Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-10-28
From ne Bait,morc WAig.
FRIENDLY CONVERSATION.

FRIENDLY CONVERSATION.
Between GAIus &c TITus, on Political Sub
jects!-applicable to the present state of
things.
Gaus. Well, neiglbor Titus, how do
times go with youi The heace harty must,
ere long, prevail.
Titus hope it will, neighbor, Gaius.
G.. Do you so ? What you have chaR-
ged your principles. thens have you come
round to our side Well, always took
you for a man of sense.
T. No change at all F! have uniform
ly been the friend of hcdee.
O.. How! not changed : and a friend to
peace ? Why neighbor, have you not ge
morally defended the justice and propriety
Of the qyar !?
Il. Certainly have, and do so still.
G. Hey day, neighbor why, you are
quite paradoxical you contradict yourse II.
You say you are the friendof peace, and yet
you defend the war. Now il seems to me,
that he who advocates war cannot heartily
wish for peace! 1t is contradiction in
terms.
L. Your zeal, neghbor Gaius, does not
allow you TO see that you mis- axe pun Tor
truism. You are the friend of peace !;
50 am I. In that point we agree. But
peace may be enjoyed upon various conditi'
ons A nation may reposc in state OF the
most profound peace, and yet every indivi
dual of the nation be slave. One nation
may be in subsection TO another, and the vas
sal nation ENJOY uninterrupted peace. For
any part, viii accept neither of these con .
ditions Of peace, I insist upon fair, just, e.
quail and honorable terms. In a word,
would cherish peace as the first of blessings.
but win not court it or the expense OF sa-
critics. degrading TO freeman.
G Aye, aye now you are upon French
stills see what you would be at: you are
for Bonaparte's notions.
+. Not al all.
G.. Yes, yes you are for the continental
sysfeni, for the treaty IF Utrecht, and all
that /; you want free shlas free goods. An |!
neighbor Titus, you are gone-a gonesmaD,
vos are now under French influence -
French influence !--Fr--
7. Not quite so fast, neigSbor Gaius.--
Instead of railing, let. US reason little upon
this subject.
G. Wen. letu hear your reason, as you
calli..
7 affirm then that The republicans of
he u. States do not ask Great Britain to
admit what Bonsparte may choose to cali
he continental system they do not ask her
to acknowledge the provisions of The treaty of
2 6. No,
r. No, neigh5or, they do nor.
G. What DO they require Come I'll
keep you to the point
7. Why, they ask nothing more from
Great Britaia, then that she should faithful
ly observe the cid, established law of natl
ohs
c What do you deny that you want
20 exempt orr rlerchan- vessels from the
yigAs Of searcA 2 And will YOU pretend that
he right Of search is not authorised by the
law OF ;ations3
I. Ali NV good friend. these words.
".1igdt Of Search are the cause OF great
deal Of delusion. There is right OF search
admitted by the law Of nations, and right
Of search claimed by Great Britain, but nor
admitted BY that law.
6. How can that be Pray explain,
T / will. The right Of search which
the law of nations admits, is search for
e1aemy's ilrQaerty on board u nsRtrai aier-
cham resseiS. This as right which the u.
States do not oppose. i is nor only an esta-
blshcd right, but is also a reasonable one;
for neutral would depart from tsncntra' =
ity it it were to do for belligerent power
what that power could only do for itself in
time ofpeace. To prevent neutraPs doing
this, that's, to preyent the candestine trans
poratioR of enemy's property the right of
/ searchis allowed.
q, You seem to be very learned in the
law. neighbor You appear to be man II
nice distinctions
| L you de- not distinguish, how can
you judge /? Suppose I were to assert that
a man has righttc HVs nobody would de-
ny the truth Of il. But could it be thence
inferred that man has right to live by
thieufns
G.. Certainly not, neigbor Titus. The
! right TO live. clearly implies the right &c
live honestly according 20 baEV, and not other
wise.
T. There we agree. Aud it is precise
! ~ this kind of distinction that The republi-
cans make with respect to the right ofseafeh
| There is an indisputable right 20 search fol
en- my's hroferfy, and the right has been
even cStcnded to the seizure Of persons il
the military serUice Of the epemy- But nc
where that s, in no treaty, in 10 book q
| public law, ~ a search for H1drmed hdipiilf
ais stated "a part Of the law ofHations, or the
| right TO seize and bear them oft acknow-
| lodged. The right of search refers t. things
BELONGING TO the enemy of him who scarchi
~, and not 20 things belonging 70 the search
er or to the rcGual who is searched.
G.. Very eel neighbour Titus. Yet 4
On officer enters ship to search Tor enc.