The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1811-06-12
From tie Trenton TrHe Amcr.can.
INiPRESSMENT.

affecting story, which we lately gave, as relat-
ed in as English PRINT, OF a'6tack man who
had escaped from Oh board one oil these iioat-
ing basties, and who, rather than return to
the service, took hatchct and choHfed his
hqHd oT close 10 his 7priSt that by disabling
himself he might escape impressment.-A
late Charleston paper mentions, that a Brit
ish merchant brig, falling III with British
soop of war off the bar, six OF the briggs crew
./caring they might 6e iDiHrcsSed, took the
boat and made for the shore--they were pur-
sued by boat from the sloop of war, bat ef-
fccted their escape to Charlcston--And yet,
In this horrid and hated service, which a
black man would sooner lose his hand than en-
dure, and which epen British seanren so great
ly dread, and so anxiously avoid, thousands Of
american citizens are violently dragged and
forciby detained 3--Separatcd, perhaps, from
fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters,
wives and children, kindred and fricnos,-
torn at least from their country and their pur-
suits-thousands Of American citizens are
toiling and signing out loathsome exist
ence in the service OF nation whom they
cannot but hate for It's injustice and cruelty TO
them, and for whom they must yet fight, and
risk life and limbs, epen against iheir ozvn be-
ton of Britain urge her OH to war with Amer
lea And yet how lightly some among us
treat the subject OF InHreSSmiem How Hn
dustriously do they strive to conceal its eX-
tent and disguise It's cnormity . How hard do
they lahour 10 prove the necessity Britain Is
under of resOrting to 1t, and 10 shew that the
H0HcV OF America is TO submit To ii When
the President rejected treaty with Britain
winch made no provision Tor the discharge OF
such American scamcn as had already been
impressed, nor for the security OF such as
might hereafter venture upon the ocean,
what a Glamour did these men raise against
him from east to west Instead Of ralylng
round their government, commencing It's
spirit, appaudng its hrmness, and second
ing its efforts 20 obtain freedom for the OPP
pressed and safety for the enterprisinG, how
did they viitv the President, decry his con-
duct, strive to paralizc his exertions to OBJ
tain more favourable treaty for ,his country,
and uphold Britain in her refusal to do Us JUS,
tice or to treat us respectfully What won
der Britain persists in her insolence and m-
oui,y, when she finds such encouragement
from party which boasts of possessing all
the wealth and talents and virtue OF this coun-
try What wonder she obstinately refuses to
redress our wrongs, when she sees dislin-
guishcd men among us undertake to prove
that she has done us no essential injury
What wonder she treats our government
with scorn and contumely, when she secs
more than half our presses loading it with re-
proacil and opprobrinm Az .hose presses
literally pat,onizcd by numerous and per-
severing party The root of all the evils we
have felt or feared lies at home, in the oppo-
sition maintained to our own government and
the encouragement afforded by that means to
Britain in her spolistions, imprcssmcn,s and
audacty From our submission to wrongs
inflicted by Britain, France was provoked
and emboIdcned TO commence depredations
upon US aud then strife seemed to be car
ricd on between them which should treat us
worst and abuse US longest That Britain
was encouraged in her depreda,ions by the
advocates she found, and the faction she saw
in this country, is evinced by many circum-
stances. Her first statesmen publickly speak
of Z" the British party IN America" and her
Minister writes home that separation of The
union is openly spoken ot.-That the viola
ton of our rights BY Britain led TO their in
fraction by France, is proved by a reference
to ;he dates of their respective aggresslons
1t is not pretended that this in the least jusii-
fcs Francc-two wrongs never made one
right--but il shews that ;hc opposition to
goyernmen. in this country are at the bottom
of all the mischief done and threatened. as
they set on Britain, and Britain set on France
This is plain talk, but i, is true.
Had our country been as united as il might
have been but for the insidious efforts OF a
few ambitious and unprinciped men, who
sowed the seeds of discomfort and division
through the country, and famed the flame of
disscnsion and discord by every rr,ifce in
their power, that they might serve their own
selfish ends and accomplish thsir wicked pur-
poscs,---had our country, we say, been as uni
ted as it might have been but for these efforts,
il is probable no nation would have injured us
Dri...ir Id i,,,.,r..l lnl IL,