Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-01-25

exist. Ee aoiN x;cb tbe
fire. remaining, and tor which CT. ;ns
w.r i, now carried on, IS the p'aeuse
"f ;mnressment from Oh board our "sf.
chant vessels. This subject has 10,
many years engaged the attention ..
hoth nstions-it has been .ru't.ui 49,
Of execration and defamation for a''Ho.
every editor and orator OF the age
Great as oar cause Of complaint may
have been, (and am not disposed {, TO ps,,
late it) it must be admitted by al .s VIM
understand tie nature and true o'".ms
of the question, that it has been SUI.
;sc,ed to much cxaggeration. PERMIT
me sir, here to remark, that nnt"i.h-
standing the importance, the diiheu'y
and delicacy which have Justly been at
tributed to this subject, and the un",l'
Jnpness a. all times manifested on the
mart Of the British government to ADAM
don or derosate from the abstract right
of impressins her own sea'nen RON on
board neutral merchant vessels, II Is
very far from being certain, tba. she mas
not been willing to enter into such ar
ranecmept with this government, IS
would place the question OF Impress
ment on basis both STE md honorable
TO this nation. By reference 70 the
CORRESPONDENCE Of Messrs Monroe and
Pinkney with the British commissioners
which preceded the treaty concluded o!
those gentlemen in the year 1900, nnt
which was unfortunately rejected by the
then president, it is evident, that the "
terest ofimpressment was, in the opinion
of those gentlemen, placed on footing
well calculated to secure our own sea-
men from the abuse against which we
had complained, and against which 1t
was our duty to protect them.
This opinion was net only expressed
in forcible and decisive languages at the
time of entering into the arrangement,
but repeated by Mr.. Monroe more than
wear after, in formal letter to the Sc
crc,ary of state. The language of that
gentleman, now your secretary Of state,
is peculiarly emphatic, and mus. be
within the recollection of every gentle
man in this bouse-without troubling
the house with the reading OF the docu-
ments referred to, it i. sufficient for me
to state. that your present secretary OF
state. did, in letter addressed 70 Mr..
Madison, dated February 18th, 1903, de
clare, that he always believed snd did
still believe, that the ground on which
the interest of imPressment was placed
by the paper Of the British commission
ers oc the 9th November, 1906, and the
explanations which accompanied L, was
both honorable and advantageous to the
United Sales"
Thus sir, as we have conclusive evil
dence of disposition on the part "f the
British government, at one period at
least, to advance considerable length 10
wards an adjustment OF this long con-
tested question, and as We have no evil
dence that different principles and claims
are now asserted, from those then ad
vanced, I think it fair to conclude, that
it is still 10 cur power to pn' al end to
this controversy with safety 10 our sea-
men and advantage to the natloh In.
stead, .Ecn Of passing this bii! * spend
ing the blood end treasure Of our coun
t,ymen, in TIE prosecution OF this wer.
| conceive il our duty to make an effort
for the sanction Of our ust rights AMI
the restoration of pace, without fur-
ther appeal to fo &C. II j. ny decided
opinion, that such an fort, ii fairly and
literally made by this house and the eX
ecuiivc branch Of the government, would
not fail in producing the desired effect.
Ths peculiar nature at the question
which nov constitutes the sole rhJect
for continuing the Waffle In;lmation
given by the executive IN the cores
pondencs with the British government
stree the declaration Of VIZ, / gc'hcs-'
with the opinions stated by Mr.. Monroe |
and Pinkney in the letter ~ tie secretary
of state of January 90, so7 all tehd to
confirm NE in the b~,ief, that it is the
su'y Of congress- to fGss q lozv, 7vh,ch
zcouid not only CHI, OK de$ertion8 from he
British service, buf Qtso detriue the Byi
tiSh government Of tie Gfcicgv aNedyed
for INTERESTING american sramsn, by e.
eluding Ernish subjects from tie com
merciai and tu6ic service If the United
States Having alluded to the letter of
Monroe and Pinkney Of the Sd January,
1907, / will take the liberty of reading
from it short extract, after stating the
opinion they had formerly expressed,
that although tho British government
did not feel itselfa, liberty to reIinquish,
formally. BY treaty, its claim to search
our merchant vessels fur British sea-
men, lis practice would, nevertheless,
be essentially, il not completely aban.
dnned. They observe, That opinion
has been since confirmed by frequent
conferences on the sub ect with the Bril-
fish commissioners, VITO have repeated
ly assured US that in their judgment, We