Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1809-04-01
TcoNTINUED.I

enCeS WITH DTitdlA NSl Sttlsillos -
he compromised; and if our government
had been sincerely disposed, whether siley
,,.;o,ht not have retained the relations OF am
i:y with that power. nj.
FIRST. as to the rule Of 1886. Ih's rule
1 was founded on the principle, that ne asl g,
nation could not acquire right TO trau ls y
he cession OF one belligerent IN time OF war
which did not exist, but was. Wlt'lns'd -
time of peace: the rule was supported or
he principle that neutral could not come
!, aid ;oc,sa belleerent and cover ITS property.
ON the ocean, when it was incapable q pro-
I am s not going to defend this rule, nor to e,
;;no,,;re into its origin. This much VIII
saT that if il was the British rule OF 1850,
twas the express rele OF the Ffenen mar !.
lime code in the years l7o4 ana IA =,
will not trouble YOU with reading stae ee-
cree. of the French smonarchs waich nave
~ the table. made in the years mentioned.
and which prohibit 10 neusrals any bit d.
49, t,ad,- to the colonies of an enemy.---
Thouqh the rule of 1856 may not De an an
c;ent rule. vet we must admit that 1t was not
) new rule introduced in the present war =
contrived to ruin or inlure the hhsef4eah
commerce. -
France was unable to trade with her Co
s fsnies the UnitedStatss became. her c&erflc
tys and under our flag the rlanufacturss OF
~ mother country were safely earried, TO
,hecaloafes. and the produce CT TIE sc9-o-
Mes transported to Europe. MS 1fade was
cevfai,,lv as beneficial to France as Prohtaole
to.the United States. Britain only was tao
Sufferer and the rulssof 1856 was revived
in order to take from French commerce the
projection of neutral fag. Cur govern
n,ent WIS certainly right in Ginning the Tree.
enjoyment OF this profitable trade, bat the
ONLY question is, whether the neutral or bel.
, luerent pretension did rot admit OF ADJUST
ment by each side making an equal coiiceS-
sion Of points Of interest.
The treaty Of 1906, which thei'residcnt
rejected, fairly compromised the dispute On
this subject. The 18th article OF that trea-
~ secured TO the United States the carrying
tradeof France and her colonies, ,suhject to
terms somewhat inconvenient to the mer-
chant, but rendering 1t not less beneheial 70
the nation. The treaty requ1restfhat goeds
exported from France through the Unltee' I
States to her colonies, shall be liable to etu-
~ of one per cent. and from the colonies 10
France of twoper cent. to DC Paid mo our
own treasure. This regulation, o. benefit
40 the royernn,eaeby the duty which 1t gave
10 #, was of little prejudice to the trade
and there is no room TO doaotthat the trade
thus secured from the spollatlons to winch 1t
WAS before subject, would have fIonrishc9
beyond It's former limits.
Our differences, therefore, as to the car
rvinc trade so much harrassed by the Bril-
t:sb rule. og1756, not only admitted of COM
,,rorn;se. but was actually settled by an ar
.,,nc cement In the treaty of 1906, with which
the nation would have been perfectly salts
fed.
The second head of dispute regards the
nraetice of constructive blockade. The
complaint on this subject was, that block
AIDES were formed By proclamation, and
that neurals were compelled to consider
ports as blockaaed before which no toree
was stationed. That the principle OF blocS-
AIDES was extended to unwarrantable limits,
IS most certainly true, and there IS no cues
ton as to our having just causeatos complain
of the yexatious interruptions to which 1t
exposed our trade. The present war be-
tween France and England is without pa
rallel between civilized nations it is not
STRUGGLE for renown or for ordinary con-
quest, but On the part Of Britain for her IN
dependence and existence. Principles of
neutrality or of right have been little re-
earded upon the land or upon the ocean;
and the question with the belligerehts has
been. less what the law of nations'permitted
thern to do. than what their strength ena-
bled hem 10 accomplish. 1t is unlawful for
= neu,val te,N enter a block AIDED tort-hyt a