Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-03-24
Or. p;a,;.s, {, n, 1.4rqsis d; c:res.,e.

honor TO mention to his eAcelleucy lie Mar
Quis di Circelio, secretary of state and miulSjer
for ioreigu aiiuns OF his maJesty The king of
he two Settles. TIE principal objects ot his
mission, and TIC now invites his eXceilcncy's
attention 20 a mere detailed and krmal eNpo-
siilOn or one Gi liI0Sc effects.
ihc undersigned i sure that tie apppa,
v hlch ne is about 10 make to the well known
issticc ct his StcIltan n'iesiy iu the ranie aud
~ tie orders OF htS government, viii receive
"a dCinciale aud candid consideration (. and
that, II IL shall appear, rs Dc trusts K VIII, TO
hC Icconmehd,d by those principles Nl.ich AZ
Is TIE interest, ~ al a. the tnly OF al gov
ernmerts. to observe aud naiotaiu, lie claim
inNolvod ini, Nll be ADMITTED eheciualiy and
promptly.
TIE undersigned did bnt okey the irstruc-
tnns at the President or the United States
when lie assured his excellence the Marquis
di CirceilO, al their first interview. that ms
m,ssicu was suggested by such sentiments
towards u = Sicilsan n,ajcs;y as could not fail
10 he approved by tiHi- Those sentiments are
apparent IN the tiesire Vhich the President
has manifested, throrrh The nnde rSignrd that
the coninerciai relations between the terrific.
lies OF his majesty aud t'lose OF the United
STATES should be cherished by reciprocal ar
rdngem, hts, sought III the shirt of cNli.nteuel
friendship, and with "a sincere view 20 such
equal advantages, as IL IL fit for nations to
derive tom one another. The reoresen,a.
Tons which the undersigned is conmauSed To
make upon the SubIect OF the present mole will
-
Shew the tir,n reliance OF the President upon
Tue disposition of the court OF Naples, impair
tlai'y 10 discuSs aud ascertain, aud faithfully
10 discharge ITS obligations towards foreign
states and their citizens. reliance which the
Undersigned partakes with bis government /;
and under ;hc influence OF which he proceeds
| to state the nature aud grounds OF tile recla-
nation in question.
1t cannot but be known to his exce!lency the
| Marquis di Circello, that. on the ist OF July,
1879, the minister of foreign affairs Of the then
government If Naples, addressed to Fiederrk
began, ESQ. then cousil OF the United States,
an ofncIal letter, oHtaniug AN invitation to all
american vtSSelS, having on board the usual
certificates OF origin and OTHER regular papers,
| TO come direct to Naples with their cargoes :;
anu that tile same minister caused that invita-
ton TO he published III every possible mode. in
order that Il might come te The knowledge of
| those whom il concerned. II will not he uucs.
TONED, that the promise of security, neceSSari.
| ~ implied III this measure, had every title in
| the actual circumstances of Europe, to the
confidence OF distant and peaceful merchants
me merchants OF America is WAS 10 nave been
| expected, DIT confde Upon tie credit and
| under the protection OF tha promise, they seat
Ia Naples many valuable vessels and cargOes
| navigated and documented with scrupulous
Regularity, aud IN no respect obnoxious to
moiestdtion bnt scarcely had they reached
! the destination 10 which they had been allured
when they were seized, without distiuc ton
as prze or as otherwise forfeited TO the Nea
| frivolous and die These arbitrary seizures
were followed, with a rapacious haste by sum
| mary DEGREES, conhscating, III the name aud for
1 the nse OF the same ernment, the whole
OF me property which had thus been brought
within its grasp; and these DEGREES, which
wanted even the decent atfec,aiion of Ius-
| tice, were Immediately carried Into execution
| against all the remonstrauces OF those y fom
| they oppressed, TO enrich the treasury OF The
\ state.
| The undersigned persuades himself that IL is
\ not ia note addressed 10 the MARQUIS di Cir.
cello, that IL is necessary To enlarge upon the
| sinSr!ariy atrocionS character at this proee
dure, tor which no apology can he de- vise,l and
| for which none that IS ineligible has hitherto
! been attempted 1t was indeed an undisgnise,I
J abuse of power, of which nothing could veil
| enhance the deformity, bnt the studied decep.
| ton that preceded and prepared it a deceo.
ton, which, by sort of treason agaiBs; society,
converted protfer of hospitality into snare.
aud that sanitary confidence, without which
| nations and men must cease 10 have inter
| course, into an engine of pIuuder
| The right OF the innocent victims of this
! unegnalied act OF fraud and rapne, TO demand
retrihution, cannot be doubted. The only
| question is, from whom are they entitled Ia
demand ite Those who at that moment ruled
| IN Naples, AMI were in fact, and in the view of
! The world, the government of Naples. have
| passed away before retribuiion could be oh.
tanned, although not before it was required ;
ana II the gilt to retrihuiion regards only the
| PNiSOhN " tiOoe It'S ~ pJlNdie ana ordinary
| wrong doors. the American merchant whom
| they deiuded and despoIed, in the garb and
with the instruments, and for the purposes
OF sovereignty, must despair forever of re-
| dress.
The undersigned presumes, that such is not
the view which the present government will
feel itself justified in taking of this interesting
SUBJECT; he trusts that il will, on the contrary
perceive that tho claim which the injured NOR
chant was authorized TO prefer against the gov
eminent OF this country, before the recent
! change, and which, but for that change, mnst
| sooner or later have been successful. is now a
! valid claim against the government of the same
| country, Notwithstanding that change Al
| least, the undersigned is not at present aware
| OF any considerations which, applied TO the
| facts that characterize this case can lead TO a
| different conclusion and certainly it would
| be matter tor sincere regret, that any cOnside.
| rations should be thought sufficient TO make
the return OF his Sician maiestvs power fatal
| to the rights OF friendly strangers, 10 whom no
| fault can be ascrined.
The general principle that civil society NAV
| contract obligations, through its actual roy.
eminent, whatever that may be, and that il is
not abSoived from them by reason simply of d
| chauge OF government or of rulers, is UNIVERSAL
| lyreceved as IncOpNeIiibe. ia is admitted
| not merely hy writers or public law, as a spp.
| culati'e 'rutn, hut by states aud statesmen as
| a practical rule; aud, ccOIdingiv, history.is
full OF examples TO prove, that the nndisturi,ed
| possessor OF sovereign power IN any society
| whether rightul pUsSesSOr or not, with re.
terence TO other claimants Of that power MAY
not only be the lawful object OF allcgisnce. bnt
| by many of his acts, in his quality of sovereign
de tocfo, may hind the society, and those who
come alter hun as rulers, although their title
be adVeTsarg to, or even better than his own
! The Marquis de Circtlio does not need 10 I've
! informed. that the earlier annals of England
~ particular, abound in instructions upon tbi.
| head
WITH regard to just and beneficial contracts
entered into by such sovereign with tic
merchants OF foreign nations, OF, (which is the
same thing) with regard to the detention and
i cntIlIal nI ILn.r