Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-05-02

y. States. Wchaye aomite them To II
'he rights and privileges Il A n. rican ~.
iIens, and by this adm s,icn hase can,yaea,
ed with ,i,e'n 10 Support AID defend he n,
IN the eninymerN of ell such ny h :. Cor
laws acknowledge no d,yne RICH, of
kings, greater, iLao.thoSe OF sub,ec Or
any indeseasb!e .duy o., subiec,s mere
than that of kings, ,o obedience. Thesa
remnan OF frujal ytanry and celesi.
ss.icat supcrsti,ioa, have been long sincs
exploded IA = m-rlca- The king ci.,ms
them III mak. lhsm slaves. Tie Presls
dent Of The Unnsd s,ates cis,r,s The m,
as Il is his dv y,,o 81, by his Office add
hts GA h,,Dot 10 ens'ass Them, but to pro-.
tech them and preserves ihcm free. .ly
Our laws are as good as Bri,isl. laws.
Oar citieeps have as good right 60 prp.
sectioa as British subjects, and oar COVE rrs
ment IS AS much bound TO afford. It What
Is the impressment OF scamen II lis nd
better than what the civilians call FasTaa
acrime punishable with death by a II civilxs
ed nations, as one of the most audacicus and
punishable offences against society Ii was
so considered among the Hebrews "Ie
that stealeth "a man and selleth him, or If
he be found in ashland, he shall surely ba
put To DEATH Exodus 81 IL. =. If man
he found stealing any of his brethren, thea
Chat thief shall die" Deuteronon "a z.
The laws of Athens, like those OF the He.
brews. condemned the plasiary man stealS
err to death and the laws of Rome pro.
nounced the same judgment against the
same outrage. But to .descend from the
Hebrews, Greeks and Romans TO the Bril-
tish. What is the impressment of seamep
IN England, by their own laws, in their own
ports, from their own ships, within the four
seas, or any where OH the high seas |? 1t is
said to be an usage. So we, c. Ship money
loans x bencvolences in the reign of Charles
the lst, Il arguments were jagged by his court
uers, to prove their legality, As ,IIausiDie &.
conclusive as any that have been produced
byJudge Foster, in favor OF iInpre ssment liz
is at best but AN abuse, suosisiing only by
roieration and connivance e, like the practice
IN Holland ,ot kadn0f'ing men for, settlers or
servants IN Batavia. Ii is.in direct contra
diction and violation of every principle OF
English liberty. 1t ia a direct, violation of
Magma Charta and the fifty live coniirma-
tons OF II III Parliament, and a bold de-
nance OF all the ecclesiastical excavations
against the violators of it. IL is III direct
violation of all their other statutes, blils
and petitions OF right, as well as ,hc Has
beas Corpus act. IL deprives tree subjects
- piNPNi'J3 Oitch Ol
their hves, without alleging or pretending
any accusation against them OF any crime
or fault. IL deprlves them OF the trial oy
jury and subjects them TO scourgcs and
death, by martial law and the uds,nent OF
courts martial ], is IA kind of civil war.
made upon l.hocent aud "a, oil nding SUB.
Jects' l. rs SAID that in a general impress
ment, like that OF Admiral keppeli, It COST
the nation, in Cutters, iuggers, press gangs,
and IL might have beeo added, N Nanny-
houses and rendezvous of debauchery and
corruption, an hundred pounds Tor every
man they obtained. The practice is nor
aVowed or acknowledged by the nation.
No Parliament ever dared TO legitimate or
sanction it. NO court OF law ever dared 10
give Judgment in favor of il. No judge
or lawyer that ever heard of till Poster.
ever .yentured to give ii private opinion 10
encourage it. 49,