Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-07-09
VOLUME LVIII.-NUMBER 20.


on which we are called 20 act ;here is great
n.isnpprehensiji' oi the iaw Oh the subject. I:
has been aSSer;cs! that the universal AID TILL
questioned prnci PIE q! HE ia.1 of nations i.
that you have no ri.ii. u con:i>ca:e Grt;s G..s
by { StG.r 70 ;!ic CiuzaTs @! another counlIT
with which: it Is g. war. W..i.s this na~ be !,
| principle tLat has beef ~ :osuc III torlGc-
times, ,;.:ly lid. it Is T.: my means un!vt:-
| Sai or oI recent application.
The right To cUn.iScate '!'f,. NJ ail, Whether
| due to u g0ve!rlnen: o: 10 ni"duaiS, sa3
Geen seriously Gue>t:ouc'; S.nc sGthor:;s..
cpntend!ag tia: y hIle re !na: coLh*:a:e 1tht:
! property yGu Cannot c"nscatc debts; t"t =
| that principle ycu WI: I'D '.ni.!evouS eXcrp
tioEs, AID you will lu-ter discover il Il" an
nounceUcnt q the decs.on, OF oar uTa c21T.E
ry Inc lnoSt cInineE: j,.rls.S %c a::ye ever EaS
in the C:.i:cd States, waeu his suffice. h2a
/ been under inres.a ag;0n, .hat sovereign :
not bound TO act in this respect according 70
any fixed will Of !aw, il is ra'h2r question: 0:
policy. Judge Marshall in the case of Browa
against the United States slid:
"Commercial nations. in The stus.ion Of TIE
United S:atcs have always u considerable
amount Vi property ii possession ii their
| neighoors. When war breaks out, iha lIcs.
; ton, What shall BE- done with encmy property
! in cur csaatrv is : question rather y! Policy
than Of ia:. The rule which We apply 20 the
property q: cur enemy, viii b@ appHed be
him to The property ot QUE citizens Like s.i
other questions OF poii"y, it is proper ltv ;:,a
consideration .! department which cen L! ID
I f. i! ct will not IL: The consideration G.
department v!::cH clI pursue only the law s.
Il Is written. 1t is proper for tue cons!dcr&;iN!
81 The legislature not ui !he executive or =
dicisry."
adm. .':s: :..c suhisct Ga.!sr investigator
in This case cnEgr7as private property, bu;
contend That ~" arnUumcencnt o! JLGca
Marshall IN respect - he Course to be r,:'
sued By hos!ii, Hat!rS ,os.ards each otter,
applies cquni,y &c :c r:o;.cI.y claimed by IL"
government hlrc also the declaration O.
Judge Story herr, Tho observes that the ric'.
to clt.f:$c1!e debts 10 the goverrmc: Is? hra7.
questioned, AID al'u'ting 70 iir.t:us, he sa:"S:
1T is supp, scd by ;hr same iearrcG w7i'c-
that the n'r;::pc rf cot.tSc,.iao debts 'l.d
been aat;.lor.GG :nr mere than q cSI,:u-y.-
That tho practice was inierr;;ttcd is ccitsln!:
no very c:.ar ncc9i oi an aosl!'ioa.ncrt o! ihe
principle. I2.i::s Q! policy ard ,he s@hs:as
Interests of commerce may combine 10 iHdnce
a nation nDt to enforce lis strict rights, bu; it
ought lloi, therefore, 20 Ee construed 10 -
lease them. II iaav, however he well Jouht>t
if the practice is quite so uniform as il is srp.
posed the case Of tho Ses:a lnaI, wa:'h
exercised the highest talent Of The English ra
ton, is an instance 10 lie contrary, alin:..
within hall century"
twas an exception 70 ScrIcrnl rulo establish.
e1 by the highest coMlncrc.l nation Or ci: -.
that nation whose I,el! decisions have grca:
weight than any other on the face Of tue g'rbr.
