Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-08-05
Tl2 10 Cents Sjaple. I

tsons appear to have beeii'saken up on s,ispi
con of being spies--hcw justifis6iy or n /,
we caunot aiiege; ana therefore oanno
i,rst,e. 10 sc'i-et..
She has uniformly enacted an e,ori,itar,
iduty on the produce of the American soil,
passing from one American port TO another,
, and thore exect,ons have taken place with :
I'm the rightful Jurisdiction of the United
States.
J The duties exacted at Mobile, we should
! wish To see abolished; but it must be al.
lowed that they are not novel, the like
were. formerly exacted on the Rhine ard
on other rivers, of Europe which run
through territories belonging to different
states, and although they may have been
/ inconveniept to tie American citizens WAC
have passed up that river, still they are
! grounded on the rights of sovereignty, cen.
Iceroiog which We have above said what we
deem sufficient.
l. She has extended these exactions to pub.
| lie vessels of the United States freighted
with provisions for the supply of their
troops on the Tombigby.
This stands In the same predicamens
with the preceding circumsta nee, with this
addition, that the Spanards alleee. that the
attempt TO paw and repsss has been made
without the previous consent and approba.
tion obtained, or perhaps even claimed
, from the local authority. This the Spani-
ards say is only an imitation of a similar AGA
on our part.
She has refused to let detachment Of
our troops pass from one American port to
another, through the waters through which
we wished TO pass, and the very fort which
enabled them to erfsrce the refusal, is
rightfully our owp, but which they are suf-
fcrcl un;uStlv 10 detain from MS
When last winter the governor of Pens,
S0cO'd wished TO go to the relief OF BQtoH
Roug,, threatened as they allege by the
conspirators under col. Burr, he requested
the permission, for expedition sake, to-
proceed through the waters and terri; tories
Of the United States, and was Iierempsorily
refused. No Just complaint can exist to
he dealt with nv others in the same man
ner as we deal with them ourselves. The
governor of West Florida, IS it might be-
expected, afterwards refused passage
through the Mobile, which had been refus
sed to him through the territory of the U.
8. when he proceeded 20 Baton Roule.
And now not Content with the exactioa
Of cXcrbitant duties, she has seized the
whole cargo Of a vessel laden with arms,
ammunition and naval stores, belonging to
the u. States.
We have such an account in the news-pa-
pers and it may be true or not /; but if
vessel attempted TO pass up the Mobile in
any manaer contrary to the regular usage
recognized by both governments, 1t is per-
haps fair to conclude that perhaps she has
been only detained, not TO make a prize of,
bat to enforce the esta blishe6 usages 81
which if we recollect right there were
some cases beforc.--When the particulars
Gf this detention are known, it will perhaps
lafs found tbnk tho ia Is,
pers relative thereto are not perfectly COR
rect.
~ all events, among all frontier Dations
occurrences frequently happen of mutual
complaints, which are objects of arrange
ment in wise and friendly manner, by
the different governments.
As the animadversions have not been
dictated with i'll temper, nor wi1h view
20 recrimination, but merely with that of
fair and liberal intention, we leave
the public TO judge for themselves of
the motives which could inspire so much
iuvective against the Spahiards in con-
sequence of the supposed deterion of
! 4 vessel on the Mobile, and teel so liz
: tie for the murder of American citizens,
aud the insult to cur flag, by a nation that
) has now several millions of our property un-
5 lawfully detained, and several thousands
. OF our citizens IN the worst species Of hui
: man bondage.
Towards Spain we feel only the sentimens
that we feel towards all nations, f." in war
enemies, Ill peace friends" Ifafter so m a.
ny years OF misunderstanding, Spain is at
length willing to renew her old friendship,
for the U. States, the disposition always
prevails in the u States, to forget the past,
IN the manifestation Of friendly Disposition
III futurc--We have reason to think, that
such dispositions prevail in Spain, and that
the issue will be acceptable 10 both nations