Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-02-13

seamen only, detained as being B,i,,s,
subjects, which j. less than 1 20 81
number impressed, and l,i42 dl.ch.,."ss
o, ordered to be so, as NO. being RE-, 'a
subjects, which is more than hall of =
whole number, leaving sos for fu,,b
proof, with the strongest presumption ~.
the greater part, if not the whole. w..
Americans or other Aliens, whose mr.
Of citizenship had been lost or des,ro,s -
or whose situation would accoua, far i,
difficulties and delays in prodpcipv Sd
that j. is certain, that for all the S,;,;st
seamen gained by this violent procsedira
more than an equal number who were %
SO were the victims; it is highly rrobstI.
that for every Brl,ish seaman SO gained ),
number of others, notices. than 10 for o..
must have beenthe eictims, and itise,.a
possible that this number may have ev
-ceeded the proportion of 20 to cne.
Ii cannes therefore be doubted, tia, i,
acquisition Of British seamen by these im
pressments, whatever may be its adyap,ap.
is los, 10 the wrong done to Americans,
norantIy or wiltully mistaken for British
subjects, in the; Jealousy and ill.wil excited
among all maraume nations by an adhr,.
ence to such practice. and 10 rhe par,icp.
lar provecation to-measures OF redress On
the part OF The .Unned States no, les. die.
agreeable TO them, than embarrassing IN
Great Britain, and which may threaten
the good understanding which ought lob.
faithfully cultivated by both, The copy q
q bill brought into congress under the 10.
huence Of Y .ola,ioEs eemitted on cor flr
gives force .o,hic latter censideratoa-
y neither il will pass into law, and attn:
present session, is more than canyetbe.sd.
As there is every reason to believe that
it has been proposed with reluctance, i! will
probably not be pursued into effect fany
hope can be supported OF a remedy, by an
amieable arrangement between the TWO ma.
tons.
There is further consideration which
ought to have weight in this question:
Although the British seamen employed 10
carrying on American commerce, be 10
some respects lost to their own nation, ye.
such is the intimate and extensive conueSt
on of this commerce, direc, and circuit
Gus, with the commerce, the manufactures,
revenue, and the general resources OF the
British nation, that in other respects Its
; mariners, on board American vessels, may
truly be said TO be rendering it the mos!
valuable services. It would not BE- extra
VACANT 10 make j, question, whether u
Britain would ne, suffer more by withdraw
/ ing her seamen from the merchant vessels
! OF the u States than her enemies would
suffer from the addition Of them to tic
crews of her ships of war and crulssrs
! Should any difficulty be started concern
ing seamen born within the British doall
Mons, and naturalized by the u. States
1 since the treaty of 1888, you may remove
! il by observing: First, that very tsw' Il
any such Daturalizations can take place, the
law here requiring a preparatory residence
OF five years, with notice OF the intention
! TO becoms citizen entered of record two
years before the last necessary iormaINy'
besides regular proof of good moral 'na'
racter, conditions little likely to be conn
piled with by ordinary sea.faring persons
; Secondly, that discontinuance OF impre'"
mems on the high seas will preclude 'u
actual collision between the interfering
claims. Within the jurisdiction ct eaca
nation, and in their respective 7essels W
the high seas, each will enforce the aleS.
ance which /, claims. In other SITUATIONS
the individuals doubly claimed, WIN " "
within q jurisdiction independent ol 00'"
nations. :.
Secondly, The British pretens'ops :"
domain over the narrow seas are so oOsy .
.lete and go indetenslb!e, tina. they pew.
would have occurred as probable o'J ~ y,
ton in this case, if they had not ac'us -.
frustrated an arrangement settled py M
King with the British ministry on the 'o. s
jec, Of iapre.smen,s from American w.t. -,
sells on the high seas. Al the ,l0l" ;sn.
when The ar;icles were expected TO oe ;, ,.s -.