Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1814-10-25
THE- .xsraUCTiONs.
c,yresnss1ezee def,ueen Mt lnsnsse
and ssr Pteninstenfsar5ss
coNr1NvRD

end oar Ptenifsfsnfsarss
conT1suEn.
The remark contained Ia the decia-
ration ofthe Prince Regent, that IN I'm.
nres,ier b. fish ssamen from American
vessels, Great Britais exercised no right
vbieh she sss no, willing % ackDo"-
lsdys as sppert4ining equally 70 the 1s-
yer.msnt of the u States, with respect
To american seamen in British merchant
ships, proves only, that the British go
yernmsn, is conscious Of the injustice
Of the claim, and DESTROYS OF giving to
il such aid as may he derived from q
plausible argument. The semblanee
Of quality, hswever, in this propositions
which strikes az FIRST view, disappears on
: fair examination. Its unfair hrst, DC
cause il is impossibls for the un''eo
States to fake advantage gift. Impress-
men, is not an American practice, Out
utterly repugsant to our censtitatien ana
laws. In offering to recfproca'e II, no.
Thing was offered, as the British go
vernment well knew, Il il Unfair, Sc
eoualy, because il imprsssment was al,
louable, reciprocstion OF the practice
would be no equivalent tethe U States
TIL. exercise OF right IN common, at
AGA. sy TWO ns,i,ns, each. over the yes
sel, OF the other, the enc powerful ana
the other comparatively weak, would be,
"a mn, the latter completely at the mer'
CIV Of the former. Great Britain WIN
her vast navy, would soea he the only
marty which made impressmene he
u States would be compelled 20 abstain
ftom.i,, and either TO submit to the SRI.
ti,h rule, with all the abuses incident 10
mover. or to resist il. But, should the
u. State. be permitted to make Impress
raent from British vessels, the effect
would be unequal G B'i,ain has, per
hans, thirty ships Of war at SEA, to one
ef the U. States, ard would proht NJ the
arrangement in that proportion. Besides
innpressment is a practice nc,den. to
war, in which view, liewise. the lneqca-
lity is no, less elaring, she being at least
,hif,y Years ss>war, 10 ohe ot the Y. ).
O,bsr con.ide rations prove that the br'-
fish Governments made this ackna~ledg-
ment merely as pretsxt TO Iussify IT'S
practice of imprcssment, without intend
ing tha, the right or practice sh"n'd e.
yer be- reciprocated. What would be
the effect Of It's adoption by American
.bips OF W ar, with British merchant ves-
s43s. An Americsp officer boards bri
tish merchant vessel and claims, As A.
mer;cau eitizcns, whom he pleases-
How many British seamen would c's-
elai N title wbich would take them to
the u. S. and sScare them there all the
advantages Of citizenship The rsle oil
evidence, as the ground ofi'np-essments
IN every instance, nest likewise % re-
eiproca.ed between the two govern
ments. The acknowledgement OF the
men would surely be better prof oil
their national character than the deci'ien
Of A British officer Who boarded an Ause'
ricsa vessel, however impartial be might
be, and strong his power Of discrinina-
,iou, When opposed BY the voluntary q
solemp deelsratisn of the party 10 tins
gay we might draw from the 81 iush
service the greater part, it not all their
sesmca nigh, further ask, why
wss this acknowledgment made at this
late perisd. Cor the FIRST time only, alter
the declaration Of war, and when on that
account it could produce no effect. In
the various discussions OF this subject.
in maay Of wbics it has been demanded
whether the British government woaio
tolerate such practice from American
shios OF war, no such iatimstion was e.
vsr given.
HGrea, Britain had found the en-
p,oyment Of her scaaen in our service
in;uriou. to her, and been disposed 20
re.uec, our rights, the regular course OF
lp,oeeed,ng would have been Tor her Sc
yernment to have complained to The go.
xe.nmen, of the United States OF the
injury. and to have proposed remedy
...;i.a sthi. been done, and no reason
%,b,s ,emcJy been adopted, sound In
nr;nciple and reciprocal in its operation,
the British government might aave had
some cause Of complaint, and some plea
for taking the remedyinto It's own hands.
s.ch procedure would, at least, have
v;ven TO ;ts claim ct impressment the
creates, plausibility. We know that
such complaint was never made except
in .defeuss Of the practice 'sf impress
ment, and tha, in the mean time the
practice has gone on, and grown INTO an
n.ape. which, With all its abuses, had re-
sn,ance been longer delayed migothivs
; hscome a law. The eriginand progress
ef this usarpa,ien afford strong 'iiastra-
fiona Of the British policy, The Prae-
tice and the claim began together, soon
sf,er The close 81 osr revolutionary war;
"a -.re anplieable 10 deserters only.