The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-07-14

ger. Secondly, of the right and the prejudice
of the Sri,iih ration with refpett 10 what are
called tie Britiih or narrow feas, where its do.
main would be abandoned by the general til
pnlation required. Thirdly. of the uie which
would be made of fuch Cancluary as that of A
merican velIrls, for deiertions, and ,raitorous
communications to her enemies, Especially a.
crofs the channel to France.
IN. With refpe6 to the Britifh feamen fer
that the number, though comfortable, is pro-
badly lefs than may be fuPpoied, Secondly,
that what is wrong in itfrlf cannot be made
right by considerations of expcdieucy or adv an
tage, Thirdly, that it is proved by the fact
that the number of real Britiih fnbjees gained
ty the practice in qucifion, is of comfortable
Importance even in the fca'e of advantage. The
annexed report to congrefs on the fubeG of
imprefiments, with the addition of fuch cafes
as may be in the hands of Mr.. Ervine, then our
consnlin London, will verify the remark in it's
application to The prefent war. The itatement
made by his p-edsce!Tor during the laft war,
ana which is a'fo annexed, is in the fame view
f;ll more conclufve. The fta;ement compre-
herds not only all the applications made by
him IN the frit infance, for the liberation of
i:nprefisd feamen, between the month of June,
1907, and Sept. 1901, bu. many alto which
had been made previous TO this agency, by Mr..
Piackney and MIR. King, and which it was me-
ceffary far him to renew. Theft applications
therefore may fairly he confdered as embracing
the greater part of the period of the war; and
IT'S applications are known to be pretty indif-
crinnatcly made, they may further be conf
dered as embracing If rot the whole, the far
greater part part of the imprefimcnts, thoft of
Br!!i!h fubjetts well as Others. Yet the refult
exhibits 1859 cafes only, and of this number
Io2 feamen only detained as being Eritilh fub-
jeSts, which is iefs than 2 10 Of the number
inprefed, and jag discharged or ordered to
be 70, as not being Britifh fahje6ts, which is
more than half of the whole number, leaving
sos for further proof, with the frongef pre-
tumption, that the crater part, ifnot the whole,
were Americans or other aliens, whole proof of
citizcnihip had been Ion or daftroyed, or whole
iituatcn would account for the difficulties and
delays in producing it. So that it is certain,
th,t for all the Brtiih feamen gained by this VIZ
client proceeding, more than an equal number,
who were not 70, we're the victims; it is high
iY probable that for every Britfh feaman 70
gsined, a number of others, 'sfs than 10 for
one mua have been the victims, and it is even
poiiibls that this number may have exceeded
the proportion twenty to one.
It cannot therefore be doubted, that the ac-
quiiition of Btitifh feamen, by thefe imprefr.
ments, whatever may be its advantage, is loft
in the wrong done to Americans ign1rantiy or
wiIfuy miaak:n for Briiih fuhiefts, in the
Jea!Uufy and i'll will excited among all maritime
''ations by an adherence to fuch practice, and
in the particular provocation to meafures of re-
drefs the part of the United States, not lefs
difagrecable to them, than embarrafiiog to G.
Britain, and which may threaten the good un-
derfandine which ought to be faithfully cui.
tivated By both. The copy of bill brought
into CongreiS under the Influence of violations
committed on our flag, gives force to this lat
ter confederation. Whether it will pats into
law, and ut the prefens feffion, is more than
can yet ne faid. As there is every reafon to be-
i'~ve thar it has been propelled with reluctance,
1t will probably not be purified with effect, if
any hooe can be fupportcd of remedy, by an
amicabi2 arrangement between the two nations.
There is 2 further confederation which ought
to have weight in this queition. Although the
BrtI'h feawen employed in carrying on Ameri-
can commerce, be in fome refpeGts loft to their
own nation, yet fuch is the intimate and exten-
live connection of this commerce, direct and
circuitous, with the commerce, the manufac-
fures, the revenue and the general refuurces of
the Br'tiSi nation, that in other refpeas its ma
riners, ON board American vefIeIs, may truly
be flid To be rendering it the mott valuable fer
vices. It would not he extravagant TO make it
q Que!tion, whether Great B tair would not
itiIcT WpVc OV WlthdraUIDE her teameu from
the merchin vclFtls OF the United States. than
her enemies wOuld fufitr from the addition Of
,hem TO The crews Of her fhips of war and
CRITTERS.
Should any difficulty be farted concerning
fcamec born within the Briti(b dominions, and
natura'iicd by the Uaitsd States Gnce the trea-
~ % 1855. yom may remove ii by obferviu,. (;
FRI, that very few, if any, fuch naturalizati.
ons can take place, the law here requiring a
preparatory re6dence of five years, with notice
of the intention to become a citizen entered of
record two years before the laft necefary for
mal'ty, beiides regular proof of good and mo-
raj character, conditions little likely to be com
piled with by ordinary featuring perfons. Sc
condly, that A dfcontinuance of impreifments
on the high fess will preclude an actual celf-
hon between the interfering claims. Within
the juridictioR of each eation, and in their ref
pstljve veiIels on the high fcas, each will en-
force the allegiance which it claims. Ia other
htuations the individuals doubly claimed, will
be within jurfdiction indep endent of both ma
tous.
Secondly. The Brilh preten(ions to domain
over the narrow ieas are 70 obfolete, and 70 in.
ueteniible, that they never would have occur.
red as probable objection in this cafe, if the
had not actually frultrated arrangement fet-
tied hv Mr.. King with the Brtiih miniftry on
the lubj'f Of imprefTments from American vef
fele on the high feas. Atthe moment when the
articles were expected to be fgued, an cxcep.
fion of the " narrow feas" was urged and in.
fitted on by lord St. Vincent and being utter
~ hadmfhhIe on our part, the negotiation wal