The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-05-14
Gurupf.'
FROM A LONDON PAPER.
6TS7EM or GENERAL BLOCKADE.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE
STAT ESHlHN


In your paper of last night, you take
notice Of a passage in the speech of the
President to the American Congress, viz
!" That it had been communicated to the
English COVE rnment BY the American Go
vernment, that not only the Orders in Coun.
Gil must be abandoned, but that England
must also abandon the general and illegiti-
mate blcckades, enfo, ced by her various Or
6ers in Council"
The American government has the ,most
irndoub,ed right 10 make such Commun
cation to the English government for the
blockade of a whole line of coast, as at
tempted TO be enforced by the British Or
ders in Council, is unquestionably volati
on of the Law of Nations.
believe that my assertion could be pro
Sed by every treaty Of commerce which
England has made with any other state ; but
will confne myself TO the treaty OF COM
merce between England ard Holland in the
carly part of the year 1868. This treaty
was negotiated by ,wo as able statesmen as
ever lived. viz. John de Witt an the part
of Holland, and Sir William Temple on the
part IF England. This treaty created no
new law, it was only declaratory of the old
Law of Nations. On the subject of block
ade, it declares that when two nations are
at war, ;he neutral may trade with sither
Of the Belligerents, provided that the neu-
tfal abstains from carrying military stores,
Or from trading with a hiace besieged. block
AIDED or fnucsfed Treaties between Eng
land and Holland are always negotiated in
the French language, and Ibelieve no man
ever saw the word mace employed in that
language odenotc country. II always de-
notes tosyn or fo9treas-of the three partici
piles. besiegcd, blockaletl, or invested which
are applied to the substantive fiace----the
first and the third can only relate TO a town
or fortress, and the second must be consi-
dered as bearing some analogy to the other
two. But the argument does not rest solely
ON the import Of words--the very nature of
the subject shews that n whole country
cannot be blockaded. 1t is declared that
the neutral may trade with either of the
belligerents, reserving this exception, that
che neutral shall not trade with Elace be.
1iegeG. biocka6ed or inueSted Now, il one
of the Belliserents, by declaring the whole
line of coas OF the Beliigerent 20 be in a
state OF blockade, could preclude the neu.
tral from trading with it, he neutral would
be deprived of the whole of that right
which is acknowledged to belong to it The
English government must abandon this new
tangled doctrine of blockade, if it is ever
Intended that England should recover the
good will OF other nations. / believe it would
De easy To shew that this violation of the
right of Neutrals is as injurious to England
as II is unjust to the neutral ] know the
answer which will be given to these opini
ans: England has the domain of the sea -
England possesses the commerce of the
world {; P0vocr gives Right. Alas Sir,
bow is the English character changed! ]
am old enough to remember when the lea
ding feature in the English character, was
the love of justice. We were not then
called by foreigners a natios of tirates and
SAohkeehers. The travellers in reign
countries found, that to be announced as an
Engishman vas passport n,o society. How
are we fallen in the shor' period of so years.
But | will not resign myself to despair
The risihg mora displays suspicious rays
May, our hopes be grati6ed may our coun-
tIy be preserved
VEIANIUS.