Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-12-24
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UN1rED
STATES.

FELLow-CITIzENs,
Inc American prisoners Of war In En-.
gland, captured in privateers and merchant
vessels, beg leave to address you on a sub.
Ject OF great importance to themselves, and
they believe affecting, by precedent. the
rights of all American citizens.
They think it will not be denied, that tn.
principal or sole end of a government, or a
people uniting themselves into. one political
body, is, that the united strength of the
whole may protect the rights Of the indivi.
dnais whereof it is composed. Impressed
with this self'evident truth. and unconscious
OF having committed any act to forfeit their
rights of citizenship : it is with eoaal SUI.
Prise and regret, that they learn from MIR.
beasiey, the agent for American prisoners
IN this country, that government has ratii
ed convention with Great Britain, for a
partial exchange OF prisoners. including
those only who have been captured, belong,
ing to the army and navy OF the u. States
And that all other prisoners are to remain
In confinement during the war.
Of the five thousand prisoners now in
England, not more than five hundred are of
the first mentioned class, the r. manning nine
tenths are by this measure virtually cxpa.
triated or declared not entitled 10 the pro
lection OF their government. Will il be as.
serted, that those captured in private arm
ed vessels were not in the service of III cir
country They certainly sail under a cons.
mission from the executive, and are not facts
before the world, to prove that pri, ateers
have distressed the enemy's commerce more
than IN a tenfold ratio to what has been done
by the navy, and more in this short war of
two years. standing, than ever the whole
French marine did in ten.
The limited number Of ships of war. in
cludes the possibility of a tenth part of the
American seamen entering the naval ser.
vice, bat the anne ardent spirit, the same
devotion to their country, that were the
efficient means Of twiniDg with laurefs the
brows Of a Hull, a Decatur, inspires the
whole body of American sc men. and when.
cver an opportunity offered, they have man.
ifested the truth of this assertion. by the
alacrity with which they have come for.
ward to vindicate the rights and honor Of
their insulted country.
They are the more surprised at this pre-.
cecding OF their government, when ihey
take a retrospective view of the great en-, |
enlargement given by 1t to private armed
vessels previous to this measure, 1t is the
~undoubted object of the British government
70 discourage by every method in their DOW. |
er, the Americans from fitting out priya,
teers. Knowing the facility with which il
can be done, from an extensive sea coast.
(that the whole Of their boosted navy can
not ~blockade) and knowing the ample means
they possess, in materials, and in a hume
body of hardy enterprising se~amea.-
The great havoc already made in the Eng. |
commerce by this species Of force land |
which would rapidly augment, If that force
was protected with the same fosterino care |
as formerly) has seriously alarmed the Eng.
ish government, and induced them to q.
iopt a method of excluding all prisoners ia.
scn in privateers, from an exchange during
he war. But why the American govern.
nent should sanction this proceeding, and
bus deprive themselves Of one OF the mcst
means Of proceeding the Tar with
is 10 us u~naccounts5iss