The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-10-25


| (aENTLFME&,
| The British government having declined the
| russian mediation, and proposed to treac di-
| Fecty with the United States the President
i'as, on due consideration, thought proper to
| accept the overture. To give eject 10 this
arrangement, il was necessary that new
COMMISSION should he formed, aud for that
! purpose that new nomination should be
| made 70 the Senate, by whose advice and
consent this important trust IS Committed to
| ym.
| Nou viii co'sider the Instructions given to
| the commission TO treat under tic mediation
OF Russia, rs applicable to the negotiation
| %lth winch you are now charged, except as
lhSy may be modified by tins letter
| shall call your attention to the most impor--
tant grounds vt the controversy with g. Bri-
TAIN only, and make such remarks on each, &
| on tle w'io!s subject, as have occurred since
| the date % tte former Instructions, ami are
! deemed applicable TO the present juncturt- ia
Slng into view the negotiation in which you
are aboat TO engage
On impressncnt, rs 70 the right of the u.
| states to be exempted from it, lave nothing
| new 90 add ne sentiments of the President
nave undergone no change ON that iNporLaat
| suoJect. II MS degrading practice Iaus, cease
! Our h2S must protect the crew, Of, The u
States cannot consider themselves an indie
| pendent nation. To settle this difference a.
nlcably, the President Is willing, as,vou are
| already informed by the former instructions.
to remove al Jretexts for it, to the British
| government, by excluding all British seamen
| nom cur vessels, and even to extend the e1I-
ciuslon 70 ali British subjects if necessary. ex-
| coping only the few already naturalizetl. and
| 20 supulate likewise, the surrender of all
British scamen deserving in our ports in future
rom bfltisl vessels. public or private. 1t was
presumed by all dispa5sionate persons, that
the iate law OF Congress relative TO seamen
would erccWaIly accomplish the object
but the President is wiling, as YOU find, to
prevent poSsioilty Of failure, to go further
ohoald treaty Dc made, it is proper, and
would have 4 conciIiatory effect, that all our
impressed seamen who may be discharged
under 1t, should be paid for their services by
'ne britsh government, FOR the time of their
detention, the wages wh,Ch they might have
obtained Ia the merchant service of their own
COUNTRY
Blockade is the subject next in point Of i'm
ioriaAce which You win have to ARRANGE In
Ihe instructions bearing date on the 18th Of
April 1913, Vt was remarked that as the Bri-
tisn government had revoked its orders in
council, and agreed that no blockade could
| ne legal which was not supported by an ado
qGate force, and that such adeo,late ras,ce
"l.s;,i5 = dpT''cu 10 any UtoUSade which il
might hereafter institute, this cause of con
g
hecuon, however, has added great force to the
expediency and Importance of precise def
milton OF the public law on this subject
mere IS much cause to presume, that if the
repeal OF the orders III council had taken
place IN time to have been known here before
the declaration Of war and had mad the effect
OF preventing the declaration not only that no
provision would have been obtained AGAINST
impreSsment, bat that under the name OF
rafl ftl..s.s
been covered by proclamation as had been
covered by the orders in council. The war.
"mch these abuses and impressment contri-
ou'ed SO much 10 produce, might possibly pre-
vent that consequence. But it wCu,d be mere
satisfactory, il not more safe, to guard against
1t by a formal definition in the treaty. 1t is
true should the British government violate a.
S@h Tue legitimate principles of blockade, in
Whatever terms or under whatever pretext it
mnSnt De done the United States would have
IN their hands a correspondents resort but
principal object III making peace is to pre-
Wht, by the justice and reciprocity Of the
CONDITIONS, recurrence again to war, for the
same cause. III the British government sin
cerely wishes TO make durable peace with
the United States, it can have no reason
able objection to just definition of blockade
especially as the two governments have
agreed IN their correspondence, IN all It's es-
1911 . 4 llC INSTRUCTIONS or tlle 10TH
OF april, 1915, have stated in what manner
the President IS willing to arrange this differ
encc.
On the other neutral rights enumerated in
tines ner Instructions, / shall remark only.
tn catalogue is limited in manner 70 e
ymc spirit of accommodation that the
arrangement proposed in each instance Is Jus.
In itself that 1t corresponds With lie general
spirit OF treaties between commercial rowers
md that Great Britain has sanctioned it IN
many treaties, and g,ne 5eyord it il some.
On the claim to Indemnity for spoliations.
have only TO refer you to what was said In he
former Instructions. have to add. thq-
should treaty be formed, il is iust IN itself
, and would have a happy effect Oh he fuforc
relauoss OF ire two countries, # indeninit,
should be stipulated on each side. for the les
| Traction Of ali GLfortjhed towns, and other
private property, contrary to the laws an
usages OF war. X is equally proper that tne
negroes taken from the southern state
should bcretnrned to their owners, or paid 70
, at Their t'ill value. IL is known that shame
! toi trahic has been carried on ia the West IN
| dies, by the sale Of these persons there. Dv
those VINO pro:cssed to be their deIvcrcrs
! OF this fact, the proof which has reached
7 t'iis dcpartmeht shall be furnished ven If
I these slaves are considered as non combat
| ants, they ought to he restored 81. rs Droper-
/ ~ they ought 70 be paid for. The treatv If
| peace contains IN article. 1ybirb re~ .-.,,...-