Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-02-04

to the fold from whence we Shall be said
to have strayed, to come again within
the pale of civil society, and consent to
be governed once more by the ancient
rules which the necessities, not of one,
but OF all, produced, which the wisdom,
not OF one, but of all, digested, and for
the preservation of which, unaltcred by
any, the peace of all requires the guaranty
of each.
Mr.. President, my colleague and my
sell differ very much in the idea we en-
tertain respecting this right of instituting
a blockade. He considers it as an indie
pendent, substantive right, (which may
be eXerted, TO use his own words, - perse ("
But Is this SO? Can it be so? The right
OF lnstituting blockades is not substan-
tive right, nor will its exercise be per-
mltted FER Sc. The right Of institutipg
blockades is mere incident, a conse-
quence growing out Of the exercise of the
higher right of war, and can be exerted
only by those placing themselves in a
state of war.
IT nation has Just cause of war, the
question whether she win wage it ornot,
IS one resting solely on its own discre-
ton; and ii, N the exercise of this discre-
ton, 1T is found eXpedient 20 waive the
right of waging war, it valves its right
to the exercise Of all the incidents. CON
sequences, and accessorial rights of war
10 urge the contrary, would be TO argue
that you had right over the shadow,
after having given up the substance. No,
SIT. Nations waive all the benefits when
they avoid all the risks of war.
II, in the exercise of her discretion, ha-
| wing a just cause of war, a nation declares
war, she thus Immediately invests her
self with the right OF strailening her enc
my by every means in her power. She
may limit him exclusively to his own re-
sources. She may diminish these as far
as she can, and take care that they re-
ceive no augmentation from any other
| power. and all this she is allowed to do
to attain the only legitimate end of war
just and honorable peace. Tosecure
the benefits of peace the right of war is
given, and war justifies the belligerents in
employing all those means to accomplish
this its great end.
Under this right of depriving him of
his resources is derived the right of ia
king his property wheresoever it is found
beyond the protection of neutral state.
| Under this right of preventing any aug
mentation Of their resources, is derived
the right of capturing even neutral pro-
perty when fouid upon the high seas,
destined for the enemy's port, and beng
contraband of war.
Under these rights of capturing the
property of the enemy, and the Contra
| band property OF neutrals destinrtt. - I,;s
ports is derived the right OF visitation
and search, for it would be in vain to al
low such rights, unless the only means
| by which they could DE enforced, were
also conceded.
And, under this right of limiting the
enemy to his own resources, is derived
the tight Of investing his cities by land
and his ports and harbours by sea, and
so cutting oil his intercourse with the
rest of the world.
The right Of visitation and search, and
the right of blockade, are hree twin SIS
tiers, born of the same mother-war.-
They come into being at the same mo-
nent with the existence Of war: they
continue during the same period white
war continues, and, unlike the twins of
the heather mythology, they die at the
same instant when peace returns Now
sir. if we are justified in exercising in
peace one of these rights of war, we are
justified in exercising the other; and if we
claim the right of blockade i'll peace, W.
cannot deny to any nation, the right Of
visitation and search in peace also. Is
the Senate prepared 10 make this conces-
sion?
My honorable friend may say, perhaps,
that the circumstance Of the existence o!
piracy makes this case peculiar. He may
contend, that the Dill does not assert the
right of blockade generally in times Of
peace, but only when piracy exists This
/ is certainly so, but are there no other pi-
rates in the world besides those who in
/ fest the coast Of Cuba! Have YOU not de
! clarcd the slave trade piracy? and has not
Great Britain at your invitation done The
same? and is he not as much pirate who
/ deals in slaves then, as he who takes a
vessel off Cape Antonio? and if the ex-
istence Of piracy in Cuba justifies you in
undertaking a blockade there, TO sup
press that piracy, can you deny 10 Britain
or any other nation, the right Of visitation
and search-to suppress the other piracy,
the slave trade?
My honorable friend yesterday desert
bed. in language Of true pathos, the hor-
rid atrocities perpetrated by the monsters
Of Cuba. The picture was drawn by a
masters hand, it's colors were most vivid,
and its similitude, doubt not, most just.
+ If, MIR. President, l dared to borrow his
/ t,nncil fnr q nnn1nnnt md 10 nr hil,it :,