Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-12-15
Official mole from Count Champagny tc
Cen. Armstrong.
ALrEEsURc, Aug. 90, 1909.

ALTEEsURG, Aug. %, 1909.
Sir,
His majesty the emperor, appraised
that you are about 70 seRd vessel to A.
mciIca, has ordered me TO make known
TO you the invaFiablc principles which
have regulated and VIII CHI will regulate his
conduct on the great question of neurals
France admits the principle, that the flag
covers the merchandise.
A merchant vessel, sailing with all the
necessary papers (avec les expeditiun)
from its government is floating colony.
10 DO VIolence to such a vessel, by visits,
by searches, aud by other acls OF arbitrary
authority, is to violate the territory of a
colony; this is, To infringe on The indie
pendence of its gover.~nsnt. The seas
do not belong to any nation; they are the
common properly of mankind and the do
main OF all,
Enemy merchant vessels belonging to
individuals ouEh; to be re pected; indivd-
uais who 40 not fight ought not to be made
PRISONERS oil war. In all herr cenquests
France has respected private property
The warehouses and shops have remain
ed with ihsir proprietors. They have been
free to dispose other merchandise US they
pleased. And at this moment a great
number [cOnvO's) of Wagons loaded prin-
cipaiIy with cotton pass through the
French armies, in Austria and Germany,
OIL their way 10 such places as commerce
has diTeGled.
II France had adopted the usages of
maritime war, all the merchandise Of the
continent OF Europe would have been &C.
cumula' cd n France. * would have become
source OF immense wealth. Such would
have been. Without doubt, the pretentons
OF he English, Il they had on the land the
opportunity which they have obtained at
sea. We should have seen, as in the times
ofbarbarism, the vanquished sold as slaves,
and their lands parcelled out. Mercantile
avidiiy would have usurped every thing !;
and the return to barbarous usages would
have been the work Of the government Of
a nation that has improved the arts and
civilization. That government is not g
noraut of the injustice of its maritime code
--b what signifies 10 il, what is Just 1t
ionly considers what is useful to itself.
Such are the principles of he emperor
on the usagei and he rights Of maratime
war. When France shall have acquired
. marine in proportion to the extent of her
coastS her population, the emperor will put
J more s. more. IN practice these ma:ims, s.
will use his endeavors to render the adop
zion or them general.
The right or "a her the pretension oil
jblockadlng by proclamation, rivers and
coasts is as monstr0us (revoltanie) as II
IS absurd. A right cannot be derived
from the will or the caprice Of one Of tn,
m,eresled parties, but ought to be derived
rom the nature Of things themselves. A
. place is not truly blockaded until it is in
vested by land and by sea il is blockade,
% prevent It from receiving the succor
Nh,ch might relard its surrender. Il /
: only then, that the right Of preventing neu
8 trail vessels from en- erng il, exists 70
he place so attacked is in danger ofbsin
aken, and The dominion OF It IS doubtful
j. md contested by the master Of The tow
r. nd HIM ~bo blocksdes or besieges i
/. esncs the right Of preventing even net
B, uals ',Jm having access to IL
% The Sovereignty and the Independent,
4 lf the flag are Ike the sovereignty and i
dependence Oh -. ,eTntOfy, the proper
q ut ell neu,rals. 4 s,ate may give itself
another, may destroy lie aet Of its ind
i ,endence, inoy change rs sovereign b
Q i've rights Of sovereignty are indiyist
and undi.sr1be none can give Up a
Jsrt Of them.
Ensa . has placed F.ance I'M 81
q htrrk t.ff l.. N,., D.. -