Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1809-05-19
INADMISSIBLE PRINCIPLES
OF TIKI
KING OF ENGLAND's PROCLAMA.
TON
Of Oct. 20, 1907 -COnsidered,
BY THE LATE PRESIDENTADAMs,
Continued

"
them 10 make much noise, and these will
be impressed. Fibre should be ans ma
tives or sons of natives of any ofthe West
India Islands, or of any part or the East
Indies, where the king is said to have
thirty millions of subjects. these must all
be impressed, for conquest conGers in
ID llble character ct subjects, as we'll as
birth. But if neither English, Scotch. I.
IRISH, Welsh, Italian, German, Du.chman,
Spaniard. Portuguese, East or West In.
dia.na Is found, the reverend Lieutenant
will think If he is prudent enough not to
say, "JHra iegat sol lara, nihfi non arrogas
armis," Sour ship is SO weakly man
oed, that W. cannot fight an enemy; we
cannot even navigate her in safe y, in bad
weather; firocui a Joue, f,rocM fuiuune,
will take as many native Americans as
l please. 1t will be long before can be
called to account !; aud al last can say
that ] saved the kings skip, and pe,hap
beat Frenchman by the aid cf this mer.
itorious impressment, and / am sure of
friends who will not only bring me off,
but obtain promotion for me even for
this patriotic action" How macy Amer.
lean ships and cargoes will be sunk in ths
sea, or driven on shore, wrecked and
lest; how many masters and Remaining
sailors will be buried in the ocean for want
of the assistance OF the men thus kidna-
ped and stolen, no human foresight can
calculate. 1t is, however easy to predict,
that the number must be very great
These consider atoms, it seems, have no
weight in the estimation of the British
ministry. Their hearts are not taught to
| feel snother's woe. But all these things
the captains and owners of American
merchant ships must take into considera-
ton, and make the subir ets 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 impres,ment of sea.
men. In course of TIME & experience
the chances might be calculated, ~ that
the insurers and insured, might at a great
expense be secure. But the poor sailors
can never be safe.
The law must be settled, or remain un
settled. Ii such ,mpressmsnts are deter.
mined 10 be legal, either by treaty or by
scquiescence in the kings proclamation,
it will establish in the minds of British
sesmeD pride of superiority and spir.
| it of domination and in the minds OF A.
merican seamen consciousness of infe.
riority and servils spirit of submission,
that ages will not eradicate. If the oues.
| lion is allowed to remain undetermined,
American scamen will fight in defence
OF their liberty, whenever they see The
smallest prospect of escaping, and some
times when there is none. They will Kill
and be killed. Some I'LL be punished
for their resistance on board the British
men of war; and sons may be carried to
British port and there prosecuted for ei.
racy and murder. This, however, vii,
seldom ever be done; for | still believe
there is sense and justice enough in the
British nation and their juries to aequi
any seaman, American or Brush who
should kill press gang in defence of h S
liberty but ifhe should escape and return
10 America, and be here prosecuted, I
will rot believe there IS Judge or Juror
on the continent, so ignorant of the law,
81 dead to every sense of sticc, so abas-
doDed 10 every feeling OF humanity, as to
hnd HIM gully Of acy crime, if il we're
proved that he had killed dozen press
gangs in defence of his freedom. We
shall have continual warfare, at sea,
like that lately al Csnion, Our Secretary
Of States Office will be filed with repre-
sensations and complaints our nation
viii be held in a constant state of irrita.
ton and fermentation, & our governme n,
always DIS ressed, between their anxiety
10 relieve their fellow citizens and their
inability to serve theR.
a republicaa, who asserts the duty ofiea.
lousy, ought 10 suspect that this proclama.
ton was Dictated by spirit as hostile AID
malicious as it was InSidious, for the de
IermIned purpose of depressing the char
acter OF our ssaneD. Take from the sal.
lor his pride and his courage, and he be
comes poor snimal indeed. Broken
hearted, detected, depressed even below
the standard Of other men of his own To-.
vel in society, habit OF fear will be es-
tabllshed IN lbs mind. AT the sight of a
British mao of war panic will seize hun
MS spirits will sink, and if It be only a
cutter or lugeer, he will think of no.
hing but fIigh, and escape. What Lut