The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-05-24
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THE INADMISsiBLE PRINCIPLES
OF THE
KING OF EJvCLiN;US PROCLAMATION
Of Oes. l6, lso7-.-coNsIDsRED.
Dy THE LATE PRESIDENT ADAMS.
CCasiraed1

THEY will be thought to have no friends
IN America, who will care enough for them to
make much noise, and these will be impress
scd Ii there should be any natives or sons
OF natives of any of the West-India Islands,
or Of any part OF the East-Indies, where the
King Is said TO. have thirty millions of sub
jects, these must all be impressed, for con.
quest confers the indelible character Of SUBJ
lects, as well as birth. But if neither Eng
lish, Scotch, Irish, Welsh, Italian, German,
Dutchman, Spaniard, Portuguese, East or
West-Indiasman, is found, the reverend Lieu-
tenant will think, if he is prudent enough not
to say, Jura negat sih lata, nihil non arro-
gat armis." /" Our ships so weakly manned,
that We cannot fight an emmy (; we cannot
even navigate her in safety, in bad weather
Procul a Jovc, procul fulminc, viii take
as many native Americans as 1 please. Ii
will be long before can be called 10 account
and at last, can say that saved the Kings
ship, and perhaps beat Frenchman by the
aid of this meritorious impressment, ind l
am sure OF friends, who will not only bring
me off, but obtain promotion for me, even
for this patriotlck action" How many Amer
lean ships and cargoes will be sunk in the
sea, or driven on shore, wrecked and lost
how many masters and remaining sailors will
be buried in the ocean for want Of the assis-
tance OF the men thus kidnapped and stolen,
no human foresight can calculate. Ii is, how
ever, easyto predict, that the number must
be very great--These considerations, it
seems, have no weight IN the estimation of
the British Ministry. Their hearts are not
taught to feel another's voc. But all these
things the captain and owner of an American
mcrchant-ship must take into consideration,
and make the subjects OF calculation before
they can venture to sea. In short, there
should be corporation erected In every State
for the express purpose of insuring against
imrressment oil seamen. In course of time
and experience tlse chances might be calc,~
lutd, soihar the insurers and insured, might
at a great expense be secure. But the poor
sailors can never be safe.
Thc law must be settled, or remain unS
settled. Ifsuch impressments are detcrmin-
ed to be legal, either by treaty, or by acquies-
cencc in the Kings Proclamation, Il will cs-
tablish in the minds Of British seamen pride
of superiority and spirit of domination, and
in the minds Of American seaInen con-
sciousness Of inferiority and seryilc spirit of
submission, that ages will not eradicate. If
the question is allowed to remain undetcrmin-
ed, American seamen will fight in defence of
their liberty, whenever they see the smallest
! prospect of escaping, and sometimes when
there is none. They will kill and be killed.
| Some will be punished for their resistance ON
board the British men of war !; and some may
be carried to British port and there prose
cuted for piracy and murder. This, how
ever, will seldom or ever be done for still
believe there is sense and justice enough in
| the British nation and their luries 10 acquit
any seamen, American or British, who should
kin press-gang in defence of::.is liberty but
| if he should escape and return to America,
and be here prosecuted, will not believe
there is Judge or Juror OH the continent, so
ignorant of the law, so dead to every sense Of
justice, SO abandoned to every feeling Of hui
manity, as to find him guilty Of any crime, If
it were proved that he had killed dozen
prrss-gangs in defence of his freedom. We
shall have continual warfare, at sea, like
that lately, at Canton. Our Secretary of
States Office will be filed with representa-
tons and complaints our nation will be held
in constant state of irritation and fermenta-
ton, and our government always distressed,
between their anxiety to relieve their fellow
citizens and their inability to serve them.
A republican, who asserts the duty of icaA
lousy ought to suspect, that this proclamation
was dictated by spirit as hostile and mali
cious as it was insidious, Sor the determined
purpose Of depressing the character OF our
seamen. Take from sailor his pride and
his courage. and he becomes a poor animal
indeed. Broken-hcartcd, detected, deprcss-
ed even below the standard Of other men Of
his own level in socicy-A habit of fear
win be established in his mind. AT the sight
Of a British man Of war hanick will seize
him |; his spirits will sink, AID ifit be only
cutter or luggcr, he viii Jdiink Of nothin.
but Eight and escape. What but the haugh-
~ spirit Of their seamen, which has been
encouraged and supported Cor ages by the ma
ton, has given the British navy its supcriori-
~ over the navics Of other narions J I" Who
shall dare TO set bounds TO the commerce and