The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1812-09-10

color, will now support 1t by the ac.uai CIR
cumstances that appertaip to 1t. In doing this
l will shew--
First: That the present administration have
been always ready TO restrain The rigIs of Nag
to the projection Of american citizens.
Second That they have been willing at all
times TO enter into convention to deliver
up British deserters.
Third That all hope Of reasonable accom-
modation on the part of &. Britain has failed.
Fourth That their efforts have been and
are now, solely directed TO the encourage
ment of american seamen.
On the 10th Of September, 1896, Mr.
Pickering, Secretary OF State, wrote to Mr..
King, our minister in London, that =" the
subject Of impressed seamen makes part OF
your instructions but the President now re-
news MS desire, that their relief may engage
your sheeiai s,tention. Again ON the 26Ih
of October of the same year, he says TO Mr.
King, after speaking OF the improprisIy OF
pressing foreigners from our vessels, q" the
President is extremely anxious to have this
business OF impresses placed on reasonaofe
footing" This was under the Presidency OF
General Washington.
In the year 1900, the formal written opin-
ions OF all the Secretaries OF Departments
and of the Attorney General, were given TO
President Adams, by his direction IN relation
10 impressment. This was III consequence
of commune alton from Mr.. Lis,on embrs-
cling project for the reciprocal delivery OF
dcscrtcrs.
This project Mr.. Pickering states (Feb.
1900 to be ennreig inadnissaofe unless a.
would hnt al end TO imhresSmens." On this
occasion Mr.. Pickering wrote letter TO MI.
Liston, enclosing counter-Project with res
pect to deserters. The 4lh and essential ar
licle is in the following words
at is, however, understood, that nothing in these
stpuations shall be construed TO empower the civil
military, and naval officers Of either Of the contract.
ing parties orciby enter into the territory forts,
posts, or vssse Of the other party or 10 use violence
To the persons of the commanders, or other officers
Of the forts, posts pesse Of the other party With
a view.t compel delivery Of such persons ss shalt
desert aforesaid"
BY this arrangement it was intended 10 re-
fer the subjec, of desertion 10 tho friendly IN
reference of the proper authority IN both
countries respectively. III G Britain had at
terwards found the United States tardy in
fulfilling thcir part of the convention, the
means ofredress were always IL her own hands.
To he propriery and jusmess Of this arti-
Gle, every member of the cabinet, TO whom
i, was referred, accorded, in writing. The
members were, besides MIR. Pickering, Oil
ver Wolcotl, Secretary of the Treasury;
James M'Henry, Secretary Of War Bsnja-
min Stoddert, Secretary of the Nayy--whose
letter of appreciation contains this remarka-
bic passage" The Secretary (of the Navy)
is clearly OF opinion thvt if rs better TO have
NO article, and 10 meet all consequences, than
to enumer rate merchant vcsseis, on the high
seas, among the things no: to be iorcibly en-
tered in search of deserters" To these may
be added Charles Lee, the AuorHey General.
II thus appears, that Gen. Washlng,on's
and Mr.. Adams administrations, embracing
the present lcatlc:s of the federal party, push
ed Grca, Britain as hard upon the subject as
Mr. Jcfferso apr Mr., Madison have done since.
The ist article of the plan OF convention
sent from the Department of State by Mr.
Madison to Mr.. Monroe, on the sth Of Jenu-
ary, 1904, provides, That no seamcn, sea.
faripg or other person, upon the high seas,
and without the jurisdiction Of either party,
be demanded or taken out of any ship or ves-
sci belonging to the citizens or subjects Of one
Of the parties, by the public or private armed
ships belonging to or in the service of the
other party, and strict and sfec,ual orders
shall be given for the due observance Of this
engagement"
by the 9Th article of the same conventional
plan, " Ii is agreed, that no refuge or pro,ec.
tion shall be afforded by either party to the
mariners, sailors, or other persons NOT found
10 be its osvn citizens or sn6jecfs, who shall de-
scrt from a vessel of the other party, of the
crew whereof the dcserier made a part |; but
on the contrary, all such desertsrs shall be
delivered up, on demand, to the commanders
Of The vessels, from which they shall have
deserted, or to the commanding officers OF
the ships of war Of the respectivs nations, or
TO such other persons ~ mayb be duly author.
ixed 10 make requisitlon in that behalf"
Such is the agreement that Mr.. Jeffer-
son would have made. The presen, admin
istfstioG coincide with him. Mr. Pinkney
a.