Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-04-15

the higher the degree of criminality we
attach to him, the more deeply do we con.
denim ourselves.
---nec lee est justior lla
QuenrHecis .4rtJfces are hc,ire sua.
And having invaded the principle. we
nave no right to come iato court with our
unciean hands and Claim the general law in
our favor. L know il is said that we only
leave the way open for those men To Join ne
and that they do it II their own hazzarf,
and OF thsir own choice. This is not ONLY
false, but cruel Pretensiou; & If l. were trpe
we should only change the character OF cor.
sp'rators tor that Of receivers of stolen goods
For II these men, as we say ~ our own. had
no right to become the subjects of another
state-to transport themselves and their
estates into other Kingdoms" they were rob-
oinS their masters of their services and
supplies, and transferring them TO us We
e"hho', however, with any propriety, lay e
ven this fiattering JUNCTION to our souls. We
were accessories, before the fact, in the con
s2irecy. 5y the special, announcement we
held out to them ; we invited them 20 como
and join 1s-and proffered as a lire to
them that very bonus which we now saw i,
was Criminal 10 them to accept. Now there
Is no speciai encouragement held out T. sea
men or to any other particular class hv
the law OF the United States. The, natural
'zaeion law Is uniform in respect TO all uer-
sons DESTROYS of becuming ciuzens il com.
oines the rights of hospitality with due can
ton i; aud the candidates are all equally
ohged TO pass the ordeal of FIVE years res
ldence under record, with certificate of
good Character and the Hke-a process
much more tedious than we observe in any
case. Ana for men so naturaiized, the A.
merican government require nothing more
than we have pledged ourselves to give, &
nave given, and do give every day, disguise
II now we may, TO scores Of thousands of
foreign seamen in our service.
But must say see nothing in what we
nave done, OF in what the American gov.
ernment has done, to reconcile me to the
practice. We have EXCEEDED ourselves
from the right of finding fault with them
Dat 1t IS only by having previously adopted
practice that will not bear the test of frs,
principles. to which we ought to resort
and although certainly It would be very COM
PLEASANT in aRy nation to allow us to ratrace
our steps at the particular moment when
tue rule VIC had laid down subserves her in
teresi yet IT We find the practice in the alb,
stract repugnant to nature, as well as incom-
patiolc With those PRINCIPLES on which the
harmony Of society depends, should hope
prospective adjustment of the question
might be so arranged as to remove this OBJ
stacle to peace. There is fortunately a suf.
hcient anomaly in the relative situation of
the two countries to do away the repuspance
that might attend compromise by either
with any other nation. Some measures
have been adopted by special compact in
the question arising from certain natives of
the one country being the natural heirs of
those OF the other. And in this question of
Citizenship 40 think the American gov
eminent ought Ia be contented with the
doctrine OF Lord Kenyon IN the case Of Col
les, that subject may become citizen cf
any other country for the purposes of COM
merce, but not for the purposes of war
That foreign merchant should be adult.
TED 10 citizenspip is consonant with many
regulations of :" the ancient law of this
realm there is nothing repugnant to IA
ture IN this Indeed 1t is in the very nature
Oh commercial intercourse that such an in
1ercnao8e should occasionally take place
1t - means OF diffusing mutual benefits
whereas the admission Of foreigner Who
may on the first occasion turn his arms a
gainst his native land, is quite pestiferous.
suppose man reeking with revenge for
punishment justly inflicted on him by the
laws OF his country, or even for injuries that
he has sustained, OF thinks he has sustained
wrongfully to nestle himself into the bosom
OF Country at peace with his own lin
winch OF these cases can Il be desirable 10
adopt him as citizen S--that he was wrong.
ed as an individual. is not to he credited on
ms mere assertion. IL he were pe-seeu.
ted TOR political offences, he must have had
associates :--if his cause we're lust, ne
should stay at home and defend Il and
not sneak away and leave others to suffer
while by Withdrawing himself he diminish.