Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-02-22
VIRGINIA ARGUS.
Il &c n III o Nd:
MONDAY. FEB. %, 1918.

AS the session of Congress draws IN its
close, the National Legislature is pressed with
important propositions. The bill, for the ex-
c!usion of foreign sean,en frcm vessels OF the q.
S. is the most prominent, and certainly the most
interesting. 1t hal been orr intention To pre-
sent the readers of the Anous with some re
marks on that measure but tie turn which
the question has taken, the splitting which il
has occasioned among republicans KS well as
federasists, has made us reserved, lest, upon
subject imperfcctly undcrs ood the oscsH-
arity Of Our opinion might only tend u dis
tract, AZ time when every effort should he
made to harmonize. We shall merely take the
liberty to put upon rec3h our dissent to the
creed that the bill, ss it has gone up from tie
between this country and Great Britain whicl,
have grown out of the rTeetice of Impress
fment. Nor do we believ6khat the provisi-
Gus of that bill, they now stand, go elfectu-
tual y to the pith of the dispute. As the ha-
sis of these sentiments, we also take the libcr-
~ oil stating
l. That the right ofexpatriation is ques-
ton between sub5epe<11i his government, &
not between nation amrnation.
g.. a nation, from fsliey, may fight for the
privilege of naturaliziNg foreigners but ir
she was so, she fights for The policy and rot
FOR right and the opposiHs>>nation with c
quail justice, may fight agaiNs<at.
). That the ocean is a common, over which
there is n, special jurisdiction
a. That every Independent nation has an
| absolute right OF transit for. lawful things on
the ocean, because it isphconfnspn.
S That the flag of SyeF ytind ependent ma.
ton has = perfect right " pNotest on the O.
| ceap whatsoever it iazc Gaiky represents.
| 6. That the American dag, therefore, ght
40 protect every thing which is American.
| z. That natural zed citizen is only citi.
| ze,fee parfe for, although tho laws of the
u. States naturalized him, his original sovdr
eign never relessedhim. from his allegiance.
8 rbat although tleAAmerican flag hss "a
perfect right TO proteebwhatever is ArneriS Dan,
it has no hight at al to protect what sTi3ri-
9. That h. right OF transit for our YES
sells over the vatcry common is liablS to in
;erruntion frcn the circumstance 2fthe Anne
rican h;ig's covering English subjfcts.
| 10. That that Interruption Only becomes an
absolute zsrOng When British born subjects are
excluded entirely from our1essels.
II. That, OF course, ~ bill, which has
| gone UP from the Houssfp the Senate, does
not pr ovije against the<c&u use Of quarrel, be-
cause it does not exclAdE Spreigners, hereafter
80 be naturahssd, frohr enployment on board
American vessels aHd that b will not induce
a settlement of tl.edispute.
| All this sounds(Fery hash :NBut it ia our o
pipion that ws<ougi,t TO 60 at Erst what we
may, witt greaecolor OF reason, bs obliged to
do at last; tu, little subject is idsisiated upon
at all, it ougttt 70 be Iegis!ated upor'te pnIScI,
PIES not t6be shaken and that not mig should
be left lsriuturc disputation. -
| Yet. 09wever harsh, it is not Degrading. All
| the governments of Europe claim the perpetu-
| a allie glance Of their native born subjects
France, in special manners by Van imperial
decree, has, not two years ago, proclaimed the
! maxim, tha', once a Ereacbntaa aiUays a
| Frenchman. When those governments are not
at war, they generally suffer their subjects to
roam abroad, and seek employment where they
| may.
| Nor IS there any thing centrpry to huma
nifty in the doctrine Of exclltHmg British sub
jects from our vessels 4eg, Ian asylum from
oppression be all that they seek, that may be
| found in the bosom of the land, where foreign
ers may still be naturalzed, and Will be al
WAYS protected.
| These ideas are the resultsof mature reflec
ton. The bill in quesiipp,.stht gong far en-
ough, will be regarded by Great Britain, as
concession, without an honest intention. A
faction at home will still have room to say that
| the war. Is waged for the privilege of IA.
turalizing British seanen, and the public in
general, not feeling tic motive for war strong
| ly, will not feel il long. But, if Dri;nh sea
! men are altogether excluded, the bGitie will
then be, If continucd. literally and truly for
the protection OF american seamen Every
! body Can thus undetstand it. Two sentences
viii the- expisln Guy sisie of the question -
British seamen dNireiy pat out crthe dis
Pnte-NdtiVe An,eyicdnls osiy are 70 be guarded.
| Upon such grounds We venture 10 say, this
nation viii MAKE war forever. Can the alien
himself seriously object He ought not II
ne does not enjoy the benefit, his children
will. At rate, an entire exclusion of Bri
tish mariners can"ot be more Objectionable to
that class of men thrn the provision in the bill
which dooms them TO foe years residence ashore
before they can be employed in our ships
Considering the habits of seamen, this is a 1iT
tpdI exclusion. Let us, then, 90 at once, and
openly, what is attempted 10 be done in sub
stance.
In effect, the causes of the war have so
4 changed, that it requires good deal of retlsc-
t'on TO bring ourselves to Il lipsp the real
point. Bu' it IS OF importaEcel bat The real
point oil con royersy should he fixed upon.
The whole of this question is, notwith
standing the passage of the bin by the House
very much ia fhe qoiHi BtrSEttSn,, las intro
duccd bill OF eleven sections mo the Senate
on the same subject, which is very confused
in is details. ard more exceptonabe than
That which went from the House. What the
Senate viii do is doubtful. They may posi-
bly, be tender OF touching the topic. because
:, it IS by some regarded as interfering with
their peculiar functions.
AN ACT