Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-06-10

would only tend to reduce their wages
BY Increasing the number of that class
of
The British government has never
claimed right to take our native Anne
rican seamen: had such clein been
mad, we should Ill Rave united to resis,
it. Great. B.itain only claims the right
OF taking her own subjects from neutral
merchant vessels. In doing this, from
similarity of language our citizens
have sometimes been subjected TO i'm.
prisonment. But so far as have heard
they have been discharged when appli.
cation was mado in their behalf, and e.
yidepoe found of their citizenship, in
some instances there may have been
wanton exercise of power by the i'm
sressiug officer, but it is impossible for
the best regulated state, wholly to con.
troll the actions Of it's subjects or restrain
all its military and naval officers 10 their
distinct operations, from insolence and
oppression it is therefore rule Of ma.
tional law, that the faults Of individuals
shall not be imputed to the nation. un-
less they are approved and ratified by
government.
S5ne abuses must undoubtedly hap.
pen from the difficulty of Distinguishing
Americans from Englisbmen. But it
appears from the examination already
made, that these abuses have been great
ly, exaggerated, and that only small
rumber of native Americans are In the
British service, who have not voluntari-
ly engaged and of these the British FIJI.
sister before the war requested our go-'
yernmrnt To furnish list that measures
MIGHT be taken for their discharge. 1t
is probable tina, more than one-thlrd OF
the native American seameh belong to
this state, md thrre.fou!ths are suppos
ed to be from the state oil n. Yora AID
New England; if the nun.bei detained
in British ships had been great, the COM
plants would have been lcudost iron
this part Of the union bot he TACT has
been quite otherwise. Y,u gchfiemto,
represent every town in tho common
wealth, and will be atle to ascertain how
many Of your neighbols.. afe held With
out their voluntary consent, in the navy
of Great Britain.
All European nations agree in found
ing allegiance upon the CIRCUMSTANCE OF
nativity they claim and treat as sub
iects, all these who are born within the
confines Of their domiaions. altho' re NOV
ed 10 another country in their youth
This doctrine of allegiance is also The
common law flour own country, and as
such, it often has been, and probably
always will be recognized by our courts.
The soyercigns of Europe have also
universally assumed the right of prohi
biting whenerer they please. the depar:
ture of their subjects out Of the realm;
and we are told by the most approved
writer's On the law of nations, that a
state has just cause Of complaint against
snother which entices away and employs
its usefal subjects Thatesery govern
ment has jus, claim to the services IF
it. subject in time OF war, and that ali
those WHO abandon their country wEcn
in 'isreer are dcserters which she has
a ,ishl to punish 1t was upon this
u incinle that our laws for the conhsCa-
top OF absenieess estates we're passed,
aud if the principle is unsound those
jaus were unjust.
Great Britain complains that we have
allnred her seamen into eur employ.
merit, by holding up superor induce.
meRts IT, them to quir her service and
engaae in ou,s, aud this too, a, time
wneo she was coRtending for all that
va. dear to her against tie most forml-
d bic and Efficient force tha in any age
IF the world has been uBted under one
head. She asserts that her sean.en a't
essential to her safety that though they
are not liable to be taken from ous Ma.
tionsl ships, and we have right to pro-
tee. them while they remain within our
territories yet if they pass into her do
ninions, or if.in transacting their own
afI.irs on the highway of nations they
come within her power, she has right to
take them III virtue of her prior claim
that the nations OF Europe have ton
ages claimed and exercised this right,
ard that she can never relinquish II SO
lang as we employ her seanicD, "iihouf
endangering the existence Of heI navy
What hope of peace then, can be rea'
sonably entertained while such sacrl'
Fee is required Of her A nation ought
first to do justice to sthers before it de
n ards Justice of them; when wsr Was
declared. we knew that Great Britain
had suffered greatly by the desertion OF
her seamen into our service but had
We done a'y thirg to prevent or discou'
rage il though She alleged that they
We're necessary for her defence; and 10
us they were only useful as the means OF
acquiring wealth.
In the war between France and Eng
land we protested to he neutral hs'len
II