Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-09-21
conn EsrO SDEN CE.
IaPREssME.NT
", W.b,,r o Lerd .i.hsrrlon.
DErAETatsr 90 SrArE,
Washington, Aug s. isi2.

DErAETAtsr % SrArE, I
Washington, Arg s. 1912.
Ny Lor5s We have had several conversation
on the subject ~ iaipfessmcnt, but DO not under
stsai that your Lofdship has Instructions fror
Yonr government Ia ncsodlte upon Il. nor does IN
government &C the United States see any utility
opening such negotiations, unless the British goveru
meat prepared TO toteso the practice IN ali futur
wars. No cause his produced TO great en- CT
tent, AMI ior 80 long peri,a, disturbing and irrta
ung .nfaeness On The political relations of the Uni
III States ana England a. the inpressuaent a So
mea ny Bacsk etuisers trcm American me;eh.u
,rt.cls.
Ff5ns the eounuaenecweu, ef the French rrvo,u,ic
20 IN. b-eskias out OF the war between the To-
oouaures in isi2, hardly year elapsed sishou
ioai eomplaint aud earnest tenonstranee, deel
Jog OF opposition 10 the right claimed and 10 III
p-,c;see exercised under u aud uniree pentiy
ercssS without The least regard 20 what Justice an.
humanity would have dis;asrd even Il she rssst u
self had teen admitted. took pcssess'on ofthe &c ID;
mind o. America. and this feeling, u is We knovn
co-opcr.ted moSi powcrfully ~Hh eGhcr causes &c
prcdnce the stnie ssf hostilities which ensued.
A. ciffrrrnt periods bosh hefhTe and snee ne var,
nsgntia lions have taken plscr be = the 70 GOV
erlnents with the hcpe Of fn5ins some means o.
Sutcginc thrso complaint. ~ sonnet mes, TIE e
feciual abolition ci the practice has teen requested
nn5 treated o. Mt oihcs TINES IT'S temporary scsaen
sion: md Other AGAIN, the limitation OF is
exercise ans soas secnrIiy against its enormous
abuses
common destiny has attended these efforts
thry have A. fAied. The question stands at TINS
monsn, where n STOOD fly years ago. The nearest
approach sst lernent VS. q ecnvention proposed
an 1904. ana wnieh had come 20 the point OF sigma
tGre. when II wss broken off m eon,e9uenee OF the
Brush sovernment insisting that the narrer seas
should he expressly excepted, oct Of the sphere over
~hich the contemplated slpulAtions aga INST impress
meni SHOULD extend. The American MN ster, MI
hins, regarded this exception as quite nadm ssible
and rather 10 abandon the negotiation than &C.
oaiesee IN the doctrine which It ptoPetei TO esiab-
lsA.
England asserts the right OF impressns British
subjects. IN time Of war, out CT neutral merchant
vessels. and Of deciding, by her visiting officers
who, among the crews oil such merchant vessels,
are Blush subjects. She asserts this as legal ex.
eseis, Of the prerOsa;ive of the crown, which pre-
rosaive Is alleged TO be founded on the English law
oC the perpetual and indissoube allegiance Of the
subject, ano,his obligation, under all circumstances
and tor his whole life, TO render military services 10
the crown whenever required.
This statement made in the words Of eminent
i;ish urists shows, ct once, that the English claim
is far bro i6er than the basis platform on which il
j. raised. The law relied on is English law; the
OBJ cations insisted are obligations, existing be-
tween the Crown OF England and It's subjects. This
Law and these obligations, 1t is admitted, may be |
such as England may choose they shall be; but |
then they must be eohhned 10 the parties. Impress
meni OF seamen out Of and Beyond English terrific
~ and from board the ships OF other nations is
m interference with the rights of other nations; is
further, therefore, than Engsh prerogative le
gay Extend and IS nothing but an attempt TO en- |
ioree the peculiar law OF England beyond the domi |
mons and jurisdiction Of the crown. The claim |
INSERTS an e1aterritoria authority for the law OF
British prerogative, and assumes 10 exercise this
extra-territorial authority TO the manifest injury
and annoyance OF the citizens and subjects of other
States board their own vessels on the high seas
Every merchant vessel on the seas is righiluly |
considered part of the territory OF the country 10
which it belongs. The entry, therefore, into such
vessel, being neutral, by beserent, is an act of
force, and Is priml Jaeis, wrong, trespass which
can be justified only when done for some purpose,
allowed TO form sufficient justification 10y the law
of nations. But British cruiser enters an American
merchan. vessel in order TO take thererom supposed
British subjects; offering Justification therefor,
under the law of nations but claiming the right
der the law of England respecting the kings pre-
Togative. This cannot lie defended. English soil,
Eagish territory, English jurisdiction is the appro-
pirate sphere for the operation Of English law. The
ocean IS the sphere Of the law OF nations; and any
merchant vessel on the is, by that law, under
the protection Of the laws Of her own nation, and
may claim immunity, unless in cases in which that
law allow her TO be entered or visited.
