Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-08-12
fl2 10 Cenfs Sig21s.1


Shawanese nation he proved friendly, and
out his assistance Hust have again sa.ltd
into the hands ofmy savage foes.
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(, FROM TIE WASRIYG7oH EEDERatfS9
We are indebted to a friend in town Tor
Bermuda Gxzette OF the 18Th ult irony
which We copy the following remarks on
the outrage committed by The British
ship of war Leopard upon the Chcsa.
peake. These remarks are worthy thc
greater consideration Tor having been
written, IL VIC are told, either by The go.
vernon or attorney general Of Bermuda.
Should the government oi Engl ND Insist
upon che right here contenGsd iOr, that
of Searching national vessels, We see nos
how i war between the TWO countries can
be avoided. To concede the right. on
our part would be to surrender our intle-
pendeUce. National ships, we believe,
arc and ever have been considered as ma
tional territory: and any attack on them
must be considered equally an act of war
with the invasion of our country.
a considerable sensation has been cxcit-
ed IN the U. States, IN consequence of the
attack made On the 22d June, bv his ma
jesty'S ship Leopard, upon the u. States fri
gate Chesapeake, IN recover four men who
had deserted from II NJ. S Melampus, and
who, (though regularly claimed BY our Mi
Mister, from the Executive ofthe u. States,)
were refused 70 be restored. 1t would be-
premature in US, to offer may comments
upon this transaction; OF which we have on
ly partial account, from the American
prints. 1t Cannot however escape observa-
ton that, even in this partial account, it is
'aff lnt,lNf al l,,ti,
native Americans. The conclusion to be
drawn from the hmericon papers is ;hat all,
or ut least some, of the men, were British
Subjects; for one account mentions thas
fIvo, another that three, Of the men were
Americans and the u. States Gazette
fairly admits hat it is doubtful whc her
the men were native Americans or not
But this paper observes that, admitting
them to be British Subjects, the British,
Commander had no right to take tn. IN by
force out Of the Chesapeake il this e
the issue between the TWO countries, il VIII
not require much discussion to settle (.
The Sht of retaining her own Seamen,
7ohcrcTer they may be JGunG, is what q,
Britain has always aSsei ted, and what we
trust she will never rclmqu!sh. The right
o. search S admitted even by the Amcli-
cans to ne mt cessary TO mlr time Capture
cy, be denied that the righ; Of reciaiming
Seamcn, is equally necessary to maritime
capture These men owl. tever their na-
onal Character,) are admitted to have
been dcserters from the Mesmrus; hey
are admitted % have been demanded by our
Minister from the American government,
who refused 70 restore them, S did also
the Captain OF the Chesapeake, when they
were demanded Ofhim These admissions
appear 10 Us, not merely to just ~ the Bril-
fish Commander, but 60 have rendered his
conduct necessary, 10 support the charac-
ter oiihe nation. With what Justice then,
or regard to deCency, does the Norfo !, COM
miHeeoj fR6Hc 8Qjefyf apply the Epithets,
assasafH-Gkc, fliraticai and co7vardly, to
the conduct Of Capt. Humphries? In their
heat these gentlemen appear to have over
looked The meaning of the terms they
thought proper to use. Was it assassin
AXE in Humphreys, to send a Lieutenane
with orders to Com. Barron, and to allow
halt an hour to decide, whether he would
oblige lhem to be executed Was it Gi3G-
ftcGi for the comm nder OF Kings ship,
to obey the orders of lis superior Officer?
But it seems it was Cowardly in Hum
J phrcyS, to attack the Chesapeake, when
her powder was damp, and her Cables COLI
cd over her guns.
1 In the first place, how was Humphreys
to imagine that any ship Of war could be
/ in a state to make it necessary 20 p, adj
/ INSTRUMENTATION and want cf disc plue as
az excuse tor partial resistance But in
! the next place, II Capt. Ii. had known this,
could he have assigned it as a reason to his
commanding officer, tor not obey ing ms or
deTs Com. Barron had his choice; either
to give up the men, or to be fred into and
he preferred tie latter.
There have been several instances, oE
Captains Of British ships Of war. allowing
their crews to be examined by ofiicers Of
American States Ships, IN search Of de-
sCrtcrs.
If congress net immediately, Il is not inn
probable that, III tacir passion, they might
have declared war. Such an event wojiid
be much to be deprecated but Should is
Unfortunately be the case, it viii nos be- difA
firult TO decide who were the ag.ressvrs.
------
Their proceedings justify this titlr.---
Who that reads them, would conjecture
that there was any thing like regular got
yernment &C Norfolk
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BOSTON. Juiv ST.