Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-10-28

Il. Exactly nat Is the tninp you
have hit the very nail on the head. If you
allow the British to search for their seamen
on board our merchant vessels, they will
take seamen that are Americans. And this
you know has been the consequence of the
practice of what is called impressment.
O.. You argue pretty closely, neghbor
but feline, beg of you, why, if British
officer may Garry OFT a merchant vessel from
her coursc'tor having enemy's property on
board, he may not take off British searnen
when found among ,ae crew of such vessel
II lie has right to take his enemy's proper
ty he may certainly take his osyn.
7. If argue closely, friend Gaius, think
You reason cunningiy. Yet there is very
sufficient answer 20 yonr question. In The
first place, the searc. for enemy's property
| is permitted by the law of nations, whereas
the search for persons (except for such as
IRE in the military service Of the enemy is
not. The one, therefore, 10 lawful act
| the other is not lawful. This Of itself, is a
very broad an-i conclusive line Of distinction.
In the second place, the property OF an ene-
my, although seized and carried into port,
is nor ahfirohria,ed 20 the SoVereign'S use
! l7ltl IL IL tyisd ia q coKrt If admiralty and
condemned according 10 known ia5vS: but
when a seaman is seized, he is al once an
! hrohriafed TO actual service, without legal
trial, and without judgment ifyou Justify
the taking OF men under the right of search
for property, you necessarily admit that the
ruie Of right ought to be Observed IN relati-
on to persons as well as 10 goods. The Sub
! ject, in that case, ought not to be put into
service until he has had a fair hearing in a
court ofjustice and has been flroUed what he
is alledged to be. Enemy property is not
| condemned untilit is proved to be such.
| G. Doyoa think that the king can wait
for the-tedious forms of che law, in order TO
| procure the services of his SUBJ, cts.
| 1. 7eGiolts forMs o/the iag2! Why bless
! me, Gains, are you freeman! And talk
thus what would become OF you, and me,
and all of US, if it were not for the forms IF
| RE ia7y If our fathers had argued a. you
do, we might still have been dependants of
| GreaS Brit0in; for what did the British mi-
nistry ask before our revolutionary war
commenced, but the right to take your mo
ney without the forms OF law; in other
words, to tax us without our having repre-
| sentatives In parliament which is contrary
TO the constitutional law OF a free stale
| Suppose YOU owed me money, for the pay
gaent of which could not conveniently Wal,
the time which the farms Of The iqyy render
| ed Indispensable would you think it right
that / should take hold OF you Il being enc
| stronger) and take the sum due 70 me- out
| of your pocket Would you think il 4 suf-
ticient excuse in me to say Icould not wait
f6r the teo1ous forms Of the LazV ? Would
| YOU not make great outcry, and try TO have
me punished!
G. Well; perhaps it may be wrong 10
| send British seSuen, impressed from neu-
trail vessels, into service without a hearing or
regular Judgement. think nevertheless,
! the king mas a right to take them.
! T Then you think the king has right
do a thing not lawful. But you must not
forget, neighbor Gaius, that the king of G.
! Britain, whatever he may do within the Ii
mits of his own kingdom, Can exercise no
| right with respect to other countries which
| the law Of nations does not sanction. Thar
| is position which YOU cannot controvert. II
the law of nations gives him such right. ]
4 will thank you to tel! me where ! can end
| such law il it does not, he clearly has none,
But, putting this part OF the question entire
| ly out of dispute, you must confess that e
| ven ifthe king has right to lake his ozvii
subjects, nc has TO right to take Asserfcan
CT liens.
G. grant that. But. then, you must all
! low that you nafproize British born sub
jects and these you call American citizens.
! 1t is Of that which the British complain.
f The naturalization Of .Joyeignera,
1 nelgnQOf W - not IL party QucAtiulL Is
provided for by the constitution OF the Uni
| ted States which is proof that it was point
| agreed on by the wise men who framed chat
instrument And indeed why should we
not naturalize themS Gzsat Britain Goes IL.
Have not the United States right to do, as
nation, what Britain has a right TO dor
G. All! The British are an old nationl
T. Indeed, is That your argumeuts Let
inc put the case hrme to you.-You are
thirty years Of age; am hfty Are not your
rights as a man equal 90 mine The mo-
ment you were twenty one, you were OF age F:
the being of age with respect to individuals
Is the same as being Independent, with re-
! gard to nations. AS soon as the nation is in
dependent, she is equal, IS to riYltS 70 any
Eother nation. Rights. among equals, are re-
cihroeaL What one may do another may
do II G. BritainHatnralizes native Ameri
can citizens, the United States may natural
ize native British subjects
G. Ave, aye you wish TO employ in
our merchant vessels British born subjects
who are not n Rraiized,
T. by no 90 rs. On the contrary, and
il must be4within your, own recollection, that
TO distinguth between citizens Of the United
States and hreignerS who we're not citizens
an act Of Empress. wa passed on the 28th
Of May, 10, whexeb0the collectors cf Gus
toms are dircS,ed D. gsfA certificates OF
citizenship, wf&hE glifcates have since ob-
tSined the nam b }aOfcefionS. That act
was approye6r General Washington
which shows " ~ favour Of projecting