The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-02-02

going BY land to or colonies, and not by sea:
he will find a road through Asia which we
deny him by the Atlantic. @
I, But we are blockading the Continct, we
are cutting the enemy off from the rest of the
world This is the cry, this is the triumph
His Rules, one would think however, are
large enough: he has Europe for his range,
and is imprisoned in the better half of the
civilized universe.
Our blockade is the most ridiculous thing
in the world It's, with little or any pressure
upon the enemy, one of the most complicated
and expensive projects we can possibly par
sue.
Does it repay us by giving us commerce?
Certainly not /; we may possess the sea but
the commerce is not with the seq, but with
the land. The sea, unless it ensures the ac-
cess OF the land, is a barren dominion: it is
Napoleon who is i'll the midst of the harvest
He has the command of the market who
Keeps US out Of it; not he, who excludes
others, because he cannot obtain admission
for himself.
Useless, and contemplate therefore, as we
conceive this project with respect to the enc
my, how arc we to considerit as it relates to
neutral powers !-They are to be punished,
1t seems, for not demonstrating against the
commercial restraints which Bonaparte has
imposed upon them; in otherwords, they are
to be subject TO the same law from us, which
they have been content to receive from him.
Nowi it seems almost an insult to reproach
them with not ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
sTRATE !what would have been the effect
Of their rcmonstrances They were obliged
to submit to any terms, to carry on a COM
merce, by which they subsist, according to the
humours of the enemy
Are we to punish them, therefore, for not
doing that which, if done, would have been
Intellectual, and which, even if attempted.
would have eXposedIt Them toinfnite hazards
Let US suppose that France had said to A
merica, (Which, in truth, she has said to all
neutrals)-.' If YOU bring rie any English
goods, or suffer your ships to touch at any
British ports, will order them to be confis-
Gated; but you may bring me, with this eX-
ception whatever commodities of your own
you please.--Suppose we say, America had
demonstrated upon this What would France
have done FORBID HER COMMERCE AL
TOGETHER, AND SHUT HER HARBoURs A
GAINsT HER.-Was America, therefore
bound to demonstrate against this limitation
at so great hazard f-Certainly not it was
part of her neutral rights which, If she
chose, she had right to concede it was
sacrificing part toprcservc the rest; it was
pursuing that self-interest which she had a
right 10 pursue.-I1iSgticf sosest Teaasscia;-e
jttri fro sc intro0ucto, lis law of natural
and undoubted right.
We have always been accustomed to speak
our sentiments with freedom and firnness
we write neither to nor from party, but rest
our credit upon our impartiality We will
declare, therefore, that whilst others stand
by, rubbing their hands at the present havoc
that they are likely to make IN neutral COM
merce, we are more inclined to wiring ours
we regret it from our hearts, and we think
that we have given our reasons sufficiently
in our two last Papers upon American COM
merCe.
These orders, we take it, are as good as a
declaration of war against America; and
their effect will be instead OF reducing the
tone, and Gripping the means of one enemy
to give US another. We shall then have &c
fight with all the world for commerce, with
out soul to buy an article from us; and
whilst we rule the sea, there will not be an
inch of coast free to receive bale of our com
modities.
AS Englshmen. and the sincerest lovers Of
our country, We regret this Encouragement
from our souls.