The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1811-10-23

military means which, SO far as am able 70
Judge from my solitary retreat, could be at
tended with utility, besides those already in
operation.
The political means do not all, by their ma
ture, admit Of a publick invcstigation--I
know several which might be highly service
asle but must content myself TO suggest
the propriety Of securing the friendship and
confidence OF the new governments of South
America, and Of the West Indies, and of
giving 10 our federal executive the power of
sequestcring, agreeable to the principle of
the law OF nations which declares the pro-
perry OF the subject answerahlc for the debt
or the trcsspassc of the sovereign, the pro-
perty of belIigerent subjects within our iuris-
diction, just as they take it themselves, be-
sides our own, OH board Of cur vessels az sea
0'.d an their ports.
Ihc next step, after having made those
military and political arrangements, ought to
DE SECOND DEcLARATIoN OF INDEPEN-
-DENcE, emitted by virtue of law Of Con-
.Eress, establishing our own American princi-
I,les OF neutrality, making agreeable 10 our
tleaties, our maritime dominion, forbidding
FOREVER, any bciligerent power to occupy it
by effective forces or tanciful proclamations
and warning all the powers Of the earth, that
1t any OF our vessels, under the escort of our
men-of-war, after the affirmation of the COM
mandant +" that they haping no eontra6and on
6oara," were searched, part OF their cargo
seized, or the whole vessel taken by force
which the escort could not punish or repcl,
that violence would be considered as hostile
and immediate measures taken 10 suspend en-
tircly our trade with he trcspassi1g nation,
and to obtain satisfaction to the amount Of
our damages.
1t is more than probable, that such a dig
nificd and equitable language, supported hy
tho means above mentioned, would answer
much better purpose than further ministerial
complaints or commercial rctaliations, which,
an the present state Of things, would have too
much affinity with the refractory proceedings
OF discontented colony, TO procure any thing
else than derision.
The patriotick shippers, who being neither
agents Of France or England, arg honestly
those Of our national industry, and observe
roigously the laws Of neutrality, deserve only
to be protected and escorted, and if they are
insul,cd or taken, it is the duty OF their coun-
try to display for them all Its power. But as
TO those miserable specializing beings who
I have no country, l should have no objection
to crafty without any restriction, whatsoever,
their grccdincss, and to let them adventure,
armed or unarmcd, like free hooters on the
high seas, at their peril, or at the peril of \
the underwriters or secret patrons, Oh their
paying, however doubleduties at their clear
ance and their return, 10 dcfray the cxpencc Of
the national conveys and other contingencies.
Let these vociferous opponents OF the emoar-
go and non n-intercourse--let those imported
money making machines sec, If they like 1t, !
the barristcrs of England, TO argue and pray,
lis in duty bound, in their favour, un:scr those
monstrous laws of the British admiralty,ema-
mated, promulgated, applied and executed,
without appeal, by the same royal preroga-
tive, Or if they arc taken to France, let
them humbly present their petitions to the
bareaur Of the cmpcrour, and endcavour, by
appropriate douceurs to soften the severity oi
his irrevocablc decrecs. But III the name oi
honour and independence, let our govern
mcnt disdain any longer to claim justice un-
der the codes of robbery, when law, justice
and reason are all on the side OF outraged
neutrality
1t is not only for the protection OF their
trade and the defence OF their neutral rights,
that the United States are called 10 create
navy and to arm, it is also to assume the rank
which is due to their seniority, to their en-
-pericnce in the science OF Tree government,
and 20 their statistical strength among the ~
mcrican powers.
The new world is rapidly cnancipaiing it.
self from the chains of the old, and every
new plane. will look TO the northern constel-
la,ion for advice aud support. What a graf
,tying prospect it would be to see the native
country of those departed statesmen, Frank
lin, Hancock, Samuel Adams and Washing
on, influence by its prudence, and its utility,
the destinics of those new societies, and en-
lcavour, while Europe is condemned by the
,yenging DEGREES of providence to an eternal
tate of war and slavery, to establish in the
Columbian hemisphere an eternal state of
peace and liberty.-Bus how pitiful il would
se tha, from want of libcrali,y in the peo-
plo, and vigour in the government, we should