Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-01-14
MONDAY. January 4.


ready provided for.
MONDAY. January 4.
Mr.. PITKsN took it for granted
that the Orders in Council being re-
<seindfd;, ,madeE-h6. ingredient in the
uresent contest. Indeed. it seemed
40 be generally admitted by the gen
t,emen on the other side. that the
whole matter for which we were en-
couptering all the evils of war. was
the princis'e that {" the neutral flag
protects all underit." The question,
then. was-What advantage would
America derive from the establish
ment Of that principle TO him it
aDoeared doubtful whether it would
be any. All that could be imagined
likely TO accrue from it. was. the
protection Of our seamen aud on
this he would candidly deliver his
sentiments. The seamen VIII" sailed
under our flag were-t. Foreigners
not naturalized. 9. Foreigners ma
turaIized. s. Native citizens. As
TO The first, it was not the interest OF
our native seamen that they should
be employed at all. As competitors
they drove them out of employ and
lowered their wages. In 1906 there
were 20, 900 sailors belonging to the
merchant service Of this country. Of
which 10000 were forei gners-ave-
~ great proportion AS competitors in
another point Of view to be regret
ted because it was most imp"r-
tant consideration that in any emer-
gency of national danger we should
have our own native sailors to defend
us. Now what was the consequence!
A large portion of our sailors are
not ouly foreigners. but subjects OF
the country with which We are at
war. So far therefore the object OF
the war, if il were obtained. would
be Injurious to this country.
Mr.. p. said, that every member in
that house. knew that the contest in
which government had thought pro-
per to engage rs. arose out OF a Prin-
ciDie which had, time imnemnrial,
been established in Europe, and held
sacred among all civilized nations.
that every country had right to
claim It's own subjects and citizens.
He wished to be understood, while
saying so. as not meaning to say that
in the exercise of this ciaim Oh the
part OF Great Britain.there were not
abuseS-that was not to be disouied;
but ne would aver that these disputes
were greatly aggravated. Ii would
be we'll then for gentlemen 10 ask
their own hearts, whether the 60
vernment Of this country was not in
! great measure accessory TO those
abuses: he alluded to the projections
granted TO sramen, which were SO
shamefuE!y dealt with, that nothing
WAS mDrr universally understood
than that the projections 7r",e no Ell
dence nf citizenship. I'd yet that
was the intention of thes'3w which
MAS passed in 1896. fer that pugNose:
but being deficient in directing the
nature Of The evidence Of the fact.
eft it barely provision that the
seaman should get certificate OF
lis being citizen from the collector
Of the port he sailed from, without
sperif, ing the kind Of proof. without
which the collector should not grant
it. The consequence was. that ma
ny men who had no pretence. obtain
I'd them. Ii WAS known that some
we're got by foreigners in three
weeks after they arrived in this
.country; that certificates were actu
ally made subject of barter, as
much as any other merchandize.-~
last session case was laid before
the house. of foreigner. who. at
Philadelphia, had procured one by
perjury: a thing known frequently
TO happen but there heing no law
TO punish for perjury. either in Penn
sylvania or Columbia. nothing could
he done in il. What was more eX-
traordinary. these certificates were
sent abroad in vessels, and had even
been bought in England. One very
singular circumstance was stated by
Mr.. Piikin. on such authority as he
could voueh for. A captain Of an
American ship at Bristol. in Eng
land. finding it impossible to man
his vessel. no American sailors being
1T that time ip port. was recommend
ed to a kind of broker in such ar
tieles. who undertook to match any
number of men necessary to him,