Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-04-08

lmpressments nau hos
red-the British government haa coh'i-
oned TO give the strictest orders to com
,n,nders' not to modest American sea
men and the British minister, Mr.
Foster, had requested our government
to furnish him with the names Oh .ne
impressed Americans, that measures
might be taken for their immaculate o,s-
charge. And at the period OF the de-
claration of war, so far was 1t from oeihg
the case, f." that forbearance could DO
longer be justified" that only a !oi.'
niebt before the war, the British minis.
ter had again Informed the secretary o.
state, that the government OF u. Britain
would continue to give the most posi-
tive orders against the detentlohs OF ~.
meriean citizens. (Ses 7nr. roster
etter of June +, 1912, 10 Mr.. Monroe
No. SO.
Under such extraordinary cir cum
stances has the present occasion oeeh
seized upon to involve the United otrteS
in war. But though our Eatural " re
sources are abundant, though our PEG
pie are brave and virtuous, ana their
spirit unbroken," yet unless they Know
it to be war 10 which they can conn.
IDENTITY "rely upon the aid OF Heaven,
they will not think it necessary to en-
bark their lives and fortunes in the pro-
secution of it.
Your committee, therefore, upon the
whole view of the SUBJECT, in discharge
of their commission, beg leave to sub.
mit the following resolve -
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
In the House Of Representatives, Fe6..
"a, 1873.
Resolved, That the Seleetmen and
Assessors of the several towns, districts
and plantations in this Commonwealth,
be and they hereby are required, forth
with to ASCERTAIN The number of seamen
of their respective towns, districts and
plantations, who have been or are now
impressed, or detained by Great ritain,
France, or any foreign power, and forth
with to make returns thereof to the S.
eretary of this Commonwealth in order
that the same may be laid before the
General Court at their next session, to
be holden on the last Wednesday of May
next. And the Sad returns shall con
tain the names of all such Seamen, and
shall state whether they are native Or
naturalized citizens ofthe United Sites
or foreign subjects and in the Cases Of
native Citize;s shall designate the town,
coupty, and state, III which they were
born and III the cases oi naturalizeG
citizens, shall designate the. court o.
county, in which. and the time when,
Trey were naturaiized, and of wha, TO-
reign power they were then the subjects;
and in the cases Of foreign SUI ects,
shall designate the foreign power whose
subjects they are. And IL all The cases
,foresaid, the said returns shall, SO far
az the same may be ascertained, state
the time when and the vessels and their
masters, from which such ssamen were
impressed or taken, at the ports to which
such vessels belonged: and also the
vessels and the commanders, by which
t ey were impressed or taken, and also
the names of the TO- eign powert to which
such vessel belonged. And the same
returns shall also state whether such
seaman had p, elections with them when
impressed or taken, and whether any,
aud what application has been made fo'
hos fIl h,r FL L
application, aud also in case of the
death OF any seamen, shall state whether
be died in the service of the nation that
lmPressed, or detained him. And In
those towns, districts and plantation,
from WHICH no semen have been i'm
pressed Or taken, the selectmen and as
SCISSORS sl.ai ~ like manner make re-
turn Of that fact.
Aad The SECRETARY of the common
y ealth shall forthwith transmit copies of
this Resolve, together with forms of re-
tn ms, prepared in conformity thereto.
10 the s@!ectmen and assessors aforesaid,
who are hereby directed to publish this
resolve IN the several newspapers print
ed IN their respective towns, districts
and plantations.
Here follows the names Of 81 per-
sons who gave testimony before the
committee. The dispositions were or
dered to be printed Tor the information
81 e.. public.
The above resolve passed the House
by very large majority, but was reject
ed by the Senate. Of course the de.
.ign of getting further information on
ibis interesting subject is defeated
eps::S