Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1814-04-11

POTtcuS ~ Dyct <Doo 3O4O "a nduVc
Of England, he had loag quilted that
country, had become a fubiect of Philip
of pain. and had actually been received
as ambafador from Philip at the Englifh
court He was indicted for treafon-he
pleaded the fact of his having become a
Spanilh fubject the plea was overruled
he was convicted and executed. The
cafe of colonel Iownly occurred in ,7i6.
He was indicted for trcafon in aiding in
the rebellion of I745. was convicted and
executed; notwithstanding the fact of
his having become French fubject, and
bearing French commiflion. The cafe
of Eneas Mcdonald in the fame year was
more remarkable. He had left Scotland
his native land, mere infant, and ever
reGded in France. AS fubjest of the
king of France, and an officer in his ar
my, he accompanied the Pretender in
I74s-was taken prifoner, indicted for
tr Atom. and convicted. He was, indeed,
NOT executed. The hardfhip of his fate
excited commiseration, and upon the re-
commentator of his jury to mercy his
sentence was commuted into perpetual
banithmens 1t is vain to multiply proofs
Nothing car be more certain than the
Eaglifh law in relation to its fubjeds
naturaliied abroad waging war againit
their country. The law Of France is more
ftri-t and equally precife. The edict of
Trianon, Of the a3d of Ausnf 8 3, with
great preci6on declares, 'sno French
man can be natuvaiifed abroad wi hout
our content, (that is of the Emperorp-
and that I" Frcnchmen naturalifed abroad
even wifb on, permiDfan, can at no time
carry arms againtt France, under pain Of
belog indicted in our courts, and con
demned to the punifhmenr enacted in the
penal cookbook 3 oh IS" During
the French revolution in l7os, corps
of emigran,s whom opprelion and brutal
violence had compellsd to quit their coun.
try, formed thcmfelvcs into an army in
the pay and employment of Britain, and
as luch engaged in the i'll fated expedi-
ricn 10 Quiberon. They were made prif
oners and executed as traitors. What is
our own law /? In every itate of the u.
MON except Virginia, it is preciieiy The
law which obtains in Great Brisain-no
MAJ ihall exempt his felf from the obi
CATION not to war againtt his country-
and in Virginia even, he can only GET rid
Of this obligation. by obierving the Tip
ula,ed forms which its law prelcribes.
Naturalization granted in another coun.
try. has no effrc, whatever to deitroy his
Originally primary allegiance. A gentle
man from Virginia, (Mr Eppes) inform-
ed US that under Britilh Ratute, two
years voluntary fervice in their navy it/S
jaao, naturalif-d foreigner. Be il 70.
fir Let US iuppofe that during our re
ftrictions on commerce an American Cit
izsn. Virginian for inltance, who had
no, gone through the itipulated formal
ties e ex ,atria.ion had entered on board
the Britifh navy, ard after ferving there
two years, & ,hus becoming natur allied
fubject Of George the sd, had infamous
" Joined in the mva6on of his native
land. Suppoie this mifcreant taken pris
oner heading hottie band at the bum
ing Of Hayre. or at the atrocious outra
ges Of Hampton, and arraigned for treat
on in levying war asainft the Y States
what defencs could be made for him ? Is
there gentleman in the houfe with any
pretcnGons to legal fcience, who will 70
far hazard bis reputation as to alledge
that defence could be made for him !
Is there judge in our land from thoie
who adorn the bench Of our fupreme
court, down to the humbleft in capacity
in of1ice, who could be even amuled BY
the miferable fophiary,that naturalization
in Britain repealed our law of treaicn !
No. Gr-The traitor would be condemn
ed = inevitably condemned and If the
Preiiden' were frightened from executing
the feutence by an infolent threat from
Britain, to put innocent Americans to
death, in revenge for the juit doom of
the convicr he would encounter the con-
temps and exccration of his country. How
is i, then that we undertake by fuch me-
naces to deter the cneny from executing
- Ell -. ..olev Tie ~;r~u M n apcec a.