The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1809-05-10

II
the other part, which it has aitfdlly conceal
| cd.
The King not only commands his subject
TO return, but he commands tho officers ofhi
navy to search the merchant ships of ncu
trails, (meaning Americans, for il is not appIi
cable to any others, nor intended to be apbIi
ed to any others,) and impress all British sen
men they find on board, without any regars
TO any allegations of naturalization witSou,
any regard to any certificates of citizenship
without regard to any contracts, covenants OF
connections they have. formed with CAPTAIN,
or owners and without regard to eny mar.
riagcs, families or children they may have in
America. And I'm what principle or law is
this founded Is there any law OF God Ia
support it ! Is there any law of nature 10
Justify III Is there any law Of England 20
anthorise il I Certainly not. The laws OF
England have no binding force en- .oard T.
merican ships, more than the laws of China
or Japan. The laws Of the United States
alone, OF whrh the law of nations Is a part.
have dominion over our merchant ships. In
what law then is 1t grounded In the law OF
nations 1t is a cc.ntcrfeit foisted into that
law, by this arbitrary, fraudulent proclama.
tion, for the first rimc. Such a title, as I'm.
nressmenf Of Seamcn, was never found in any
code of laws, since the FIRST cause was latnch-
cd into the sea not even in that Of England.
Whoever claims a right must produce 4 law
to support 1t. But thi proclamation attempts
to transfer pretended right Of impressinc
scamcn from their own ships, which II, truth
is only an enormous abuse, to the impress
ment Of seamen from foreign nations, foreign
ne md f,pc L. A.
this gross ssattempt,thisaifront to our understand.
ings as well as feelings ; this contempt of our
natural and national resentment of Injuries,
as well us of our sympathics with fclIow-cit-
liens and fellow creatures, suffering the vii
est oppression under inhumanity and cruelty,
could never have appeared In the world, had
not the spirits Of Lord Butte and Lord George
Gcrmainc risen again at St. James's.
1t is in vain for the Britons to say, thcrc
men are the Kings subjects. How are they
the Kings subjects BY British laws. And
what are British laws to ms, on the high seas
No more than the laws Of iOtahcite. We
Americans must say they are our fellow
citizens by our laws. They have sworn aIlc.
glance to the United States. We have nd.
mitted them TO all the rights and privileges
OF American citizens, and BY this admission
have contracted with thcm to support and de-
iend them In the enjoyment Of all such rights.
Our laws acknowledge no divine right Of
Kjngss grcater- than those Of subjects, or any
indcicasablc duty Of subjects more than that
OF kings, 10 obedience. These remnants of
feudal tyranny and ecclesiastical superstition,
have been long since exploded in America.
The King claims them to make them slaves.
The President Of the United States claims
them, as it is his duty to do, by his Office and
his oath, not &c enslayc them, but to protect
them and preserve them free. Our laws All
~ good as British laws. Our citizens have
as good right to protection as British sub.
jects, and our government is as much bound
to afford it. What is the imprcssmcnt of
seamen II is no better than what the civil.
ans call PIagianf, crime punishable with
death by all civilized nations, as one of tho
most audacious and punishable offences a.
gsinst society. II was NO considered among
the Hebrews" He that stealcth q man and
selleth him, or il he be found in his hand,
he shall surely be put to DEATH" Exodus
81. IL. IL man be found stealing any ofhis
brethren, then that thief shall die" Deutcr-
onomy %. z. The laws of Athens, like those
of the Hebrews, condemned the piagiary or
man stcalcr to death ; and the laws Of Rome
pronounced the same judgment against the
same outrage. But 10 descend from the He
bfcws, Greeks and Romans to the British.
What is the imprcssfncnt Of scamcn in Eng
land by their own laws, in their own ports,
from their OWL ships within the four seas, or
any where on the high seas ! II is said TO be
an usage. Sowcrc ship-noncy loans and be-
ncvoIcnces in the reign of Charles the first,
and arguments were urged by his courticrs,
to prove their legality, 40 plausible and con.
elusive as any that have, been producsd-by
Judge Foster, in favor Of imprcssment. II 10
at best but an abuse, subsisting only by toIcr-
alton and connivancc, like the practice In Ho,-
land Of kidnahhirg men for settlers or servants
in Batavia.--It is in direct contradiction, and
1t is direct violation OF Magma Chsrta and
the GftvsGva ~ IN Do