The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1812-09-17

me-,
OF REpREsENs 80.
OF THE UNIyD
LConfimedl
Or n. OH Of Sept. 1900, Judge Marsh
all wro,s aus TO Mr.. Kings I" The mere
release orhe injured, after long course of
service and Of suffering, is no compensation
for tho past, and no security for the future"
1t j. impossible not TO believe that the de-
cisiy, interference OF the government in this
respect, would prevent practice, the confin-
uance of which nnst ineyifa5iy produce diSeord
bessveen fgvo nations which ought 10 be the
friends OF each other" The u States,
therefore, require positively that their sea
men who are not British subjects, whether
born in America or elsewhere, shall be ex-
empt from iinprossments."
Thus we find the subjeo. continued 10 ac-
quire in the minds OF the most enlightened
fedcralists, greater importance every year !;
that they began TO be reused on the question
70 considerable degree OF irritation in the
last year of their power, in consequence OF
their beginning to lose all hope OF peaceful
accommodation. The whole progress of ne
gocation, in truth, had in that respect been a
scene, as Judge Marshal depicts IT, of un-
successful remonstrance and unAyiling memo
rials." The Republicans, nevertheless, tried
friendly representations still further.
Here il will be proper To recur TO the 10th
page OF the Address, where il is asserted that
Mr.. King, when minister IN England, OBJ
tanned disayowal OF the British government
of the right 10 impress American scsmen,
naturalized as well rs native, on the hish
scas" Dut the moment the articles were
expected 10 be signed, an exception Of the
narrop seas was urged and insisted on by
Lord St. Vinccnts, and being utterly lnadmls-
sable on our part, the negotiation was aband-
oned."--These circumstaoc es are stated by
the pamphctcers TO SHOW that Great Britain
was wiling to enter into friendly arrange
mcnt.
10 understand the reason why no arrange.
men; took place, it is necessary 10 explain,
briefly, what the phrase So aarro7u seas" i'm
ports. The pretension 10 peculiar rights in
those seas is characterized by Mr.. Madison,
in his letter TO Mr. Monroe of January S,
1905. The objection in itself (says Mr..
M has certainly not the slightest foundation.
Ths time mas been, indeed, when England
not only claimed but exercised pretcnsions
scarcely iafcriJr to full sovereignty over the
seas surrounding the British Isles, and even
as far as Cape F!niserro 10 the south, aud
Van Staten in Norway to the north. II was
time however, when reason had little share
in determining the lawend the intercourse OF
nations. Whcp powcr alone decided ques-
tioni Of right and when the ignorance and
want Of coacer, among other maritimc coun-
tries facilitated such an usurpation" Furth-
er on he says, " What arc in fact the preroga-
tives claimed and exercised by Great Britain
over these seas If they were really part of
her domain, her authority would be the same
there as within DER other domains. Foreign
vessels would be subject to all the laws and
regulations Famed for them, as much as ii
they were within the harbors and rivers of the
country" And i u conclusion of the subject
of the &" narrow ssas," IN the same letter Mr..
Madison says, Z" The truth is, that so great a
proportion of our trade, direct and circuitous,
passes through those channels, and such is
its peculiar exposure in them to the wrong
practised, that with such an exception, any
remedy would be very partial. And we can
never consent TO purchase partia remedy by
confirming general evil, and by subject;ng
ourselves to our own rcproachcs, as well as
TO those of other na,ions.'
Mr.. Madison is not singular in this opinion.
The veg reason why Mr.. Rufus King Ia
gentleman proposed by the federal party as
Vice.P President Of the United States would
not consent to the arrangement with The cx
.ccption Of the " narrow seas" was, as he
has himself alledgcd because the exception
claimed was greater than the evil which the
arrangement was intended to cure.
Mr.. King seems to be of opinion howcv-
er, (say the Addressers) that with more than
was left him for the experiment, the cbjec-
tion might have been overcome. What time
was left Mr.. King for the experiment (con-
unucs the pamphlet,) or whether any was
ever made, has not been disclosed TO fhe hub
Ic." In this, the addrcssers are uncandid
enough to attempt to conceal a fact tha, must
have been known to them; for although Mr..
|. King did imagine that the objection might