The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-07-18
THE ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND, JULY IS, 1909.
IMPRESSMENT OF SEAMEN.

h4SLInO1tD, SOL 40, AoUS.
IMPRESSMENT OF SEAMEN.
"When you endeayor to convey an idea Of
greater number. of harbarians, pcacticing
agreat variety: of cruelties upon an inc aleu-
liable number of sufferers, nothing defined or
specific finds its way to the heart, nor is any
sentiment excited, save that of general
cratic unappropriated commisseration. BY
endeavoring to comprehend every thing, you
would convey nothing. When the father of
poetry; wishes topourtray the movements of
contending armies. and embattled field, he
.exemplihes only he does not venture to
describe the perplexed and promiscuous COP
nicts OF adverse hosts, but by the acts and
feats of few individuals, he conveys a no
ton OF the viCissitudes of the fight and for
tune of the day.-Select single Object
CuRRAN in the case of Hevey Us. SIR.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ENQUIRER
SIR-It has been truly said. that the last
sad privilege of suffering is that ofcomplaint
No man has ever yet writhed under the ty.
rants lash, without wishing to breathe the
4Aurmurs of his spirit, and enlist the world
In his cause.--But my own sufferings,, acute
as they have been. would never have reached
the public ear-if they were not calculated
10 convey instruction as well as 70 excite
compassionate rouse the attention of nv go
Vernment to attempt some eifectual remedy
against similar misfortunes.-T am the un-
fortunate victim of the British practice of
lmpressmcnt.
Was born citizen of the u States-My
parents we're proud of their boy-and they
were iaudably ambitious of instiing at least
the first elements OF knowledge into my mind
They sent me TO a liberal school i'm a village
II had a spris TO leain-I read, thought.
and was improved Is
My thoughts had-been very early turned
towards the sea. AS I scanned the mapni-
hcent mirror of. waters, (which the Ocean
spread before.me, myyoung mindwas wrapt
IN sublimity, and delight: / was ambitious
OF viewing the various phases which man
presents in other countries, even before
was acquainted with him in my own No
object appeared SO beautiful 20 my inexperi-
epCed eye, as vessel in full sail with all
her canvas and colours, ''estr ming TO the
wind admired the ploagh, which burrows
the fcld; but still more the keel which
ploughs the, deep, When.I Considered the
value OF commerce, in. relation 70 agrCul
;ure, to the export OF the productions of the
soil, to the increase of tie real resources of
my country. and TO the means of her,shari-
dme cctenee. I was Penetrated with the per.
suasion, that my government coud not but be
the fnend OF the rights. OF CONNIE Ire; g. that
1he trend OF commerce mist he the friend
OF tbs Sfanian. was determined, therefore
to indulge my fondest preposscssions, and to
devote myself to the sea. was poor too and
Ill want of: wages. ,.,.:. 90. 80. 40
Before put my planinto c?,ecgt on, ! had
fully considered all the rights wh,ch were
incident to my profession. had matu,ely
studied the inimitabe letter of Mr. Madison
TO Mr., Monroe, Ola the subject of the impress
ment of seamen. My mind was arniliar
with Its arguments. My spirit beat high, a S
considered the rank and the rights of an A.
merican Seaman. .re
On the l4th of April 1906, bound myself
to,the good brig, the Marianne, then lying at
New York. In few days we set sail for
Barcelona in Spain. Fhe wind was prosDe-
rous, and my spirits were as light as the ether
OF heaven. On the 1st of MAY, however.
the scene was sadly reversed. In lat. so,
long 80, we hove in sight Of British ship
OF war. Breakers head, cried our cap.
tain. Avast there. my lads" The English
snip, however, espied us, and made signals
tor us to haul to. We obeycd with a heavy
heart. The long boat was immediately sent
oil to US. with stout party, headed by a
young and proud midshipman. "A press,
whispered our captain" NY veteran com
rades confirmed the omen.
The moment they placed their feet upon
the deck, my heart shrunk within me. |
could have faced grim death in any honora.
BILE shape. ! could have cheerfulv terished
In the fields Of battle, i'll the defence of the
rights and freedom of my dear country. I
could have wished for no more fortunate
doom. than to have been pitted on the shore
against this proud midshipman within nv
swords point, and my life staked alone upon
the hazard of the rencontre. could have
plunged with alacrity beneath the salt waves
that cnstirouded cur vessel--at the slightest
rod OF honor But thus to be torn from the
arms OF my comrades, on the mandate of
this petty officer of the British Empire
thus to be dragged from the realms of liber-
~ and light, to the black hold Of British
snip OF war--to be logged by the cat of a
boatswain, to be cast into manacles and
Chains, tobe condemned TO every sort of oh
ioqny and pain, because i could not perhaps
AZ once bend the firm spirit of freeman to
their most capricious airs of authority these
were prospects not to be encountered with
Out the strongest shuddering of the neart
i awaited my fate in the most gloomy silence
AT every risk / was determined not to sink
Into the willing slave Of oppresson--nor to
shffer that liberty which the blood of my
ancestors had purchased, to be wrested from
me without at least one poor effort of me-
rlter,ous opposition.