The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1812-09-03
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PROM THE NATIONAL ISrELLIeESeEa.
REVIEW

PRICING THE MINORITY OF THE HOUSE
OF REpKEsENrATIvEs OF THE CONGRESS
or THE UNITED STATES
TContinnedl
First in order, and first in intercst,'s the to-
pic of imhreSsment. The msnner In which
tho adlressers trea, this subject, is a curious
intellectual phenomenon. by long train OF
philosophical studies, by habit OF mental alb
straction, man may, it is possible, bring him
self TO view the greatest enormitics with Calm
and speculative Indifference. Butthe gentle
men whose production | crilcise, are indi-
viduals who mix with the world ;thcy can feel,
they tell US, like vulgar mortaIs for the mis-
cries of their country for the happiness OF the
people, and groan, in anticipation, for the fate
ofposterity Andyet, singuiarcaprice OF the
human mind !,they cooily sit down 10 array
upon paper the Pretexts and apologies Of
an enemy for the perpetration Of injustice. 1t
is impossible TO explain this contr adictory sem
sibllity upon moral principles butit may, per-
haps, be accounted for upon ply scaI grounds.
Where thesenlient bias Of the mind runs
gainsl equiiy,,he public expression oi tha, bias
!, checked by shame and, in resisting each
other, like current and counte, -curren,, the
tive sensations form conilux, restlcss and
renucnt. In Ills uoeasy situation reason Is
tossed to and fro, ana seeks Tor repose by en-
aeavoring towauqoiize opposi,..g cxci'emen's'
lfence II Is, that on tho same page INC Au'
Jrcsscrs g symhathiSe with. our unfortunate
sesncn, the victims oil the abuse OF power"
and yet declare thatif the right oil exemption
from mpressmcnt "to the full extent ci ATS
abstract nature, be inconsistent with the safe.
,y of another nation, morality seems to re-
quise, that, in practice, its exercise should,
in his respect, be modified" Thus, these
gen,iemeh will give 10 American citizens, to
the " victims" Of British oppression, their
sympathy they will weep with YOU ii you
require it they will agree, in theory, that
the doctrine of inpressmcnt is an : abuse oil
powcr." But "in Practice" they insist that
the right OF e.re,ahnOn must be " modified
The form in which the addrcsscrs state the
ou ss,ion of impIessmcnt, is an ar,iul evasion
of the point al issue. The government OF
Che United States (say they, at page y as
sc,,s the prola principle that the hag OF their
merchant vessels shall protect the mariners
U The British government asserts (they con-
tinue) that the allegiance OF thei' suoJects Is
inalenable, in time OF war, and that their sea-
men, found on the sca, the common highway
Of nations, shall not be protected by the has
of ptiyate merchant VESSELS" In tue fullness
of zeal TO plead the alien side OF the topic,ihe
oamphletccrs pass over the arguments IN Id
yor of their county {" they deem IT nnn( ceS-
sory (pagc S) to discus. the question oi the
.dn,erican claim for the immunity oil their
Aac. But mark the sly insinuaton they
cannot refrain from viewing ii asa principle
of nature very broad and comprehensive, TO
the abuse of which the temptations are strong
and numerous" To justification OF the
claim of England, however, they are by no
means averse and they 20 INFO 1t with pithy
sententiousness that indicates a heartfelt sat-
isfaction. " The claim OF Greai Britain
(say thcy) is neither novel or hecater. The
doctrine Of allegiance, for which she contends,
is common to all fhe governments OF Earohe.
France, as we'll as England, has maintained
il for centuries. Both nations claim, in time
of war, the services Of their subjects. Bo,a
by DEGREES forbid their entering Into foreign
employ. Both recall them by proclsmation."
Is this the language Of impartiality 1sit the
tone Of candid Judge will not ask, is 1t
the language Of true-hcarted Americans (!
TO pass over, with an implied censrrc, the
American claim 10 corroborate English doc
trines TO become the advocates OF the cne-
NV against their coun,rymen are circum.
stances that will assist in explaining the views
or IN. men who undertake to condemn the
acts of the majority.
But, beg the reader to believe that have
not made these quotations because 'ney pre-
sent the question in It's real shape l nave
made them only because they tend TO unve,
the srti6ce of the Addres:crs. America
i. true, has designated the -fay as the rue .