What are neutral rights? Why did the United States try to maintain a position of neutrality?

Neutral rights are the capability of a state to remain neutral towards other states at war with one another.  The United States chose to maintain a position of neutrality simply because they did not want to concern themselves with wars going on in other areas.

Explanation:

both the ability of a state to remain neutral toward other states at war with one another and the freedom of a neutral state from barrier by the belligerents, including undisturbed commerce business traffic with non-belligerents, and even including commerce with belligerents, if that commerce does not encouragement in war.

b) that he was not a free man