The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-06-16

that the most cordial and sincere desire an
imates the councils of Great Britain to con-
ciliate America, as far as may be consis-
tent with the principles upon which the
preservation of the power and independence
OF the British monarchy is held essentially
to depend, and which cannot be abandoned
without throwing her helpless and disarmed
into the presence olher adversary.
l have Che honor to be,
With great respect, &c.
(Signed) AUG. J. FOSTER.
James Monroe, Esq.
Secretary of State.
1'R.A.N'SL.4TION
Rehort ofthe Minister Of Foreign Reicf;
ons 10 his Majesty the Emheror y King,
communicated 10 the CoaversetiUe SEN
ate. in the sitting Of the 1Ofh March,
1912. &c..
u. SIRE-The maritime rights of neutrals
have been solemnly regulated by the treaty
of Utrecht, which has become the common
law of nations.
This law, expressly renewed in all the
subsequent treaties, has consecrated the
principles am about to expose.
The flag covers the property. Enemy $
property under neutral nag, is neutral; as
neutral property underran enemy's flag, is
enemy's property. The only articles which
the flag does not cover, are contraband ar
ticles; and the only articles which are
COntraDanu, are arms ana munitions Oh WAL
A visit of neutral vessel, by an armed
vessel, can only be made by small number
of men, the armed vessel keeping beyond
the reach of caunon-shot.
Every neutral vessel may trade from an
enemy's port to an enemy's port and from
An enemy's port to neutral port. The on
ly ports excepted, are those really bloc6a-
ded; and the ports really blockaded, are
those which are invested, beseiged, and in
of hoiOer Irn M n on
fris, and into which a merchant ship could
not enter without danger.
Such are the obligations Of beliigerent ma
tions towards neutral nations such are the
reciprocal rights Of both, such are the max
inns consecrated by the treaties which form
the public law OF nations. Often has Eng
land attempted to substitute for them arbi-
tary and tyrannicai rules Her unjust pre-
tensions were repealed By all governments,
sensible to the voice of honor and to the in
terest of their people. She saw herself con-
stantly obliged to recognise in her treatie:
the principles which she wished to destroy
and when the peace of Amiens was violated,
maritime Legislation rested again on its an
Gent foundations.
By the course of events the English ma
w became more numerous than all the for
ces Of the other maritime powers.
England then supposed that she had no
thing to fear, she might attempt every thing
she Immediately resolved to subject the ma
vigation of every sea to the same laws which
governed that of the Thames.
1t was In 1906 that she commenced the
execution of this system, which tended to
make the common law of ma. ms yield K
the orders in council, and to the regulations
of the admiralty of London.
The declaration of the 10th May annihi-
lated, by single word, the rights of all ma
rhine states CANDY put under Introduction
vast coasts and whole empires. From thi:
moment, England no longer recognized neu-
trails on the seas.
The orders of 1907 imposed en- all vessels
an obligation to enter English ports, whate
yer might their destination to pay a tri
butte to England and to subject their car
goes to the tariff of her custom houses.
By the declaration OF 1906, all navigation
was interdicted to neutrais BY the order,
OF 1907 the faculty of navigating was restor-
ed to them; bat they could only use it, for
the advantage of English commerce, by the
combinations of her interest, and to her pro.
fit.
The English government took off there
by the mask with which it had concealed
its projects proclaimed the universal do
minion of the seas regarded every people
continent iiAuta kiss kiss and imposed upon the
maintained against it.
These unheard-of measures excited :
general indignation among those powers who
cherished the sentiment of their indcpen-
dence and of their rights. But at London
they carried to the highest degree of eleva-
walton the national pride they displayed
TO the English people a futurity rich with
the most brilliant hopes.
Their commerce, their industry, were to
be henceforward without competition the
productions of the two wovlds were to
Aow into their ports, do homage to the
maritime and commercial sovereignty Of
England, in paying to her a toll duty, and
afterwards proceed to other nations, bur-
thened with enormous costs, from which
English merchandise alone would have been
cXonerated
Your majesty perceived at single glance
the evils with which the continent was threa-
tened. The remedy was Immediately re-
sorted to. You annihilated by Your DEGREES
this arrogant and unjust enterprise, SO de-
structive of the independence of all states
and of the rights Of every people.
The decree of Berlin replied 70 the decla-
ton of 1906. The blockade of the British
isles was opposed to the imaginary block
AIDE established by England.
The decree of Milan replied to tho order
Of 1907 it declared denaioHqfzed every
neutral vessel which Submitted to English
legislation, known to have touched at an
English port, known to have paid tribute
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