OF THE LAW OF NATIONS IN EUROPE AND AMERICA; FROM T." EARLIEST TIMES TO THE TREATY OF WASHINGTON, 1842. BY HENRY WHEATON, L. L. D. MINISTER Of the unitED STATES AT THE COURT OF BERLIN, CORRESPONDING NEW YORK: PUBLISHED BY GOULD, BANKS & Co. AND ANDREW MILLIKEN, DUBLIN, IRELAND. Entered according to act of Congress, in the year cighteen hundred and forty-four, by GOULD, BANKS & Co. in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. PREFACE. THIS work was originally written and published in the French language as a Mémoire in answer to the following prize question proposed by the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences in the Institute of France: "Quels sont les progrès qu'a fait le droit des gens en Europe depuis la Paix de Westphalie ?" In rendering it into our language the author has considerably enlarged the work, especially the introductory part relating to the history of the European law of nations previous to the peace of Westphalia. He has also subjoined a summary account of the international relations of the Ottoman Empire with the other European states, of the recent transactions relating to the interference of the great powers in the affairs of Greece and Egypt, and of the discussions between the United States and Great Britain, relating to the right of search as applicable to the African slave trade, terminated by the treaty of Washington in 1842. It has been very justly observed that "international law is founded only on the opinions generally received among civilized nations, and its duties are enforced |