The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-04-26
REPORT

81 The Con'7rbittce sodom ,rnS ,cte,7fd ,ae cor
responaence betsreen Mr. Monroe. and ar. Can
nfng, and between Mr.. Madison and ar. Rose,
7ti9tiee 10 the attack on tie Chesabe0le and oIso
communication from IKE President of tie Uni.
red States If The 30.h Alayca last, SpiM q ieste,
JfcpT 4H". Erst'ne to tie Secretary of State, and
ale.tsr iron: III Chas.,6Hynyt Gen. 4,nsstrong.
IN SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES.
April 10Th, 1908
Ma. ANDERSON, from the committee to whom
was teftTed, or the 18th instant, the correspon-
dcnce between Mr.. Monroe and MIR. Canning,
and between Mr.. Madison and Mr.. Rose, rcla-
tive 10 the attack MACS upon the trigate Ches-
apeake, by the British ship of war Leopartl-
and also the communications made to the Sc
nate, by the President of the United States, on
the SOth d5y Of March last, containing letter
from Mr. Ersl>ine to the secretary of state and
a letter from Mr. Champasny to General Arm
strong,
REf0RTED.
THAT ON . review Of the several orders, de.
,crees and decisions Of Great Britain and France
within the period of the existing war, it appears
that previous TO the measures referred to in the
letters from Mr. Erskine to the secretary Of state
and from Mr.. Cbamp9gny TO General armstrong,
various and heavy injuries have been committed
against the reutrai commerce ard navigation of
tho United States, under the following heads
= list. The British order of June 1905. unlawful
certain portion of Che unboc!laded ports of her
enemies, and o0ftlemuing vessels with innocent
carg0es, on &. return from ports where they had
deposited coRtrib;Ipt articles.
3D. The capture and condemnation, in the Rri-
fish courts of admiralty, of American property,
ON pretended pyiRcipie, debaiTiag neutral natl
ors from trade with the enemies of Great Br-
tain, iflterdicted in time of peace. The injuries
suffered by the citizens of The United States on
this head arose, not from bic order of the
British council, but from . variation p the prn-
ciple, upon which the courts of admiralty pro-
Noupced their decisions. These decisions have
indeed again varied, without any new, orders OF
council being issued and in thc.,igher courts OF
admiralty, sotne of the decisions which had form
ed The grcatest cause for complaint, have been re-
vcrsed and the property restored. There still
remains, however, heavy claim ofintlcmnity for
confisc tons, which were made driving the pc
Rod Of these understandable decisions, and for
which all negotiation las hitherto proved unayal-
ing.
Sd Gloclcacies notified 10 the minister of the
United States at London, and thence made a
ground of capture, against the trade of the Uni
led States, in entire disregard of the law OF ma
doris, and even of the definition oflegal blockades
laid by the British government itself. Ex-
3mpes OF these ilcgitHatc biocsa,les, will be
found IN tht notifications Of The blockade of May
10Th, 1896, Of the coast from the river Elbe to
Brcst Observation-Disclosures Of 18th May, 1907,
W
and Ems, ardthe coast bctweenthe same--block-
adc liza May, 1907, OF the Dardanelles and
smyrna blockade Of 9Th January, 1908, of Car.
tlIagena, Cadz and St. Lucar, and of all the in
termcsliate ports between Carthagena and St
Iucar, co'n,'rehcHtling much greater extent of
coast, than The whole British navy could block
ade, according to the established law Of nations
4tn To these injuries Immediately authorised
BY the British government, might be added other
spurious bockades by British naval commanders,
particularly that Of tic island of Curacao, which
fora very considerable period, made pre-
text for very extensive spoliations on the COM
mcrce of the United States.
5ri The British proclamation Of October last
which makes il the duty ofthe British officers to i'm
press from American merchant vessels, all such
Of tler crews MS might be taken or mistaken for
British su5iects--thosc officers bsing the sole and
absolute judges in the case
For the DEGREES and acts Of the French govern.
ment violating the lnar:time law ofnations, in re-
rpect 10 The United States, the COMMITTEES refer
to the instances contained in the report Of the Sc
cretary Of state, January 18th, 1906, to the Sc
nate, in one Of which, viz decree OF Che French
Gen. Ferrand, at st. Domingo, regulations
sensibly affecting the neutral and commercial
rights sc Die United States. ..
The French act roxt IN order Of time, is TIC de-
cree n November Il, MISUNDERSTANDING the Bl-
fish isles IN q state Of blockade, and protesting
to be rctaii2ticn, ON antcce@cnt proceedings Of
Great brtau3 violating the law OF natlOns.
This decree tras ioii"Wed, first hy the British
order o. Jauuary, coz, protesting to be retalia
tior on taot decree, and subjccte to capture the
trade of the United States, rom tie port Of one
bell;gefent, 20 n port Of another and secondly,
by tic orders Of November last proft ssng to be
3 further retaliation on tie same decree, and pro-
hitting The commerce uf ncutrals, With the enc.
mics Of Great Britain, as explained in the afore-
said le'terof Mr. Erskine.
These last British orders again, have been fol-
lowed 51 die french decree Of December 17th,
purporang TO be a retaliation on the said orders
and TO 5e put force against the commerce oftlic
United States, stated in thc aforesaid letter Of
1jr Chanpagny
The committee fotDear to enter into a compare
live view Of those proceedings, Of The tliHerent
belligerent powers, deeming IL sufficient to pre-
sent tie materials, from which II may be formed
They think Il their duty, nevertheless, 90 offer the
following remarks, suggestedby collective view
Cf the whole.
The injury and dangers resulting to the com
Tercc Ut the United States, from TIC cause and
increase Of these belGgerent measures. and from
similar ones adopted by othernations, were such
rs first 70 induce the more circutnspect of our
merchants and ship owners, no longer 10 commit
their property TO the high seas and at length TO
impose ON Congress the indispensable duty Of ir
icIposing some legislative provision. for such an
sSxoKuuiel et.ts nf tfsuua