Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-09-27

M nv Lofd. f s ar slruld br ak out between E"'
GLAND and European power, Gun any iiine DC nv,
pnius, any thing more lrFccancilaoc 10 vac ~
sen imen,s Of mankind, than that Eng! ANU sho"u .
out these persons thus encouraged ny "si' a"u o
,,,ed ~ ,be,r own condition, 10 leave their ha"Ve
ha. ,,- ,hem away from their new empioyMehls,
,he, NV nolt,cal relations, and their domesuc coh
,exions and force them 10 undergo the oanee. anu
hardshrs of lniury service, tor country whic" mas
thrs ceased to be their own couniry:-0ef'ah'y' Ger
80. ! ord ,here can be but answer 10 TINS
onasi;,, Is il not far more reasonable tnat Eneano
should either prevent such emigration % "ei
or that if she encourage ana PfoHo.e u, s'e ''
Iaa 90 tbem not to the embodiment OF oonoie anC
contradictory allegiance, out 10 tne,l Nv" a;ai ~
choice TO form such relations, political or socai, Us
,bev see Il; IN the country where they are 10 id lne
h,e1d ard 10 the laws end institutions oil which they
nre 70 look for defence and protection:
A ones,,op Of such serious importance oughl ~ NC
nm, >, res, If the United States give shelter and pro-
ioo,;or - tbo,e wIom the policy Of England annually
as, mo, Their shore--if, by the benign influences
f ,bar government and institutions, and by Inc hapry
condition the country, those enSfan's oecoue ase
from poverty TO comfort finding 1t easy even 10 become
landhclJers, and being soweo 10 pai'ahe " '"1 ~,
ncn Of all civil rghts-f oil this may be done (and all
tic dora under the counienance and encouragement
of ENGLAND hcrself) is it not high time that, yieuing
lhnt which had lis origin in euda idens as
With inc nresent state Of society," and especially WIN
tho nercourse and relations subsstng between the oid
4 sclam all rnhl The services of such PERSONS and
,enonnce all control over their conduct
Rnt impressn,ent is subject TO objections OF much
wider rance II il could be justified in its application
10 those who declared TO he lis only objects, u still
remains rue that in its exercise, touches the poltl
cal rphts Of other Governments, and endangers the
security of their native subjects and citizens
The sovereignty of the State Is concerned IN main
tanning lis exclusive jurisdiction and possession over
It's merchant sh the seas except so tar as the law
81, nm lar
SPECIAL purposes; and all experience has shown that
no member Of crew, wherever born, is sale against i'm
pressment when ship IS visited.
The evils and injuries resulting from the actual prac-
tee hardly be ovefstnted, and have ever pfoveo
themselves TO be such as should lead 10 its relinquish
ment even if founded in any deiensble primer
pie The difficulty of discriminating between Eng
sh and American citizens has always been found to be
great, even when an honest purpose OF discrimination
had existed Bat the lieutenant OF man OF war, hav'
ing necessity for men, apt 10 be summary Judge,
and his decisions will be quite significant oil his own
wants and his power Of the truth and justice oil
The case. An extract from 4 letter OF Mr.. King, OF
tie 18th of pr 1857, TO the American Secretary oil
State shows something Of the enormous extent OF these
wrongful seizures:
"ns.oad ola few and these in many instances equi-
vocal cases, | have" says he, "snce the month Of
July past, made application for the discharge, from
British men of war, of hundred and seventy one
srainen, who, stating themselves TO be Americans,
have claimed my interference. or this number eighty
SIX have been ordered by the Admiralty to be DIS
charged thirty. more have been detained as Bri.
fish subjects American volunteers, or FOR want oil
proof that they Americans, aud TO my applications
for the discharge Of the remaining one hundred and
forty.ccht have received no answer-thc ships on
board of which these were detained having IN
many instances sailed before an examination was made
in consequence oil my application.
81, is certain that some Of those who have applied
to me are not American citizens, lrt the exceptions
are, in my opinion, few, and the evidence, exclusive
Of certificates has been such as, in most cases 10 sails
Is me that the applicants were real Americans, who
have been forced INTO the British service, and who
with singular consancy generally perscvered in refus
g pay bounty, though in some INSTANCES they have
been in service more than two years.
But the injuries Of impressment are, by no means,
confined to lis immediate subjects, or the individuals on
w!.am il is pracscd. Vessels suffer from the weaken
ing of the crews and voyages often delayed, ard
unfreGuenlly broken up, By subtraction from the
number o! regular hands by impressnent. And what
Of sl greater and more general moment, the fear oi
imp7csscnt has been found 10 create great difficulty
in obtaining sailors for the American merchant service
in times Of European war. Seafaring men, otherwise
inclined enter that service, are us experience has
shown deferred by the fear OF finding themselves ere
long in compulsory military service in British ships OF
war Many instances have occurred, iuily established
in proof in which raw seamen natives of The Uniied
States fresh from the fields Of agriculture, entering for
The first time shpboard have been impressed before
they made the land, placed on The decks OF British
re ofwar, and compelled 10 for years before
they could obtain their release revisit their native
country and their homes. Such instances become
know n and their effect in discouraeing young
from engaging in the reliant service OF their coun
try, can neither be doubted nor wondered at. More
than ALL my Lord, the practice OF mprcssmen wien
ever il has existed has not produced conciaion or
coed feeling, but resentment, evaporation, and AM
mostly between the tw great commercial countries OF
the world.
I'm the calm and Guiet which have succeeded the late
war-a condition favorable for dispasslonaie conside
a,on-Ene!a lard herself has evidently The harsh
OF mt, exercised on seamen IN her
ow n merchant service, and she has adopted
calculated # not to renounce the power or TO abolish
the practice yet least supersede its necessity by
o,ler Of manning the royal navy more compall
Bile with Justice and the rights Of individuals, ond far
more conurmable TO The spirit and sentiments of the
age.
Under these circumstances, the Government Of the
United States he's used the occasion Of your Lordship 8
pa c,Gc mission To renew this whole subject, and 10
bring II your notice and That of your Government
II has reflected Tie past, pondered on the condition
of the present. and pate so far as
might be III its power, the probable future, and am
now to communicate TO your Lordshp the result oi
these deliberations.
The American Government, then is prepared 10 say,
that the practice Of lmpressng scameB from American
vessels be here utter allowed 10 take place That
practice founded principles which il does not
eognlze, and invariably attended by consequences
unjust, 50 injurious and of such formidable magnitude
Us cannot lie submitted to-
In tie early disputes between The two Governments
on this long contested topic, the distinguished person
to whose hands were first nrusted the seals Of this
Department, declared, that "the simplest rule will be,
that the vessel being American shall be evidence that
the seanen on board aie such.
Fifty years experience, the utter failure of many
Negotiations, and careful consideration had q
the whole subject at moment when tie passions
laid and present instance or emergency exists 10
bias The judgment, have fully convinced this Govern
ment tina, this is only The lmpes end BEST but the
only rule, which be adopted and Observed consist.
entity with the rights and honor of the u. S. and the
security Of their citizens. That rule there
fore, what Will hereafter be the principle maintained by
this Government. In every regularly docuncned
American merchan, vessel the crew who navigate il
will find their protf elton in tie flag which is the nl.
The announcement is not made, my Lord, 10 revive
useless reco!ec.ons c The past, 10 stir embers from
crae VII rh kav n nj Inv