The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-12-16

same pcna'lies as he who was guilty OF
voluntary inirac.on of the law.
This law ought to have healed the breaoi,
between the two countries. For, what was
the hoint IN DISPUTE
SEAMEN.-I'he british say, that then.
ssamen are employed in orr ships; that
they have right to take them on the high
seas, as much as Oh their own soil for that
allegiance Is perpetual, and " once subject
rs dtsodps subject"
he u. States contend. On the other hand.
that, even if the law OF Allegiance We're per
lpetu7i. and man were always the slave of
the soil on which he happens to be brrn. vet
TINS IS h7o e the land and not Of the seas
"a locai law of the British Empire, and not
/ OF the ocean /; a law. which springs from the
sill OF England. which extends no further
tnan the limits OF is exclusive jurisdiction.
Z. is not consequently the law cfthc comncp
Highway ot all nations that this great elem
ent IS tree to the commerce. & ilag of al, ma
tons, except in few specified cases which
are chalked out by the laws of nations ,ha
| those are limitations which spring exciu-
siveiy from the laws of war. and not from
the municipal regulations Of any c 7untrv
th2t III these cas.g. cases Of block atc, contra
band OF war, & enemy's goods, the +, stric
tons are imposed by the state of war ey
begin and they end with that state OF things.
whereas the rue OF imDressnept prevails,
|.
IN X exist at al. In a sFQfe OF flTGre as we'll
as OF war because If @. Britain has a right
10 seIze her seamen in consequence Of the
allegiance which they owe her, she has a
right 60 take them in peace rs we'll as in
war; I" hi her merchant ships as well as
ner ships OF war-but that this is a r.stric-
| non, which Can by no ingenuity of cnnstruc
| ION, be reduced either within the difnition
| NJ blockade, Of contraband. or OF enemy,
soods--and. ct Course, that the restriction
, wh'ch s'e wishes to impose upon the free
dom OF our flag on the high seas. is not re
G NgnIsed b. the laws Of nations, auti is there
ioie violent and unilStihah1e exrension of
the laws OF her own jrrisdiction to the Com
mo- Highway Of the Universe.
We contend, in the ID place. that even
~ they had this right in other cases, viz. in
the case OF French or Spanish ships nat
~ me French and Spapiarcis possessed this
right over their own subjects on the decks
OF the 1z'.ertcan vessels; yet that there
are reasons In the particular case before us,
Wnicn makes 1t n exception TO the gene
raj RUE that the irish can easily tiislin
gh'sh one OF their own subjects froIi a
| trenchman or Spaniard the French or
| the Spaniards can distinguish native of
their own countries from citizen of Amer
ica, out 1t is in all cases impossible for the
british To oist;ngu sh one of their peeple
OF this confusion, mistakes would be ne
ccSTary and inevitable +; that they are niul
| 'WHed bv the interests and the arrogance
| OF petty British officers; that hence our sea
rnen are carried OF instead OF theirs and
we produce the most authentic documents
to prove, that more of orr seamep are i'm
pressed than british seamep and no rule
can beju"t which does more injury to one
na'I m than Ser1,;ce 10 aaother
We -, e..
Sri ain has no right and no shadow of aaal-
ogy IN employ this principle against us, if a.
ny ubSTitutc can he discovered IL is placr ::
we CIR mr. what we consider to be an eff
cIsnt SubTtitute--we content that the re-
Hedy which she employs is TIE worst that
can be devised that the inpres.men, of
seamen on the high seas is conducted nv in
! 'ereSted, partial and passionate officers :;
We the'efore propose n substitute, which
nav answer al Eer purposes without snb
i9cthF cur innocent countrpme.l 70 the can
| t'vitv OF her subjects We propose to hani,h
AZ her searnen from Cur ships. AMI in any
caSc' where dou'ts r1ay exist. TO refer TIE
cha' acter Of the Ssamen to an impartial and
a'scassionstc tribunal on shore.
DIS substitute receives the sanction of
SongreSs--a law is pissed, which ought 70
nave been received bv cur enemy as the
! p'e sc 81 cur just and favorable DISPOSE
/ .Eii Dllt ina measure rs taken in vain.
ney make nos single overture for peace
Nor does our government stop fers.-
Inc Emperor Of Russia wishes 20 n, .da;e
peace between the two countries. Mr..
| D'sohkoh brings J, to tine view of this gov
ernment-whiie the saree proposition is sub
mit'e' to the eDemv Once NOR we listen
TO the voice Of hunanty--and without
waiting to hear Of the determination of thf,
enemy, we accept of the Mediation of Rus.
sia.
| We even take tho stehs. before We IN
derstand whe ther the onemy has taken the
Rr% We not only accep. the mediation.
Ont 81 Soiicitous are We to dry the eyes of
weeping humanity. that we appoint Com
| m'ssioners to visi, St. Peters5nrg to await
the decisions Of the enemy.
why should not the enemy decide in favor
| OF the mediationi
| hey could not be withheld by apv want
| IT respect for the distinguished SOVEREIGN"
! "ho had offered his mediation -hecause
alexander IS at this moment their aIIy in
war against their diresf enemy.
/ hey could not be withheld BY any indis-
poS'tion on the part of the u. s. to accep.
the Observation-Disclosures they led made all
the advances which were necessary to .pro-
duce negotiation
! hey could have been under no appre
henSion OF being obliged to sacrifice any OF
| heIr pretended rights by the particular
haPe which the negotiation had assumed
-.oecause, they would have entered upon il