The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-08-16

britain had long 6ef6re adopted & enforced II
her hrst aggrcssions. Thus does fair ant
Calm review Of the history of neutral spolia,
lions hrore to US, that England from 1895
till the last week of 1906, never even pre-
tended that France had sn a5nsrd & He7-oer,
ted neutral trade. as to give her color ofpre.
tension =" to retaiiate - while France from
,o2,till to-day, always maintained the charge
! or agsressiona against England ia all her acts
(. and in The most steady, explicit & open man
ner. The principle GENERALIZATION has never
Carried France to the lengths of Englapd.--
She IS not like England IN the inyariaile aud
odious practise OF taking either American, or
French, on any other foreign seamen by i'm
pressment, or rather capture cut of our YES
sells. She has never extended her claims 10
persons sailing in our vessels, or passengers.
Her Milan decree, with'the exception of TIE
wrecked vessel, is not executed BY fiBaf aud
etfectnal conhscation, as are all the orders
OF council OF Great BRITAIN. Nar;ons ct.tgt'
differences III the condnct of England ord
France esSist--ii is They've ssrr is
Britain assured our ministers in December,
1906. that she would ACT towards usas we
should permit France, SO Franeein IseS has
said she viii follow that example Of England
and coniiscate under the Miian decree. If we
do not resist similar English anterior 3ggres-
sicns, a!iording, by q new and solemn fact,
another serious evidence, that o7fri,iai az
erosion IF ternicious eramt,le is The real
characteristic of the English conduct-and
an iD,itatiJe retaliation the characteristic
conduct of France. England, by claiming
end insisting on a right OF retaliaticnagains
reason, justice and public law, giSes the
most unfortunate sanction to the coicuct of
France, so far as she has that lawion her
side.
There is a fact in our own conduct, which
is conclusive upon the subject of first agrees
sion & retaliation. In 1894. president Wash
ington, to avoid our retaiating on England
by asequestration of property TO pay fur her
iiicgitimate seizures, sent special MISSION
to England to obtain redress, and even gene
raj Hamilton ditinot then suggest, nor did ge-
neral Washington t SEM! :T "a d fiii-
mister Tor such a purpose to France. II would
have appeared very extraordinary indeed,
thus formally to demand redress of England,
if she were correctly retalating the anterior,
Hggressions of the French, and TO be yetally
inattentive to prevention and redress in the
case of the French. In Mr.. Jays acgociati-
ons and treaty, 10 trace is to be inund of a
single idea relative to retaiations BY the Ems
s!Ish Tor any suggested French original ag-
gressions. Mr.. Pickering was then and at
forwards as enthusiastic friend If France
as any person in America. He didnot then
pretend she had given cause for retaliations
in 1898. 1t is also true, and is well known
to Mr. Monroe, Mr. Jay, and othersof both
parties, at this time alive, that gen. aamil-
ton was extremely anxious to go 10 Eigland
in order to be the instrument Of cur cteul.3nd
of a discontinuance of original British ag-
gressi0ns, PREPARATION for the past. and seen
Icy fOI' the tuuurv.-7 s--f,-,--,----
riously begun to be packed, but his appoint
ment was prevented, and the duty was as
signed to Mr. Jaw. So extreme was the anti
American spirit at that moment in the Br-
fish fublic circle here, so bent were they ON
neutral spohation, that it was asserted a.
rnong them in the most emphatic manner,
that Mr.. Jay, -FOUR specei minister to En-
gland for redress) 7vouid not be allowed to
set hrs foot on shore" 1t is a curious fact
that after such sentiments and conduct in
1894. Mr.. Hamilton and Mr.. Pickering should
hazard the idea, in 1898 that France was
the first aggressor on neutral commerce, &
England consequently, a mere justihable re-
taiiator. 1t is submitted to our cpuntvvmen
to consider the facts and observations in these
papers in their due and very serious relati-
on TO the recent letter of Mr.. Senator Pick
ering to the governor OF Massachusetts. 1t
will appear to that great commercial state &
to our whole country, that the strong and de-
ciGcd encouragement openly given to the mis-
tcHIluCl OIL ". DTitdlIl Dy VII. ItdlUllOn, W.T..
Pickering, and other persons in the same
peiniciOus habits, are among the real and
most efficient causes of her refusing to us
redress and indemnity for the past and secu-
Irity against future violations of our neutral
commercial rights. .Nay-fhe Present jeo-
hdrdY Of Great Britain is chdrgea6h IN q
very couSiderabie degree TO these ard SINH
Tar characters, 7vho haze taught her 6ytheir
hdnlfhietS, TefortS, SfieecheS and cOHuersG-
tions 10 beieve, thai as the neutraks zvoukd
bfar any in treatment, she might go on, Tin
rte he'd at tcagth e.ccited tie utmost i1dfg-
tasion of he sse.;tsais, ind tie tnost azgf1tf
shirt If reDenge and retaliation IN the rest
~ che cfJdiized 7sorid. II is best, even now,
for England to be persuaded of these truths.
What Hamilton could not effect, Pickering
cannot accomplish. nor Jefferson or Madi-
/ son, Clinton or Monroe would be persuaded,
that England has ever had one particle of
ground to refaliate, tho Hamilton rose from
the dead. The only part FOR England now
to act towards the United States is, 20 be re-
gutar and inst. We require not favor nor
even liberaiity, though such temper and con
duct would certainly go further 60 promote
iher American interests than any other. Nc
Senate. no House of Representatives can pos
sibly exist, which will concede to England
against their own knowledge and memories
a right 10 retaliate onus for the retaliation.
of the European continental powers. Ever
in 179S, when the impressions Of presiden,