Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-04-01
liz 1-a Gents Diagie. /

would farther observe TO Won. TIA, .e,Ie
government cannot feasohablv cl,,,;, aas-t
advantage IN argument from fse ext,r,.ssra
sense OF IT'S own people, unless it be prehays
ed AT the same time To take upon itself 4
responsibility (Which there is 40 desire uf
lattriouting to ~ for the outrage and ibds.
lcency, which, upon the late occasion, .tb,s
Repression has in too many instances been
accompanied. 1t is better Tor tenn. syts
reasoning, and assuredly it IS more as:vsa.
tageous Tor the government Of the II. 3,
'nat the consideration OF popular feeling
should be wholly omitted in this discussion.
The right and the practice OF Which ,ou
Iare instructed to Complain, are irrccohci,e.
ape IA all their parts, have been exers
Iciseu by Great Britain from the earliest a.
Iges OF the British naval power, even with
oa' any quanhcauon or exception ~ favor
lof nauona! hips ofwar.
| lac grounds upon which such dist;rea
ton has been admitted in later t:rnes. and
Iupon which, Tor the course cfBearly a CEN
Jury, the crown has iorborne TO INSTRUCT
ne comm anuers OF Us ships of WAY. 70
search foreign ships OF war for Jtserters.
have already had the honor 10 explain 70
you :--And you will have perceived that
those grounds are wholly inappieablc to
jsnits IN the merchant service
That foreign power wilnot. knowhgs
lIhe natural born subiec of his majesty.
who have been recalled BY the pubic pro.
defamation, may be REGARDED asa presumu.
tion arising out of the hostile nature oG the
lact, ana cut or the probable consequences
to which such an act Of hostility nust lead.
But with rc2ect 10 merchant vessels.
The s no such presne pt:or.
When mariners, subjects Of his majesty.
are employed IN the private service of to-
lreign md vidnals, under private civil con-
tracts, The kings subjects, ana the forcigu
llnulViouaIS with whom they serve, cutter.
into engagements inconsistent w,th the au-
ny OF his majesty's suajec,s towards him
ut to those engagements the government
lcf the fore'gn nation mas nee made Ese.f
lpar,y.
In such cases, the species Of redress
lwhich the practice of all times has admit
TED and sShct oned, is that O. takios- v.cs1.
subjects at sea, ont Of the service o. such
foreign md vidua!s; and recalling them I,
/ the discharge OF that previous and para
mount outy which they owe To their scye-
Ire,sn any 20 their country.
: That til exercise of this righ, involv.a
some Of the dearest interests OF Great BIZ
! tam your government is ready acGnow-
iedSe, and has accordingly authorised YOU
10 propose certain regulations, which vou
la?prsnend would be equivalent in their ef>
Iiect ior the preservation of the interests
concerned.
There will be no ind;spositiun here to
entertain, at proper time the discussion
} OF such proposed regulations Bur when
you reeoiiect that many proposals to this
: eHect nave already been brought forward,
and have been found wholly madmissible
! when you have, yourself. had occasion 70
/ experience the difficulty Of framing any
: '1tsActory arrangement upon the suHiect
wan all the anxiety which is Lroperl, fcle
by both governments for the Spcety ad;nst-
ment OF The difference between them, and
r Tor the "healins of that deep waurd which
you state TO have been flhlctcd on Tho
"natlonal honor of the u. States :" surely
u Us not wel.advised TO make the terminal
: ton OF that difference, and the healing thar
: una dependent wholly on the complete
success OF An attempt, which has already
S been made so often, and which has hjther.
! TO uniformly failed.
} Your own reasoning shews that Won ara
: aware ct the more than ordinary difficult
: " winch must attend any ARRANGEMENT for
: the prevent on of desert on, between two
D nations, whose 'innar,y of manners and
? habits, and whose identity Of language. M
; terpose so many impediments to the scri,
{ minauon OF "national character"
4 10 these circumstances, and not (as YOU
"'''ivSe SS"m " lHSinudtC) 90 any peculiar
D harshness towards the u. s. IL Is owing.
! that the exercise of the right, as with res.
pect to them, is necessarily more frequent.
c than win respect to any other nation and
I Is felt by them TO be more reid and veg.
: atious But these circumstances cannot
{ furnish an argument for the suspension &c
the exercise of the right with respect 10 A.
r merica unless IL be commended, that null
{ tiplicity of frauds and difficulty of detection
! are reasons against suspicion or motive. for
\ acquiescence.
r AS little foundation is there for the com -
. plant that the practice has grown out of
z the recognition Of Ameican Independence /,
4 and that the character Of that event is al.
= fected by It's Continuance.
Il is needless TO repeat that these rights
, existed in their fullest force, for ages pre-
vious to the establishment of the u. States
of America as an Independent government
and IL would be difficult TO contend that the
: recognition Of that independence can have
operated any change iD this respect; n-
less IL can DE shewn thar w. ackngvlrsjS-
ing the goVernflent Of the United Statca.
= Great Britain virtually ahdcated her own
rights as a naval power 90 unle there
we're any express stipulation. ~ which thu
ancient and prescfiptve u,sgcs Of Great
Britain, founded IN the saundcat Drinci-
? piles Of natural law, though star enforced
AGAINST other independe'H natioss Of the