The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-06-23

were regarded no sordid motives felt. Without
looking the parts which suffered most, the invasi-
on of our rights was considered common cause, &
from one extremity CT our Union to the other,
heard the voice OF an united people, calling their
government to avenge their wrongs, and vindicatL
the rights and honor of the country.
From this persd the British government has gone
on in continued encroac hment the rights and
interests OF the United States, d.reg,ring in its
course, in aiany instances, Oblis cations which have
heretofore been held sacred by ciyiiizc1 nations.
In May 1906, the whole coast of the continent
from the Elbe to Brest inclusive, declared To be
ia n state OF blockade. BY this act, the -estab-
lished principles of the law of natious, principles
which have served for ages guides, and fixed the
boundary between the rights OF belligerents and
trails, were violated BY the law OF nations, re-
eognized by Great Britain herself, no blockade WAS
lawful unless it be sustained by the application OF
adequate force, and that an adequate force was APP
piled this blockade, III it's full extent ought not to
be pretended. Whether Great Britain able to
maintain legally, SD extensive "A blockade, consider
ing the war in which she is engaged, requiring
such EXTENSIVE naval operations, aquestion which
it is necessary ut this time to examine. 1t is SUI
fcient to be known, that such force not applied
and this is evident from the terms ut the blockade It
scls, by which, comparatively, az inconsderabe por
ton of the ouly declared to be in state vi
str;ct and rigorous 6!ockdde The objection to the
measure is not diminished by tat circumstance. Il
the force not applied, the blockade was unlawful
from Whatever cause the failure might proceed.
The bel; gerept who Institutes the blockade cannot
.bsolve itself from the obligation apply the forcs
under any preteXt whatever. For belgerent to
lax Blockade which IL coald not MAINTAIN, it would
be Refinement in njuItee not less insulting to the
Understanding than repuguaIt To the law ut nations
To claim merit for mitigation OF evil which the
party either had not the power found 1t mcomve-
emit to nAict, would be new mode oil e,icroaching
OH neutral rights N our committee think 1t lust to
remark that this act of the British government does
not appear to have heea adopted the sense IN
VIII It has been sin. o .strue On consideration OF
all attending the measure, and par
tionlary the character OF the distinguished statesman
who announced it, persuaded that 1t con-
eeved in spirit Cancellation and Intended TO lead
TO ~. accommodation OF all differences between the
Uuited States and Great Britain. His death dsap-
pointed that hope, and the 1t has since become sub
servient to other purposes. Ii has been made by his
successors preteAt for that vast system OF usurpat
on, which has so long oppressed and harassed our
commerce.
The next act of the British government which
claims attention is the order ct council OF Janu
AIRY 7,iS07, by which neutral powers are prohibited
trading from one port to nother OF France or her
ALI. $, any other country with which Great Bril-
tain might not freely trade BY this order the pre-
tension of England, heretofore claimed by every o.
tIer power, prohibit neutrals disposng Of parts
of ueir cargo, different ports OF the sncmy
is revived and with vast accumulation OF injury
Every enemy, however great the number or distant
from each other, is considered one the like trade
even with powers at peace with England, who from
motives Of policy had excluded restrained her
s0rnmerce, also prohibited In this act the British
government evidently dsciamed all regard for
trail rights. Aware that the authorised by
1t could nd preteAt i'll any be!iiserent right,
urged. To prohibit the sale of our produce,
consisting Of innocent articles any port OF bel
Ggerent, not bockaded, to consider every belliger
ent one, and subject ueutras to the
with all, as if there but one, were bold
croachments But to restrain in any manner in
terfcre with commerce with nedtri nations with
whom Great Britain peace, and against
whom she had justifable of war, for the
sole reason, that they restrained or excluded from
their ports her commerce, was utterly incompatible
with the pacific relations subsisting between the
countries. ,.S
We proceed to bring into view the British Order
I'm Council of November i1th 1907, which supercc-
ded, every Other order, and contaminated that sys-
fem of hostility the commerce of the u. States
which has been since steadily pursued. BY this
order all France aud her allies and every other
try at with q Britain, or with which she wa,
not at war, from which the British flag eXeu-
ded and all the colonies of her enemies, sub
5ccted to the restrictions ii they
ally Doceadcd AZ the most strict and rigorous
ner aud all trade in articles produce and man
ufacturc OF the said countries and colonies and the
vessels engaged in it were subjected capture and
condemnation as lawful prize. TIC this order certain
exceptions were made which We forbear tc notice,
because they were not adopted from regard 10
neutral rights but were dictated by policy to pro
mote the commerce of England, and SO lar as they
violated to neutral powers, said to emanate
from the clemency Of the British government.
1t would be supertuous in your committee state
that by this order the British government declared
direct and positive war against the United States
The dominion of the ocean was completely usurrs,
by 1T, all commerce forbidden and every flag driven
from it o. subjected to capture and condcmnat. on
which did not subserye the policy OF the British 90
Sernment by paying it tribute and sailing under is
sanction. From this period the United States haze
incurred the heaviest losses and most Notifying hu
mutations. They have borne the calarties of wal
without retortng them its authors. .-..
80 tar your com .ittee has presented ~ the view
OF the House the aggressOns which have been com.
United under the Authority of the British govern
1nent on tie commerce of the United States. We
VIII now proceed to other wrongs which have beer
still more severely felt. Among these is the i'm.
prGssmeut OF our seanen, practice which has beer
Increasingly inaintsined by q. Britainin the wars tt
winch she has been party since our resolution
Your committee cannot convey in adequate term.
the deep sense which they entertain of the injustice
and oppression OF this proceeding. Under the pre-
.ext OF impressing British seamen, our fellow citi
zens are seized in British ports the high seas ant
IN every other quarter to which the British power
extends, are taken on board British men of war S
compelled 20 serve there &c British subjects. Ir
this mode our citizens wontOny snasched from
their country and their families deprived OF their Ito
erty and doomed to ignOminious and slavish bon
dHge, compelled to fight the battles or q foreig,
county, and often to perish in them. Our flag ha
gwen them no protection it has been unceasingl,
violated and our vessels exposed to danger by tht
loss OF the men taken from them. Your cOmnritte,
need not remark that while the practice is contin,
ed, rs impossible for the United States to congdcr
themselves an independent nation. Every new case
~ new proof OF their degradation Its continuans,
as the more uujusuhable because the United State
have repeatedly proposed to the British government
an arrangement which would secure TO it the con
a trout ut its own people. An exemption of the citi
~ gems OF the United States from this degrading Oh
a.