cargoes, on the pretext of their being employed in a trade with the enemies of Great Britain, prohibited in the time of peace, is an unprovoked aggression upon the property of the citizens of these United States, a violation of their neutral rights, and an encroachment upon their national independence.

SECOND,

RESOLVED-That the President of the United States be requested to demand and insist upon *the restoration of the property of their citizens captured and condemned, on the pretext of its being employed in a trade with the enemies of Great Britain, prohibited in time of peace; and upon the indemnification of such American citizens, for their losses and damages sustained by these captures and condemnations; and to enter into such arrangements with the British government, on this and all other differences subsisting between the two nations, and particularly respecting the impressment of American seamen, as may be consistent with the honor and interests of the United States; and manifest their earnest desire to obtain for themselves and their citizens, by amicable negociation, that justice to which they are intitled.

THIRD,

RESOLVED That it is expedient to prohibit by law the importation into the United States of any of the following goods, wares, or merchandise, being the growth, pro duce, or manufactures, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or the dependencies thereof; that is to say:-woollens, linens, hats, nails, looking-glasses, rum, hardwares, slate, salt, coal, books, shoes, ribbons,

* These words were struck from the confirmed resolutions.

thereto equitable arrangements shall be made between. the two governments on the differences subsisting between them, and to continue until such arrangements shall be agreed upon and settled,

The Rubicon then is past; argument is at an end; and discussion closed. America has assumed in her own favor the very question which she pretends a wish to make the subject of negociation. America must either retract her threatenings, and abandon her claims, or this country, relinquishing her rights, must be prepared to sustain the injury of having France aided in her prosperity and revenue, and enabled to carry on the war with more vigor and effect, by pretended friends and hostile neutrals.

12th of May, 1806.

BELLIGERENT RIGHTS

ASSERTED AND VINDICATED

AGAINST

NEUTRAL ENCROACHMENTS,

&c. &c. &c.

IN the war which commenced in the year 1756, and ended in the year 1763, France relaxed her colonial monopoly, and admitted neutral vessels, under certain restrictions, to carry the produce of her colonies to French or foreign ports in Europe. The prize courts of Great Britain condemned such vessels as were captured while engaged in it, together with their cargoes, notwithstanding both ship and cargo were proved to be neutral property.

In England this has been called "the rule of the war of 1756;" and in the work which has lately been re-printed from the American edition, it is called the British exception and the British principle.

B

On the return of peace, France re-closed her colonial ports, but opened them again a little time previous to her engaging in the American war, and continued to permit neutrals to partake of her colony trade during its continuance: but the prize courts of Great Britain did not enforce the "rule of the war of 1756" on this occasion.

At the commencement of the last war, the "rule of 1756" was revived in his majesty's royal instruction of the 6th of November 1793. In order to avoid disputes with America, Great Britain relaxed from the instruction of November 1793; and, in a new one of the 8th of January 1794, confined the application of the "rule of 1756" to the direct trade between the French West-India islands and Europe: but she did this of her own free grace, and not in consequence of any treaty.

Again, by a third instruction of the 25th of January, 1798, the "rule of 1756" was further confined, and neutrals were permitted to trade between this country and the colonies of our enemies, and also between their own country and such colonies. Upon these instructions the prize courts acted during the last war.

The experience of last war caused a variation in the instructions issued on the 24th of June, 1803, by which "a neutral vessel" is allowed to pass unmolested "which shall be carrying on