The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-05-09

men. which has been encouraged aid sup
ported for ages by the nation, has giSn the /
British navy its superiority over the pavies I
Of other nations 20 Who shall dare DO set L
bounds to the commerce and naval pwer
of r reat Britain 20 is the magnifcentlan-
ruage of defiance in Parliament, and il vi
Srafes and echoes through every heart inthe +
nation. Every British sailor is made tope-
lieye himself the master and commando of
THE world If the right of impressmentis
conceded by us, in theory or practice, DIR
.eamen's hearts will be broken, and eveA /
3 British seaman viii say 10 every Aineftt
can seaman, as the six nations Of Indian
4 said to the southern tribes, whom they had
conquered, Z" We haze Put hetticoats orA
vou'' In such a case, many would have tool
much reason to say, let us no longer rejoice
for Independence, or think of a navy or free
commerce, no longer hope for any rank in
the world, but bow our neCks again to the
woke of Great Britain.
If the spirit of man should remain in
our sailors, they will sometimes resist
Should a British cutter demand to search an
American merchant ship, of five hundred
tons burthen, armed as they sometimes are
and have right to be-rhe commander of
the cutter calls for muster of the men, in
3 order to impress such as he, i'll his wisdom,
D. shall judge to be British subjects. Is it Gre
! sible that the captain and crew of the mer-
chantmen will submit to this usage. No. he
will sink the boat and cutter too. rather be
80 insulted, and every American must APP
plaud him for his spirit.
Is this right of impressment to be all on
one side, or is it to be reciprocal? British
modesty may say 1t is an exclusive prI-
vilege, because it is necessary to support
our dominion of the seas, which is necessary
to preserve balance of power, in Europe,
against France, and to prevent the French
Emperor from sending fifty Thousand men
TO conquer the United States eff America"
All this will not convince American seamen.
They will answer g We think balance of
power on the ocean as necessary as on the
continent of Europe. We thank you for
your civility in kindly giving us hopes, that
you will defend us from the French army
of fifty thousand men but we are very
willing to take our defence upon ourselves.
1t you have right to impress, seamen from
our ships, we have an equal right to impress
from yours"
Should one of cur gun boats meet Bri-
fish East lndiaman, armed with fifty guns
the gun boat demands search for Amcri-
can sea!!ie. ca rs SC: the muster roll, ;;a:s
mands the men TO pass in review before
him; would the East India captain submit
No. He would sooner throw ever board
the press gang, and run down the gun boat
Such will be the perpetual altercation be-
tween Britons and Americans; at sea, and
lay an immoveable foundation of eternal ha :
tired between the two nations. The king
proclamation will be found as imPolitic a
step as ever the court of St. James has ia
ken.
1t is said, in the context. &c The British
ships of war, agreeably to a right, claimed
and exercised for ages--a right, claimed
and exercised during the whole of the ad-
minlstrat'ons of Washington and Adams, and
OF Jefferson, continue to ta:e seule of the
british seamen, found on board eurt erchaut
vessels, aud with them snritt lf :aber OF
ours. from the inpossiblity Of Away distin-
gushing Englishmen from the citi2tns Of the
United States" Wehave before zen what
sori of right to impress men fron heir own
ships has been claimed, in what tanner it
has been exercised, and VIVA. iiaat il has
been Considered by the English y zion Il
amounts to right of getting theft officers,
lawfully killed. But surely, no right was
ever before claimed to- impress MN from 70,
reign ships. II such pretended right was
ever exercised, or, in other wortb. ii such Il
crime was ever committed, Ipresume it
would be no better proof of a ega right, than
robbery, burglary, or murder committed
on Spore, would prove that sucf actions are
ms Tent and lawful. To argue from single
~ or few instances to general law, is
.SPi'o'iJ wv COiHiiluil Win fOhtlCdi W.T.
tiers, and is sometimes imputabl to compilers
OF the laws of nations but lone of them
ever went to such extravagane, as this. No
claim or pretension of any rigE to search TO-
reIgl' vessels for seamen, eveiexisted before
our revolution; and no exefise of such
right ever prevailed since, kept such as
resemble the exercise of the light of commit
ting robbery, burglary and mn der in some of
our cities. No ages have PISSED since our
revolution. The right WA never asserted
or Claimed, till the late Proclamation of the
king appeared, and that PROCLAMATION will
make an epoch of disgraceand disaster TO
one nation or the other, peraps to both
From the peace Of 1888 the commence
ment OF our government, idcr the present
national constitution, whefver any Ameri- |
can seamen were impressl, they were i'm
mediately demanded in til name of the old |
congress, & Immediately dcharged, without
ever pretending to such l ipt ofimpressment. |
During the adn,inistratih of Washington,
whenever information VS. received of any
imPressment, immediaterd were sent 70
hemand the men, and thtnen were promis-
ca TO be liberated. Warrington sent captain
talbot to the West-Indii. as an agent to de-
mana seamcn Impress on board British
men OF war. Talbot tlnanded them of thu
BRUSH commanders. cstaiDs and admirals.
ana was refused. He vent then on shore.
ana demanded and obtBed of the chief ms J