The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-09-07

L
absolute necessity. On this principle F.;
oelliserens 10 authorised to inierd,ct the
commerce OF neu.rals, with place; hes,e
ged, or really blocsadcd. The bc,iirerent
mas right To toke the city OF his enemy
* he roust,oG necessity have righ, 20 inter,
DICT that trade OF intercourse, ta.s tolt ration
ot which would detect his object. TO ,!t,
mere can be no objection. but what is the
necessity, for takng vessels, going to IA
port which the boc&aSiinS encmy, Garrs
, = ot even app~oach What specific object
has he in view He has no hope oftaking
the town. He does not mean to attack it.
ne IS even afraid to come within the
range of its batteries His object, at best.
is to distress the enemy hut this is palDab,y
| an nlterior object. The blow falls irntnedi
ateiy on TIE neutral. BY him it must be
felt, aud te.t ia all its force. It's effect en-
the enemy is contingent, trivial. remote. If
TINS be aies'timaIe object, it is equally law
tu' tor the btocksder to aggravate the dis
trssSs OF his enemy, ty general introduction.
And this Is the point, TO which Great Rri-
tain has carried. her doctriue of blockade ::
not indeed fairly and openly, but by pre-
2osreroas, insulting, ard decisive apple alton
| OF the law of tala.inn.
en- Ear, from saying, that the y, States
would act wisely in making war, against
SI. Britain, upon the ground of the differ
ence, wide as IL is, between MIR. Fostcr's do
hnition OF blockade, aHd inst which is sun
ported by the united furce of reason and au.
tnoilty. Erroneous as that definition NAV
he' 1t is perhaps better TO accept il for the
present, than TO fight against it. 1t is net
always eXped'ent, To go 20 wa: for the viola
ton OF right, however clear. But there
are some rights, for which people must
contend, or surrender. their highest Interest,
'heir feelings rs individuals, and thei. cha
rac'er as nation and such are the rights.
IN vindicarion of which this war was de clar-
ed.
1t must be admitted, however, that this
discussion concerning olocksdes, is iuteres-
ing, at this tire, under two aspects only.
II VIII prove, 10 the candid people of Amer
ca, that the Government IF the u States.
mas heen tar, very far, from seeking occa-
sipn to quarrel with G.. Britain, because i'm
relation to this, the most important OF all
questions concerning neutral rights, It has
! indirectly acquiesced, in rule, if it deserve
the name, which is a disgrace 20 the NOR
ais, the understanding, the humanity of the
age IN which we live. II will also have a
tendency to excite an independent spirit cf
inquiry, among the Citizens of the U S-to
induce them, to examine for themselves the
great topics OF inter national Jurisprudence.
-"d not to take For gram ed ,wha tever a Bril-
tish court or jurist shall! decide. Such at
TINS moment is the Aa6H Of our country. 1t
Is the erect Oh our institutions, and of the
education, which they require. vs. e get ali
our learning from g. Britain IF we wish to
know what our own monicipaI law is, we
search Ter 1t in British aniudications. We
read British Reports for information We
quote them as authority. Our Difference
for them becomes habiUal, and we uncon
sciousiy, Carry that Difference with us into
the consideration Of questions, political in
heir nature. and decided IN the admiralty
courts, upon principles, palpabiy unjust, and
emlnently injurious to the best interests az
Americ-. Or tire truth of this remark, the
almost total silence that has been observed.
with respect to the overwhelming systen, OF
Brush blockades, is supposed 20 zoe conciu
slvc evidence
In every other piont Of view, the discus
sion is idle. The law of nations as 10 neu
q al trade, must be defined anew, Ii is
that system OF rules and doctrine, which the
| government OF @. Britain has thoueht Dro-
| per toprsscribe." This definition is estzb
iished, not indeed by the authority of Gro
'Ins and his followers, blu, by that Of much
Adler Jiiis men, who amidst lightning
ana thunder not from the top Of SINAI, but
from the deck OF -, pronounce the la@, To
| he ppresSed * insulted nations oithe world.
Yet this IS he nation whose praises we ceIe.
brate lhey are the bulwark Of our reG-
gion at whose victories we rejoice. tbey
! are lighting Tor the independence o. nations
| and the liberty of man whose cause. even
against ourselves, is strenuousiy maintained
in the great coancil of the nation, because
the war, IN which We are engaged, is wick
ed and unjust
VITA men who entertain sentiments, such
| as these, it is vain to reason. rhsy mus,
be left to themselves and the working OF
EVENT.. Time must open their eyes and
they, who are now most clanorous in oDuo
sltion to the war. must see, and must ac
knowledge, that the section Of country m
which they belong, is in truth, that part Of
the y. ,, which viii d rive the greatest
beneht from the establishment Of thnse
rights. in yindlc2tion OF Which the war wa,
oECi@fe1' y. Is.
Eyydtgns in tie last H. r.
| In the fli Col. 81 Par. after tb. rord O. en-.
demnat'on, the sentence ou,ht to read, IL i, true
thst IN ihe cE's OF enepys goods tive courts of The
CaP'ors mast judge. The Captors must prove thrir
aie5aOn or the gOo5s sre restored To the C.lsi,o
ant The question TO be decided IL A Question of
fact only But 'hs adequacy Of blockading force p
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2he liar.
! Since the genius OF ChRNoT conceived
I 4 -. i a.