The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-06-19

| Their part OF the same paragraph, which ia.-
| mediately follows the quotation already
made. :. AS soon," says your excelleocv-
'as His Majesty was informed of this mea sorr
(the non intercourse law it became his siasy
to retal'ate upon the American vessels. MOI
only within bis own territories, but also vith,
I IN the countries under his influence In the
ports OF Holland, Spain, Italy and Na,,ass.
the American vessels have been seized. be-
cause the dmcricans had seized FyercA
pes8eis." -.
These remarks divide themselves into the
following heads: =
1st. The right Of His Majesty to size
and con6scate American vessels, within his
own territories.
J Cd. The right to do SO within the ter-,sO-
ries of his allies and Y =.
Sd. The reason of that right, viz. kx-
cause Americans had seized Freneh rr.-
scis."
The first of these subjects has been atre.-
dy examined and the second muse he dr..
ded like the first, since His Majes,y's rirSts
within the limits Of his ally cannot be srSat-
er than wl'hin his o~n-lf then it has ssen
sheWn, that the non in.src curse Law We
merely defensive i'm its object: tha, + re
but intended to guard against that STATE os
violence which uahappiiy prevailed ti,ss III
was restricted IN ,ss operation to the lrsrs-
tory Of the United Skates. and that II .,r..
duly promulgated there aud i'm Eurcnr H.
tore execution !; l. siil be almost an,ssrrx.
sary TO repeat, that . law of such a t,c,rr;r,-,,
lion cannot authSrise a measure of rerri,aH-
| eaquaiiy sudden ana silent in its enacs7aene
q application, fonadsd ON no previous .ur me-
! productive Of no previous Complaint a,sf g"
perating beyond the limits of His ,Na;,s.r,.
1 territories and within those of soye,,iSnra'
VINO mad even f'.VifcG the commerce Of the.
United Stt2es to their ports.
At Is therefore the third subject onfv., fse
reason Of the right. which remains to he
examined ;and with regard to it I n,av OH
serve thatit the allesiged fact which form.
sliis reason be nnfounded, the reason ifseis
fails and the right with it, In this view as
the business may be permitted to enouirr-
when and where any seizure Of French
vessel mas taken place under the non INTER-
course law rand at the same time to exprrsa
my iirm persuasion, that no such seizure.
mas been made: a persuasion founded aJik.,
on the silence OF the government and of thu,
Journals CT the Country, &c still more on the
positive declaration of several well iuf,r,,.fa
and respectable persons who have jsfr A
merica as late as the 26lh of December rast.
MY conclusion therefore is-that no French
vessel having violated the law, no seizure oS
such vessel has occurred, aud that the re-
port which has reached Paris is DruSsabIv
founded on circumstance altogether nm.
connected with the non intercourse law on.
its operation. =
Though far from wishing to prolops. this
letter, Icannot close it withoat reras,t;no
the great and sudden change wrossht $,
MS MaJesty's sentiments with regard Uy the
GeiensiTe system adopted by the UaitefS
states. The law, which is now belje,-,t ~,
furnish ground Tor reprisaI, was frst cnn,
mnnicated to His Majesty in jane or HIS
last, and Certainly did not then excite apy
suspicion or feeling unfriendly to tie Ame-
r1Car government. Far froU, this II. 60
fnun'catioa was Immediately followed BIZ
overtIres of accommodation, which, rs.,n,rt.
productive Of no positive ARRANGEMENT. tS,H
not make matters worse than they k,,nd
them.
On the 22d of August last I was hoporea.
with tuil exposition of the viewsand y,r;r,-
c'ples which had governed, and which shouIa,
Continue to govern His Majesty's paI;cy IN
Le'a'ion tothe United States, and in tAis We
do not Ind the slightest trace of comD,a;,.s
against the provisions of the law IN ones
ton.
AT period later than the 22d of i41Vus.
an American ship, destined to port ofs,ssI,.
was captured by French priyateer A.,
appeal was made to His Maiesty's n,,;s.,.,
OF war, who. having submitteJthe CASE re-
ceived orders 10 i6erate. oil american pse.
SEES aeSffned TO .Sfanish horf0. whscl Hsf
I'N"' o'0t'-''" '"c <WifcTtal QecTecS.
Another American ship, at pojn, cr
time still later than the capture of the pre.-
iceding. was brought into the port of B,v-
onne, but Aapinse vioiated no tar IF His
MaJesty, was acquitted by his Council Of
prizes: and lastly
Int the long conversation Thad the honor of
no'ding with your excelency on the 25ih os
January, no idea of reprisal was maintained
by you nor suspected by me but ON the cc,o.ra
ry, III speaking of the seizure of American
property IN Spain, you expressly declared.
that 1t was not confScation.
| Can proofs be more conclusive. that from,
the first promulgation of the law down 20 tie
25eh OF January last, nothing in the n-,urs
OF reprisaf was contemplated by His Majes.
lty' =
what circumstance may have since &C..
Cured to produce a change in his opinion.
kaow not but the confidence feel ia the
open aud yalpolicy Of His Majesty, alto
gether excludes the idea, that the rule vas
merely found for the occasion, and made to
justly seizutes not Otherwise iusyifi aoIe.
IPray your Excellcncy to accepg, &c. &c.
(olgned)
-, JOHN ARMSTRONG.
Ills ETcei!sncy The Duke of Galore,
/ Minister Of Erterior Relations.
| ErtrQcf of n letter firm, EeoeroJ Hr,, /,