The aggression thus begun has been continued on the part of the British
commanders by remaining within our waters in defiance of the authority
of the country, by habitual violations of its jurisdiction, and at
length by putting to death one of the persons whom they had forcibly
taken from on board the _Chesapeake_. These aggravations necessarily
lead to the policy either of never admitting an armed vessel into our
harbors or of maintaining in every harbor such an armed force as may
constrain obedience to the laws and protect the lives and property
of our citizens against their armed guests; but the expense of such
a standing force and its inconsistence with our principles dispense
with those courtesies which would necessarily call for it, and leave
us equally free to exclude the navy, as we are the army, of a foreign
power from entering our limits.
To former violations of maritime rights another is now added of very
extensive effect. The Government of that nation has issued an order
interdicting all trade by neutrals between ports not in amity with
them; and being now at war with nearly every nation on the Atlantic and
Mediterranean seas, our vessels are required to sacrifice their cargoes
at the first port they touch or to return home without the benefit of
going to any other market. Under this new law of the ocean our trade
on the Mediterranean has been swept away by seizures and condemnations,
and that in other seas is threatened with the same fate.
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