Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-02-22

sod value OF the controversy
shs aa'"l q. country ADD the United States
betwsss's's nov IS, TO the perPs,ual ADD
e0un .rarch of msrchan' snips for De-
ssa''''' $ heir voyages 10 order, cody
ssf, ,. a..re whether il can De nationally
70 or as an object fl 70 bs pu: inshe
eo ions, 4, The advantages ofpsace aud
scas ss .wship, with a g'owiog ADD Hou
ss;sbits sion TO be secured y some ant
, ."h,r .-s.s ngemrp. on the sooIecf.
.'o IF, american government las has been
Systematically pursues the eacou-s
ASH If our sailors 10 desert the service.
s~,,. Of their country, or should refuse
anu 49,. ,,cb laws, or faithfully to execute
- 80, ) enacted, as might eHectnally pre-
Int Inf he evil complained OF, | should consi-
dire lar s. ,ust and necessary cause OF war
~ might be the consequences But,
= - ~ othcr hand, she will bona hide prof.
Ear Britain every protection against the
a..s wholesome laws and their faithful
srscul;oacan produce, and every facility to
49,, ,Ieserters, by authorised and assisted
sssreb 4, her own AID ali other ports, and by.
x,,ch re- Citations 10 ICiiNioi e''S -
as mipl,t be agreed on between the two so
ssrnr.,,ts, / should think it sound policy. ina
pr;,;sb statesman to except it: Because With
ant ag,n;fting that refusal on our part u do
- vo,,l he a lust cause Of hostility or 9 vim
,l;ea,;o,to the American governmcntior ex-.
{,os;n@ ,aeir country to the unspeakable Gaia
,0;tv Ora war with Great Britain, Jet think
ouch measure would be most advantageous
,ons ,an the scale of mere calculation by
which mean the direct and narrow Calcutta
ton OF tic greater number OF seamea u be
ree,ais,ed by such amicab'e arrangements, ttl,n
BY the most rigid and veXatlo,ls search OF
vessels upon the high seas without at al
taxing into account tie Immense advantages,
not OF ge ace merely, but Of the friendly Inter
course with a Ra.ion whose demands forScur
manas ,ctures is continually increasines and
Whose Immensely exteaded and numerous
shiDpi.ar woald enable her, in alliance with
Frallsc, 10 aid SO mischievoUsly II the distress
Of our coioaics and ouc trade. do not te-
leye, iisat by the utmost excrtions In Stopping
Amcss.an SHIPS st sea 10 search for deserse,s
we haze reclaimed at al annual average 200
sean.e,., or that it is possible 10 inlproTe cur
=.
renee ~ that species of hostility. His NJ.
ministers themselves seem to be scaslble,thi,t
the p.slsice is open to abuse, by directing in
Aeir a,c 2socIama ion that the officers conl-s
mandiltt osr ships shouldoaF employ oa such
occas; s2s persons whom they can fully tlast.
But, ,i~ wing ali due praise to tie proclAma-
ton fol t.se caution it in fact means nasaing
The cie. IN does not appoint his officers and
sanao: q etore be responsible Tor their mis-
sondas The law ofreshondat suta,I11 docs
not ap rs in cases where an 81 employs lis
own y,.iit3; the officers coyn7aission is a
suficG,i, warrant for tie confidence Of his su-
periog il lie knows nothing against his charac-
ter; esd thus probable. abu4e is acknowledged
without even tie shadow of a rcme.lp, i Go
not re N thot the right OF search s'sos3!! al all
be bfoa,ht in question, or that even the ex-
ercisc j itshou.d be abandoned inc4ses where
there i PROBABLE Cause from dircet and posi-
tive i,rmation, fit to BE relied on; but that
instc 6 the exercise Of 4 general, irl,,iscrinli-
nate ai.i yexasious search, to the Interruption
Office navigation and national harmony, the
two governments should bona 6,le coucnr in
such Laws and regulations as should most CT
iectn%ss secure to each nation the services
Otis awn subjects. Ifthe evil continued not
wItlS,ai2ias, each nation might resort to the
exerIi.s Of its rights, after limited period,
prob,hly with less irritation after a fcuitless
expese4ent by the arrangement have pros
pose,!.
Th2sc are the observations which have oc-
surse,. . very obscure individual, SIS neces-
sary i2s he consideration Of the British and
American government and people. Little ac-
eustc%a Ito express my sentiments to others.
1 caa lily expect that my letter can COM.
mana public attention, further than the
SUBJ .yextort it; much less can hope
that .ertion Of one individual can stem
mat +1f warwhich seems to haye:aid such
iasths 81 the general mind both in America
and n country. If the two governments