Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-07-26


of expensive and bloody wars. The En-
glish were therefore accessories before the
fact: and as their dead bodies have been
found with fraudulent colors on them, they
have been partakers in the crime. They
have waged war against US in these cases
to dismember our empire andto Monopolize
trade, before the dawn of the French revo-
luton.
The English government in 1876 made a
treaty of commerce with France, whom
they call their natural enemy and agreed
that French Shihs Should protect Heir enc
mics goods. This they refused TO us always
and with particular expressions and in.
tentions +; for the report of 1871 TO their
privy council, after referring to this British
concession to France, states that it should
never be conceded to the u. s. of Ameri-
ca, that free ships should make free goods,
thus acting less beneficially towards US than
towards their oldest, nearest, greatest and
natural enemy. Hostility to our coma
merce, navigation and seamen was the plain
and Hndeniable reason: and in the same
spirit they have at all times impressed our
sailors and passengers, and foreign sailors
OF every nation aiding our trade and navi.
cation.
The English have taken land often know
ingly) American and other seamen foreign
to G.. Britain, neutral and belligerent, from
our ships, and forced them to their guns,
subjecting us thereby to quarreis with other
powers, and deep examinations, personal and
public. This is real and most offensive
cause of the dissatisfaction and conduct of
France and Spain towards us. England
knowing this well, evades all cure, all mea- :
sures OF remndy or precaution to this hour.
England in November 1899, broke the ice
III the case ct perver.ing neutrals, their
rights and their commerce to the injury of
those neutrals and OF one of the powers at
war. England then neutral, issued pro-
clamation, in opposition to their own laws
and to their treaties with France and the
Eneutrals, restraining neutral ships from car
rying British and neutral goods to France !;
though they were allowed to go at the same
time to the ports of Austria and Prussia,
who were at war with France. This was
the first aggression Like the first blow in
the case of an affray, it threw "the breach
Of the Teace" upon the head of G.. Britain.
itjustitied France in retaliation. 1t render
ed retaliation 4 measure of self defence. 1t
was the real inciPient cause of the present
oppressive mass of anti-neutral proclama-
tions, orders and DEGREES. For it and ma
ny other acts of the same nature and ten
deacy in the remainder of 1893 and in the
beginning of 1898; France on the first day
tot February of that year declared war u
against England, stating her abuse of neu.
trails o the intentional injury of France, as
the cause. Thus France at first fairly took
remedy on England, and did not retaliate
upon Us. Our vessels went and came I'M
molested by France, and our seamen pass
ed through all seas unimpressed by her.
lShe did not attempt TO search our vessels
for American, or British, or French, or o.
ther seamen. Even their own French sea-
men were suffered to be employed in our
vessels, which were protected, as TO France,
by the law OF nations, though we had not
one armed ship on the ocean, and though
the navy of France disputed the empire of
the seas with that of England until the ac-
ton of June, 1894, between D'Orvilliers and
Howe. The British officers, long before
that time, had impressed Americans, Eng.
llSh, Danes and other foreigners out of our
vessels, so as deeply to wonnd and highly to
inrence France This conduct produced
the French order to treat Americans (neu-
trals) found in the British sea army Gtheir
men of wary fighting against their neutral
duties, against France as pirates. This IT..
nitation, this quarrel, this act OF remedy or
retaliation, England brought on us-and
continues 10 give cause forr. Our wounds
are very deep and desperate, ard require
the hro6e IF truth. We are disgraced for
ever-perhaps ruined, if we are not bold in
trn'h-undaunted in veracity and Justice.
an the month of January, 1898, England,
az Iedcc NTH France, set her cruisers to
take vessels of Hamburg, Denmark and
Sweden, IN their voyages from Hamburg TO
France As these neutrals suffered Eng
land to treat them so, France, trembling
under the fear of famine, ordered refa ia.
Hon OF England by war and on those neu.
trais, by taking their cargces into France.
but she ordered thoSe cargoeS 10 be- haid for,
and did pay for them and ordered fur
ther, that when England would desist from
thus abusing and perverting neutras to the
ruin of France, her cruisers should desist
from retaliation. 1t is however n real and
important truth, that France did not order
any of onr vessels to be thus carried in.
On the 25th March, 1893, England and
Russia Coined afterwards by Spain, Aus.
tria and Prussia) undertook the monstrous,
insolcnt, unjust, unlawful, irritating and ru-
inous act, OF solemn treaty eiieceement
10 fireUenf all benefit Of neutral trade 10
ana from france, as a measure of ruin and
Insult TO beHgerent France, and Of utter
herUersfon ind abuse If nenfrdLs, and de-
structton Of their commerce. and rights.
France was to lose all advantage of neu-
trail supplies and all advantage Of sales 10
neutrals, and all advantage ofthe revenues
arising on neutral imports and exports ard
lueutrair tVprp dc privcd Of orro &c III -.