Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-06-18
FROM THE YANKEE.
ENGLAND AGAINST AMERICA


vocal and tells us in plain language what we
have to expect. Her Orders in Council we are
explicitly told will be kept in force, till the de-
crees of Berlin and Milan are Internationally
repealed-Not as we contend, so that they shall
not infringe our neutral rights but so that her
manufactures and colonial produce shall be adj
mitted in France and its dependencies, the same
as before those DEGREES were issued. That
such is the plain import of this declaration &
that nothing short of this will satisfy England,
is manifest from Jackson's allegation that the
Orders IN Council were great system OF poll
cy that she would not abandon--and from Mr.
Fosters late requistion on our government that
the British commerce must be restored TO the
condition on which it stood, pievious to the
French DEGREES, befJre the Orders in Couucil
would be repealed. In simple language the a
noun: of the dispute is this
The French Emperor has adopted and is pur-
suing system rs declared IN his Berlin decree
for excluding the British subjects and British
commerce from his empire aud his Dependent
cies, TO which he says he will adhere, till Eng
land respects those principles of public law
appertaiRing to commerce which have been
consecrated by all civilized nations and ac-
knowledges the rights of war to be the same
by sea that they are by land. England says TO
America, what are urged as the rights Of COM
merce b. France are novel professions. 1t is
en- old rule with me that power is the measure
of right have the power to give law to the
occan,-And tell you plainly that will not
suffer you to trade with my enemy, unless you
will first persuade or compel him to become
my customer and restore my commerce to its
former channels as far as his influence ex-
tends.
Let us suppose for moment, that kings and
their cabinet counsellors are bound by the same
principles of common honesty that obliga-
tory on all others, and this becomes avery plain
case.
wealthy merchant wishing to extend his
custom, and to support style OF living cor
responding witl his wealth, has quarrel with
rival neighbor, in which his anger so far
gets the mastery of his avarice, that he loses
his custom. Another, and very good custo
mer, vino chooses to have nothing to do with
the quarrel, says wish to trade with you both
on fair and equal terms, rs have right to do
No, says. the 'purse-2roud merchant-this is not
your right, unless you will procure me my ri
vsl's custom, snail take the liberty to seize
on the highwa and appropriate 10 my own
use Whatever YOU attempt to carry to, or bring
from, his store.
We have already said that the maritime code
of England is reduced to three words-stqnd
and isii0er. IF there is any thing libelious in
this assertion, it consists in its truth. Those
who wish TO ascer- ain more fully the merits of
our dlspnte with Eagand, and - pace the cri-
mnaiity and palpable inconsistency of her poll
cv towards America III proper point of view,
VII do well to attend to the following facts, and
CONSIDER their Bearing upon the case.
The rule of SO, adopted i'll her prize-courts
in 1895, 4r' 50 strongly protested against by
the whole body OF our merchants, eXecu-
re- uton 9ur vessels, on the ground that they
were concerned in prosecuting commerce
frosn the colonies Of the enemy 10 the mother
cplatry, not permitted in time peace.
We :nsv here remark that the famous rule of
-S5e, Enough INSISTED IN by England, as Il rule OF
esweme right, Vas pretension that she did
nos venture 10 ucye against the pubic law OF
E~.ope, till she Uccanc the unrivailed mistress
o. LIE sea, ani began IN earnest % execute lii
1895, what sil. mad conceived malt century
before.
The Order in Council of May, 1896, com
monty called the Blockading Order, openly a.
vowed the principles OF chs ruiz, sanctioned
the Qualifications II SIR William Scott. 50 just
w offensive to Our merchants and promised an
'intermenable series of the same KIND OF. often
ces.
BY what fatal charm the "Reminiscences of
our mercnamts, tile resolves OF our Senate, &
the prote7Satioas o. oar eSecutiyc and minis
ters, were iui.ed 10 on the PRONUNCIATION
ofthis very order which ought TO have rouse d
the manly resistance ei the Whole natlon-is a
problem THAI can never be solved without cal
LOG Ia question the intelligence virtue OF
Here was advanced dis met clam to an ex-
elusive Jurisdiction on t,,c ocean, which might
upon che very principles it involved, extend IL
self to every sea, and trample down our emit (
commerce, and the essential rIgnts of nation
al sovePeignty under he lcet Of 2wless pow
err And hcse We virtually agreed with the
Po1bsr, that he might take his stand upon any
part OF the highway that suited MS convenience,
cut off our intercourse witt, our neishbors, and
piilagr our citizens at pleasure, provided he
wou,i conin his depredatiOns within SUCH Ii
mits Is ms ow xnclinatiOn might rom time to
time assign.
After such successful assumption on one
part, and such deiusiOn, trcachcry and base
submission ON the other--it is no wonder that
England shouid suppose we mad lost our memo
Nv with our other good qualities, and Justify
the atrocity of her admiralty decisions o. 1905
and of her order in council OF May 1906 IS
1etaiiafoyy upon France for edIcts issued man
months after, and the enornitics since commit
ted under them!
This extravaganza is but smaller item il
her calculations on our folly. The ground ~
her original assumption, tbe pretended right
10 prohibit trade VIII her .u.my not admit
ted in time Of peac, has entirely l,le1 by her
own acknowledgment Neither Frauce nor
its con!edcraics have any colonies, wiosc pro-
ducc we could carry - the mother countries Il
we would. Her ru,c OF IS, the original and
only bone Of contention that existed SIX years
ago, save her licensed man-stealing, mas become
a dead letter, and makes no part If hat sy. c %
Of warfare which she now prosecutes against
the indisputable rights OF that direct, fair and
most essential commerce, which is the product
of our own soil, and the just reward Of our own
industry.
five wish 20 trace her absurdities to that ex
IRENE point where they meet in clashiug con
tradicton and exhibta debascmcnt Of under
staading equalIed BY nothing but the dePravity
Of her morals, we have only TO compare the a.