Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1806-04-10

the Secretary Of S'aie--:hs black catalogue Of
| impreGmen,s.
| wilI next. pre- fert to your viex the nearu,c,
adopted by ihe leg natise and ,x-cn,ive depart-
ments OF the governments OF the u. S. for their
redrsf..
10 the year 796 Congr-f. by lay, r, vol.
31zJ direeied agents TO be appointed. TO REID.
IN Great Britain. and in inch foreign porss. ss
the Prendent might dired. Whole daty is fhould
be, 10 enquire into the 6susfion of iach Amer
ican citizens. or o:hes. falling confornsbiy 10
| the lav OF natious, order The pyst<tfi,r of thc
fmr,iean ftg, who had bsen or ihnuid be i'm
Prciicd. by any fotciga DC cSes, and TO endesvor
by alllcgsl means soubtsin their rrlrssc: and TO
treodcr an account Of all imprsTren,, aad deten-
tious 10 the executive Of the u. Stare.."
| they Ito directed fhc collector of the few
erai poru, on proof being made OF the cir;zru-
fhip OF any fesman, TO give him certificate
thcrcof. under hope, that il woold have been
refpceied in foreign port, and have protected
him from impeachment. Tnis ceriif ifcate acoui-
red the same of a proteaio,.'
!, They aifo direesed, :" Thar every CAPTAIN of
vefIri. in cafe of any of he c,ew osine I'M
prefsd. fhal hi, rrosea az III. i.ft Dor, he
hail arrive, with the name and fidrnce of tbe
perfon, ard trsnirit Immediately by pcft du-
plica'c of fuch prcte4. 10 the ncarcl seent, mi
niaer, or cenfal reGdent in fuch county. and
aifo on his arrival in America, TO the fscre,,ry
of hste."
"And fhasever captain on his arrival At a.
ny port o. the United SfarsA before he fh,ll he
Admitted 20 entry OF his veiIel, fhall he reoui.
red by the colletfoT 10 declare on oath, whether
any Of the crew have been imprsn.d, which he
fhal take under The pcraity Of 100 dollars. and
the collector 10 bound to return iiit of all ia
p,eiIr-u's. communicated to hi,a. to the fe.
cre,ary of Rate
10 1899, ,he frcretsty Of Fate, isairee,ed BY
law, = VI. so, !" To lay before Conqreis
annually, aa,emens OF all impreaments report
ed 10 him, that they nigh, be officially, and
pseciis'y Informed OF the fts'e Of our mprefIed
fcsmcn."
Under ,heie leg;A,-ioe proyifions and the in
,crvenrion OF our agents appoio,et for that pur
pote. hundreds OF oor fesmen no doubt have
bcen d,fcbasged by the bosrd OF admiralty, Wills
st the fame time, and under the fame authority.
the impidemcnt. kept pace with the discharges.
70 thar iuaead OF redseGing the wrong. il was
only ieA,esed 10 routine, thereby adding iniu.
TO injury. fns all important fubjcet, from its
commencement. has sIf, been particularly atren-
det 20 by the executives Of the United States.
Oar miniaers at London, duiiog three foccef-
FIVE adminifrssions, have bren fpecially charged
with it, aDd we have witrehed their diplomatic
exertions 20 bring this lawlsfs and cruel practice
to an end, but all 10 no effect. And now we
are info,mcd by the PreGdrnr of The u Sraic,,
in his meiagc OF the i7th January taft that
'On the impreGnent OF oof lesmen, ops re-
monfraoces have never been inteimitted, hope
exifed at one moment. of an arrangement thai
might have been fubnitted 20, bur It ioon paC-
fed away, and the practice. though relaxed at
times in the diaant iess, has been conRaotly
purfued by thofc in our neighboIhcod.'
This, Mr.. Pfeddcnt, is the pSofpea preien.ed
to our vies, whereby thouiands Of our unforto-
nate feamen, that hardy and Invaluable clafs of
citizens. are conGgncd to the mott intoIerablc
bondage, iby the imperious mandate of Bri,i{h
naval officer. whole word il the fuprene law
from which thesc 10 no appeal) and which eioo-
my profped we are now informcd, by the high
cff authority, thee is not fpark OF hope left to
enlighten.
Sir. hare invited you to inveitieate this
fubjcd wirhth eye of temper, bat at the fame
time, truR that ,h. nations juffice will not be
compromised, by exceeding the bounds Of mo-
derstion tor il has its limits and we are in-
formed by the Law Of nations Vat. 433S 3ss.l
t" That the true and juH welfare OF the nation is
the grand rule Moderation ia always laudable
in itfeif, bot the conductors of nations ought TO
make uc Of il, only 70 far a. il 10 coniReat with
the happiness and fasety of their people," Un-
der this view of the fob;cN. can we fubmis to
this fate OF things That i the 9ueRion.
have pscfumed not; and that preiamption, L
nave brought the futjea before this Senate in
the fhape it is preiented in this bill. Sir.
with il TO be recolIetted that the infant Gate of
our navy fuppreaes every hope OF redfefs on the
element of our wrongs. and that this is meaf-
ure Of neceiity, not of choice. Wherefore
trua il will not be though, too nervous, when
il 10 cosGdered, that we have joa csufe Of var.
will therefore, nov, fir, proceed to the conGd-
Grafton Of The merits ofthis bill.
GTs Be eosfisasd.1