The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-11-14

there to serve. until conclusive testimonial,
Oh their birth Can be obtained These mus.
most generally be sought for on this ,id, he
Atlantic. In the mean time acknowledged
Violence is practised on a tree cit,zen ofthe
oniied States, by compelling him To Engage,
| anu 20 continue in foreign service Although
ne lords OF the admiralty. uniformly direct
heir discharge on the production of this
'estimony, yet many mus, perish nnreliev-
ed. and all are detained Considerable lime
III iawiess and Injurious Confinement.
= 4 Is the duty as well as the right Of a
friendly na,io.i. to require that measures
DC taken by the British government TO pre-
vent the continued r"re,ition Of such yio
'ence by its agents. This cau only be done
oy Furnishing and frowning on those who
temperate It. The mere release of the in
jured, after a long course OF service and of
sufyring, is no compensation for the past,
and no security fer the future II is i'm
possible not to believe, that the decisive in
reference Of the government in this res
pect, would prevent practice. the CONT
nuance of which must inevitably produce
1iscord between. two nations which ought to
be the friends cfcach other
Those seamen who, born in foreign
country, have been adopted by this. were
e'her the subjects of Britain or some other
power.
" The right to impress those who were
british subjects has been asserted, and tie
.ighs toiUtpress those Cf every other nation
has not been disclaimed.
50 Neither the one practice nor the other
can be justified.
q With the naturalization Of foreigners,
no o'her nation can interfere further than
the rights OF that other are affected
the rights OF Britain are Certainly not af-
t..St or lv II, 81 &
british subjects. Consequently those per-
Sens who, according t. our laws, are citi-
zens, must be So considered bv Britain, and
b, every Other power not having conflict
ing claim the person
. The United States theref,re require
positively, that their seamen who arr. not
British subjects, whether born IN America
or elsewhere, shall be exempt from Impress
ments
The case of British subjects, whether
naturahzed or not, is more questionable /;
ont the right even TO impress the n is aeni-
ed. The practice of the British govern
| mcnt itself, may certainly, in "A controver
sy with that government. be relied on. The
privileges it claims ant exercises OUGHT to
| ne coded to others. To deny this would he
to deny the equality OF nations, and to make
ut question of power and not of right. 4
=" If the prao tee of the British govern
ment may be quoted, that practice is to
maintain and defend in their sea service all
those, OF any nation, who have Voluntarily
eoSaSed III ", or who, according to their.
laws. have become British subjects.
Alien seamcn not Brush subjects, en-
gagged in our merchant service, ought TO be
equally exempt with citizens from impress
| ments: We have light To engage them, *
have right to, & an interest in, their per-
sons 10 the extent of the service contracted
to be performed. Britain has no pretext 81
right TO their persons or to their SERVICE
| 10 tear them, then, from our possession.
IS at the same time All insult and an iniury
Ii Is an act OF violence for which there ex-
| lists no palliative.
4" We know we'll that the difficulty Of
| Distinguishing between native Americans 3,
British subjects has been used. with respect
TO na,ives, as an apology for the injuries
complained of. 1t is not pretended that this
apology can be extend, d TO the case of TO.
| reigners, and even with respect to natives
I we doubt the existence of the difficulty al
eyed. We know we'll that among tina,
class of people who are seamen, we can
readily distinguish between native Ams ri.
can and person raised to manhood In G.
Britain or Ireland; and we do not perceiy e
.ny reason Why the capacity of making this
distinction should not he possessed i'm the
" 1T, therefore, no regulation can be form
ID which shall effectuallv secure all scanen
on board American merchantmen, we have
d right 10 expect from the justice ef the
| British government, from its regard for the
: friendship OF the United States and it's own
] iouor, that it will manifest the sincerity of
| It's wishes TO repress this CfTence, b. punish
| ink- those who commit it.
&c we hope, h wever, that an agreement
NAV b. entered into satisfactory and benefi
ciai to both parties. The article which ap-
pears TO have been transmitted by my pre-
J decessor, while it satisfies this Country, will
probably restore to the naval service Of
| Britain a greater rumber of seamen than
will be lost By it. Should We even be mis-
! taken in this calculation. yet the difference
cannot be put IN competition with the mis-
chief which may result from the irritation
justly excited, by this practice, throughout
! ne United States. The extent and the
justice of the resentments il produces, may
be estimated, in Britajh, by inquiring what
impressions would be made on them by 81
milar conduct on the part of this govern.
ment
Should we impress from the merchant
service 81 Lritain. rot Only Ameri ans bur
Foreigners, and even British subjects, how
long would such IA couise of injury unre.
! dressed be permitted to pass unrevengcd
How long would .he government be content
with unsuccessful remonstranCe and una
vailing memorials! l believe. sir, that on.
ly the most prompt correction of. compen-