Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-08-17

suspected the administration was plInrinp va.
under Fretch compulsion. But the tendency
OF ms pamphlet is to reconcile the nation, or at
Feast Tue commercial states, 10 the seryitude Of
Brush protection, aud war with all the rest OF
Europe. Hence Englandis represented as con
tending for the common liberties of mankind
and our only safeguard against the ambition and
injustice OF France. Hence all our seusbiii-
nes-are invoked IN her favor, and all our ant,,,a-
thics against her antagonist. Heucc too all the
subjects of difference between us aud Britain
are aiiedgcd TO be on our part mere p,etcnoes,
OF which the right Is uneqniyocally pronounced
to be on her side. Proceeding fiom a senator
OF the United States, specially charged as a men,
her ofthe executive with the maintenance of
the nations rights against foreign powers, and
at moment extremely critical of pending nego.
tiations upon all the points thus deeniated this
formal abandonment Of the .4erican causc this
summons of unconditional surrender to the pre-
tensions OF our antagonist, is III my mind hig.'y
alarming. 1t becomes therefore duty TO which,
every other consideration must yield, to point
out the errors of this representation. Be- fire
nee strike the standard Of the nrtion, let as at
teasf er anime Me pmrPof IF the summons.
And first, with respect to the inpress,nent Of
our scameu.-We are told that C the taking of
British seamen found on board our merchant
vessels, by British ships of war, IS agrecably 10
right, claimed and exercised for agcs.n II is
obvious that this claim and exercise of ages,
| could not apply TO US, as an independent peo-
pic. Ii the right was claimed and exercised
while our vessels were navigating under the
British flag, 1t could not authorize the same claim
when their owners have become the citizens of
| a sovereign state. As relict of colonial se,.ri-
| tmfe, whatever may be the claim OF Great Bri-
tain, 1t surely can be no ground for contcnding
that IT is entitled to our submission.
If it be meant that the right has been claimed
ana exercised Tor ages over the merchant YES
SCI: of other nations, apprehend il is a mistake
The case never occurred with sufficient fire.
quency to constitute even practice much less
! right. III it had been either, it would have
been noticed by some of the writers on the laws
of nations. The truth is, the question arose
out of American indepen1ence--from the sever
ance OF one nation into two. 1t was never
made question between any other nations.
There is therefore no right of prescription.
But il seems, it has also been claimed aud en-
! erciscd, during the whole Of the three admins
| trations of our national government And is it
meant to be asserted that this claim and eycr-
else constitute right, II il Is. appeal to the
uniform, unccasing, and urgent circumstances
oil the three aininstrations--I appeal not only
10 the warm feelings but to the cool justice of
the American people--nay, l appeal to the
sound sense and honorable sentiment of the
British nation itself, which, however, it NAV have
submitted at home to this practice, meyer would
tolerate its sanction by law, against the asser-
ton. lift is not, how can it be affirmed that
1t IS on our part mere pretence?
| But the first merchant Of the United States in
answer to Mr.. Pickering's late enquiries, has
informed him that since the aff,.ir Of the Chesa-
pcake there has been no cause OF complaint
that he could not find single instance where
they had taken one man out of merchant ves-
sci. Who IT is that enjoys the dignity of first
merchant of the United States, we arc not in
! formed. Bat If he had applied to many rner-
chants IN Boston, as respectable as any in the
United States, they could have told him Of va
liable vessel and cargo, totally lost upon the
coast of England, late in August last and solely
| in consequence of having had two OF her men
native Americans, taken from her by impress.
ment, two months after the affair of the Chesa.
peabe.
On the 9th of October, the king Of England
issued his proclamation, COMMANDING his nava
officers, to impress his subjects from neutral YES
sells. This proclamation is represented as merely
requiring the return of his bjects, the seameI
especially, from foreign countries" and ther
sit is an acknowledged principle that every ma
ton has right to the service of its subjects IL
time of war;" Is this, sir. correct statement
either Of the proclamation, or of the questions il
involves IN which our righl%s concerned Thu
King OF EnSland's right 10 The service of fis sub
Jects lii time OF war is nothing to us. The CUES
ton IS, whether lie has right To seize them for
chilly on board of our vessels while under con
tract ct service to citizens, within our sIris
dicton upon the high scsse And whether he
has right expressly tu command his naval of
Ulcers to seize the,n.--Is this an acknowledges
principies Certainly not. Why then is tt
proclamation described as founded npon uncon
tested princip!e' and why is the command, So
Justly oteDsivcto us, and so mischevous as i
might then have been made in execution, altoee
Their ornitied'
But If is not the taking of British subject
from our vessels, it is the taking .,nder colour
that prctence, our own, native American cti
zens' which constitutes the most CALLING aggra
vaiioh OF tins incTciiess practice. Yet ever
tins, we are told, is but a p1'eteace-sor three
reasons.
1. Because tile number of citizens thus take,
is small.
2. Because it arises only from the impossible
ity of distinguishing Englislmen from Aneri-
cans.
3. Because, such impressed American cit,
zens are delivered up, Oh duly authenticate
proof.
l. Small and great in point of numbers, ar
relative terms. To suppose that the native a
] mericans form small proportion of the who'll
number impressed is a mIstafse-the reverse j
the fact. Examine the official returns from tin
department of state. They give the names O
between four and five thousand men mpresse,
since the commencement of the present war
Oi which number, not one fifth part were British
subjects. The number Of naturalilcd Aneri-
cans could not have amounted to one-tenth.
! hazard little III saying, that more tL:n three
! fonrtbs were native Americans. If il be sal,
that some Of these men, tou~b appearing ON tht