Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-03-17
Ing nation with equal justice, may Eight

Jag nation with equal justice, may sgh
against it.
That the ocean is a common, owe
which there is no special jurisdiction.
4. That every independent nation ha
an absolute right of transit for Lawful
things on the ocean,, because it is com
| mon. a&
s. That the flag Of every independent
natisn has perfect right to protect on
the ocean whatsoever it lawfully repre-
sents.
s. That the American flag, therefore,
ought to protect every thing which is
American.
z. That a naturalized citizen is only a
citizen er harle for, although the laws
of the U S. naturaiizcd him, his origi-
nal sovereign never released him from
his allegiance.
8. That although the American flag
has perfect right to protect whatever
is American, it has nesrisbt at all to pro.
tect what is British.
9. That the right Of transit for our
vessels over the watery common is liable
to interruption from the circumstance OF
the American flags covering English
subjects.
10. That that interruption only be-
comes an absolute wrong when British
born subjects are excluded entirely from
our vessels.
II. That, of course, the bill, which
has gone up from the house to the Sc
nate, does not provide against tho cause
of quarrel. because it does NOT exclude
foreigners hereafter to be naturalszed.
from employment on beard American
vessels and that it will not induce a
settlement Of the dispute.
All this sounds very harsh: But it
is our opinion that We ought to do at
first what we may, with great color OF
reason, be obliged to do at last that, if
the sutject is legislated UPON at all, it
ought to be legislated upon on PRINCIPLES
not to be shaken; and that nothing.
should be left for future dispu,ation.
Yet however harsh, it is not degrad-
ing. All the governments of Europe
claim the perpetual allegiance of their
native born subjects. France, in spe-
cial manner, by an imperial decree, has,
not years ago, proclaimed the maxim,
that, once Frencdman. always aFrencA.
man. When those governments are not
at war, they generally suffer their sub
jects to roam abroad, and seek employ
ment where they may.
Nor is. there any thing contrary to hu-
manity in the doctrine of excluding Bril-
fish subjects from our vessels for, if an
asy .um from oppression be all that they
seek, that may be found in the bosom OF
the land, where foreigners may still be
natsralized. & will be always protected.
These ideas arc the result of mature
reelection. The bill in question. not go.
ing far enough, will be regarded by G..
Britain as concess,on, without an honest
intention. A faction at home will still
have room to say that the war is waged
for the privilege of naturalizing BRUSH
seamen. and the public in general, not
feeling the motive for war strongly, will
not feel it long. But if British seamen
are altogether excluded, the battle will
then be, if continued, literally and truly
for the protection Of American seamen.
Every body can thus understand It.
Two sentences will then explain our
side of the question.-Brltish seamen are
entirely hut out Of the dishute-Natloe
.Americans only are 10 BE- guarded. Up
or such a ground, we venture to say.
this nation will make war forever. Can
the alien himself seriously object! He
ought not IF he does not enjoy the be
neft his children will At any rate IN
entire exclusion of British mariners carr
not be more Objectionable to that class
of men than the provision in the bill,
which dooms them to .jfve years resi-
deuce ashore before they can be employ
ed in our ships. Considering the ha
bits of seamen, this is virtuoi exclu
sion. Let US, then, do at once, * open
", what is attempted to be done IN sub
stance.