30s] ANNUAL REGISTER, 
lated was to operate at different 
periods ; that is, at one time in fa- 
vour of one of the contracting 
parties, and of the other at another 
time. . At the present time, the 
United States being at peace, they 
possess by the treaty the right of 
carrying the goods of the enemies 
of France, without subjeéting them 
to capture. But whatdo the spirit 
of the decree of the executive di- 
rectory and the current of. your 
observations require ?—That the 
United States should now gratui. 
tously renounce this right. And 
what reason is assigned tor denying 
to us the enjoyment of this right? 
Your own words furnish the 
answer: ‘* France, bound by treaty 
to the United States, csxld sind only 
a real disadvantage in the articles 
of that treaty, which caused to be 
respected, as American property, 
English property found on board | 
American vessels.’’ This requisi- 
tion, and the reason assigned to 
support it, alike excite surprize. 
The American government, Sirs 
conscious of the purity of its in- 
tentions, of its impartial observance 
of the laws of neutrality, and of its 
inviolable regard to treaties, can. 
not for a moment admit, that it 
has forfeited the right to claim a 
reciprocal observance of stipula- 
tions on the part of the French 
republic, whose friendship more- 
over it has every reason to cultivate 
with the most perfect sincerity. 
This right, formerly infringed by 
a decree of the national convention, 
was recognized anew by the repeal 
of that decree. Why it should be 
again questioned, we are af a loss 
to determine, We are ignorant of 
any new, restraints on cur com- 
merce by the British government ; 
on the contrary, we possess recent 
1796. 
official information, that 20 new or 
ders hawe bsen issued: 
The captures made by the British, 
of American vessels having French 
property on board, are warranted 
by the law.of nations. The: force 
and operation of this law was con.. 
templated by France and the 
United States, when they formed 
their treaty of commerce, and their 
special stipulation on. this poing, 
was meant as an exception to air 
updiversal rule; neither our weak- 
ness por our strength have any , 
choice, when the question concerns 
the observance of a known rule of 
the law of nations. 
You are pleased to remark, that 
the conduct of Great Britain, in 
capturing vessels bound to and 
from French ports, had been the~ 
subject of a note, which on the 
zgth of September, 1795, was ad- 
dressed to the secretary of state, 
but which remained without an 
answer. Very suflicient reasons 
_may be assigned for the omission. 
Lhe subject, in all its aspeéts, had 
been officially and publicly dis- 
cussed, and the principles and ul- 
timate. measures of the’ United 
States, founded on their indisputa~ 
ble rights, were as publicly fixed... 
But if the subject had not, by the 
previous discussions, been already 
exhausted, can it be a matter ‘of 
surprize that there should be a re- 
pugnance to answer a letter contain- 
ing such insinuations as these ? 
‘< Ft must then be clear to every” 
. man, who will discard prejudices, 
love, hatred, and, in a word, all 
the passions which lead the judg- 
ment astray, that the French re- 
public have-a right to complain, if 
the American government suffered 
‘the English to interrupt the com- 
ree relations which exist be-: 
tween 
