Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1806-02-25

udVtle0,NenC even naturaltseu ia The VI
States, she constantly refuses 10 release
from hers American citizens impressed
into It. whenever she Can give for rca.
son, tina, they were either settled or mar
ried within her dominions. Thus, when
the voluntary consent ofthe individual ia.
vors her pretensions, she pleads the vail
dity of thar consent. When the yolun-
tary consent Of the individual stands in the
way of her pre,ensions, it goes for no.
thing! When marriage or residence can
be pleaded in her favor, she aYaiIs herself
OF the plea. When marriage and resi-.
derce, and even naturalization are against
her no respect whatever is paid To either
She takes by force her own subjects, vo.
UNFAIRLY serving in our vessels. She
keeps by force American ci,izsns, invo
Dn,arily serving in hers. More fragrant
Inconsistencies. cannot be imagined.
Notwithstanding the powerful motives
which ought To be felt by the British go
ve'nmenl to relinquish practice which
exposes 1t to SO many reproaehes, il is
foTeseen that objections of different sorts
WIZ be pressed on you--You will be told
hrst, ot,he great number of British sea-
men in the American trade, and of the
necessity Tor their services in time of
war aud danger. Secondly, of the right
and the prejudice of the British nation,
with respect TO what are called the Brie
fish or narrow seas, where it's domain;
would be abandoned by the general sti-
pulation required. Thirdly, of the use
which would be made of such sanGlua-
ry as that Of American vessels, for dcscr-
lions, and trai.erous communications 10
her enemies, especially across the chan
mel Ia France.
ist. With respect TO the British seamen
serving in our trade, it may be remarks
Ell, FIRST, that the number, though con-
siderable, is probably less than may be,
Supposed. Secondly, that what is wrong
IN itself cannot be made right by consl.
oeratinn of expediency or advantage.
hrdly, that it is proved by the fact, that
the number Of real British subjects gain-
ed by The Practice in rtquisition, is ofin-
considerable importance, even in The
scaie Of advantage. The annexed re-
port 10 congress on the subject of i'm
pressmen,s, with The addition uf suchca-
ses a, may be in the handso of Mr. Erwing,
Will verify the remark in lis application
To the present Wharf.-The s,;,ement made
by HI: predecessor during the last war,
ana which IS also annexed, is in the same
view sill more conclusive. The state
Inent coInprehcnds not only all the ap-
phcatinns made by him in the 6is, in
Stance, for the liberation ofimpressed sea.
lncH, between the month OF June, 1897,
aud Sept. 1901, but many also which had
been made previous to his agency, by
Fir P'nckoey and Mr. King, and which it
was necessary for him TO renew. These
applications therefore may fairly be con.
sldered as embracing the greater part of
the period OF the war; aud as applications
are known TO be pretty unfortunately
made, they nay further be considered as
embracing, If not the whole, the far grea-
Ter part Of the Impressmsn;s, those of
British subjects as we'll Others. Yet
The result exhibits 2,C59 cases only, and
"i tins number !o2 seameD only, delain-
cd as being British subjects, which Is less
than LEO of The number impressed, and
i,l42 discharged OF ordered 10 be so, as
hot being British subjects, which is more
than half of the whole Misunderstanding
sos 10; further proof, with the stronge.l
Presumption that The greater part, ii not
The whole, were Americans or other all |
ems, whose proof Of citizenship had been
lost or destroyed, or whose situation !
would account for the difficulties and de
lays in producing il. So that it is Certain
that OF all The British sea,Aen gained by
this violent protecting, more than an e.
qual humber who were not so were the !
victims; lis highly probable that for C.
very British seaman SO gained, a number
Of Others, less than ten for one, mus,
have been the victims, and il is even pos
she that this number may have exceed. /
cd tile proportion OF twenty 10 one.
Il cannot therefore be doubted, that the !
acquisition Of British seamen by these |
imp essmenls, whatever may be its ad. |
vantage, is lost in the wrong done to A.
melicans ignoranliy or wiIfulIy mistaken
for British Subjects, in the jealousy and i'll
viii excited among all the maritime va.
tons by an sdhei erce to such a practice,
aud in the particular provccati TO mea-
suTes of redress on the part OF the Uni
ted States, not less dissgreeable TO them
tEsn embarrassing 10 Great Britain, and
which may lhreasen The good unders,an.
ding which ougbtto be faithfully culti-
waited by both. The copy Of bill brot
into congfess under The influence Of VIC.
lalions committed on our flag, gives force