Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-04-06

vice, who had been TAKEN By uuistak !
for Englishnen. Howt,uS then, il tia
assertion, that ale deelares her desesmi.
nation te continue to take orr seamen !;
And how is our Zsdefendense concerned
in the question I! The Boston commit.
tee have shewn, that the practice had
latterly very much abatsd, and yet this
was the chosen moment 10 continue the
war, for cause, which the greatest ex .
tent Of tho mischief had never made it
proper, in the pablo estimation, to make
warrior, Do these mon suppose, that
the founder Of American independence
did not feel and knew the rights that
appertained TO it, as well as they And
yet he did not throw US into war for this
cause. Why? Because then, as now
Il was disslaimed as a right, and the
conflicting claims Of the two nations
showed. that it was a ssbiect more pro-
per for ncgosiation than war. Isit a
principle Of naval despetism, unheard Of
III the annals of'nations. TO take the sea.
men ofa bciligerent, from the merchant
saips of nsut is There is not . ma.
tipn Of Europe but does it, and IN deny
ing the RIGHT TO Great Britain, We asser,
: principle Of marTime fraud, unheard
ei IN the annals ofnation. Is there an
advocate fer tho court.doctrincs who
sili not allow, that a belligercnt has
right ts search neutral merchant ships
for eontrabsnd of war and enemis.' pro-.
petty? Ii a right exists and the late
law If Congress. abont employing To-
reign seaHen. admits the right of belli-
gercnts to the service of their scamen
during war; if the righs of'using theii
scainen exists, it follows, Of course, that
the employment Of then, is wrong.-
Whsn then he ligerent officer enters
neutral merehsnt vessel, and iuds on
board seaman of his nation, hos he
not right TO take possession of him !
If any eneof you had searcl warrant, 10
60 into a house, the ownerof which was
suspected of having stolen your coat, and
you there found your boots, would you
aave no right to take them, because The
warrant was to search for coat! So
if belligerent, gging aboard neutral
to search for eontrahand OF war, fDds
there the seamen of his country, has he
no right to take them : Mr.. Madison
and his yelpers say no--bccause, if he
takes the goods, he must fist carry
them fer adjudication to atrlbunal esta.
blished for, that purpose, where the pro-
perty must be asceftained. But let me
ask, how is this tribunal establish d 7?
Is il net by the sovereignty OF the cap
tor I? And why may not the same sn-
versignty, for the parpose Of ascertain,
ing the right in the service of It's sea-
saen, create the jurisdiction in the beard
ing oficer. Like every other executive
~fhccr he becomes responsible Tor the
execution Of his duty, and ttrsSargument
onthe ground OF prejudice, or OF inte-
rest, would be as strong against having
tie ownership Of goods established by
an enemy's judiciary, as having the plea
If allegiancesdecided by an officer. As
,.a,iorls have agreed to leave the deci-
sion IF the question in such hands, we
nay readily see the reason tor the Gus.
,op, because there would be as little
pyobarlc chance of justice 10 the Irdlvi-
dual shan tried in distant tribunal, and
more vcxafion, than It he were to have
his cause determined nearer hone and
when he might probably haze about hnl
the proofs Of his ease Adaittor no
mcnt, hovever, the right TO be doubtful,
is war, one of the greatest calapities III
cident to our nature, to be carried or
are sll our political Institutions t. bepqt
AZ hazard is our union to be JeoPar'tz-
I'd are ourselves and our children to he
bound down with ia ses 70 feed the pam
pered fayorites of Executive eiInions--
to support q doubtful rlgS't what
shall we pet more from Great Britain,
AFTER war of twenty Years duratlen,
than what she now declal 8, mat Is
nor her qpish to take our seameng mo
b.r seryice, Iftbe assertion OF doubtful
right can authorize war, win all is nor
rors and dangers to individuals and me
society, where may not the mad amoi,
ton of executive monsters hurry us S
You have yet the power IN your hands,
exert it, and save yourselves anf your
posteri,y. The only boon, TINS exssu-
tive advocate offers you, is an honora-
h,e neace, as far as he can be instrument
al in procuring it To rob you OF that
envied state, his patrons have essayeu
all their arts. To prevent it, was the
nnavalling effort Of your present Repre-.
sentative. who is most likely, do you
suppose, to restore peace to our snhsp-
nv country, the man who opposed It's be-
~; r. aiken from youyor The one who hav-
,iins ;oiped in the wish orits destru clIon'
seeks s only its restoration upon prinesl-
,le. Of doubtful right, and to gfatily the
pr .r;ce and ambition, OF your