Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1852-10-23
President Madison suppIanted by General ScOtt

The war of 1919 was declared to protect our
native and naturalized citizens from British i'm
pressment. The British government asserted the
right of impressment solely upon the pretextthat
British subject could not expatriate himself, or
by swearing allegiance to the United States exhon-
crate himself from the authority of his native coun-
try. Every Englishman, Scotchman or Irishman
on board our ships was under this pretext, made
liable to be impressed. Our Government resolv-
ed to encounter all the ealamities of war in resist
ance to this principle, which in practice was made
cover under which-to drag native born Americans
as well as naturalized citizens, from our ships
As soon as the war commenced, the British. gov
eminent pushed their principle to its necessary
consequence, aud proclaimed every man who had
been British subject, traitor if he bore arms in
defence of the United States, his adopted country
Following up this doctrine, the first prisoners ta-
ken by England were winnowed for these traitors,
and our naturalized citizens found among them
were put in irons and sent home as tits called, to
be tried for high treason. The first case occurred
in August, 1912. On the 18th of October, 1872
the Wasp which had captured the British ship
Frolic was taken by the British "a, Poictiers-
Niles Register, p. 223.
Noticing the progress the British were making
in Selling our adopted citizens as traitors, an of
fcer of. the q. s. Sloop WaSp. says in a letter,
that "the boatswaln of that Ship and some of the
crew have been detained at Bermuda on suspi-
cion of being British subjects, with view to try
them for treason. This is the third case in which
some of our sailors have been detained on this
plea The two former were promptly met by put
ting into close confinement taOice thenum6er SO held
by the enemy, as hostages for the safety of our
people, and wei trust the like procedure will prevail
in this instance, as well as that punishment may
be inflicted pari pGssa, in all cases and at every
hazard. General Washington was reluctantly
compelled to adopt this line of conduct during the
revolution"
General Scott takes to himself, in his autobog-
raphy, the credit of having first established this
retaatory system in favor of our adopted citizens
by bringing his personal influence to bear on Con-
gress in 1881 But let us hear what Mr. Madi-
son says on this subject in his Message of 1879.
Extract from the Presidents Message:
'The British commander in that Province, new
ertheess, with the sanction, appears, of his gov
eminent, thought proper to select from American
prisoners of war, and send to Great Britain, for
trial, as criminals, number of individuals who
hal emigrated from the British dominions long
prior to the state Of war between the two nations
who had incorporated themselves with our poIti-
cal society in the modes recognized by the law and
practice of Great Britain, and who were made
prisoners of war under the banners of their adopt-
edcountry, fighting for its rights and its safety.
''The protection due to these citizens requiring
an effectual interposition in their behalf, a ike
number of British prisoners Of war were put into
confinement, with a notification that they would
experience whatever violence might be committed
on the American prisoners of war sent to Great
Britain.
1T was hoped that this necessary consequence
the steps unadyisedly taken on the part of Great
Britain, would have led her government to reflect
ION the inconsistencies Of its conduct. and that :
sympathy with the British, ifnot with the Ameri-
can sufferers, would have arrested the cruel career
Opened By its example -
This unhappily was not the case. n viola
ton both Of consistency and Of humanity, Amer.
lean officers and non commissioned officers. IN dou.
ible the number Of British soldiers confined here
were ordered into close confinement with formal