The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1813-02-18

severity. II il be our duty to encourage tie
fair and legitimate commerce of this country
by protecting the properly Of the merchant !;
then, indeed, by as much as life and liberty
are more estimable than ships and goods, so
much more impressive is the dulv 10 shield
the persons Of our seamen, whose hard and
honest services are employed, equally with
those OF the merchants, III advancing under
the mantle OF its laws the interests Of their
country" Again the same commi,tee in the
report which they made 10 the House detail
ing the causes which shoulc induce the
House'to declare war say, (af,cr speaking of
the evils flowing from the orders in council,)
that they will proceed TO tie consideration
OF another wrong which has been siill more
severely felt. This is the impressment Of
our seameD, practice which has been un-
eeasingiy mainlaincd by Great Britain in the
wars 10 which she has been a party since our
resolution. That they cannot convey in ade-
qua,e terms the deep sense which they enter
tain oi the injustice and oppression of this
proceeding. Under the preiext Of impress
sing British scamcn Americans were seized
in British ports, on the high seas, and in ev-
cry other quarter TO which the British power
extends, were taken on board British men Of
and compelled TO serve there as British
subjects. 10 this mode our citizens were
wsntonly snatchcd from their country and
their families deprived OF their liberty and
doomed TO an ignominiors and slayish bon
dage compelled to fight the battles Of a fer
eign county, and often 10 perish in them.
Our flag has given them no protection it
has been increasingly violated and our vessels
exposed to danger by the loss Of the men ta-
keE from them. That while this practice is
continued, it is impossible for the United
States TO consider themselves an independent
nation, fol every case produces new proof
Of their degradation" These reports, by
the adoption of the measures they recom-
mended, were sanctioned by the Congress Of
the United States, and may be considered as
furnishing strong, il not full and complete
evidence that the Legislative department Of
the government considered the impressment
OF cur seamen as the principal cause which
impelled them TO have recourse TO the last
resort Of injured nations. The opinion of
the Executive had been manifested in clear
and explicit terms upon the subject, in the
message of the Chief Magistrate OF the lst
OF June, 1912. Thus we have concurrent
proofs against the assertions oil the gentle
man from Connecticut, (Mr. Pilkin.) If
then (as il appears clearly to have been from
the documents before alluded to) that i'm
pressment was the principal cause of the war.
that II WAS an Injury which no independent
nation could submit 10 without surrenderiDg
portion OF its sovereignty would II not be
admitted even on the ground which had been
taken, that to have terminated the war, by
acceding to the propositlcns alluded to,would
nave beon degrading TO the nation and have
manifested the incompe,cncy OF the Exccu-
live TO have conducted with hrmness the
helm of state which had been submitted 10
his guidance and direction. And no doubt
could be entertained had suoh an event taken
place, but we should have heard denuncia-
tions against the administration proceeding
from the very quarter whence they now flow.
Then they would have been made with inf
nitely more justice, because they would have
been Supported by reason and by truth. We
should have then found the opposition ap-
pealing TO the sympalbies of the people, and
protIaiming that their mos, iaestimsble rights
had been surrendered by government in the
paciiication, tha. although they were origin
ally opposed 10 war, when II had once been
declared they would have prosecuted IL until
the claim had been abandoned by the lush
government For il cannot be concealed,
that unless in the present contest G. Britain
can be compelled to relinquisb her claim to
the right OF implessment unless j, be made
the sine qna non, by the American govern
ment, to any arrangement Of the existing
differences between the two nations, our
claim to exemption from the practice must
De forever given up, and Great Britain will
ieel herself a. liberty TO continue to exercise
II with ten fold rigor and severity.
(To BE CONCLUDED NEXT wExK)