The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-04-16
.srsn C06bs!f's Weekly PoNlica Regisle,
Of i'm "a. 1913.
roTHE PRINCE xkGENT,
ON THE DlSpC 4 l. WITH AMERICA.
LEI'I'KR A.
= = Z a TT "A .
CC0acludcd J


LEfI'ER X.
(C0acludcd J
The question, then, is now reduced 10 this
Does the honor of Ensiand demand that shs mast
u%oa continuing the pfacuce OF winch Ansriss
spnpisins, and against which she is now making
war; To answer this question:, must ascertain
whether the practice of which America complains
&c 'cncfionedoy fhe Hsages Of nations; whether
the giving OF It up would be TO yield any saossa
right Of England because, ia tho case of inc asar-
NATIVE, to yield would be to make sacrifice OF sur
bcccr, rather than which agree that ought to
continue iAe 20 the last extremity, il beng
riuch lesi dissraeeiul 70 submit actus force than
10 submit 10 u,enace5.
Ny opinion IS, however. decidedly in the negs-
tys---anh win ,v, dissrse from ,our Royal liga-
ness that RevSr telt aurprise more conrIetc to
give my feelings stronger speculation ,han that
which experienced At reading the following pas
ssge in the letter of Lord Casiiereagh to Mr Rus
cell Of the 2;th Of August last" cannot, howe
yer, refrain on one single point ircin expressing
my surprise namely, that, SIS condition, prelim
mary even 20 suspension of host,ities, the govern
mcnt Of tbs U. State, should have thought fit to
demsHd, that tbs British government should desist
frors its ancient - Gecuy;o1ne9 practise oi1nbres
siHs BTifisf seGmeR fTons ths merchant .hiss Of
djoretg7 stdie simply on the assurance that law
shall hereafter be passed to prohibit the employ
Neiit OF British seamep in the public or commercial
service Of th,. state. The British government now
heretofore, ia ready receivx from the govern.
ment OF the States, and smicably tn discuss any
proposition which processes to ave in view either
70 check d5use ia The exercise ~ the practice ofin
SrfSsnteat or to accomplish, by means less lisb,.
TO vexstion, the object for which impr.ssment has
hithrtohsen found necessary, but they cannot con-
sent to suspcn't the exercise OF yight upon which
tho naval strength of the empire mainly depends.
until they fully convinced tina, means can be
devised, and win be adopted. by which the cbec, to
be obtained by the exercise OF tbat right am BE ,f
fectuelly secured" q
Being no secretary or st9te Tor foreign affairs I
shall, trust, be excused if | avn found 10 under
stand less OF The ancient and accustomed practice"
OF =, Brits,n nc TO this matter-but, sir, have
yer before heard, except from the London nrwspa-
pers, that G. g. did ever, until now attempt to tax
PERSONS of any description out of neutral vessels
sailing upon the high seas ; and very certain am
thSt such practice il not warranted, nav, that it
never was thought of, by any of those authors who
have written upon public laws. 10 not COLLECT u
single instance in which we have exercised what is
here called right and il, in the Abandonment OF
the pr cuce,we give up no known right of Eng aud,
snah abandonment can be dishonor--unIcss,
which would b. a'nOns'rous proposition, il he regar-
ded as dishonoraAle to 10 any ching because
the doing nf il has been the subject of so,nhInirf
the object of re SIS, lnes.
The men who conduct the London newspapers
and whose iucnhrstions sore alIii, ian 20 their
native country, have long he charging the Amer
leans with wish IN make England give us her
Z" 'ickf of search " Whether this fnIsehnod has
arisen from sheer ignorance, or from that impumi-
~ IN decepton, ORA her encoura. emeut deceive
which such writer's have so long exp rienced in fug-
land, wi! not take upon me 10 determine, hut
know we'll. that It IS most auiacOus falsehood ;
know that America has exnress.d even ,
roish to make rs give up " TIE -ight of search -
aud it her government to attempt TO accom-
plish such an end by war, am quite sure that i
would soon lose the support Of Che people. Bu
" the right oFsegrch" is nat, and never has been
for moment, by any writer Of public Law, cGnsi-
dered as right TO search for 5ersoHs, except, IN
deed, military persons, and those too, openly en-
pioycd in the eRe1ny's service. The right o
search" if right possessed by belligerent power
20 search tnr and tn seize good prize shy article,
l,anHo nj tuc~ sfct lao 81
like which may be SIT board of nesiral ship going
to an enemy port baoRHse, by carrying the said
articles, the neutral does in fact aid the snesry in
carrying on the war. This right has been further
extended any good, belonging to an enemy found
board neutral vessel because, by becoming the
sarrer of his goods the neutral dees in sct
bis goods, as far possible. from capture, and dec:
thereby also aid the snea7y. This is what is called
90 the rIgh. # search - right, however, which
far relates TO goods, has been often denied by
neutral powers, and which we actually gave up TO
the threats of Russia, Sweden and Denmark, to-
wards the end OF the fasf american war.
Bat of this right, of no part of this right, do til
Americans now complain. They yield to the exer-
else of this right in all its rgor. But they deny that
we have any right ~ all--they deny that have 2
prsteHce to any ri6ht--to stop heir vessels upon
the high seas and to take out Of them any peT.ons
whstevrr, unless, indeed military persons in the
service OF nur enemy and rereat, sin. that know
OF usage Of nalions--that ] know Of ancient
ustgc oi our own even-tlist know of no law max
im, principle or practice to sanction that of which
the Americans complain, and ia resistance OF VIII ch
they arc now arraed and at war; and, therefore,
am OF opinion that to abandon this practice would be
n0 d.shOnCr to England.
t.nrd Castereagh talks Of orr right to impress
British sean5sr from the merchant ships of = for
s;gn state" lmpressrse nt may take place port
and harbors; and there, if confined to orr sed
men, America does not object to it. Ii is upon The
high that she objects TO impressment because
thIre the matter nusf be left to the discretion q
she Brifish officer. Ii is there matter OF pow err
There 10 to appeal to; there ism umpire
there is Judge to lp1k into proof; aud TO decide
The searching officer may, under his discretion
take out rs many men as he pleases; he may leave
the sap destitute ut the hands necessary to conduct
her leagoe and lie may take ont American citi
well as English subj -ets. That this may be
dSne 10 quite certain, because il bas bean done IN
ssuRtiesa instances Thousands OF native Ameii
cans thus Impressed, have been released By ad
Tnrsty the official application of The American
agents and. who doubt that mHRy thousands 70
Essined purchased General Lyman, late Amer
sonsnl in London, stated in report 20 t
government, inst there we're about i.OJJ native
Americans then on board Hest w-D had been
impFes.ed from on board American SHIPS on the
high seas Tie might possibly exaggerate but il il
to be doubted that the number was, aud has cOu
standy been, very considerable. Aud, beg your
royal highnsss 10 take serious view OF the great
Isr,lships experienced b Americans thus impress
si iHksu frofz shrir is wui ana peusszbie pursuits
dragged into service nnd forced under diseiJEu
little eonssnal with their habits and ther % Gu
dices; y fled away 0 Gckly e,imstes, eSpO'ed 10
all the dangers Ut battle taken, perhaps forever rcm
the sight and knowledge OF their homes snd friends
and, II, ny chance for il can 10 nothing more, res
fored At last, restored - hes often lsCn the