The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-04-01

L
whole community is abolishing the distinc-
tons of party and regarding only the indig-
| nifty offered to the sovereignty and flag OF
the nation, and the blood of citizens so wan
tonly and wickedly shed, demands in the
loudest tone an honorable repatriation.
With this demand you are charged by the
President The tenor ofhis proclamation will
be. your guide in reminding the British go
vernment of the uniform proofs given by the
United States of their disposition to maintain
| faithfully every friendly relation; of the null
| tiplied infractions of their rights by British
| naval commanders on our coasts and harbors
| OF the inefhcacy of reiterated appeals to the
Justice and friendship of that government
and OF the moderation on the part of the u.
States, which reiterated disappontments had
not extinguished till at length no alterna-
tive is left, but voluntary satisfaction en-
| the part of G. Britain, or a resort to means
depending on the u. States alone.
The nature and extent of the satisfaction
ought to be suggested to the British govern
| ment, not less by sense of its own honor
than by justice to that of the the U. States
A formal disavowal of the deed and resto-
! ration of the four seamen to the ship from
which they were taken, are things of course
and indispensable. AS security for the flu
| ture, an entire abolition of imprcssments
| from vessels under the flag of the U. States,
If not already arranged, is also to make an
indispensable part of the satisfaction. The
| abolition must be on terms compatible with
the instructions to yourself and Mr.. Pinkney
on this subject; and if possible without the
authorised rejection from the service OF the
| United States, of British seamen who have
not been two years in it. Should it be i'm
possible to avoid this concession on the part
| of the u. States, it ought, as of itself more
than a reasonable price for future secu-
rity, to extend the reparation due for the
lpast.
| But beyond these indispensable conditions,
| the United States have right to expect e.
very solemnity OF form and every other in
gredient of retribution and respect which
according to usage and the sentiments of
mankind, are proper in the strongest cases
of insult to the rights and sovereignty of a
nation. And the British government is to be
apprised of the Importance, of full compli
ance with this expectation, to the thorough
healing of the wound which has been made
in the feelings of the American nation.
Should it be alledged as ground for de-
Ginning orjdiminshing the satisfaction in this
case, that the United States have themselves
taken it by. the interdict contained in the
proclamation, the answer will be obvious
The interdict is a measure, not of reparati-
on, but of precaution, and would besides
4
the extraordinary outrage in question.
The exclusion of all armed ships whatever
from our waters, is in fact 50 mach requir-
| ed by The veXations and dangers to our peace
experienced from their visits, that the Presi-
dent makes it special part of the charge
to you to avoid laying the u. States under
any species of restraint from adopting that
remedy Being extended to all belligerent ma
tons, none of them could ofrigft complain, &
\ tau IS
nations has limited the admission Of foreign
ships of war into their ports, to such num-
bers as being inferior to the naval force of
the country, could be readily made to res
pectits authority and laws.
As it may be useful, in enforcing the JUS
tice of the present demand, to bring into
view applicable cases, especially where G.
Britain has been the complaining party, re-
fer you to the ground taken and the language
| held by her, in those of Falkland's island
and Nootka Sound, notwithstanding the as
sertion by Spain in both cases, that the real
right was in her, and the possessory only in
Great Britain.-These cases will be found
iii the Annual Registers for 1771, ard 1890,
and in the parliamentary debates for those
years. in the latter you.will find also two
cases referred to, in one of which the French
| king sent an ambassador extraordinary to the
king Of Sardinia, in the most solemn and
public manner, with an apology for an in
tringement of his territorial rights in the
pursuit OF smuggler & murderer. In the
other case, an ambassador extraordinary was
sent by the British government with an a.
poogy for the pursuit and destruction by adj
niral Boscawen, of certain French ships on
the coasts of this last kingdom.
| Many other cases, more or less analogous
may doubtless be found ; see, particularly
the reparation by France to G.. Britain, for
the attack on Turks island in 1764, as re-
lated in the Annual Register & III Smoilet's
continuation of Hume, vol 10, the proceed
ings in the case of an English merchant
man, which suffered much in her crew and
otherwise, from the fire of certain Spanish
zebecs cruizing in the Mediterranean and
the execution of the 1t. of a privateer, fer
! firing gun into Venetian merchantmen,
which killed the captain, as stated in the
Annual Register, for 1881, page IL. The
case of an affront offered to a Russian am
bassador in the reign of Queen Anne, though
less analogous, shews in a general view the
solemnity with which PREPARATION is made for
insults having immediate relation to the So
vereignty Of nation.
Although the principle which was outra-
ged III the proceeding against the Ameri-
can frigate is independent Of the question
Concerning the allegiance Of the seamen ia
ken from her, the fact that they were citizens
OF the y. >. and not British subjects, nav
have such an influence on the conduct OF ali,
and perhaps on the opinions Of some unac-