The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1815-03-22

and seventy-one seamen, who had in most
cases, exhibited such evidence, as to satisfy
him that they were real Americans, forced
into the British service, and persevering, gen
orally, in refusing pay and bounty" ()
They were told, :" that If the British govern
rrleDt had any regard to the rights of the u.
States, any respect for the nation, and plac-
ed any value on Their friendship. it would fa-
cilitate the means of relieving its oppressed
c liens" (a) They were told that "the Bri-
fish naval officers often impressed Swedes,
Danes, and other foreigners, from the YES
sells of the United States; that .hey might
with as much reason, rob American vessels
of the property OF merchandise of Swcdes.
Danes, and Portuguese, as seize and detain
in their service, the subjects of those nations
found on board OF American vessels; and
that the president was extremely anxious to
have this business Of inpressng placed on
reasonable footing. "(u) And they were told,
i" that the impressment of American seamen
was an injury ut very serious magnitude,
which deeply affected the feelings and honor
of the nation; that no right had been as
serted to impress the natives of America
yet that they were impressed they were
dragged on board British ships of war, with
the evidence of citizenship in their hands
and forced by violence there. to serve. until
conclusive testim onials of thu birth could be
obtained that many must p IRISH unrelieved,
and all were detained considerable time in
lawless and injurious confinement; that the
continuance OF the practice must inevitably
produce discord between two nations, which
ought to be the friends of eacn other and
that it was more advisable to dcsist from
and To take eflectual measures to prevent an
acknowledged wrong, than by perseverance,
in that wrong, to excite against themselves
the we'll founded resentments of America. and
tntn
may very possibly terminate in an open rup-
ture." (zv)
such were the feelings and the sentiments
OF the American government, under every
change OF its administration, in relation to
the British practice of impressment and
such the remonstrances addressed tr the nus
tee of Great Britain. 1t is obvious, there
fore, that this cause, independent OF every o.
ther, has been anifo rmly deemed a lust and
certain cause of ar; yet the characteristic
policy of the United States still prevailed
remCnstrance was only succeeded by nogocia
ton and every assertion of american rights,
was accompanied with an overture to secure
in any practicable form, the rights OF Great
britain (r) Time, seemed, however. to
render it more and more difficult to ascertain
and fX the standard of British rights, accord
i"g IN the succession OF the British claims
The right OF entering and searching an Anne
n
pressment, was, for . while, confined to the
ase Of British deserters and even so late
IS the month OF February, 1900 the minister
OF has Britannia majesty, then at Philadelphia,
urged the Ame'i lean governme {, to take
into consideration, as the only means Of dry
ing up every source. of complaint, and irrita
ton, upon that mead, proposal which he
had made two years before, in the name of
his na.iesty' s goYernmept for the reciprocal
rcst'tdtion of deserters." % nit ,nis pro,
lect or treaty was then deeiaed inadmiss;-
bic. blythe president OF the United States,
and the chief officers OF the executive DEPART
ments of the government, whom he consult
ned tor the same reason, specifically, which,
at subsequent period, induced the president
OF the Onited States, 20 withhold his appro-
baton from the treaty pegociated BIZ the A.
merican ministers at London, in the wear
1906; namely: " that it did not sufficiently
provide against the inpressment Of American
seamen :" ~ and " that 1t Is better TO have
no article, and to meet the consequences.
than not to enumerate merchant vessels on
the high seas, among the things not TO be for
chilly entered in search of deserters." (l)
but the British claim, expanding with sineu-
lar elasticity, was soon found 70 include q
right to enter American vessels on the bieh
seas, in order TO search for and seize I'll gri
tish seamen /; it next embraced the case of
every BRITISH SUBJECT; and finally, in its
practical enforcement, it has been extended
! to every mariner, who conld not prove up
on the spot, tina: he was citizen Of the u
nited States. "
While the nature Of the British claim was
thus ambiguous and huctuating, the princi
pie TO which it was referred, for Justification
and support. appeared to be, at once, arbi-
trary and illusory. 1t was not recorded IN
any positive code OF the law Of nations Il
was not displayed in the elementary works of
the civilian nor had it ever been exemDli-
led IN the maratime usages Of am other coun-
W, IN any other age. In truth, it was the
offspring Of the municipal law of G. Britain
alone equally operative in tine of peace.
and IN a time Of war and under all circun-
| STANCES. iniiictipg coercive jurisdiction, up
on Lac commerce and navigation of the world.
ror the legitimate rights of the bellirer-
ent powers, the United States had felt and g.
vinced sincere and Open respect. Although
they had marked a diversity of doctrine a.
mong the most celebrated iurists, upon ma
ny ct the Etigated points of the lawo war
although they had Formerly espoused. with
The example OF the most powerful govern
ment OF Europe, the principles Of the arm
ed neutrality, which were established in the
year S76O, upon the basis Of the memorable
declaration OF the empress Of all the Pussi-
as and although the principles Of that de-
cIaration have been Incorporated into all
a. H.