The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-03-24

ov these orders TO trade with the Continent
through rho medium of G.. Il. and tn carry
on a direct intercourse with the >encmy's
colonies. The embargo would deprive the
enemy even of these remaining advantages,
and thus insure, as far as regards The CONT
nent of Europe, the monopoly of the Ame.
rican market to Great Britain, which woald
raise the British upon the ALSO
lutte destruction of that of the enemy, and
effectually retaliate upon France the evils Of
her own injustice. America would then be
almost as completely embarked with us in
respect of all useful purposes. as if she had
declared war against France and. from.
the i~ntemperance of tho enemy, the proba-
bility is, that actual war would have been
The result, at no very distant period.
II then the American proposition weuld
have either secured us all the advantages
which we enjoyed, previous to the decree
OF the 2lst Nov. 1906, or placed ms in a bet
ter situation than we could have expected
from our orders of ccuncil, how comes it
that this proposition has been rejected e
From the character of the ministers, and
their advisers, it is not atall improbable that
they have formed the resolution, i'm case of
the renewal of neutral intercourse, to insist
upon the rule of 1756, and thus exclude the
Americans from the enemy's colonies, which,
unless some relaxation took place in our
own colonial system, would in the present
situation of the world, subject them TO al
most intolerable hardships.
Our government have been sensible. that
the Americans would scarcely come to any &C
COMMUNICATION on these terms, and that the e
nemy would certainly refuse to rescind his
DEGREES, if he found us resolved upon a mea-
sure which would deprive him of the princi-
pal benefit which he might expect from his
concession. The proposition may therefore
have been rejected, because ministers had
determined to accept it only on conditions
which they were aware would not be admit
ted. The inconsistency of this rule with the
old established law of nations was obvious.
But as Bonaparte has set them the example
OF violating that code, they probably consi-
der themselves as free from all the ob,iga.
lions that should prevent their acting upon
this principle while they are cautious at III .
same time about communicating their pur-
pose to the Americans, lest its exposure,
which is unnecessary while the DEGREES and
orders of council continue, should only have
the effect of forcing them TO take common
cause with the enemy. If this is the ground
upon which the proposition was rejected,
the policy of the proceeding may be justlye $
tinated, when it Is considered, hat at a time
when we are called upon to make extra ordi-
nary exertion-to send subsidies and armies
20 Spain in addition To the immense ordinary
expenditure of the country, we are depriv-
ing ourselves of a greaC and essential benefit,
in order to subject the enemy to a compare.
lively trifiing disadvantage.
But whether a resolution TO enforce the
rule of '56, or some other circumstance, for
med the objection to this proposal, it is daft
cult to conceive any real injury which could
have resulted to us from its acceptance. 1t
is on the Contrary, badly possible To regard
It - an view IN which it would not have
been highly beneficial!
Aneutral. we say. is only hurt because it
is impossible by any other exPedient to come
at the enemy. Here a neu.ral Hffers US ano-
Their eXpedient, certainly equal perhaps SUI
perior, 70 that which we ourselves have a.
lopted. In rejecting that proposition, our
government have not only erred in their po-
llcy. but appear to have committed a fragrant
injustice for whatever may be our title in
certain circumstances, to alter what may be
called the positive law of nations, we Cannot
either by the rule OF Sc, or under any other
prctence, have a right to violate tie laws of
nations, which forbids us to do an innocent
nation a great harm in order to reduce an
enemy toa small inconvenience
Our late commercial regulations, whether
viewed as to thsir policy or their Justice,
are all very happy Illustrations Of the fable Of
the Dog in the Manager In order to prevent
others from feeding, we are starving our
selves to death.