Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1810-06-19


and OF enforcing that exclusion I Can this
be deemed "a wrong to France I Can this
be regarded as legitimate cause Of repri-
sal on the part OF power, VINO makes it
the hrst do'y OF nations to defend their SOW.
ercignty and who even denatiunaIizss the
ships ofthose who Will not subscribe to the
opinion. ~
But if has been said that the 4" Uaited
States had nothing TO complain of agaln.t
France"
Was the capture and condemnatio, of
a ship driven on the shores of France BY
stress of weather and the per,Is of the sen
- nolhirg' Was the seizure and scques-
tra,ion Of many cargoes brought 70 France
in shipssvioiat,ng no law and admitted to
regular entry al abe impcriaEcustom hous.
es--nothings Was the violation Of our
maritime rights, consecrated as they have
been By the. solemn formsl Of a pubic
trea,y--n9thirs In wo d, was il no.
thing that our ships were burnt on the
high seas, without other offence than that
OF Belonging TO the United Ste,eA or o.
ther apology, than was to be found IN the
enhanced safety ofthe perpetraiorl Sure-
ly it it be The duty of the United States
the British orders Of Nov 1907. it can
NOT be less their du.y to complain of the
daily and practical ousrages on the part
OF France! Ii is indeed true that were
Abe people Of the United States destitute
OF policy, OF honor and of energy (as has
becn insinuatedJ they might have adopt
ed system OF disCr.minai,onb be ween the
two gfeat belligerepts |; they m ght have
/. drawn imaginary lines between th- first
, and second aggressori they nigh, have
Iesensed in the one cotduci 10 VIII; oh
they tameiy submitted in The other, aid
IN this way have patched up compro.
mise between honor aad interest, equally
weak and disgraesIuI. hut such was no.
the course they pursued, asd it Is perhaps
a necessary cen se4uence oil the justice of
their measures thai ;hsy are at this day
an Independent nalon. But I will rot
press this part of my subject il woud
be ahron'f1l 10 your excelieney know ing
as you do, that there are no, less THAI
one. huhdred American ships within his
maJestY's possession or tina, of his aIi,es)
to multiply proofs ina. the Unied States
have grourds of complaint agains. F.ance.
My attention Is necessarily called to AGO.
tier part OF he same patag saph, which
'mmediateiy follows The quota ion already
made, "As soon, says your excelIency,
Gas His Majesty was Informed of this
measure (the non-iDtercourse taw) Il be-
Came his duty To retaliate upon The a :
mtr,can Vessels no only within his own
territories, but also wl,h.n The countries
under his influence LIS the por;s OF tfol-
land, SpeIn. LAZY and Naples, the Amer,
lean vessels have been seized, because
the Americans had seized French yes-
sells"
These remaf ks divide themselves in to
the following he@dss
LIST. The righ' Of His Majesty TO .ssiz.
and ccnhscaie American yesseis. witnla
his own territories.
I'd. The right to do 50 within the ter.
riiories Of his allies; and
3d. The reason OF that right, viz. {" be.
cause americans had SC izs6 French yes.
sels.D
The hrst OF these subjects has been
already exsu'iGed and the second mus,
be decided Ike the fret, since His Ma
Jesis's rights with the limits Of his at,y
.Sehuti bc btSatCE tbdu within bis OWN
Ii then il has been sh-wn, that-thr non.
lBleIcousr law was merely defensive in
ITS obJect; that il was but intended 20
guard against that stale Of violence which
hDhap?ily prevailed; that it was rest. icl ed
IT. rs operation To the territory of the u.
States and that il was duly promulgated
there and in Europe before execution, f,
vii be Utmost unnecessary TO repeat, that
law sof such description cannot au nor.
ise meaqcfe Of reprisal, equally sudden
snd silent in its enactment and application
founded on no previous wrong, productive
Of no previous complaint, and operating
beyond the Limits IF His Males US Terri
tones and within those of sovsreigns. whs
had even invited the commeIce OF the II.
nited STATES TO their ports
IL is befefore the third subie@ only.
She reason q he right, which temain, TO
be examined; and with regard to II I
may observe, that if the slledesd fsa
which .fcrms ghis reason be uniound@d
the reason itself fails ard the rigst with
IL. In this view of the business I NAV
be permitted to enquire WHEN aod y here
sty seizure Of french vessel has taken
place under The non in ,efeoufsc law AID
at the same time TO esp css nv firm per.
spssion, tbat no such seizare has been
made persuasion founded ak ar, ,L..