The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-11-16
81 be Gugqtrer.
RICHMOND, NOVEMBER l6. 1910
OUR RIGHTS IND DUTIES

4
Inc Proclamation has brought our Fo
reign Relations into much smaller SCOPE
1 he Question is now, will G. Britain Cease
to violate the F" commercial rights of neu
trai nations" ? VIII she revoke or modify
all those "acts, DEGREES, orders and Proofs.
nations" which trench upon the rights of
America These are the terms used i'm the
Resolution of Congress, Nov.11, 1908 which
Cats upon the President for information on
this very topic.
10 know what are the points which we
have now right to require from G Britain IL
Is necessary to take a Couh deHof the va
rious wrongs of which we have suffered from
time to time since the rupture of the trea-
ty of Amens
Snail we speak of the impressment of
our seamen "A nefarous practice which
has never slept-a practice which is a
standing theme of reproach 10 the nation who
perPetrates 1t and to ourselves who permit
IT. 1his wrong has been justified, nav
commanded by royal Proclamation of 18th
Oct 1907, which We shall speak more off
hereafter.
we shall not expafiate on the blockades
OF our own harbors by British ships The
insults OF Bradley, before the port of New
York, in the summer of 1904 the outrages
loi Whitby and the murder of Pearce-nor
the combustion of the Impetueux within orr
lmits---nor the atrocious and yet unexpia
ted attack on the Observation-Disclosures
these arc indelibly written on the hearts of
our citizens. though they do not come within
the purview of the law
Neither shall we dwell on the particular
blockades, which were instituted in the ear
~ part OF the war, in which the mere mott
hcation of an intended blockade was held to
IN he
law OF nations--because these transpres
slons, however grievous in themselves, are
almost eclipsed by the enormous blockades.
which we shall soon have 10 notice.
l4lc mos fagrant Interpolation, that was
made in the early part of the war, was the
rule that trade not open in times of peace
was to be shut in time of war. This prin
ciple did not burst forth fully at frst--but
"a branch OF it was officially recognized by
the King. in his Instructions to his Priva,.
teers. of Gath June, 1SO3--these, under
thefrefert OF relaxing the rule, as a favor
to nentrals, had Incorporated with this
relaxation, collateral principle, which is
Itself an Interpolation % which is. that a
vessel is liable To re capture on her return
voyage, If she had only on her outward one
conveyed any contraband articles to the enc
my,s port. In other words, the re -exporta
ton from the enemy's port was TO be Look
ed upon as a continuatio of the original
voyage. See Report Of the Secr'y of State.
But the general rule burst upon US. in all
its fury, in August and september, 1905.
our ships in the Channel and North Sea
were swept off without notice-the rule of
Sc, was arrayed against us-nay, the re
expectation from the neutral country of CO.
ioniai articles, was prohibited under the pre-
text OF ft3 being a continuation of the oyi
In Il n.
OF nations as a shield--n vain did we cite
the former admissions of the British govern
ment tself---our ships were iavished from
us-cS we were substantially interdicted from
all intercourse with the colonies of France
and SPAN. These aggressious were not
publicly directed by the British Cabinet
there was no formal Order or Proclamation
issued at the time. Yet they sneakingly NOV
ed the wires and played the puppets. The
Instructions of June, 1908 had tacitiy asser
ted the pretensioD, and when the storm burst
ON us, the ministry had secretly ordered Sir
w. Scott to act upon it. True to- his voca.
tion, the honorable judge was obedjent u his
orders while the no less honorable Lord
Mugrave justified his sentence and cas-
serted the principle in It's fullest extent"
What then was it TO US; whether the Or
der was fubhc to the world or hriDate TO
the judge The injury was the same
for g neutral commerce" bled on the shrine
OF injustice.
Shall we paint the indignation which
burst from our Citizens on this occasion p
The tables of Congress groaned under the
circumstances and memorials of our mer
chants--aDd a resolution was passed in
the Senate, to request the President 81 to de-
mand the restoration of the property, cap
tured and condemned-apd 20 enter into
such arrangements with the British Govern
meDt, on this and other differences subsist-
ing between the two nations, (and farucu
tariy, respecting the impressment of Ame-
rican seamen,) as may be consistent with
the interest and honor of the u. States -
Mr.. Pickering himself voted for this reso
lotion
We come now to the hahcr biockades.
instituted in the North II Europe. which
ultimately led to the French DEGREES The
first of these was notified by Lord Harrow
by, on the 9Th Aug. 1904 rs extending from.
! the port OF Fecamp totIlst Of 0stend.------On