Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-08-19
From the Me,v YORK Evening Post
Mn. COLEMAN,

honor the u. S. by mjsrepresenting the ma
ture OF our controversy with Great Bril-
tain, respecting sEAMEN, the following
summary observations may be acceptable
to some os your readers.
The British Navigation act, passed in
the reign OF Charles 81, requires that the
master and three fourths of the marines
OF British ships, shall be British subjects.
But this fundamental regulation, is by a
Statute of the 10 Of Geo. ID limited to Pc
/ riods of peace.-During any wars in which
Great Britain is engaged, it is sufficient
if the crews Of her ships are composed of
one fourth natives or even naturalized ma
Tincs. Provision is even made for allow
ing less proportion than one fourth in
certain cases.
But though during war, no more than one
fourth of the crews of British ships are re-
quired to native British or even naturalized
subjects, yet at all times, the principles of
the navigation law, are inforced in respect
to " foreign vessels trading to Great Bri-
tain" Those principles require, that
the "master and three fourths of tnc ma
.ines shall be subjects of the countries to
which the foreign vessels belong"
BY permanent Statute, g all foreigners
wiID served in the merchants ships or pri-
vateers OF Great Britain, are exempted
from being impressed into the Kings SER
vice, and for their security are entitled to
projections from the adn:iralty.--Fide IS.
Geo. ad. .>,..
Foreign seamen, who serge faithfully for
two wears, during a time ofwar, on bord A.
ny public or even private Brit sh ships, are
Ivy law, deemed "natural born subjects of
g. B.-Vde Is. Geo. Cd. .,,
1t will then be seen, that naturalizirg
seamcn and granting projections for the
purposes of detaching them from their ma
tural, are MT as thcv have been called
g American Inventions" ....
The impressmcnt Of scau1cn is contrary
to the gcnius OF the English Law. and no
such right has ever been vested by Statute.
/ though its existence at common law, NAV
he inferred from several Statutes, limiting
the exercise of imprcssment. Scamcn a.
/ 5ove IF y-fye, or under eighteen years of
! age, apprentices, FcrrVmen and Fisher
men, & all persons of whatever age, for two
| years after first going to sea, are exempted
and entitled TO projections. No law (un-
( less one has been recently enacted) has e.
! YER existed for compelling deserters to re-
! turn TO service, except on board the kings
| ShSps.-British sailors who have even sign
| ed articles to serve in British merchants
! ships, cannot he compelled 10 q specific
! performance oftheir contracts, and arc on
| " liable TO confinement for a short time as
! a punishment for dcsertion. A deserter
! rom foreign ship, cannot be arrested in
| England, AVID returned to his duty ANY
| seamen, may leave his service in Il private
| vessel at any time and enter on board a
kings ship. without forfeiting his wages or
! b 'ing deemed deserter.
: There is noting in the British Statutes
1 ~, nuhlic t.Not,io tiCvc which
the impressment of seamcn, from British
vessels ON the high seas, and no such right
! IN respect TO foreign vessels is recognized
! by the law OF nations.
| From this representation it is evident
that the British have no rirht 10 complain
Of our laws, which en- the subject in question,
Eare more liberal than their own. nor OUGHT
| any modification of them TO be expected,
but solely on the ground Of reciprocal be-
neft.
! The former administration offered the
! British government stipulation for the
mutual guarantee of all descr.ers on cnudi-
! ton that they would abstain from impress
ments from our vessels on the high seas -
the present administration have made mi.
lar offer, they have done enough more
ought not tobc conceded in any eveHt. A go
vernment which will not protect the per.
| sonal liberty OF its subjects is unworthy Of
support
There is something n XprsssLlv Niscus.
ting in the attempt nov making TO deceive
! the people by Representing this as a con-
trovtrsy for the protection ofBritish mutt
neers and deserters ;--nothjng more libe-
/ raj was perhaps 90 be expected from cer-
tain mCrcenary muions Of British influence
( among us but Americans ought TO be a.
shamed Of such base and uufoundcd sugges-
tons. On this question they can find no
, room to hesitate whether they shall sup
port the causes other country torccom-
mend sU5migscl to British injustice be-
cause our administration has submitted 70
French and Span sh Injustice, will be TO cs-
tablish a principle which must in a few
years deprive us of every vestigc of oar
right and place us humble slaves the
feet Of some usurper mo while we
would prefer peace with honor, let us spurn
1t it conn, cted with unequal or degrading
conditions Let US say with the proud spi-
rited Romans--''Wew will not dispute about
She qualifications Of master; we viii
shave 10 master" CAMILLUS.
/ The following article from an EngHsh
\ paper cThibics new view Of tie exceilen.
cie- Of The British governments, It is ~
wonder the navy plumbers us, when the
commander in chief Of the army, the in.
volite son Of Geo 1T plumbers tire air, 81.
10 ~c~r III ,,,,,-..-..J ,.o1..T- gt..