The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-04-28

at sea, al no esster tnan thcicGnscri ptions e
so!dicrsby Napoleon or Lewis XIV. who s.
him the example. SO much FOR O.at par; "
tine proclamation, which the text produces
topubiic lew. Now 10. the othei part which
1t has artiuily concealed,
The King not only commands his subjects
20 return, bat he commands the officer, Of
his navy to search the merchant ships of
ncutrals. (,neaning Americans. for il is rot
applicable to any others, nor intended to be
applied 70 ;.'sy ether i'Hi,reSs ali fiisisa
seamen they lind oil i,oard, wilton any re gard
20 any allegations of natui'ilizatits witnour
any regard to any certificates of citizenship;
without regard 20 any contracts, covenants on
connexions they have formed with Capts. or
owners; s without regard to any marriages,
families or children they may have in a.
me,ica. And in what principle or Iau:is
this founded! Is there any law of God to
SUPPORT 1t! Is there any law of nature Ia
Justify i! Is there any law OF England To
authorize itt Certainly not. The laws Of
England have 10 binding force on board A
meric; ships, more than the laws of China
or Japan The laws of the United States
alone, OF which the law of nations is = part,
nave dominon over our merchant ships
In what law then is it grounded? In.the
law of nations? 1t is a cDuaterfeit foisted
into that law. by this arbitrary, fraudulent
proclamation, for the first time, Such : til
tie, as f0iflreSSnient of ScaEaes. was ,cver
found III any code Of laws. since tbs h..st ca
noe was launched into the sea not even ia
that OF England. Whoever claims r!gh-.
must produce law to support IL Bat Jhi.
iprOc'amatIosi atrcapts 70 transfer a pretend
ed right OF npiessnS seamen FROM their
Own ships, which, in truth is only an cnor-
NOUS abuse, to the inipressrnen, Of sear;en
from tareign NATIONS, foreign ships and fn-
fe5gn subjects The honor of this gross at
tempt, this Gtfront to our Understandings rs
wen as feelings; this contempt Of our n;tt,i-
ia' and national resentment of Injuries, as
." 81 as OF Cur symPathirs with fei;0w cili-
zens and fellow creatures, suffering the y;iest
Oppression under inhumaniiy and cruelt
could never have appeared III the world had :
not the spirits OF Lord Butte and .ord George
Germaine. risen again at ST. James's.
IL IS III vain for the Britons to say, these
men are the kings subjects. How are thew
the kmS $ subjects? BY British laws. Aud
what are British laws to lis, on the high
seaSt no more than the laws of Otaheitc.
we Americans must say they are Cur fellow
cltizens by our laws. They have sworn al
lcgianCe to the United States We have
mitted them to all the rigluFs and privileges
OF American citizens, and by this admission,
nave contracted with them to support and
defend them III the enjoyment of all suci,
rights. Our laws acknowledge no divine
light OF kings, greater than those of subjects,
or any indefeasable duty of subjects, mere
than that of kings, to obedience. these
remnants ottsudal tyranny and ecclesiastical
superstition, have been long since exploded
IN America. The king claims them to maka
them slaves. The President of the United
States claims them, as it is his duty to do,
by his Office and his oath, not to enslavs
them, but toprotect them & preserve them
rec Our laws are as good as British laws.
Our citizens have as good right to pvotec-
ton as British subjects. and our governnene
Is as much bound to afford it. What is the
impressment Of seamena It is no better than
what the civilians call Piagiat, a crime
punishable with death by all civilized natl
oDs, as one of the most audacious ard Du-
nishab!e offences against society. Il was So
considered among the Hebrews. Ole that
steaieth man and selletthiEl, or if he DC
ioUiid III his hand, he shall surely be put to
DEATH" Exodus 81. Il. ola man be found
stealing any q his brethren then that thief
shail die Deuteronomy 81. z. The laws
ct Athens. ike these of the Hebrews, con-
deinncd the piagiary or man-stealer to death :;
and the laws OF Rome pronounced the same
Judgment against the same outrage. But TO
descend from the Hebrews, Greeks and Ro-
mans to the British. What is the impress
ment of seamen IN England. By their own
laws, In their swn ports, FROM their owl,
SHIPS within the four seas, or any where OH
the high seas? It's said to be an tissac -
30 were ship-money loans and bcnevolences
IN the reign of Charles the first, and argil-
ments were urged by his conrtiers, to prove
their legality, as plausible and conclu-
siye as any that have been produced By
Judge Foster, in favor of imprcssment i.
is at best but an abuse, su5sistng only Nv to-
leTal'on and connivance, like the practice
in Holland Of kidilofhing men for settler;
or servants in Batavia. Ii is in direct con-
tradicuon and violation of every princi;,ie
Of English liberty. 1t is direct violation of
Magma Charta and the ffty-fse confirmati-
ons OF 1t III Parliament, and a bold defiance
OF all the ecclesiastical execrations against
the voators of il. Ii is in direct violation oe.
all then other statutes, bills and petitions of
light, as well as the Habeas Corpus act.
it depriNes free subjects of their liberty. pro-
perry and often ofther lives, without allede-
ing or pretending any accusation against
them OF amy crime or fault. 1t deprives
-hem OF the trial by jury and subjects them
to scourgcs and death, by martial law and
the Judgment OF courts martial 1t is a kinA
OF civil war, made upon innocent and unof-
tending subjects. 1t is said THAI in general
lmpressmeht, like that of Admiral Keppel,
Vt cost the nation in cutters, iuggcrs, press
gangs, and it might have been added, in Nan
hpuSes nd renfl IS Il