The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-31
mo. ~.

| the ports CT aDoti;vr allied or Neutral state
IT Tie t0ofnS II the nentrot veSScts eonstyl Of
merchdht's-e tie Productions IF ihe enenay's
coHmtry; much less TO carry, the same -ironi
one port of the enemy. to another. port of the
| enemy.
! Inc PRINCIPLE of the Briti,h rule and OF
the French regulation appears to be, TO pre-
vent henf'0ts Coming in 10 aid the enemy in
the commerce OF one part Of his domimona
with any other part thereof, on in procuring
market Tor the eueris' 5 productions i'll any
other country than that OF The neutral aciu-
ally transporting the Sd ne, and far its own
aSe ana cOnSuEhiioN
1t appears moreover, by the preamble to
the french regulation. that the restrictions
| on neutral Commerce. which We are row eX-
aininlhg instead vi COMMENCING in 1856, were
| III exercise by the English and Dutch ante
ceoehi to that regulation, and with greater
! rls"r the French King protesting dnei-
oF"fc the condition OF neutral commerce, by
/ that regulations
| On Tie subject of blockade, when vessels
OF war were not SO statiuned botore the port
declared to'bc blocka,led, as to constitute
what rs called an Gc!Eaf blockade, undoube-
edly abuses have taken place
Z" 10 form an actual blockade of port,
ships destined for that object must be suf-
hciehtiy near Ia produce az evident danger
IN entering" But these words by no means
ding ships OF the vessel so attempting TO en-
ter. What degree of risk from bockadine
ships viii amount t. lawful blockade, may
sometimes lie disputabie question: Wouid
the chance OF capturing three vessels OUT of
four, 81 seven ont of eighJ, exhibit sucn an
"ewdent danger in entering," would con-
stltutc an actual blockade! that is, wheI to
insure their entering i'll safety wo,ld be worth
apremium OF from. rs to 90 per cent This
.ripn ~ y,
, adjust.
! On these points, sir, and all others in dis
Pute with G Britain. my opinion remains
unchanged, that they are vet proper subjects
OF negotiation, TO be undcrtS ken III the rcak
sfii1ft of conciHation and adjustment. That
iiiI Ga 80 viii MT induce ncr TO yield
our demands, we have ample proof, not only
iii the answer of the British government to
our minister ~ London, but i'll the certain r.
bility of that nation ara her colonies to sup<
ply al their own wants That she possesses
the means, think, has been. demonstrated
by gentlemen who have spoken before ME.
We have heard nuch of the patriotism and
patient endurance OF our fellow citizens un~
derthe distresses of the embargo; and gem
tiemcn spsak confidently, that this patience
wili(io'd out till &. Britain shall be broughs
to our feet. AT the same time, they cglcu-
late on the distresses. which they fohdiy inn
ag'ne the embargo will inaict on the people
OF CIreat-Britain aud her colonies, to excite
dscentents and insurleCtions sufficiently "a
Farming to induce that government to aban-
don"usiges on which she relics tn nlaintain
her maritime ascendanCy, and At this time,
her independence as a nation. But why
should it he supposed, that the people Of G.
Britain will be less parient under sufferings,
than the people OF the u States, Theirs
would arise from Causes hey ond their control
ours from SOME cause or causes operating
on our 3'HlerS, but which the heCEte can nei-
Sher see nor understand. Within moths
aterthe embargo vas imposed the Presi-
dent himself, by proclamation, announced
to us and TO the world. ihc existence Of ONO
Instruction, Cccasiened by the embargo y
and the provisions made III the supplement
tary acts, to compel obedience at the poins
of the bayonet, shew how aprrehensive the
government were, Of tlisContents and rcsis-
itance. These extraordinary provisions for
the execution of SI6cifc measure ,demon-
strate, that it was Cor .idcrei "a OPPOSED to
ihe general 8ense Of Ehc heohie /; and in {.
ttree country, such measure cannot long be-
car icd>into execution. The votes of appro-
baton of the embargo by pubic bodies, and
other assemblies of citizens, so ostentatous-
ly displayed, while they manifest the force
J farfy, are, to say the least, but equivo-
cal indications of the general sense " the
people, or even of the individuals composing
those assemblies. Those votes have always
had fewer hearts than v1ices
Mr.. President, the gentleman from Mary
land mentioned the extreme danger to which
our commerce would be exposed, while the
Bat Great Britain has admitted that the
vessels ot the United States might carry on an
indirect trade from the EugopeaD dominoRs Of her
enemIes to their colonies, and from these colo
nics TO their parent countries in Europe and in
both cases the trade has been considered isdiyst
when carried on through The United Ststesy
that is, when the csrgoes laden on board Ameri-
can vessels in the ports Of the enemies Of Geaif
Britain, have been irst imported into the United
States, and carried thence IN the same or other
American vessels, TO the cnemy's countries, or
colonies respectively. But the facts which should
constitute iadirect trade, not having been dein-
lively declared OFT the contrary, as they have
been several times varied, either By the orders
OF the B',tish government, or by the decision Of
her courts Of Acknowledgement ycxatio.. and in
jury have thence accrued 10 the commerce of the
u. Stt;cs ...l
put The treaty regociatcd BY tie Presidents
TRin,steIs, (Mcssrs Monroe and Pihkney) and
signed ~ thein, with the British commissioners
o. the Htst OF December 1896, comp..hended "a
dehni;ive provision OH this head Such trade be-
tyGen ~ parent co,niric. and colonies tf he eu