The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-07-28
THE ENQUIRER.
RICHNo&b. July 90. 1909.
LAST nnIr1sH oRDER.

|
gresscd them. -
m. even ON 7Hs sUPposE4f7N that Mr.
hrSSfne has rtu'iy t,ana.eyes$ed his inst,uc
lHoms-the British government have equally
ltransgressed the most solemn obligations
of justice and gocd faith;
| Even if they were not 6ot.nd 1u the unau-
tho'ised acts of their minster--fheu arc az
least bound 10 reittace us. as rear as fossil
ole, an ne same situation from (Which they
! had dyaTv1 ns.
What right have ,hsy tn take an advan ia qe
of a situation, into which the acts of their
c7on minister had BETRAYED us?-Here is an
arrangement, Which we had concluded with
their own agent--wich one who 7'rfre&ented
The sovereignty of his coontry.- 1t was
merely from full confidence in the charac
ter, with which they themselves had invest
Ell MN, that this arrangement is formed Is 1t
mot then most infamous To say, that they have
a right 10 make ms very agreement sub
servent to their own enolument and TO ON.
injury?
! Do not these things speak for themselves,
IS there & man OF Common sense or no.
nesty, who will nor pronounce the same deci.
sion !-ls It not the only basis, on which that
branch of the law relating n contracts
through Agents, can fairi, be hrilt,
, Have not the writers on the laws Of ma
tions, as far as they have touched this case.
taught the very same doctrines -NATTFL
declares, that "when a state believing that
1T has concluded peace with the enemy's
general, has, in consequence of fhts. deli
vered up one OF his strong places, or given a
sum of money, the sovereign of that general
ought 70 restore 9rhat he has received, if ne
is unwilling to ratify the agreement If he
acts otherwise, he enriches himself with ano-
theirs property, and detains that proDertv
! without having any title TO it."
| Few discussions however of this sort pre-
sent themselves in the books-because il is
now the general practice of sovereigns to
keep check upon the acts of their minis
tiers, by reserving to themselves the right of
a ratitication,of those acts.
Surely Mr.. Canning is ,ut weak enough
to say, that this Act is not binding upon his
lmaIesty--beCause il wants the seal of Ruff-
lScQtfou Yet there is an expression in the
late orders of the Oath OF Nav. which seems
to shew that the British ministry weuld even
descend to this miserable subterfuge WHY
is this contract of Mr.. Erskine called q
provisional agreement ?" Is it not customary
to use PROVISIONAL. in opposition to Fl
NAL; that Is an Instrument either not de
Ipendent upon. the ratification of sovereign,
or that has already passed through it. Does
not however the very nature Of the transac-
ton at Washington evidently prove that it
mast have been final adjustment TWAS
not. as in the case OF Treaty, to have been
laid over for ratification. The interest of
both countries required that It should go
INTO effect as soon as possible. The letter Of
Mr.. Erskne itself forbad ratification IL
was OH the 10th of June that this agreement
was to take EFFECT. Aud there was not
time enough to receive the ratification on
the part of Great Britain, before the 10th
: OF June was past, and the deed was done for
ever.
/ What is there. then, in all these refine
ments to change the true state of this cues.
ton TT the British minister has trans
SreSsed ms instructions, the British govern
mant is bound to replace us as nearly as
possible, IN that situation from which he has
seduced user az ieoSf, to let the blow fall
as slightly upon Us as possible This trim
ctffe is SO very clear, that even the British
ministry themselves dare not otenly denv it.
: Mr. Canning is all aiiUe to the interests of the
merchants !. He forsooth wishes to "pre
vent any lnccnDenience or detrineent co
them and to secure them indemnitu in their.
speculations." And the subsequent order of
May oath in pursuance of the same hypo-
ciilical system OF mercy, is gravelv intro
duced "to prevent AMY jnConvcniences tia at
nay ensue from the circumstance above re.
cited.''
Whet is tie fact?
| Ia consequence of the most solemn DIedepS
OF an accredited minister at Washington. the
American Merchants feel a new spirit of
confidence and adventure-5O OF co millions
OF our property are shipped upon the high
seas, for dL3erenf ports and markets-there
are assurances against the dangers of the
seas, butnot against the cruizers of Britain
tor ON that head the word of British mi
mister is supposed to be Sufficient protec-
ton.
What then is the species of. indemnity
which the British government are now ten
dering to us? They permit us for a short time
to carry on one branch Of trade--they hro-
NOT great many others. They suffer
the Vessels which clear out from the u 6.
between the 18th April and the goth J,lly
Tor certain ports and places of the conn
tries which have been lately STYLED the
Kingdom of Holland" to pursue their des-
tination. But Oh the other hand, extraordi-
nary orders are sent to Portsmouth and pJv-
mouth to fit out all their privatcers with al,
possible dispatch-and these like hungry
hounds are let loose upon every other Anne
rican vessel, which equally sails under the
faith OF this provisional agreement" bp,
which may be bound to ports interdicted bv
the orders of April---these very or.
ders too which were declared BY their ac-
credited minister at Washington to have
had not the least connection" with his a.
greement.
Is this the &c indemnity which is secured e
orr rnerchants! Is ;histb Inconvenience
and detrimert," which is preventedp /.
this the generosity Of Mr.. Canning