Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-07-01

disavowed the practice in I'll cases when tht
fact was made known to her--she restored
on legal evidencc--slic had recently offered
To return all who were of that description
of whom a list should be furnished by our
government and she had many years be
fore, made such offers, of fair and amicable
arrangement of this whole subject, as to
two distinguished members of our cabinet,
appeared "both honorable and advantage.
! GUS"
IL ayas unjust because we had not pre-
viousiy taken all the reasonable steps on
our part, to remove her complaints of the
seduction and employment of her seamen.
This is made manifest, by the conduct OF
the same Congress which declared The war.
they having admitted the propricty Of obvi-
atlng those complaints by an act passed
subsequent to the commencement of HOSTILE
! ties.
! No state in the union can have greater
interest CT feel a stronger desire to protect
commerce, & maintain the Legitimate rights
ut seamen than this commonwealth. Ow-
| ncrs of one third of all the navigation, and
probably, furnishing nearly one half of all
| the native seamen. of the United States, we
are better enabled to appreciate the extent
| OF their sntferings, and must also be presum
ed to sympathise with them, more sincerely,
| man the citizens of states, destitute of com
| merce, and whose SONS are not engaged III
| Its prosecution unless il be admitted, that
| the sufferers, their parents, relatives and
friends, are less Interested in their welfare
| aud protection, than those who are united
to them, only by the feeble ties of political
| connexions.
| With all the means ofinfornation, furnish
ed by every motive Of duty, and every in
\ 6ucP rf ir,ta ,,,I
| say that this evil of impressment has been
grossly exaggerated that we have reason
to believe, AN honest ard fair proposal as
honestly and fairly executed, to exclude sub
| JectS Of Great Britain from our service
| would have much more effectually relieved
| our own seamen, and more essentially all
| vanced their interest than a resort to war !;
| that the true interests of the United States
| coincide with the policy adopted by all o.
| ther countries, and that we should be more
| independent, our seamen would be better
| protected, and our country eventually more
| prosperous, by renouncing altogether, the
| preteusion of screening and employing British
sesnlen.
| The doctrine Of natural allegiance is too
| well founded, has been too long established,
and is too Consonant with the permanen, in
| teres.. the peace and independence of all
| nations, to be disturbed. for the purpose OF
| substituting, i'll its place, certain visionary
| notions, to which the French revolution gave
birth, and which. though long since exploded
there, seem still to leave an unhappy ilhl
ence, i'll our country.
| Having thus found the avowcd causes o.,
! the war, and esrecially the motives for q
perse.eranc i'll it, 80 wholly inadequate, t.
Justify the adoption of that policy, we have
been obliged to reso o other, and more
concealed motives. We cannot, however
without the most conclusive evidence, be
lieve, although the measures and language
Of some high public functionares indicate the
fact that ambition, and not ju> tice, a last OF
conquest, and not defence Of endangered
rights are among the al causes of perse
verance, in our present hosti,ities.
Must we then add another example to the
catalogue of Republics which have b, en- ri
med by spirit Of foreign conqnestss Have
we no regard to the solemn professions we
have so often repeated, none TO the exam
Pile, none to the precepts Of Washington :
Is it possible, either to acquire or to maintain
extensive foreign conquests without power
full standing armiesi And did such armies
ever long permit the people, who were so
imprudent, as to raise and maintain them, to
enjoy their libertiesf
Instances of military oppression have ai-
ready occurred, among us and watchful
people, jealous of their rights, must have
observed some attempts to control their e
!ections, and to PROSTATE the civil, before
the military authority. If the language OF
some men high in office--f the establish
ment Of chain Of military posts, nthe in
terror of the couBtry-if the extensive pre-
parations which are made in quarters, where
| invasion cannot be feared, and the total a.
bandonment and neglect Of that part of our
country, where alone it can be apprehended
have excited our anxiety and alarm, as tC
the real projects OF our rulers, these emo.
items have not yet diminished, by .he recent
invasion, seizure and occupation of the ter
ritory Of peaceable and unoffending neigh
Dor.
, If war must have been the portion o.
these United States--if they were destined
BY Providence, to march the downward
road TO slavery, through foreign conquest,
and military usurpation, your Remonstrant:
regret, that such moment, and such az
occasion should have been chosen, for the
experiment-th wEile the oppressed ma
tons Of Europe are making magnanimoui
and glorious effort, against the common en-
envy Of free states, we alone--the decendant'
of tile Pilgrims--sworn foes TO civil and re
leious slavery, should voluntarily, co-opc
rate with the oppressor, to bind other nations
in his chains; that while diyerting the forces
, If one Of his enemies, from the mighty con
fict. we should endanger the defenceles'
territories Of another, in whose ports the
nag of our dependence was first permitted
to wave, now struggling for existence be
meath has iron grasp.
Permit the Legislature OF this common
, wealth whose citizens have ever been yea
! -. 3. lie canae nf irendnn and WIN CON