Winchester gazette. [volume] (Winchester, Va.) 18??-1826, 1813-01-23
Ss>l G. = -{t- . a
Debate on the army bill.
~~rr-~S~~~r~|~c
{ MIN u.

Ell X hsN Ioucntu DHt S1SnllS
and partiaiiy-on some orthe tapici,s oi
argument urged by preceding speaker.
The sh0rtnass OF the time We have re-
porting It cosnpyls lis to pass over the
less interesting, and come at ONCE 20
those the novelty of which III this de-
bate, ifnot the value too, gives them a
claim TO preference. Ike toah it 70.
granted that the Orders in Council
being resciudcd made no ingredient liz
~ present contest. Indeed it seemed
to be generally admitted by the seltle-
men On the othe. side, that the wiuie
matter for which we were encounter
lag al the evils df war, was the pvinci-
pie that" the neutral Tag protects all
under it." The question then WAS ;
What advantage would America derive
from the establishment ofth p.;noi-
pie To him it appeared douhtful
whether it would be any. All that
could be imagined likely to accrue
from it was the protection OF our sea-
men; and on this he would camdiiIy
deliver his sentiments. The seamcn
who sailed under our flag were: 4.
Foreigners not naturalized. 2. Fo-
reiyners naturalized. 8. Native ciii-
zeus. AS to tbs first; it vas not the
interest of our native seamen that they
should DE employed ut al. as comps
titors they drove them oat OF employ
and lowered their wages. In 1895
there were 10000 sailors belonging to
the merchant service OF this country, OF
which $4,000 were f6rciSnars-a very
great proportion as competitors in ano-
Their point OF view to \: e5rettcd he
QaIseit was u most important coDsid> r.
;.tioa thatin auy emergency OF national
danger we should have our own native
sailors to defend Us. Now what was
the consequence ]? a large portion 81
our sailors are not only foreigners,
bat subjects OF the country with which
we are ut war. SO far therefore the
object Of the war if it were obtained,
would be injurious to this country.
Mr.. =. said that every member in
that house knew that the contest in
which government had thought pro per
10 engage US, arose out OF IL priucip
which had time immemorial, been es-
tablished in Euroye, and held sacred
among all civilized nations, that every
country had right to claim its owl
subjects and citizens. He wished tt
be understood, while saying 50, as not
meaning to say that in the exercise o
this claim, on the part Of Great Britain
there were not abuses--that was no
to be disputed; but be woula aver tina
these disputes were greatly aggravated
Ii would be we'll then for gentlemen &
ask their own hearts, whether the 20
ycrumcu. or his,eountry was not IL d
great measure accessory to those abu
scs: lie alluded to ,he protection:
granted to scamen, which were 5,
shamefuily dealt with, that nothiu;
was more universally understood thai
that the projections Were no ccidenc
Of citizenship. And yet that was tn,
intention OF the law, which was pusrct
ia 40 for that purpose bat being de
Gcient in directing the nature OF The
evidence OF the fact, left it barely 1
provision that the ssanen should &c
certificate OF his being u citizen from
the collector Of the port he sailed from
without specifying the Kind OF proc
without which the eOllcS.-r should ne
grant it. The consequence was tina
many men who had no pretenee obtain
cd them. Ii was knawp that SOM
ware sol by foreigners ia three wsck