Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-02-16
SPEECH
OF THE
OF THE
HON. HERMANUo BLEECAEh,
IJeGvered ,a the II. Of r. fresenf4t'0es
JANUARY Z,
an THE EEW .dRMY BILL.
CONTINUED.

ON THE VEN .dk"i
What. sir, is the subject of impress
ments What is the nature and h''-
tory OF tina, which is new the only al
ter of dispute between the y Ht"'es Q.
e Rrit.;p? When the war broke our
between France and Ensland in 1898
the profits of our nes.ralisy AID ex'en'
.i,e commerce enabled US to pay much
higher wages to seamen, than " n
tain could afford to give. The y otstes
had not snany years before been se'e,eo
from the British empire. we were
people speaking the same language
bearing the same habits and appearance
and engaged in the same pursuits lho
high wages we paid, and the advantages :
and safety OF employment on BOARD u
neusroi vessels, OF course temp'co '"'u
sands OF British seamen to flock into oo'
service. C Britain complained OF 'h's
as very serious evil, We have a's''
nothing to prevent it. Let US const'.'
this matter caodidiy and fairly. Great
Britain says that she is fighting t'F rs
existence, that her seanen arc ess.n 'i"'
to her defence. We seduce them h,'1
our employment by higher wages a''o
more desirable service. We are nen
tral. she is at zver. We employ her sea
men for our profit. she wants them io'
her defence. By the temptations ou'
service holds out she loses many s"ou
sand of those subjects, whose service s"s
considers essential to her national exist
epce. We acknowledge that she sus-
tains great injury, but do nothing to
prevent it. So far we give OCCASION 70
the complaint as we do not P'oh'o't inc
employment of her seamen' the in)u'!
ber;ns with us. How is she 10 REDRESS
herself? What means has she Out ''"'
nressment When entice away your
servant or appre;:.lce by an offer 1t high
er waves or other advantages, the COM
mon law gives you an action tor "a
IMAGES against me. Thi. IS dictated oy
natural Justice. The case is 10 some re-
spects like the one which IS NOW the
cause Of dispute, between US and u n'i-
tain. Is j, not reasonable and just, that
we d. all that can be done, to prevent
the iniury of which she complains
She POUNDS her claims 20 the services
of her seamea on the doctrine maintain
ed by the nations of Europe "that tnelr
subjects have no right to expatrlate
themselves, and that the nation has m
time of war. right to The services Of all
its citizens."
That a man has no right to expatrlAte
himself, is the doctrine oi the common
law OF England. the country from VINO"
we derive our notions of law IL 'hu''
be the law of most OF tn y States
certainly of all those thai have by their
constitutions exp essl. recognized ana
adopted The common law OF T. 5iaho'
tne c,untry from which We dt,ive Our
notions of Jaw Ii must be tav ia" oi
most of the y. Stat" o' oil
those that have Nv their constitutions OK
rressly recogniz d & adopted The COZ"
mpn law OF England, which many %
them hive d.ne believe, eir, l "'ay
-av, that it is he law OF the y. Staiea;
ore. of tn sbirst ard most eiotl" Hish
d Judges We have ever mac ia o"'
c,,.r - snle,nnly decided, that such
a. th. l,w of the Cnited States; "i'd
e supreme couy, has. think, Oh quts
.o,s :, Lifting to the descent OF lands, de
.ded, what appe rs TO me, Involves '"e
,.ne doctrine Now, sir. it This be So
Il the doctrinc on which England fonha7
er claim be also the la" OF tbs cou"
~, are we to contend for the right q
xoatriatlon II the law be as nave
/. ated, it would seem to follow, that all
taer allegiance must be subordinate 10
ass which man owes to his natural SD
sereign, to the country that gave h''n
birth And, what then is the effect OF
ur naturalization Law When TO-
.eipner comes here and asks the Dene-
ut Of it, we do not enquire into the o.
legations he may be under to another
coua.ry. If he chooses to emo,rraSs
himself with contradictoryS Inconsistent
bliya,iuns, that is his OWL conctTn.-
Ne protect him here, we treat him as
c;tize ., but do not know that We can
srogate his prior obligations. Some OF
our most distinguished citizens some
ye RS ago, became cit:z'ns OF France
Ut were they thereby discharged from
..u;y of allegiance to this their native
.unuy? Whether the doctrine tnon-
xpatriation is right in the abstract or
!, know net, care not. Practical
aen have nothing to do with abstract
,4as,ions. They must take thiagS as
.Acy are, and al: ain all the good within
SER power Butts this doctrine SO Vii.
za<onaols as i, is sometimes supposed
be 1t does not prohibit emigration
il 4 man thinks that he Can obtain bet
or subsistence. that he can Improve his