Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-04-30
FOREIGN.
LONDON, March II.
ORDERS IN COUNCIL AS THEY RELATE
TOANIERlCA


That the whole conduct of government in re-
iation to these orders, seems to have been
strictly conformablc, not only to the principles
Of sound policy, but to the law of nations, as
necessarily modified by the unprecedented
circumstances of modern times, cannot now be
questioned. a neutral trade is trade that
owes its existence to the liberation of belliger.
ents, a trade suffered to proceed in time of war,
because it aleviates the calamities of war, and
is subservient not only to the profit of neutral
trade, but to the accommodation of boti. beIli-
gerents The convenience of the beiligerents
is however the primary object of this species
OF traffc-the profit Of the trader is only Sc
condary consideration. Neutral trade there
fore can only be carried on under such regula-
tons as the belligerents choose to impose-and
ii the belligercnts find that it is not essential
to their accommodation, or if for the sake of
annoying each other, or from any other motive
whatever, they wish to suspend it, it follows
from the very definition of neutral trade, that
they have right to do So
The whole body of French DEGREES and Bril-
tlsh orders in council, taken as a system, may
be regarded as sort of tacit agreement be-
tween France and England, that neutral trade
shall no longer be carried on.
Our government is justified in issuing the
orders in council, by the conduct ofthe French
government in issuing their decrees-and, un-
DEGREES are really and bona tide rescinded, the
orders ought certainly to be continued in force
1t would even seem that under the very pecu-
liar circumstances of modern times, broader
view Of the right ofthc British government to
issue these orders may be taken than what re-
suits from the principle of retaliation, and
that, though the French DEGREES never exis-
tad, the British cabinet would haze had good
rich; to issue the orders in council, on finding
r. tl,a ta1 I'll.
" sc trade of France, and deprived England
Q most all the advantages, which in regard to
t.. annoyance of her enemy, she was entitled
to derive from her naval supremacy.
In all former wars, the naval power of the
contending parties has been pretty equally
balanced, and the rules prescribed for the re-
guiation of neutrals have been promulgated by
the joint authority Of all the belligerents In
this war, however, there is but one belligerent
that appears upon the ocean---the powers and
prerogatives that used TO be divided among sc.
veral, have been absorbed by the resources and
vaior of the nation that rules the seas. BY the
laws, therefore, of nature and nations, as well
as by the principles ofcommon sense, this pre-
dominant power must have a right to enact
laws for the regulation of it's own element, and
to confne the trade OF neutrals within such
bounds, as its own rights and interests require
to be drawn.
occasloned by this just exercise, of the mari
time rights of Britain, is at present made use
OF by the American rulers as q convenient ham
die TO influence the populace against England,
and they even seem to be holding out the extra
ordinary proposal of indicating what they call
their neutral rights by force of arms.
This scheme, If seriously entertained, will
be no less abortive in execution, than it is abb
surd in theory, an armed neutral is contra
diction in terms-when nation arms for the
purpose of asserting neutral rights, it ceases
TO be a neutral, and America may rest assured,
that the cause of neutrality will never be pro-
noted by her assuming the character of bel
hgereRt; at present she has il in her power to
eNioy the whole of that large and valuable
bransb of trade, which she has hitherto been
accustomed to carry on with the British domi-
Mons. If she goes to war for the purpose of
asserting neutral rights, she will lose the trade
OF Britain, without recovering that of France
Her commerce will be swept from the ocean.
and, al the end ofthe war, neutral rights will
be found in exactly the same situation in which
they stood at the beginning.