The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-09-24
FROM THE DEaocRArIe PRESS.
AN EXAMINATIoN
OF THE CONDUCT OF G. BRITAIN,

OF THE CONDUCT OF G. BRITAIN,
Of Ansiens, in sos, and before the French Bey-
Gn Decree, in 1906.
No. w.
The motives which occasioned this examina.
ton, are the most powerful, and is trusted, the
most Unsuitable, which can influence the mind
oil an individual acting without any concert, &
writing without the least invitation from public
or private men.
new and, it is believed, generous primes
has assumed the government of great nation,
from which through the long course of nineteen
years, with little internssion, the neutral states
have sustained that catalogue of wrongs and
injuries, which stated IN the FIRST second
series 3fthese publications. II may please DI.
vine Providence TO influence the mind O; The
regen, OF G. Britain to that happy course of
wisdom and Of virtue, which shall decrease the
enemies, and increase the friends of his int
resting country, and which may eradicate its
internal evils and successfully defend it from
external ills. Voluntary justice to sill those, at
hoaer and abroad, vino are Justly dissatisfied, will
Bxl:ish Kingdom.
*. il has already pleased Divine Providence to
render manifest to the Emperor of FrSnce the
real and substantial ,mpartiahty OF our public
councils, and the genuine neutral oil our de
portment. The beneficial consequences to tha,
great country and to ourselves are already
evident. The great virtues twice bless man
kind to .s draws upon France
substantial benefits, while it leaves to this coun
try e9ua! and rghtful advantages.
The eminent body of the u. States, which
iolds under providence, in high responsibility,
yhe soiessn tosrer declare war, has not forgot
ten the accompanying duty and opportunity TO
conserpc beace Nor has our national Chief o.
mitted the employment OF the means, IN any
wise affecting those great concerns OF our
country and OF Europe, which the constitution
and the laws have placed in iiis hands. The
Executive measures have gone to the utmost ex-
tent OF the executive authority
S. To country impressed with convlctons ana
feelings like these awake to the happiness of
our fellow-men of every nation, ON nor, Of
course, regardless of its own prospsrily,the cou-
dit,on and prospects of the civilized world
subjects OF unceasing attention and the deepest
soiicitade.
Extraordinary as may have been, at shy cri-
sis, t,e actual situation of the States, during
the several wars, which have arisen from the
French revolutions, their present condition, in
relston to Crea. Britain. is indeed neu, and ac-
-co,ding to our speii considered ideas Of prudence
and Justice, spss not TO have been reasonably ea--
pected.
1t is said, and in a manner entitled to full
credit, by persons Of standing in Europe and A
rnerica, that the British ministers en- cne o.
Intention TO adopt measures, 20 be denominsied
" retalidtto,ls,' az ai!ist the United States. The
execution Of our la" of the last March it is SAID
90 be the cause, 1t IS supposed that the Brl-
fish government has advanced to ours an ale
cation, that France has not adopted repeal OF
the Berlin and Milan DEGREES sufficiently exten
sive to satisfy them; or that F. snce has not
completely rescinded those decre.s; and that
IN the one or the other view, our law # May,
1910, cannot be continued in force against @. B..
without producing from them such ",etaiiate-
~" measures, as have been generally menti ion
,eJ
IL appears right, to consider this subject in
its whole extent OF PACT, of EQUITY, and of
law from its earliest events to the present
time. AS we'll intended contribution of a
mere individual, the former and present series
of these papers, from No. to No. Is, in the
psmphet-copy, and from NJ I, TO No. 4, IN the
REC EMIT gszettes, are respectfully sutmtted.-
The end Of the first series was TO slew, that
Great Britain, in the war which began on the
LIST of February. 1898, and which was ended
at Amiens, ON the 1Ott OF October, 1901 did
not IN reality receive such anterior injuries from
Err nee, through neutral commerce, navigation
and persons TO justify in fact, in reason or in
law measures of Specialization" against France
nor any measures under the name or of the cha
racter, nature OF quality OF retaliation, which
might be designed or might tend directly or in
directly to injure the Il. s. The end of this
second series is further TO show, that the go-
vernment Of G. B. by the renewal OF the former
grounds OF just complaint, and by various new
and distinct aggressons on neutral navigation
trade, and people, subsequent to the breach Of
the peace of Amiens, in I803 and &C tusv pr,
or to the French Berlin decree Of November
1906 had given TO MS abundant cause tor a
Just war and had laid reasonable and leei
innate Foundation for several and various acts
of =. retaliation" by the government Of France
upon the commerce, tbe property and The peo-
pie of G.. Britain II rs true, u tnIs evident
and stron, gut OF France against Britain, gave
no Iig.t whstever to France against us. But
as France derived no right against us, from her
own rigl fully to retaliate on c. Britain SO c.
Il could not derive any right from the correct
or incorrect retaiistions of France upcn her. T..
iriura us by her pretended re,aliations upon
France.
We have seen, that thirteen several acts Of
G. Britain various proceedings Of her admit
rally courts the odious and dangerous enoy-
s,lity of recruiting her naval forces, by the un
lawful mpressment OF ueutrals, with some lie
gal ana offensive British conduct, Is 10 caD,u
ring Frenchmen, not rrftitary, in neutral shIps
&C, ualiy brought ON the Berlin decree Ii was
AL Gvozred, and iappears to have been in most
OF ali of its sections connected with " 6nbLic
yasv" J a real retaAato,y Operation. A. 10 its
sections, not connected with public law, yr the
law OF nations, our act of Congress gives 10
the President of the " S. no po wer whatever
3 Nor has the President any power or duty con
cerning these, derived from the constitution
The interests Uf our couatry do not demand
that we SHOULD endesvor to procure the admis-
sion oil British produce, and manufactures mo