Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1807-08-17

ihe had agreed in the treaty made
with MIR. Munroe, and TENT back by
Mr. Jeferfon, to define and fccurc
this right to Us, with refri6tions
which were totally unimPortant LII
This great fource Of all our wealth
this executive benefit Of our neu.
trality, fte had agreed 10 give Up,
and confirm by folemn compact.
ably. The lecond caulc Of CON
plant is-her impreAnents of her
11vn feamen in our mercbaHt v1Gtls,
| for il is nor pretended that Great
Britain claims the right to fearch
! ar Jbip5 ef war, and TO fee if there
are no leamen of her nation on board
of tb N.
! This quettion is laid to be one up
on which the two governments can
not agree, but spon which it is fear
ed, that Mt JeFcrfon and Mr. Madi-
Ton arc dilPolcd to commit the peace
CT the nation = and it is apprehenI-
ed, that they will endeavour to con-
found it with the cafe of the Chefa-
Peake, to enlilt the paiIlons Of the
people. naturally excited by that
cafe in favor Of a principle, which
itrlPPed of all f4cb circumstances, it
is believed, the American people
would entertain ferrous doubts OF, or
at leait, for which they will never
fake their bef blood and treafurc.
1t would be without the fcOpc of
my preient addrefs to 60 into the
diIcutlion OF the principle.-It ought
TO be examined by itlclf, but think
the following are fuficient realons
why it ought not to be the BATS,
either fecret or avowcd Of war
IN. Great Britain has need of ell her men
in the mighty contel in which fhe is engaged,
and il is unjult in US to withhold Ihem.
2dly. We have no need of thele men, and
IL is treacherous IN US TO attempt to fcreen
them under the American character, by falfe
pretentions, and other difhonourable means.
5dly We ccve- 5ut ft7y or'no { of her enemies
fubiecls +; we therefore weaken Great Britain
more than we weaken her enemies,
4thly. g. Britain eKercifed this right as
much before Mr.. JAx's treaty, as 6nce The
hence of our governmen; wAs in feme mea-
iure ian6tion OF the principle
5thly G. Britain offered Mr. KrNo, that If
we would adopt any reilriaions by Which lhe
could be a6ured that her fubjed, fhould not
get on board our fhips, (he would abandon the
right Of fearch for pcrfons
6thly. II is faid, and believed, that fhe ha:
offered to giveup the principle except as it ref
poets the na,Te-v ieas-In other words in ;hree
fourths Of the cafes in which it could be exer-
cited.
3dly. 1t may be alledged th@ the
killing Of John Pierce goes to fwcll
our catalogue Of complaints - his
would be mott prepoferous 1t will
not be pretended, thar Whitby Acted
under orders. The Britifh govern
ment could not foresee that he would
attempt to board and be reffed or
refufcd. AS ioon as informed of
the tact, fhe cauled the officer to Be
arreited, carried home as criminal,
and tried by a Court Martial. He
was acqultted.-ls that the fault Of
the Britilh Government /? Did not
our government agree to that mode
OF deciiion ? Is il not the ufu mode
adopted by all civilized nations Is
1t certain the deci6on was wrong /?
Il the act was done out Of our iu-
rlldl&ion, Whitby was not guilty
After hearing all our evidence, a
Court Martial was Of opinion, that
the Firing was upon the high ieas-
Is il certain that this was not the
cafe ? AT any rate did not the Bri-
nth government purfue the course
our government requeAed-the
courie which all civilized nations in
like cafes uiually ADOPT +? Is there
then any jult caufe of complaint on
that ground ?
From this fhort view CT the fubie6f,
It is apparent, that although We have
more locations of colifion with
Great Britain, from her decided mar
thine fuperiori:y, than we can polIi.
bly, have with any other nation, yet,
that during long war, IN which fI1e
might be expected to BE Jealous of
our unrivalled PROPERTY and in
create, obtained almofi wholly at her
expence. fhe has given rs hi1t fsu