Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-03-22

ri.a,..d 70 term then Of neutrals francs
|. unwilling thar neu.rals should be roeneo
as ,h.;r propery-and for this single req.
.nr, becarse she cannot be the principal
robber. No wondr tTihsn that Bonarar'e
should now pretend to be such a vio'sns
.,ickler for the freedom of the seas -and
while he is, who is there to wonder That ihis
sheuld be the favosi'e toast OF our late mcst
illusuicus pr.sidenI
q, fore. however, we, the American reo.
pic, Join in the slang about the freedom OF
ihe seas and Of trade, let rs be quite Ger
tain that we have an interest in cb'ainlrg
l., and that in ms king common cause with
Bcnapar,e and his hirslinss,. we shoold not
be aiming a vital stab at the nest profitable
mr., of O u own commerce. The freedom
of the seas" is a most fckinS phrase, b"!
here, as on many Other occasions, the wo'd
Ge.dsm is Cut of place. This freedom Of
The s.as, as it is Nest falsely caTed, wtu!d
establish j, as a part Of the law OF nations,
thar neutral sh;rs Should make neuir"!
goods, and on the other hand, enemies
ships shall subject the goods on board OF
the m, and no matter TO whom they belong,
TO seizure ard cond, n.naiien. H. plain
English, the people Ct this county, are 70
contend, in violation of the old and ests5'
lishtd law, for a principle, which is SONG
times 20 subject TO capture, American pro-
rer,y now declared FREE, just for he rur-
pose Of securing the property OF french
men On the high seas, f,on, molestaAon ty
the saucy British cruiz,rs. For every per-
sen at all az quainted with the subjte', very
well knows that this new doctrine would in
no instance screen from seizure the proper.
" of our own ci,izsrs, while we remain at
:. acc hut On the contrary won,d subject
it to capture, although lara Fae neural
property, if found On board an: vessel DC,
longing to either of the beIligcrent powers.
It's mighty b. rrf:s therefore would in the
presen, state Of things, belong exclusively
to the French, and all ,hae Americans
could hope for under tn operation Of this
now system, would be, that in so ESSENTIAL
ly serving he subjects Of his imperial ma
ies;y, ,hvy might not oo,rnmh Frtjudite
lhsmsrlv,s.
Iron The 81 ua,inn Of these states, it may
nationally be concluded, that no country is
less Likely 10 be engaged in wars, ard Of
ccursc rome will 50 often have it in her pow
er 10 reaplhe harvest Of a fair neutral trade.
One would suppose that We had . deep in.
+4 isIt.A y Bd aA III VIII admit, ss f.. snA IL eIf oId law
ought 10 be p'eferredb By Us, if il. be- more
ben. fetal 10 our cuiztns. TO decide then
whether our interes.s wculd be rromo,,d
by an adherence to the CID Law, or Ly advo-
ealing what in phi!lsorh,c lhr:se il The Il.
hrr'y JIhs sr0s, We have only 10 enquire
which VI them promises NEST pref, to cur
" i~thzehs, and il best calculated 10 ave.
men, 4hr wealth Of our ewn country? Ma
person tan deny, ,hVt no'w~i ths,anlirr The
vtxations 10 which our rec haa been
sxpos,d from the diifrrsnt be lligrr~nts, the
wars Of Europe have been sourcrs If vas,
wealth to u.s. Whnee has sprung ,fn,
wealth ! It IS true that one cause of i h.,
ttfn the .mploy men., which in consequence
Of the war and the inability Of the bell;cc.
rsass 10 pro,,cl their trade, has been aivrn
abroad to our shipping. They were undsr
the necessity of employing NEURAL vessels
(printipslly those OF America) to carry to
tn, m whatever their eitlzrns were in wal,
Of, and to sell to US at their own ports and at
reduced prices, their surplus produce. All
the profits oftrsisht We should Enjoy II th;s
new principle was adopted, and Leu it be re-.
memhered, tina, il is equally secured to US
by the old law Of nations. But altho' one
great source OF our wealth has aris,n from
the ire light OF our vessels Che carry ing trad.
properly cailed) this has not bers4h h .or.y.
or incted the most considerable source OF
b. A by The Old law of nations, neutral
ships did not make neutral goods, bur the
property of beiligerrnts on board of cur YES.
sells was liable to seizure, those powers who
could not protect their trade were ohligN
to abandon II, and, in order 10 su;p,y~
wants of their subjects, were under the ne4
csssity of giving employ ment to a cabitol
% well as our shii p;ng-ofpurchasing from
US at an advanced price, what they were in