never
protested, and Practices which never existed His
majesty is accused of systematic and general
disregard of the law of nations, recognized by
civilized STATES and more particularly of ui.-
whereas hs majesty may confidently appeal to- the
world, on his uniform respect for neu..il rights
and his general and scrupulous adherence to the
law OF Nations, without condcscendng TO contrast
his conduct in these particulars, with that OF his
enemy and with regard TO the only specific,
charge, 1T is notorious, that he has never declared
any ports to be IN state of blockade, without al
otung 70 that object force sufficient make the,
eltrance into them manifeatly dangerous.
g BY such allegations, info indcd az they are.
the enemy attempts 10 justify his professions OF
coniiscating rs lawful prize, ali produce of Eng
fish industry Or marUf cture though IT be The pro-
perry OF ncut-ala--cf excluding from ms harbors
every neutral vessel which has touched at any port
OF his III, lesty's dominions, though en- ployed i'll
an l,.uoScit commerce and of Coci-r!nr Great
Britain to be in state of blockade, though his
own rrs and arselats actually Dlacladed, &
he rs unable 10 station any nay:l force Whatever
b. tJ,e ai'y unlf of TO-. ..IL -----4--
ouct4 p:iciples are Is themsel es extravagant,
and Icpugnant TO the law ofnGtions ; and the pre-
tihtons founded o. theiH, though protessediy di-
rected solely against Great Brgliin, tend to a.ter
the practice Of war among civilized nations, and
utterly TO sibvert the rights AVID Independence of
neutral powers The undersigned cannot there
fore believe that the enemy VIII ever seriously
attempt to enforce such a system II he should,
they are confident that the good sense OF the A
merican government win perceive the fatal con-
sequences OF such pretertions u neutral COM
merce, and that its spirit ard regard 10 NATIONAL
honor, viii prevent its acqlcscence IN such
pslpable violation Of its RIGHTS, and luxurious en-
oroachrDcnts on its interests
" Ii however the enemy should carry these
threats into execution, and if neutral nations
should, contrary to MI expectations, &C luiesce III
such lsurpatOnS, his ma iestv mig probably be
compelled, however reluctantly, TO reta'iate in
his just defence, ard 10 issue orders to his crlz-
ers to adopt towards neutras any hostile SYSTEM
TO which those ncutrals shall hs' submitted from
! Of 81,
States will, theref,rc, FEEL hi at 4 moment when
his majesty and all the neurai nations are threat
eIted with such an ex ens'On of tie beliigeTent
prctcnsiors OF his enenues he cannot enter into
tie st.Pu.ttions of tue present trc.ty without an
eZPl.Td on from the United States of their inter-
tons, or n reservation on the part OF his majesty
in the case abovc-me Ationed, if it sho Id ever &C.
cur.
g The uhlcrs gned, co,s;deii7g chat distance
! of the American government renders any nme-
date explanation on this subject impossible, and
! animated By dessc of Gorw riding the beneficial
! work In which they engaged, authorised
by his majesty to con ;ude the treaty without de-
I lly.
! "IiIcy proceed 10 the signature Under tho full
persuasion that before the treaty shall be return
ed from America, with the rat,iicat on Of the U.
St.tGG, the enemy " III either .yc 10 Inailv aban4
dJncd, facility rerIuishc.i, lis uni ist pre-
tensions or inst tho government o. the q. States,
by its conduct or assurances, viii have given Sc
-iu'ity Ills ~ jcsty, that II wiii not 5ibnlt to
sucn innpyations in the established 5rsten of ma
fitu,c law and the undersigned haze presented
thus note from an anx o wish, Uat il should be
clearly understood on both side, that without
such abandonment of his prctchtions on th- part
Oi thc enemy, Or such assurances OF such con-
duct on the part of the u. States, his majesty
Will not consider himself bound by the present
%ustgrc o. his commissioners to ritify de treaty
or Precuded from adopting such m;esures may
seem necessary f,r co"rterctng The designs of
his enemy, whenever they shall occur, and be of
: such AN extraordinary nature az TO require extra
ordinary remedies
'fThc undersigned canuot conclude withoue
. expressing their satisfaction at the prospect of
accomplishing object important 20 the inter
csis and friendly connections OF both nations, and
tic iu,t sense of te cCnciIiatory disposition ma
infested 10y the commissioners of the u. States,
during the whole course Of the negotiation.
+ (SIgued) "VASSAL HOLLAND,
q Dec 81, 1896 AUCKLAND
" JAMES MrSRoE, &c. SC.
p " WGLLtAm P1SCKSEY, &c. &c
Ia From tie London "AEws," ef 25M Get
b RIGHT or SEARCH.