Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-02-22
CON G r E SIS.
Tin Senate Of the United States,
& On The bilt.tar tAe protection and iademni-
feaf,oR Of 14meriean seamen.
TIT. WaIcHr's Spee1h c0acludea.]

tend 10 soldiers found by seoure or cove
snans 20 serve on land and aquestion was,
made whether soldiers who had taken Prest
10 serve against the rebels 10 Ireland, were
liable to the penalties OF that law, which.
was cleared up IN parliament IN these
; words, :. That the said stat. Henry " In
-~allspsins, forfeisures and penalties, did,
,doth. aod hereafter shal,extend as we'll 10
every mariner or gunner having taken, or
who hereafter shall take presE or wages, 70
: ssrye her queen's majesty, as 1t DID, or
doth. TO soldiers, any opinion TO the con-
= srary Notwithstanding" These are the
tas,aruses from whence Inc right Is pretended
90 be Inferred which, ! Pfesulne,s 60 10
.shey that. the mariner aud soldier mus be
Unlisted before they are liable 10 the penal
ties of desereion, and taas Is IS by contract
and not hp force, the soldier becomes bound
go serve, and that the right Is bounded 10
the prostilu,iaa of the sound OF the word
Jtsov. D., Cow.@Inst. L. D.Iprsst tor
the sense, which word means :. money paid
60 soldier or sailor to enlist norris It
at all 70 be wondered as, that right tcnnd,.
ed in necessity, the tyrant's plea, should
Z rest on a presex. SO .Aimsy,, or that the bare
riers of e,ymolagy should not De able TO
withstand. as necessity has no law, the
physical fierce of a press gang. And alsho.
this right Of the seaman TO o. &xemPk from
!, service bur On their enlistment, has been
aaader the claim Of prerogaave substantial:
ly violated, yet the form OF the commits.
!. sion TO itnprsss retains the evidence of this
violation. It's IN these words: Fost. G,
L.15c.l eve do hereby empower and
direct YOU TO impress or cause 10 be inn
!. pressed go many seamen, &c. giving unto
each man one shi!lia,s for press money"
:, &c. Thus l have shewn, that British sub-
iecss are no, legsi;y bound unless they re.
ceiyc prest, or bounty 10 enlist. And to,
/. avoid imposition ii is provided by sta.
tute rs & 6 w. & NJ. c. IS that nc. Pers
soa snail be enlisted for Inc land service,
.syho did not 10 presence OF magistrate,
high constable, &c. dselare his free censent
60 be enlisted as soldier"
Can we then submit 60 the exercise of
this royal prerogatiye right, 20 be inforeed
ON those sailing under the flag of the u
States without the limits of the Brush EN-
pire. A practice judge Blackstone IN,
forms US. Britons have submitted TO with
great reluctance and viii it not be said
A'that We are wanting to,ourselves" it We
should not guard our seameu against this
outrage by all the in our power !?
], But il may be said the British government
have right to the service of hsr own sub
iecls-I have shewn, notify impressment,
and will now shew thar they have a right
of becoming American citizens, and being
protected in that right. Tuck. Black. ].
!, vol. p. 145l "By the law of nature man IS
subject to 90 restraints and may pass into a
any region. Wat. III sec. 225. Blythe
Jaw of nations every subject has right 20
exparriate himself and seek his fortune.
where he can best promote his Interest.
: II Black. Com. 265 NJ B. 49, And
!, 6yihe commonlaw every EDglishman may
s 90 out ofthe realm without the king sleaye.
for any cause he please,h. And SO far has
Britain recognized this right IN osherr by
5 parliament, that by the navigation act one
5 fourth, OF every ships crew msy-be foreign.
ers, IS Ana. Q. 81, BY the statute of Ann
i three fourths may be foreigners, and by
the statute of Geo. Cd Els Geo. 2, c.ssl It
Is provided IS that any foreigner serving on
4 board OF any merchant ship or ship of war
for two years in time OF war, shall pso
facto become British subject, entitled 10
5. all the privileges of nativeborn subiect,"
: Thus wesee Britain invites foreigners into
4 her service, and secures them in all the
privileges of her native subjects, among
which protection is the most important.
= Can il be then that Britain will exercise a
X right thar is not legitimate? Or claim for
herself wh2s she will deny TO others? It
mot, then she admits the right of expa,ria-
ton, which is enthusiastically the law OF ma
&c nations and the common law and