The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-02-15

be told hrt, OF the great number of Britiih f.a-
men IN the American trade, and of the necefii-
~ for their iervices in time Of war and tlarger.
Seconaly, OF the right and the prejudice of the
brltiih nation, with refpect to what are called
tue britiih or narrow feas, where It's domain
would be abandoned by the general itipulation
required. Thirdly, of the ufe which would be
mace OF tuch tanttuary as that of American
VeheiS' for defertions, and traiterous conmu-
mcation to her enemies, Especially acrois The
channel TO France
lh With refpe9 to the Britiih fean,cn ferving in
our trade, may be remarked 6rit that the num-
ber though comfortable, probably lels than may be
iuPpoied Secondly, thar what is wrong in itfefcan-
not be made right by conideraons of expediency or
advantage Thirdly, that proved by the fa that
the number OF real Britilh fubjeels gained by the
practice IN queition, is of comfortable importance.
even in the icale Of advantage The annexed reporr
to Congreis OH the fubject of mprefIments with m.
addition of luch cafes may be in the hands of Mr.
Erving, VIII verify the remark in its application to
the preient war The tlatement made BY his prede4
ceiior during the lait war; and which is alto annexed
IS III ths lame view Gill more coneuiive The
hatehen' eonprehends not only all the appio atons
made by him in the frl inttance, for the berar;oo
OF npreiied feamen, between the month of Inn. I-n-
and September, 1901, but many ALTO which had br.n
made previous to his agency, by MIR. Pinckrey and
Nir. kng, and which it was neceIary for him TO re-
new. Theie applications therefore may fairly b..
cohaered as embracing the greater part of the peri
cd OF the war; and as applications are known r., h..
pretty ndifern,ipately made, they may further bs
confdered as embracing, if not the whole, the far
part OF the mPrements, thofe of Bri,i fnl-
ecfs as we'll as others. Yet the refut exhibits oo5a
Gales only. and of this number Io2 feamen only, de-
tanned as being Brth fubje6fs, which is Iefs th.n
l2o of the number inpreiIed and I.l4o d;rcb,-asd
or ordered to be 70, not beinx Brtifh lub;eSls;
which is more than half of the whole number Law
log sos Tor further proof, with the frongx1 pre-
imPton that the greater part, if not the whole were.
Americans or other Aliens, whole proof of citizen
IMP mad been lott or deisroyed, or Whole ii.ua,ioo
would account for the difficulties and DELAYS in nr,
dueing It, So that it is CERTAIN that for all the Br
tiih ieamen gained>b by this violent proceeding more
than an equal number who not 70 were the VIC
TINS 1t is highly probable that for every prit;f S.a
men 10 gained, number of Others lefs than 10 for
one, mutt have been the victims, and it iseven rolf
bic that this number may have exceeded the prorort-
! on of 20 to ore.
IT cannot therefore be doubted that the aeou;G,oa
OF Birth ieamen, by ,heie mpreiTnents, whatever
may be its advan,age,is Ion ia the wrong done -
Americans ignorantly wifully r,liaake sr Bri1ilb
iubees, in the ealouy and llwill excited among ma
rtme nations by an adherence to Iuch practice and
the particular provocaton meafres of redref on
the part OF the United States, not els dilapreeab. To
theIn than embarrailiEg to Great Britain and which
may threaten the good understanding which orrrh, to
be faithfully cultivated by both. The copy of bill
brought into Gongrefs under re influence of VIOLATE
oHs committed on our flag, gives force to this Litter
cohiideratioH whether 1t will pats into law and
at the preent silon, than can vet be lai1 As
there every reaon believe that i. has been p,o
Poisd with reluctance, 1t will probably not be purlu
ed INTO effect, 1t any hope can be Imported of re-
medy, by an amicabe arrangement between the two
nations
There is further confederation which ought to have
weight IN this quetiun. Although the Briti(h f.a
4
M Tome reipects LOFT to their own nation vet fueh is
the intimate and exteniive connexon Of this comm,
direct and creutous, with the commerce. the man,l-
features, revenue and the general recources of tho
nritih nation, that in other rePects it's Mariners on
board American vefles, may truly be fad to be rem,
: dering it the mof valuable fervices II woId mn, T.,
! extravagant to make tia queition, whether Gr,a,-
brIsain would not iuffer by Withdrawing hr-
feamen from the merchant vefIes Of the u States
than her enemies would fuffer from the addition &c
them to the crews OF her ihps of war, and cruizer
Should any difficulty be itarted concerning fpatn.n
born within the Briri!h domiRons, and naturazed by
the w. s. tinee the treaty of 1888, You may remove
1t by obiervg Firh that very few If any luch ma
i QUALIFICATIONS can take place, the law here recurring
preparatory redence Of five years. with notice of The
intention to become citizen entered Of record two
years before the lat neceirary Formally beides re-
gular proof of good moral character conditions ,t,Io
likely TO be complied with by ordinary iea-farnq per-
Ions. Secondly, that dlcOntnuanee ofimprc.Imsn,s
on the high ieas will preclude an aual coil;fon he.
tween the interfering claims Within the iurisdiaiun
OF each nation and in their reflective veifes ON III.
nigh teas, each will enforce the allegiance which II
claims In other fituations the individuals doubty
Claimed will be within iurifdetio. independent Of
i both nations.
! Secondly, The Br.iih preteniions to domain owe.
the narrow ieas 10 obiolete and so indcfepfb,e
that they never would have occurred as a probab,.
objection in this cafe, they had no; actually irura
: ted an arrangement Ge,led by MIR. King With the
britlh mintry on the fubjea OF inipreGnent, from
American veilels on the high feas AT the n,on,est
when the articles were expelled to DE igned, All exc
cePton of the narrow ieas'' was urged and irGtsd
Oh by lord ST. Vincent; and being utterly inadinl.
fbe on our part, the negotiation was abandoned.
The objecionin itfelf has certainly not the liyb,.
eft foundation. The tire has been, indeed, when
England not only claimed, but exereifed pretenGon,
feareey inferior to full foveregnty over the las fur
rounding the Brtih lilies, and even a. far as Cane III;
n'ltere TO the fouth, and Van Staten in Norway I,
the north. 1t was time, however, when reaCou
had little fhare i'll determining the law, and the in
tercourie OF nations when power alone decided ques
tions OF right, and when the ignorance and want of
concert among other maritime countries facilitated
iueh an ufnrPaton The PrOgrefs of civilization AID
tnvN.I .E--.