The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-05-27

| inasmuch as they purport to interrupt the
commerce OF friendly nations, carrying on
| their accustomed trade in innocent articles,
between their own country and the ports of
us maJestys enemies, not actually blocka-
ded and even between their own country &
| those OF his majesty's dominions or of his allies
And also, inasmuch as they purport to com
pei such trade, in future, to come i'm the first
instance under the pain of confscation to the
ports of his majesty's dominion OF of his al
lies, and there to submit to such regulations,
restrictions, and duties as shall be imposed
upon them
5th. That by the law of nations, all inde-
pendent governments have an undoubted
right, both in war and peace, to regulate in
their own territories, and according to their
own COW en- ance, except where specially res
trained by treaty, the admission or exclusion
of the ships or merchandise of other states.-
That by the municipal law of this and other
countries, ithath been usual to require, that
YES sells trading to or from the ports thereof,
shall carry such certificates or other docu-
ments shelving in what country the vessel was
built, htted, or owned by what sailors she is
navlgated, and in what country the articles
composing the cargo have been grown, produ-
ced, or manufactured, as may be Judged ne
| cessary to entitle them to enter.
| And that the ships of friendly nations, car
tNh'S ShIh papers III tl'nc OF war; Go not
thereby violate any rue of amity with other
countries, or legally incur any,penalty what
ever, unless such papers should be found to
| be fraudulent
9th. That so much of his majestv's order
IN council OF the 18th November last, as di-
reefs that :" any vessels carrying any certi-
hcatcs or documents, declaring that the ar
ticies OF the cargo are not of the produce or
manufacture of his majesty's dominons, or
to that effect, or CARRYING any other docll-
ment referring to such certificate or docu-
ment, shall, together with the goods laden
therein, belonging to the persons by whom,
or on whose behalf any such documents were
put on board, be adjudged lawful prize to
the captors," Is gross and fragrant VIOLATE
on OF the laws CT nations, and of the statutes
made for the freedom of navigation and com
merce, and of the rights and the liberties of
the people OF this realm inasmuch as it
purports to expose the property both of for
eign merchants, and even of his maiestv's
subjects, In the ports of this realm, as we'll as
on the nigh seas, TO uni ust detention and for
TEXTURE Ill cases where no offence whatever
hath been committed against any known
principle, or rule of the law of nations or
against aay law, statute, or usage of the
realm.
7th. TIT the free access to the ports of
the realm, and the liberty of ira ding to and
from inc same. mas been secured to mcr-
= chants, strangers, not being of hostile ma
; ture, by Magma Charta, and other antient
statutes, in which it is expressly provided
9 that no manner of ship, which is fraught to-
wards Eng land, or elsewhere, be compelled
to come to any port of England, nor there to
abide, against the will of the masters and
mariners of the same, or of the merchants
whose the goods be-"
And that the sAme statutes were intended
not only to project the innocent commerce OF
friendly nations, but also, to secure to the
people OF this realm the bene fit of free and
+ open market for the sale of the produce and
; manufactures thereof, and for carrying or
l such trade as might conduce to the profit.
and advantage of the realm
t 3. That the above mentioned orders of hi,
/ majesty in council are in open breach and
s violation of the said statutes, inasmuch a:
they direct that ships fraught to other pla.
4 ces than this Kingdom, and even 10 ports be-
longing 10 his majesty's allies, may be com
PEELED to come to the ports of this realm, OF
OF its dependencies, and their to abide IN.
der such restrictions or regulations as his
! majesty may be advised to impose upon them
, and also, inasmuth as they direct that the
goods laden in such vessels shall not DC
cleared again from such ports, without ha
ving been, in some case previously entered
and landed; nor, in other cases, without ha-
wing obtained from his majesty's officers Ii
censes to depart, which licenses such officers
are not, by any known law of this realm au-
t1orized to grant.