Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1812-06-29
WAR I! WAR q! VAR ! !!

WAR ! WAX ! y! max
F1om tie National IpteAgeneer, Erfra.
a O'clock p. nj.
TaEiHsioa, (TburJdqy) June IS, 1914.
The injunction of lecrecy was about
an hour ago removed from the fol-
lowiDg Mellage and Act. The re-
port or manife(to which preceded the
act is too long for preGent publication.
70 tie SeTafe and Hgg'e Of RfPyejcH-
fativf5 q Tie United Slater.
/ communicate to Congrefs certain
documents, being a continuation Of
thole heretofore laid before them on
the iubjcct Of our affairs with 9. Bri-
tain.
Without going ba ko beyond the
renewal in 1909, Of the war in which
@. Britain is engaged, and emitting
unrepaired wrongs OF inferior magni-
tude, the conduct of her government
preients ferries of acts hottie to the
u. S. as an independent and neutral
nation.
3ritiih cruilers have been in the
continued practice Of violating the
American flag on the great highway
Of nations, & Of feizing and carrying
eff Perlons falling under it I; not in
the exercife of a belligerent right,
founded on the law Of nations againlt
an enemy, but Of uunicipai Prerog-
ative over Brltfh iubjects. Britih
iurlfdiction is thus extended to neu-
trial vehels in a ftuation where no
laws can operate but the law Of ma
tons and the laws Of the country to
which the vefiels belong and a telf-
redrefs is ahumed, which, If Britifh
Gubjects were wrongfully detained and
alone concerned, is that fubfttution
of force for a reiort to the rcfpOnG-
bic fovrreign, which falls within the
definition Of war. Could the feizure
of Britiih fubjects, in iuch cafes, Be
regarded as within the exercife of
beliigerent right, the acknowledged
laws Of war, which forbid an article
Of captured property 70 be adjudgcd,
without a regular inveitigatiOn before
competent tribunal, would imperi-
only demand the faireit trial where
the lacred rights Of perfons were at
iiIue. Tn place of fuch trial, thele
rights are fubjected to the will Of ev-
cry petty commander.
The practice, hence, IS 70 far from
affecting Britiih fubiects alone, that
under the pretext of iearching for
thefe, thouiands Of American citizens,
under the fafeguard of public law,
and Of their national flag, have been
tornfro m their country and from CIV
cry thing dear TO them have been
dragged on board ibips Of war Of
foreign nation, and expoled, under
the feverities of their dilcipline, to
be exiIed to the mof diltant and
deadly chimes, to risk their lives in the
battles Of their opprei1ors, and to Be
the melancholy infruments Of taking
away thole of their own brethren.
Againftthis crying enormity, which
@. Britain would Be 70 prompt to
avenge if committed againlt herlelf,
the L. States have in vain exhaufted
remonRrancss and expoftulations.
And that no proof might be wanting
Of their conciliatory difpoftions, and
no pretext left for a continuance OF
the practice, the Br.tifh government
was formally ahured os the reaidineis
cfthe u States to enter irto arrange
ments, luch as could not be reie6ted,
If the recovery Of Britifh fubiects
were the real and the fole object.
The communication pahed without
effect.
Britilh cruizers have been in the
practice alto Of violating the rights
and the peace Of our COATS. They
hover over and harrafs our entering
and departing commerce. To the