Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-08-11
teetioss from the admiralty. Wide Is
4 ! b i

for tzV0 years, during q time OF war, on
board any public Or epen private British
ships, are by law deemed, !" natural born
subjects sf G.. Britain, Vide 10 Geu-2.
II will then be seen, thar naturaExing
seames and granting projections for the
purpose Ut bleaching them from their ma,
rural allegiance. are not as they have been
called s Ameyit an inventions
The impfessment Of seamen is contrary
to the genius Of the English law, and no
such right has ever been vessed by statute,
ihough its existence at common lag. may
be inferred from several staln.es, limiting
the exercise Of inpressment. Seamea
above SIS or under 18 years Of age. sppreu-
tees. ferrymsn aud 6rshermen. and all
persons Of whatevet age, jar t1Vo gears
after first going to sea, are exempted and
entitled to projections. 10 law (unless
one has been recently enacted) has eyer
existed for compelling desetiers to return
to seryise, except on board the kings
ships. British sailors who have ever sign.
ed articles 70 serve in Bri.ish merchants
ahips, cannot be compelled to specific
performance of shslr contracts, and are
only liable to confinement for q short time.
as punishment for deser,ion, A deserter
from foreign ship canno, BE- arrested in
England, and returned TO his duty. Any
seaman may leave his service in private
vessel, at any time, and euler on board a
kings ship, wilhous foffeising his wages or
being deemed deser,er.
There is nothing 10 the British statutes
or public regulations which countensnces
the impressment of seamen, from British
vessels on tie high seas, and 90 such right.
in tespec. to foreign vessels isrecognizsds
by the law OF nations.
From this representation, it rs evident
tina. the British have no right to complain
Of our laws, which on thSeubiect in ques.
ton, arc mare liberal tbdh their Gun, Dor
ough, any modification Of them to BE ex-
pected, but solely on the ground Of reci..
procal benefe.
The former adrninistr alton offered the Bril-
tish government stipulation tor the mutual
guarantee of all deserters, on condition that
they would abstain from impressments from
our vessels on the high seas :-lf the present
administration have made a similar offer they
have done enough; more ought not to be con-
ceded i'll any event "A government which
will not protect the personal liberty of Its SUBJ
;iects is unworthy of support.
There is something inexpresslbly disgust
'ing-in the attempt now making to deceive the
people by representing this as a controversy
for the protection of British n,utineers and de-
serters !: nothing more liberal was perhaps to
be expected from certain mercenary minlons
ofBntish influence among US: but Americans
ought to be ashamed of such base and un-
founded suggestions. ON this question they
can find no room to hesitate whether they
shall support the cause of their country ito
recommend submission to British injustice
because eur administration has submitted to
French and Sfia,ush injustice, will be to esta-
,hlish principle which must in few years
deprive us of every vistage Of our rights and
place US humble slaves at the feet of some u
surper NO! While we would prefer peace
with honor, let us spurn 1t 1t connected With
unequal or degrading conditions Let us say
as the proud spirited Romans" We will not
dispute about the qualifications of master;
WE WILL HAVE, No MATTER.
SCAMILLUS.
An American in London, writes to his
friend in Charleston, thus ."The British
treaty has returned to England, and / am
since informedit is more exceptionable than
I at first imagined; it conlprehends sixteen
articles of Jays treaty entire, and has no de-
.sirable features: how to get rid of it, and
place us in the same situation as though it
never existed, is the present difficulty of the
executive know not how to account for the
extraordinary folly -four ministers at the
court Of st. James's. 1t is a fact that Mr..
Fox, who has shewn more iiberality towards
the United States, thanany other British man
in their administrators, was Of opinion that It
3,,o,sld he. I,act to make no treaty at present,