Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1814-10-27


be made reciprocal the president desires |
thas you make provision authorship the |
United States, if they should be so dispos- |
90, to dispense with the obligations i'm
posed by it on American citizens. The IL |
heral spirit of our government ard laws, is |
untriendly to restraints on our citizens, such |
at least as are imposed on British subjects,
from becoming members of other societies |
This has been shown in the law of the last |
session relative to seamen, to which your |
particular attention has been already drawn.
This provision may likewise be reciprocated
it desired
The president isnot particularly solicitous
thss either of these alternatives trnaking
&c proposed reservation IN case s-si etsss
be,) should be preferred To secure the U
States against impressment he is willing to
adopt either. He expects in return, that a
clear and distinct provision shall be made
against the practice. The precise form in
which it may be done is not insisted on,
provided the import is explicit All that Is
required is, that in consideration of the
act to be performed on the part of the Z.
States, the British government shall stipu
late in some adequate manner, to terminate
or forbcar the practice ofimpressment from
American vessels.
1t has been suggested as an expedient
| mode, for the adjustment of this controver
! sy, that British cruisers should have right
| to search our vessels for British seamen,
| but that the commanders thereof should be
| subjected to penalties, in case they made
mistakes, and took from them American
| citizens BY this the British government
! would acquire the right of search for sea
J men, with that of impressing from our
| vessels the subjects of all other powers
| 1t will not escape your attention, that by
! admitting the right, in any case, we give
! up the principle, and leave the door open
to every kind of abuse. The same objec-
ton is applicable TO any, and every other
arrangement, which withholds the respect
due to our flag by not allowing it to pro
| tect the crew, sailing under it.
| II the first alternative should be adopted,
| it will follow that none of the British sea
/ men who may be in the United States at
the time the treaty takes effect and who
shall not have become citizesa. will be ad-
mi.ted into our service, until they acquire
that right.
| If the second is adopted, the number Of
native British seamen, who have been ma
turalized. and will be admissible into our
| service, will not, it is believed, exceed few
| hundred; all others who may be in the u
States at the time the treaty takes effect, or
! who NAV arrive afterwards, will be exclud-
ed
/ As necessary incident to an adjust
ment on the principle of either alternative,
! it is expected, that all American seamen
who have been impressed, will be discharg
| Il ~ yho hay Oh p
| ed under the British laws, by compulsive
service. will be permitted to withdraw
| | have to repeat, that the great object
| which you have to secure, in regard to i'm
pressment. is, that orr flag shall protect
| the crew and providing for this in sa-
tisfactory manner, that you are authorized
to secure Great Britain effectually against
| the employment of her seamen in the SER
vice of the United States. This it is believ-
ed would be done by the adoption Of either
of the above alternatives, and the appiica-
ton to that which may be adopted, Of the
checks contained in the law of tic iaat ses
sion, relative to seamen; in aid of which, il
will always be in the power Of Great 5ri-
tain to make regulations operating in her
own ports, with view to the same effect,
To terminate. however, this controversy,
| in manner satisfactory to both parties,
| tho president is willing should other checks
be suggested as likely to be more cffectu-
al, consistent with the spirit of our con
stitution that you should adopt them. The
strong feature of the first alternative, which
authorizes the naturalization of seamen, re-
quires the continued residence in the Uni
| ted States for five years, as Indispensable
to the attainment of that right. In case
this alternative be adopted, the president
is willing. for example, to secure com
pliance with that condition, to make it the
duty of each alien, who may be desirous
| to become a citizen, to appear IN court
every year, for the term of five years I'M
til his right shall be completed. This ex
ample is given, not as limitation, but as
an illustration of your power, for to the
axelnfia.. &c pr;tish seamen from orr SER