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CONGRESS.
\ THE INSTRUCTIONS.
To the S>'n tte and House of Represen
tatives of the United States.
I now transmit to Gong refs copies of
the inflrucYiot’s to the Plenipotentiaries *
of the Uni ed St ins, charged with ne- ;
gociating a Fence with Great Britain, as j
leiened to in my mtffage of tlie loth
inllant.
JAMES MADISON.
ITaJlinglon, 031. i T,tb, 1814.
Mr. Monroe, Secretary of State, to tie
Plenipotentiaries oftbeUnitcd States ,
for Heating of Piacewtb Great Bri
tain, dated
Depa tmentof Srare, April 15th 1814.
GenileUen—l -had the honor on the
uit. to receive from Mr. Adams two ’
letters, one hearing date on the 30th Stp
te ift* r, and tlie other on the 17th Odfto- •
ber 1 ilt, communicating the overture of
the Emperor of iluilu to promote peace
bv bis friendlv mediation lietw-en the
United ‘tates a.id Great Britain. On the
ai following, Mi Dnschkotf, tbe Rus
si n Mi. lifter, made a li.mlar cotnknunica
tion to tiiis depirtnv nt. The'subject
b s, in consequence, been duly consider
ed, .1111 I have now to make known to you
the result.
The Frcfid*nt has not hesitated to ac*
cept/he mediation of Russia, and he in
dulg s a strong hope that it will produce
the defi ed effi-tA. It is not known that
Gre<t Britain has acceded to the proposi
tion, but it is ore;timed that Ihe will not
decline it* The I’refident thought it im
proper to postpone his decision, until he
hears of tliat of tlie Britifli government.
Sincerely eiefiroiis of p ace, he has be en
willing to avail himself of every opportu
nity winch might tend to promote it, on’
jull aim honorable conditions, and in ac
cepting tins overture he has been particu
larly gratified to evince, bv the manner of
it, the distinguished consideration which
the United Sutes entertain for the Empe
ror Alexander. Should the Britilli govern
ment accept tlie mediation, the negocia
tion to which it leads will be held at St.
Pete Ib'irg. The Prelident commits it to
you, for which a commission is enclosed,
and lie has appointed Mr. Harris, Secreta
ry of tiie million.
The impairment of onr seamen and il.
1-gal blockades, as exemplified more par
ticular! \ in the orders in council, were the
pn.'Cipal causes of the war. Had not
Gieat Britain ptilevercd obflin-tsly in
the violate mi ot these important rights,
tlie war would not have been declared.
Jc will cease as loon as hel’e rights are
relpecUd. I'he pr ipotition made by Mr.
Kusstll to tlie bnplli g. verninvnt ini*
mrd:>*cly atter the w.,i, and tlie an
sv.er given by this department to Ad
no and ff o’s htt r, since, fliew tlie
gi id on whit h i!n U ilted States were*
Wn.rig t > auj cl the tontroverfy relative
to 1 . p elfun lit.
I ‘us lias been further evinced by a re- ’
p . t ot tlie co.iiinmee of Foreign Rela
tions ot tlie Houle ot lit prefentatives, and
an act of Gong, els paiT J in conlequeiice
ot that report. By thele documents you
will lee that to accommodate this impor
tant difltniue, the United States are dis
posed to ex Imie Britifli 1 -amen altogether
fioni the American service. This being
llf cduaily none, the Britilli government
can 1 rave no pretext fqr the practice. How
fit .ll it be done 1 By reltraints to be im
puted by each nation on the naturaliza
tion ot tlie seamen ot the other, excluding
at the t rine time ail others not naturali
zed—ol Hull thi right of each nation to !
n dualize the seamen of the other be pro
hibited, and each exclude from its service
the natives of the othe r i Whatever the
rule is, it ought to be reciprocal. If G.
