Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1806-02-06
FoR TKs RHoDs-lSLAND REPUBLICAN,.

THs BILL recently introduced in the
Senate of the United States, by Mr..
Wright of Maryland, for the protse-
fion and naturalization of Amsriean
)samen, mua furely accord with the
wiihes of every American citizen.
That conduct of i'npreI,nent 70 long
purfued by Britiih naval policy, APP
proaches 70 near the vilelt fpecies of
brigandage that our government fhould
net heiitate moment to adopt meal
ures for refraining it, 70 far as our
feamen are It's victims even though
thefe mcafures, owing to imperious
circumstances, be fanguinary and vim
dieive. This practice mutt be more
indignantly reprobated, when it claims
not TO be legalized by aay law Of their
own (their "common law" excepted)
or fulfilled or executed, even by their
ridiculous fubterfuge of precedent |;
though the cultom among them has
exifed for ages. Even thofe who
have emitted themielves to advocate
every mealure that the charges of
Britilh policy has called for, have ne
yer dared to efpoule the principle. A
Burke, Pitt, a Cobbett, and even a
Sir William Scott have obferved all
the flence of guilt on the fubjea.
Whatever may be the practical OPP
erations of the bill we are ready to
declare that fomething of the kind may
and ought 10 be done. Ii the right
of an independent nation to make re-
prifals, for any, aggreaions commit
ted on its citizens or their property.
Have not fequefration and conflca-
ton been reforted to for thefe purpo-
fes! The impreGment and robbery OF
our feamen, may as well be reraliated
and repelled by the feizure or /equeE
tration of their own fubjeets. Defen-
five principles will readily admit the
ancient maxim, an eye for an'eye-a
footb for tootb. Our land of liberty is
not an altar Of refuge, that fcreens
the perpretator from guilt at the ex-
pence of juitice. And fhall we fear
to advance in adopting meafures, in
creating in feverity, as thofe more mild
fhall fail in arreiting the outrage. The
rape of Grccian HELEN, occafioned
ten years war againt the rapacious
Trojans, and ended, it is faid, in the
deltruaion of Ilium.
IF their war fhips are made the gaols
of our citizens, have we not alfo prilons
& penitentiaries And fhall we heftate
to arrel & JsqusAer their TROLLING fub-
jeas: who may be compelled to remun-
erate to the community what fhe has
loft in the induary of her own citiz-
ems. Thefe are foley the unrevifed
thoughts of mind indignant at this
practice of Englilh barbarity. Rape
and violence on the perfons of men,
for political purpofes, have not their
parallel among the mof favage nations
of the world ; unlefs in the name of
captives of war. They are only to be
found in the Legendary tales of Cyp-
fies and the devil.
The fubjea however is too ferrous
for ridicuIe. BY this horrid practice,
our friends are torn from us and com.
mitted to the cultody of blood-payed
holds, loathfome as hell to people
bred in habits of peace and indnltri-
Gus employment. Sometimes indeed
an inyifible arm provides for their ef-
cape But oftener they are retained as
victims to the caprice of pride and
power. We mutt not only encounter
with the grievance of their impref-
ment and death, but our folicitude
mutt be irritated by the uncertainty
of their fate. To quiet fufpended
mind, We are not INDUCED even with
the confolatiou of the fire of Iofeph,