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

Ito congress, that the principal alleged
causes Of hostility against Great Britair
rave been removed by the repeal OF the
British erderssin council, and that the
remaining cause of war against that ma
tion,is her claim of the right TO impress
her own subjects from merchant ships.
Your committee, while they have seen
with the highest satisfaction that every
other cause Of hostilities is thus remov-
ed, have perceived with the deepest
concern, that the blood and treasure of
the country arc sill to be expended in
the prosecution Of a war, the. object of
which is to compel G. B. to reIineuish
a principle which never, till the present
time, Seems to have been considered by
the government of the United States as
necessary cause OF war.
The United States. it is said, " en-
gagedin the war for the sole purpose Of
vindicating their rights and honor. p
Il therefore becomes adeeply interesting
inquiry for the people of the U States
to make, whether their rightsfayc been
invaded, and their honor iGsuited, in
such a manner as to demand vindica-
ton by this last resort OF a sovereign
state. fit should be found that this is
not the case, but that lssthe principle
which is now made the cause. ofthe wa
against Great Britain. has been Fecog-
nizcd and practised upon by France and
other powers, without being considered
IN our part as cause of war, the Just
and enlightened people of Massachusetts,
as well as ofthe other parts of the union
will not, it is believed, think it neces-
sary that the war should be continued
for that object they will not think It
just for neutral power 10 make war for
the sake ofrequirlng Of one ration what
they have not exacted of others, and
what others have never exacted OF them.
The government Of the United States
however, to whose Reasonable discretion
is committed the power of declaring
war, has thought 1t proper to announce
that the present war is still TO be prose
cuted for the purpose of compelling the
REIMBURSEMENT Of this claim OF Great
Bnitain. tits then more than ever ne
ccssary that the people of this common
wealth, q portion of the union destined 10
bear lag share Of the burthens and
calamities of war, should carefully In
ocire into, ard correctly understand the
nature of this claim, and the real mag
nltude of the injury for which HOSTILE
ties are to be continued, in order tina
they may be enables to deyld7 the best
means which may be in their power as
a member of the Union, Of contributing
to effect the restoration Of peace Your
Committee, therefore have thought It to
he their duty, deliberately ant, dlspas-
sionately to make this enquiry; and ~
doing it, they have felt all that respon.
sibii ty which must result fro MIA just re-
gard to the welfare efour common coun-
try. and the essential interests OF the CT
tizeus Of this Commonwealth. With
this view they have found 1t necessary TO
present a de allied statement on tho sub
iects committed to them. statement
which in their opinion will satisfy this
house of the necessity of . iur'hcr and
more minute inquiry, than 1t has been
possible to make during the present SEES
sion Of the legislature.
In prosecuting this inquiry, your
Comrnit,ee, in tn. Grst place, thought
il proper to obtain facts sufficient to en-
bic them TO form soms situate OF the
number Of impressed seanen OF tins
Commonwealth For this purpose they
had recon- sc 10 various official report:
made to Congress by M. Madison
while Gecrctarv Of State, and by his
successor. Mr.. Monroe: and they hop
ed to have found in those documcnlS,
nublishtd under tho authority OF thr
royernr. emf, satisfactory information on
this point. Butin this expectation they
Rave been entirely dIsaPmhhted; they
have found these reports so uncertain
and erroneous, that they could place
li,tle reliance upon them. In proof OF
tb;s your Committee beg leave 70 o.
fer few ,enaiks and such as they
sh II make will chi.fs arse from their
examination OF he las. OF those reports
dated Jan. Is ls -.
This report contains list Of 1891 p
plica,ions of men represented as imhres :.
sed which, with the applications before
communicated To congress, amount 70 Inc
now well known number ofef 81 for' as
it is sometimes called, 6257 cases OF
British impressments.
The 6r.t general remark your COM
,,;,tce have to make on these extraor-
binary documents, is this, that Of the
eo57 eases, rsny hundreds appear TO ne
Duplicate applications; and IN man, In
stance IS the same name is reckoned three
and four time. and IN some, i've times
And these repetilions occur Dot only 10
the names of real persons, but slsol''
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