Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-06-17

the British can have TO cruise with their
ships of war within the bites designated by
these lines, than the Americans would have
tofruise within the rites OF the English coast
The cruising would, in strictness, DE unlawful
insbbtA casas, and can be justified neither by
lay, custouA nor reason. It was to prevent
intkusi2ns q this sort, that James |. and
Chayl1 u, England issued their proelama-
tions, the'practical operation OF which is SO
well illustrated by Sir Leoline Jenkins, in his
several Charges at the admiralty sessions du-
ring the reign fthe latter Jenkins himself
is OF the first authority as to the principles and
operation Of maritime law: he was, in fact,
the very oracle of his day in Great Britain,
and time has not in the least obscurcd the
itstre of his reputation. There was no point
OF practice which he more frequently or more
forcibly inSpicated than the punishment of
these hqYerers on the coasts, Tin the great
6Hes, hetNeeh, head lands, SIc.) who inter-
rupted the trade his majesty's subjects.
SECONDLY, zc4i RESPECT to the reason ofthe
case.N WithiYthe last eight years we had
seen citizen killed on board coastine YES
sci, almost within view of New-York British
armed vessels stationed at the mouths of
our harbors ndbays; the frigate Chesapeake
attacked by surpr;ze, several of her men
slain, three forcibly taken away, and on the
heel OF the transaction British commodore
threatening to lombard the town of Norfolk.
NO PREPARATION had ever been made for these
aggravated wrongs. But laying all these
provoking occurrences aside; within week
or two before the President put to sea, ves-
sells OF war were cruising on our coasts, close
in-shore, overwhelming our coasting vessels,
impresslng therefrom our native-born citi-
NylNt a., G
led their names. These were acts of hfracu,
and 1t became the duty of the American 90
vernment Immediately to provide for the
safety of our citizens. Commodore Rodgers
sailed; not to attack any particular vessel
OF any particular nation but, generally, to
protect our coast Jour neutral coast) and the
citizens OF the United States lawfully saline.
along 1t, as well as to prevent smuggling or
lnfractlons OF our non-importation law. He
had not lost sight of the capes when he be-
held sail; he was DESTROYS of speaking it :
the SAL He'd, and for some time Showed no
national colors. What was commodore
Rodgers to infers Might this not be the
vessel that impressed our citizens and con-
cealIed her name? Might she not be hirake /?
Might she not be h0UerIng on our coast for
the interruption OF our Coasting trade? At
any rate 1t was his duty to speak her; TO
seize her if she were pirate if friend, to
warn her against the commission of unlawful
and untriendly acts on our coast. And what
harm could there be in speaking her? The
commodore pursued; he came up with her ];
ne man9uvred Tor the best position and
why! Probably, because he remembered
that ytife Chesapeake had been taken at a
disfdvaptage and, under any circumstances
whttcverit was his province, as an officer,
to tke thebest POSSIBLE station. He hailed !:
the Nittte Bek hailed in turn. Rodgers
thought himssf entitled to the first answer :;
and hailed again. The Little Belt fired
shot: shot was returned from the Presi-
dent The Little Belt replied with a broad
side. What could Rodgers do> What can
commander on board ship of war do,
when an answer to civil question is refused,
and he is fired upon by a mysterious and I'M
known antagonists Only one thing: he
must stieak with his cannon
Throughout this whole affair the Little
Bet was in fault. She fled from a friendly
vessel; for she had been cruising on the
coast, and must have known there were no
French vessels there. Indeed, where, at
present, is there a French vessel of war of
considerable force? The Little Belt refused
courteous answer to courteous enquiry :;
and, what fires upon Capt Bingham the obi
nm OF the transaction, Ga transaction purely
accidental, and lamented by commodore
Rodgers,) the Little Belt fired the first shot
and the first broadsrdc. If capt. Bingham
had not tired there would have been no bet
ter.
Taking the whole of the circumstances
into consideration, it may be safely asserted,
that commodore Rodgers acted in a reasona-
bic manner, under the authority of the law
OF nations, and in a way corresponding with
the provisions of the statutes of G.. Britain
herself. The right to remain neutral in
cludes the right to protect that neutrality
and the right to protect, includes the right
OF chdcinS and haRing for, of what avail
would be frigate stationed on the coast to
protect our trade along-shore, if she were
not to ascertain, by chasing, hailing, or over
hauling, the character of armed vessels, of a
suspicious appearance, found cruising in our
waters?
THEMISTOCLES.
FOR THE ADCJT1