New-York daily tribune., 1861-12-30
GREAT BRITAIN AND THE UNITED
ATATE9.


l. For q series Of ten years, during her pro-
tracted, desperate struggle with Napoleon l.,
Great Britain, through the commanders of her
vessels of war, was accustomed to stop on the
high seas the merchant vessels Of the United
States, muster their crews, and take therefrom
such persons as those commanders decided,
without ADJUDICATION or appeal, to be natives
Of the British dOminions, therefore liable to
impressment into and service in the Navy Of
Great Britain.
III. The persens so impressed from our ves-
sells, though mainly seamen of British or Irish
nativity, were by no means wholly such. On
the contrary, hundreds if not thousands of ma
tive Americans were thus impressed and com.
PEELED to work, fight, and die for au alien
Government Some Of them, we aro well as
sured, were compelled. after war broke out be-
tween us, to fight against their own country,
and were killed serving British guns against
their own countrymen. And Mr.. Lewis Tap
pan, now alive and an unimpeachable witness,
relates that, in April, 1911, as be was nearing
the American coast in the American merchant
ship Hercules, from Liverpool for this port,
that vessel was stopped BY the Brifish frigate
Guerriere, her crew and paissnesTs mustered
at the order Of Capt. Dacres Of the Guerrlere
and two person, selected by his lieutenant there
from-one an old sailor 1--WE presume OF British
nativity aud the other Q young Scotchman,
who was no sailor, but servant Of family
named Church. then migrating in the Hercules
from Great Britain to Kentucky. Both these
were impressed and carried of, in spite OF the
earnest remonstrances and anxious entreaties
Of those ON board the Hercules. Nr. Tappan
on their behalf went on board the Guerriere
to intercede for the young man, and made a
personal appeal to Capt. Dacres, who was
civil, hut ineIoruble. So the young Scotch
man, instead of finding home in the land OF
his choice, was compelled 70 become sailor
and fighter for King George on board the Guer-
rere. And this case 10 only distinguished from
hundreds of others by the fact that Mr.. Tappan,
an eyewitness, is alive and in New-York TO-
day.
ment called the attention Of the British to this
practice of impressment from our vessels as at
war with all our ideas Of international law
and neutral rights. But, though our represent
ations were frequent and urgent, We never re-
ceved any satisfaction or apology whatever for
the impressment even Of natire Americans,
never accused of any otiense toward Great
Britain, out Of our merchant vessels. In the
case OF the attack upon and capture Of the
American frigate Chesapeake by the greatly
superior British frigate Leopard, by which four
seamen were forclbly taken from the Chesa-
peale as descrters-tbree Of them being com
pellcd to serve thenccforth in the British
navy aud the other huDg-and perhaps III
one or two other cases OF the forcbe impress
ment of persons found on board our Ma
tODal vessels the outrage was disayowed by tie
British Government, and 81 sort OF repara-
ton was made--or at least rendered. But,
down to this hour, Great Britain has never
even disavowed the thousand distinct instances
in which her cruisers took whomsoeyer they
pleased from On board our merchant ships
none Of them even accused Of any 0iensc
against Great Britain except deserton, nine'
tentbs of them not even accused Of deser,lon,
and large proportion Of them native Amcri-
cars.
". Great Britain was offered by our Gov
ernment, soon after her tarious aud persistent
outrages on our maritime rights had COM
PEELED us ia 1912 to declare war against
her, AL immediate suspension OF that War,
(her Orders in Council having, unknown to us.
been repealed before she heard of our Declara.
tion of War on the sole condition that she
should stipulate for remuneration OF her al
legged right 10 impress seamen from our mer-
chant vessels, ana compel them to serve in her
Navy without giving any heed to the protection
of our flag, to their claim To be American citl.
zens, or even 10 be natives of this country, Oh
allowing them the benefit of any sort Of trial
or adjudication whatever. We did not ask
her to surrender the hundreds Of Americans
,he had already kidnapped and was then COM
peng to work her ships and fight her battles,
nor even to apologize for takiog them, but slnl-
ply to agree not to take any more. But Great
Britan-though Napoleon was then in or near
Moscow, and all Europe but Russia. Spain, and
Portugal seemed banded sgaiost ber-peremp-
torily refused to give any such stipulation,
or to surrender or qualify in any maDner
her asserted right " impress any native d