If this notion Of perpetual allegiance, and the
consequent power Of the prerogatiye, was the law
al the world; If it formed part OF the convential
code Of nations, and was usually praeised Ike the
right OF visiting neutral ships, for the purpose OF
discovering and ssizng enemy's property, then
inpressment might he defended a common right
and there would be remedy for the evils till the
national code shoC' be altered. But this is by no
means the case. There is no snch principle incor.
poralsd into the code Of nations. The doclr ne
stands only as English lSw-noi as national law;
and Engiish law cannot be OF force beyond English
dominion. Whatever duties or relations that law
creates between the sovereign and his subjects, can
be enforced and maintained only within the realm
or proper possessions or territory of the sovereign
There may be quite as jus, prerogaIive right to
the properly OF The subIec.s as 10 their personal
services, in oxigoncy Of the State; but nosovern
ment thinks Of controlling by it, own laws pro-
noGy OF ia subjects situated abroad; much less
docs any govern think of entering the territory
o another power for the purpose Of SEEING such
property and applying il TO their own uses. As
iHws, the prerosaiives Of the crown Of England
have no obligation on persons or property domlcile
situated abroad.
"When, therefore," says on authority not un.
known or unreearded on either side of the Atlantic
I'VE speak OF the rights Of state TO bind It's own
native subjects every where, we speak only Of its
own claim and exercise Of sovereignty over them |
when they return within its own territorial juris-
diciop, and not Of lis right TO compel or require
obedience TO such laws, on the part of other m
lions, within their own territorial sovereignty. On
the contrary, every nation has exclusive right 10
regulate PERSONS and things within its sovereign
Wi. hnd public polily.
The good ssuse Of these principles, their remark
nb'c pcrnency TO the subjsc, now under eonstera-
ton, and the extraordinary consequences resulting
from the British doctrine, ere sgnaly manifested
~ that which we see taking place every day
England Acknowledges herself over-burdehed with
population Of the poorer classes. Every instance
Of the emigration OF persons of those classes is re-
garded by her as a benefit. England, therefore, en-
cOuages emigration; mesns re VIGOROUSLY sIppi j
10 EN- gfanls TO assist their conveyance, from pub
lie funds; and the new world, AMI more especially
these United States, receive the many thousands Of
her subjects thus elected from the bosom OF their
native land by the necessities OF their condi ion.-
They coma away from poverty and distress, in
over crowded cities, 10 seek employment, comfort,
md new homes in country Of fee institutions
possessed by kindred race, speaking their own
language and having laws and usages in many re-
specis like those TO which they have been accus
toned, and country which, upon the whole, j.
found 10 possess attractions for persons OF their
character and condition than any other on the face
Of the gobe. IL is stated thnt ihe quarter Of the
ye1r ending with June last, more than 10000 emf
grants left the single port Of Liverpool for the u.
States, being four FIVE times as many as left the
same port wiihi1 tho same period Of the British
colonies and oil Other parts Of the world. OF these
crowds Of emigfanfs, many arrive in our cities in
circumstances Of great 6estliu,ion and the charities
Of the country both public and privne, are severely
taxed 70 relieve their immediate wants. Ia time
they minglo with the new community in which
they find themselves, md seek means Of living;
some od employ meni in ths Cities otter 60 10 the
fronisrs, 10 cultivate lands reclaimed from the Tor
est and greater or less number Of the residue, b..
coming m ume naturaized citizens, enter into the
merchant service, under the fog Of their adopted
country.
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