In ,1,nor.t.. Il 60. 81 n.,T
:;onai ia%, by the highest legal talen, oi EIE
land, there Is ;:ot tie ST. shtcst ininat;on H.,
tie law Of nations prohibited = sovereign t,Gin
contiscating debts due 20 his enc.a!cS - 10
kingdon.
/ quote these authorities moro for the i,a:-
pose Of showing to gentlemen, that whe': Icy
attempt to estabiiS. any binding rule o: IA"
between bsiliserent powers, these efforts mus.
be attended with great uncertainty. EXce2
tions stare them in the face cn every s.tt.-
Here, for instance, you find Grotius, Judge
Story, Judge Marshall and tho most Gi3tn.
guished jurlsts in this country al d;fern., i.
their construction Of the laT Of nations Us -
! me coufscatiou Of this species Of property.
fortunately, however, thu distinction taken
By my friend liom Frederick {M- CoSSADj
;lst now Hi,! reu.cve all ,hv difficulty n.tach.c:
u tho conflicting opinions Of thcso high
authorities.
lie assrr;s, AID luast folly coucu. with
hin, that neither ia legal, nor u!"ral point
oi view, l.; there anything in that ordinance
referring 10 q co:iScatiun Of propectT 0: Q:
debt. This beng So, submit that tt!o actho"
ties cited uro wholly useless. The ordinance
does not assert that the debt is 40: GIt. rUr
does it place bar in tho way Ct future rsu.9.
cry, nor forbid lis voluntary restoration wa.sc
peace shall result. 1t is simp,y e mea'u:e o:
pOlicr, Of protection, OF humanity, and OF JGi.
ticc 10 our own people. Il is tho practice c!
this Soecvnlneni, uuu Y: 4! gcTcrui:ci!Is nc:
10 ray '.obts il time Of war, ani yea WI :''.l
this Sc lied by bs:orr everywhere. We t!:
il in our war with Engiahd, and hope *e
shall 60 it in the present instance. Jn"e"
Story, Continuing ;!.e argument in tie cl>o !.
which l referred, says, III eject ,hat cch:S,
while they may be cNri>ca.ed during The Ha'.
nrc released OH tie return Of pescr, aud The
rights g recover !hen ere perfectly restored.
That il Ill We :, should be done, htd wG'.a
inquire. nn ":v1g results to anybody =
What IT,. ',ele in esislltlng upon n r'ca
! cure c.: -, y IL. OF such bcaeG' To t:Io
Co,amo.., ~. Wha: prcteXt could 81
have, as ".,:eScutaIivcs Of inc people OF 'r'
ginia, i,.iu wc -" txert;:g every power =
,iraw,rg "'r ~ vtke.s 81 our constituen;',
alli pay. " ;Ae rl!cmy II, very motley
,sh!ch NJ enable ,hera u drive our wi:ts aG1
children 2:.. their hol1ea, and carry out t's.'
u.lse G"s rs When tie iue is stealing yOlr
property, .,,d Ignoring all the rules CT non':-
aule wali;.r VII. aIc,c%. cot ans uian Ea""
III rcnGci :; an account 10 his Constituents on
this s,:Ajcf.., in furnishing the rucans by wH,cE
, L!ii.: uullL,, war IS nrOt ID
! IT, rcga'. 10 tie ct,l!iIcation Of property, .
/ hold TO ID, principle Of tcr talioDis. "efav"
the right 70 conf>cslc debs, or 90 snyth'n:
else Ike H.. %h:"A they haze rracticed agaii':
US. As t. the suspension c: tic payment i,
this G:ot f,.,:I this La;", have TO sort Of -.
j"c:on. ga will:as 10 i'nt i: n that !o-i .:
in uny ollltl in which i. wil! enable Us 10 pass
this Ii,:tsui,I
irh.cEgDl:;Gs TO BE CoS:iSuED.
| Prom Wastliu.s0E.