Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-01-08

by force capable Of completely In
vesting them, have yet been declar-
ed in state of blockade, and YES.
sells, attempting to enter therein,
. have been seized, and, ON that &C.
! count, confiscated.
This is vcxation, proceeding
directly from the government, and
which may be carried, ifnot resist
ed, to veryinjurious extent. Our
merchants have greatly complained
oft, with respect to Cadiz and the
ports of Holland.
If the effectiveness Of the block
ade be dispensed with, then every
port of all the belligerent powers
may, at all times, be declared in
that state; and. the commerce 81
neutrals be, thereby, subjected to
universal capture. But if this priu-
ciple be strictly adhered to, the ca
pacity to blockade will be limited,
by the naval force ofthe belIigerent !;
and, ofconsequence, the mischiefto
neutral commerce cannot be very
extensive. 1t is, therefore, of the
last importance to neutrals, that this
priciple be maintained unimpaired.
observe, that you have pressed
this reasoning on the British minis
ter, who replies, that an occasional
absence Of a fleet from blockaded
port, ought not to change the state
of the place.
Whatever force this observation
may be entitled to, where that occa-
s'onal absence has been produced
by accident, as a storm, which, for
= moment, blows of the feet, and
forces it from its station, which sta
ton it immediately resumes, 1 am
persuaded, that where a part of the
feet is applied, though only for a
time, to other objects, or comes in
to port. the very principle, requir-
ing an effective blockade, which is,
that the mischiefcan then only be c.
extensive with the naval force of the
belligcrent, requires, that during
such temporary absence, the com.
merce ofneutrals to the place should
be free"
Exfract Of a letter from Mr.. Madison. to
Mr., Charles Pinkney, dated Department
of State, October 25th, 1901.
The .pretext for the seizure Of
our vessels seems at present to be,
that Gibraltar has been proclaimed
in a State Of blockade; and that the
vessels are bound to that port.
Should the proceeding be avowed
by the Spanish government, and
defended on that ground, you win
be able to reply
F" lst. That the proclamation was.
made as far back as the 18th of Fee
bruary, 1900, and has not since
been renewed; that it was immedi-
ateiy protested against by the Anne.
rican and other neutral ministers at
Madrid, & not warranted by the real
state OF Gibraltar and that no vio-
lations of neutral commerce having
followed the proclamation, it was
reasonably concluded to have been
rather menace against the enemies
OF Spain, than measure to be car
RED into execution against her
friends.
"2d. That the state ofGibraItar
is not, and never can be admitted
by the United States, to be that of a
real blockade. In this doctrine
they are supported by the law OF
nations as laid down in the most ap-
proved commentators, by every trca-
ty which has undertaken to define
a blockade; particularly, y those
Of latest date among the maratlme
nations OF urope, and by the sane
ton OF Spain herself, as party to
the armed neutrality in the wear
1871. The spirit of articles XIV.
and XVI. efthe treaty between the
United States and Spain, may also
be appealed to. as favoring q liberal