Page:Prerogatives of the Crown.djvu/60

 40 Of Letters of Marque, ^r. [Ch. IV. Sec. III. by one hand, the execution of public measures will inspire the people with confidence, and strike into the enemies of the country that awe, that dread of its activity and power, which it is the constant endeavour of good policy to create. For these reasons the constitution has made the King the delegate or representative of the people, with regard to foreign tfairs ; and has invested his Majesty with the supreme exclu- sive ppwer of managing them (a). SECT. 11. That the King sends Ambassadors, Sfc. abroad. The constitution has vested in the King the sole power of sending ambassadors, consuls {b), and other ministers abroad, and receiving ambassadors from foreign states (c). These need not be appointed by letters patent or by any other particular instrument, though they universally receive on their appoint- ments some document evidencing their right to fill the situa- tion assigned to them ; and a consul is generally, if not always, appointed by a commission directed to him from the King. SECT. III. Of Letters of Marque and Reprisals, The laws of nature and of nations (d), vest in every power a right to make reprisals, and adopt a system of fair retalia- tion, for the aggressions of another community. Where a nation manifests a general spirit of hostility towards another, by a series of unauthorized attacks, and satisfaction is denied and explanations are evaded, though it be the King's duty as protector of the rights and honour of his dominions, to enable his subjects to retaliate on their oppressors, yet his Majesty being the only constitutional judge of the policy and expedi- <«) 1 Bla. Com. 252. (rf) Grotius de jure b. cfc p. lib. 3. <A) See Chitty on Comine3£& JcJx. 2. sect. 4 and 5, ^) X Bk. Com. 253, eucy