The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-08-27
FOR THE. ENQUIRER.
CoNqREss>A AT PRAGUE.


It has been said. that the Emperor o!
Frauca, means to make the 1Tth art. of the
treaty of Utrecht, the basis, on hrs part, OF
the Intended negotiation.
This treaty was treaty Of amity ard
commerce, made in the year 1913. between
France and Great Britain, and signed proba
bly,, on the same day, with the treatSoi
peace, between the same powers. The e.
vents Of the wgr, terminated by this latter
treaty, are we'll known. The British were
successful IN every siege, and victorious in
every battle. LUnis the 18th was &C one
period alarmed even for the safety of his
capital.
At the conclusion Of this war, which car.
ried the military gloiy of Great Britain to a
point which IL he'd mot reached since the
reign Of Henry the Ssh, and which il has
never since attained; it was expressly r.
greed, in the article quoted abo1e," that free
ships should m'diic free goods" and that
ueutrais might proceed without rnoies,atiou
from one port to another of the same bellig
ercnt."
The treaty OF commerce. as well az the
treaty OF peace, occasinned great discuntert
and cianor in the British parliament. The
History Of that time has recorded the obiec
tons to the former {; but there is not ore of
them, which has any relation to the article
under consideration. At that time it had not
occurred to the statesmen Of the British CO
oInet, that the existence Of the Empire de-
pended on its supremacy at sea, snd thai
this supremacy was 20 be supported by the
pluuder Of the world.
In the year 1926, a commercial. treaty
concluded betweeN France snd Great Bri
tain coctains an Article copied word for
word tcorn The lfth arr. the treaty of u
sIecht.
in the year 1877, during the Aeeotiatiops
at l'sie, 1t vas proposed On TIE part OF G
Britain, 80 Insert in tile treaty then under
dlscussion. q confirmation of the treaty of
Utrecht hsr ninster. Mslmsbury. nbseiv-
ing that this treaty chad become the law of
nations"
In ths long interval between the YEAR,
IRIS. and l797, Great British had in rer-
haps we've different instances recogni.ef
the Principle, which ia announced as the ba
sis OF he uegRisticnat Prague, Sy treatle.
contSinias either an express stipulation coz
responding with the 18th art. of the trea-
ty or Uirechl, or e confirmation OF that Urea
ty.
In the year 1880, tie Empress Of Russia.
grandmother oi the present Emperor Alex
amber proposed TO tire Northern powers Of
Europe, the equipment Of a formidable IA
val forcc for the purpose Of suppor,in. the
IDENTICAL principles laid down in the 11th
art. OF the treaty OF Utrecht The parties
styled themselves the EARNED neutrality, -
and the alliance proposed by Russia. was ac-
ceccd GO by Denmark. Sweden, Prussia. IN
Omtsd PROVINCES, Austria, Portugal ard Ma
pies, aud approved il hot acceded to hv
france and Spain 1t is not & ing too far TO-
say that every commercial nation in fsnroue
hiss reteStediy given its ureguivocal sane
uon to the prinoiple that " free ships MAKE.
tree gocds"--which is the principe of the
treaty ofUuecht, ths object Of The armed
neutrality, and the Intended basis, as IS So ID.
OF the negntinti'n ct Prague.
In all the treaties III whick the United
States are parties, the sane principle hae
been established where the assert Of the o
ther contracting party, could be cbtgiucd--
- the treaties with France, Holland and
Prussia will sheW.
III tie year 1898, Mr.. j. then Secretary Of
ota'e in a letter 10 MIR. Genet, represents
thc principle in question as one which de
rves ITS authority, from compact or treaty
only, aud not from the law Il naticns--by
virtue OF which be conceises the goods of 2 n
enemy ON bo.rd the vessel Of friend mac
be seized and condemned as prize.
IN the year 1894, the treaty between the
United States and Great BRITAIN, couuonIv
called Jays treaty. rs founded on the suDpo
sltlou, that neutral vessels containing enc
ny's property may be seized and the pro.
pcrty condemned. The 18TH art. provide
tiatln Eli cases where vessels shall be can
tured or detained on jest Suspicion of having
eneny's property on board, the part only
which belongs TO the enemy Shall be made
pre-, and the vessel shall then be at liberty
TO proceed with the remainder without any
impedmens.
What Mr.. Jsy's Instructions were on this
point, Is not known. az least to this writer
The Sect etsrY Of State 10 the procedure
, year had expressed in the letter 70 Mr.. G.
net, before noticed, his disapprobation q,
whst he admins ~ he the rule. and cells him
met We are " endeavoring to advance" tn
warts the establishment Of the opposit4
doctrine. The presumption is thet MI. Law
vas Instrocted 20 press upon the British 20
Ternuent, his opposite docrrine, if there
was chance for success.
This is a rcugh. but faithful sketch of -,
yie~S atbavc bccG tasen Of i5is most IN
'eresting subject by tive governments Of F.u
opc. during the last hu.tred years, and =,
tae United States since the seolsra.Ion Of io
, Dependence.