The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1811-07-31
MISCELLANY.
Justice, No. 2.

| prSSsment.) Believe me, you do wrong
You act like boy once saw with baske,
Of apples. A rude fellow, whom he could
have crushed with one hand, took one Of his
apples. Instead of letting him go unnoliced,
he set up dreadful cry, accompanied with
threats, which the fellow soon discovered to
be so empty that he took another, and ano,h-
er, merely for the sake of hearing his doleiul
| complaints and empty threats. Just so with
! impressment--the Brilons first take one OF
| your brethren because they want him--you
thereat raise doleful complaint, which please
| the officers SO much they take again when
they GO not want, merely for the sake of
hearing your outcry.
You charge them with the injustice Of i'm
pressing your brethren year before last, last
year, and even repeatedly within tho last
month Whereas they are only guilty alone
OF impressing year before last and we are
equally guilty with them of all the Impress
ments since, which will hereafter Prove.
o, shame, to charge your enemy with in
justice, when doing justice to yourselves
would assuredIy force them to it.
To shew you your own injustice we must
examine what is government and its use,
and what citizen and his rights.
think what is generally government a.
rises out of a contract entered into by anum-
Der OF individuals for their security as il APP
pears without this man is truly miserable
The stronger oppress the weak---two or
greater number Join to plundcr and take the
life Of an individual or make him their slave.
Wherefore II becomes necessary for num-
Der 10 Join themselves together to constitute
greater form for the defence and security
of one or all. Thus itJappears that the very
ground work OF government is mutual de-
fence and that the very acknowledging
man as citizen, entities him 70 the protec-
tion of the whole. And il he is not protec-
ted there is a violation of contract, and the
individual notoriously swindlcd, to the des-
truction of government Itself.
If the injured person is prisoner on board
a British war-ship we may naturally suppose
his Meditation thus
For what did 1 give myself care for my
country For what did consent to be gov
erned by her laws For what have l paid
taxes, and'by every means in my power, as
sisted her TO prosper thought it was to en-
title me to her projection |! Eut alas am
deceived--I was willing to spill my blood for
the dcfcpcc of the smallest member of that
body of whit h myself was part, and did not
even doubt but'tle majority of tho compact
would have done the same. Il did not con-
ccive that the majority OF nation could be
unjust But alas Here am ! in chains and
will be forced to MeRDER-----to spill the
blood OF men have no cnrlity towards and
no right 10 injure, or.sufler my own 10 be
split in drops by he lash of tyranny WHY
sheuld my countrymen have deserted me
II am no longer bound by duty TO any set Of
people, am reduced to the first state of
man /; can look to none for propection, nor
has any right to expect my friendship-I
rsust live for myself-a whole nation is un-
Just, then why should bear the lash for vr-
luc's sake.-No--it shall be all the same 10
mel will so freely where fate drives with
out any consideration of virtue or vice, JUS
ticc OF injustice.--Alas, am a miserable
wretch. Thus ends his meditation,' and the
virtuous Patriot becomes tool for tyrants.
Why will my country thus heap ruin and
nlamy on itself-Rain, because in the first
place it is weakened by want Of individual
confidence in the justice Of the whole 2dly,
because every individual impressed is treble
loss to us for losing man is losing so much
ot the strength OF the nation; our enemy
gains the strength we lose, and it adds con-
cmpt for the nation that suffers. 2 1t is like
man suffering his fingers to be cut off one
At time, until he is unable 10 hold the sword,
and then of necessity submitting to have his
eyes put out, and finally, to get out OF his
condition, consent 10 have the head
taken from his shoulders. Iatamy, because
It's destruction is occasioned by its own breach
Of faith.-We set at home by our own lire
side and hear with the utmost indifference OF
The impressment OF fellow citizcn--we feel
no danger OF suffering the same ourselves
and forget that we are bound TO save or re-
lieve every citizen of the United States from
slavery, aud teach Tyrants 20 know that ii
they cnslare the Republick, it shall not be by
one or ten at a time, but that all must DO
slaves or al be free. That justice demands
it, and VIC are sensible If Republick exists
il must be by observing the stricicst Justice.