The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-03-31

one cnemy's port to another. Ne fu2por,rd his
motion by an able fpeech, and was followed, on
the fame Gde, by Lord Catlereagh, and fr
Thomas Turton. and oppoird by he Advocate
General. by Lord 'rempl.. and Lord How ick.
The motion was negatved by great u,aiori'y
The oi.jr q of the mover appeared to be To ilo "
that the order was not fuch as the fpirit, ho-
nour, interefts and rights of the country called
| tor. 1t was admitted, on all hands, that the
Britici nation had right to retaliate i'm full on
the French for their decree that that decree
was indefen(ible ON every ground but il was
! commended, that it might he for the intereit of
| the Britiih Government to forbear at leaft for a
| time and that forbearance would indicate a
| conci!'atory difpoG,ion towards neutrals, al.
though they would have no jut caufe to COM
plain of different courGe, as certainly, If they
fnbnitted, without re6aance, to an extra.r-
binary meaiure from one beliigerent, they would
| naturally expe6 another belligerent to adopt
the fame meature, when not forbidden by ,rea-
~. The following are extracts frcm different
fpeeches.
From Mr.. PERcEvAL's Speech.
The colonial trade was certainly that in
which neutrals had the leaf right and while he
Unclaimed every intention Of glancing at the
proviaons of the American Treaty, he could
not help remarking, that the right generalization
for Jneb ms1(reJ rs n,np be adopted BY the -Des,y
which the Noble Lord Rated to be esbreLJ!y r..
)-r1'sd m tbat treaty, was fno ute when it was
not acted upon; perhaps his msieity's miniRers
were fearful of offending ucutrals, and forebore
to act to the full extent, I'LL tssy fhould have
had communications with thcm.- Without no.
Iication to neutras we may prohibit their
ihiPs from proceeding to the easmy's pots, but
we may not feiZe them. He truitcd Govern
ment had not acted 70 weakly, upon the fear of
offending neutrals; it was a motive of action
which they could not avow. But when they
negotiated with america, with the Non-imuor.
cation act hanging over their heads when thew
continued negotiating after that infuItine aGt
was carried into execution, and when they con.
Guided treaty under fuch circum RANGES, what
ever they rrofefs, he feared they may have been
guilty OF improper conceiiions."
From The Adroeate Generals Sbeeeb.
"Were we TO prefs and cruih inoffend;ns
merchants, by the actual execution of f-veriics
TO the utmoit extent Of the enemy's menace
he believed that the Houfe would moi 20 with
his honorable friend 70 far, but would rather
prefer mild and moderate mealures ar mn. If
'ikslyto be eficacious.-Thc only powers tina,
were neutral, were Huj7rin, which had only the
hngle port OF TricRe; Denmark, which has no
means OF fupplyiug its colonies, or Of difpoGng
of its colonial produce, if we carried a general
lnterdiet into execution; Portugal, which would
feel the fame disabilities; and Hx1eriea, with
reipect to which an interdi6t would be the
means OF infinite diftrefs. He could difcover
that aJeaouiy of Hmeriea WAS at the bottom of
all thefe complaints. (Rear, bear u His hon.
and learned friend, (Perceva,) was not correa
in Eating that the interruption of the coa(linr
trade wonld he no great injury to France, or
that the Order of Council for that purpore
henihed nothing. That order WAS but oue 6,s
and an important rep of thofc that would, if
neceilary, be refered to for retaliation. In the
year 1897, after the French had made peace
with Auflria, and the army which had been
arrogantly called the army of England. had
been collected at Brett, with view to turn
their whole force againft this country; in tina,
year, on the 2eth Nivofe, year 6, that ia in
ebrIfian language, on the 10Th day of January,
1893, decree was pafTed by the French On.
vernment, making all vefels that f,ould be
freighted in whole or in part with Eneli& COM
modIties, good prizes. In order TO New what
had been the feeling of the neutral nations on
the iubjeef of that decree, he need ONLY refer
to the Speech of the Preiident of the u. 6. on
the opening Of the FELTON, of Congrefs, on tbe
9th of Dec. 1893, in which he declared that
" as the decree of the 9th of the precfdiny Ia.
nuary, was ftil! in force, in confequenoe of the
failure OF an attempt to procure its repeal, he
coniidered it an unequivocal act of war, and a
breach OF the independence and fovercicnty Of
neutral nations, which was only TO be u1et bv \
determined rehftance." AS the Chief Mariffra,e
OF A'nerira had expreHed 70 ftrong fenfs of the
aggreflion in that infance, there was no ground
to fnPpoie that he would not att as decidrd,y
on the prefent location. And this was dpo,hrr
confederation why this country ought 70 abhaio.
for the prefent, from any atf which mirht nrovr
grievouS to the trade of Ameria until it fhond
beieen whether the American government would
follow the fame courle now as in 1852
From Lord CASTLEREAGH's Speech.
trxN l,.a, w. L
been alluded to, he fhould prefently iliey, that
the time Of the American government had been
waited in negotiations. Whatever might he
the feelings OF Government towards Amc,ic,
whatever might be the principles on which the
late negotiations had been conducted, thefc
were no reafons for delaying the adoption o.
more vigorous meafures of retaliation arainlt
the enemy. He contended that confideraiions
of forbearance refpe6fing america, l,ould no,
induce the Houfe to ATTAIN from adopting, not
an act of practical injuGice, but the mearures
which the circumstances of the times required.
namely, to warn American vef1els, in the 6rH
infance, sganit entering French ports. but
not TO capture them, unlefs bent on entering
the ports OF France. IF they were to wait ti
the American Government hould Unfit uDon
thoie principles, by which the law of nations
is upheld, they might wait till doomsdav. IA
whatever might be their feelings, the CONNER
cial people would attend to their commercial
interGfJ. Since the publication Of this decree.
which had been at FRI general as to all nations
Tome communication had taken place between