Britain is allur ed to naturalize American
ic> mi 11, the Untied States ll.ould enjoy
the lame privilege. If it j; demanded that
the United States lliall exclude from their 1
service ill native Biitilli fubjeefts, a like j
exclution of Aintncau citizens from the
Brituli lervice ouglit to be reciprocated, j
1 he mode also Humid be common to both
countries. Each ihould lx’ at liberty to
give tlie tame facilities, or be bound to im
p fe the f.une reltraints that tire other does.
The l J n fiJent is willing to agree to ei
tiier alternative, and to cany it into effect ,
by tne molt eligible regulations that can
be deviled.
If the firft alternative is adopted, the ‘
extent ot tlie proposed exclution vv.ll de
pend on die impediments to nauircdizA- t
tion. on tlie efficacy of the regulations to
prevent inipofition. and tht fidelity of j
thtir exi cution. I lit g'tater the difficul
ty in acquiring the right of ciiizenihip,
the caller will it he to avoid impolition,and
the more compl te the defined exclution. j
“1 lie law ol tlie lad felfion of l.ongrefs rel- 1
ative to seamen, proves how (inceiely dt- 1
iir >us tlie Legill itive as well as Executive
branch of our government, i? to adjust t*ns
Controversy oil conditions wnich may be |
futistacftm v to Great Brit.tin. By tli it
law it is made i:i lispenfable for every j
Bntilh fnbjeCft who may hereafter become j
a citizen, to iciide five years without in-}
termilTioii .within the United States, and
lb many guards are imposed to prevent ;
frauds, that it teems to be impolfible tout 1
they Ihould be eluded. No Biitilli sub- 1
je£t (an he employed in a public or private !
Blip ot the United States, unfi ts lie produ- 1
cts to tne’ commander in one inftjiice,
and to thexllttt-ir in the other, a certi- :
fi> i copy of the act to which lie became I
naturalized. A lift of tlie crew, in the ’
calc ot a piicatc ft p. m-dl lie taken, cer- [
tified ruid-rt corded hy the Colied tor, and 1
the or commercial agents oi Great
Britain may object t* any. icauij,aud at
tend the inveftigarioß. The commander
of a public flop receiving a person not du
ly qualified, In .11 forfeit a thouftnd doi
lars,and tlie commander or owner oi a
private linp, knowing thereof, five hun
dred dollars, to be recovered in. an action
of debt; one half to the informer, and
one halt to the United States. It is also
made penal,punifliable as a felony by im
prisonment and labor treni three to five
years, or by fine, from five hundred 10 one
thoufund dollars, for any person to forge
or counterfeit, or to pass, or use any forg
ed or counterfeited certificate of citizen-
Ibip, or to fell or dispose of one.
It may fairly be presumed that if
this law ftiould be carried into effedt, it
would exclude all Britifli teamen from our
service.
By requiring five years continued rcsi
deuce in tlie United States, as the condi
tion of citizeiiftup, few if any Britifli sea
men would ever take advantage of it—
Such as had fi ft Great Britain, and had
refidrd five years in this country, would
be likely to abandon the lea forever.
And by making it the duty of the com
manders of our public, and of the collect
ors, in the case of pnvate liiips, to require
an authenticated copy from the clerk of
the court, before which a Britilh fubjedt,
who offered his service, had been natural
ized, as indispuifable to his admiflion, and
highly penal in eituer to take a person not
duly qualified, and by allowing al.o Bri
tilli agents to object to any one offering
his lervice, and to pmfecute by lint the
toiriinaiio t orcollecttr, as the case might
be, for receiving an improper person, it
lee ms to be impollible that such ftiould be
received.
1 If tne second alternative is adopted ;
that is, if all native Bntilh lubj.cts arc to
be hereafter excluded from our service, it
is important tliat the providing
for it ftiould operate so as not to effed
those who have been already naturalized.
By our law all the rights of natives are
given to naturalized citizens. It is con
tended by foine that these complete rights
do not extend beyond the limits of toe
United States; that in naturalizing a for
eigner, no Hate can absolve him from the
obligation which lie owes to his former
government, and that he becomes a citi
zen in a qualified tente only. This doc
trine, if true in any cale, is less applicable
to the United States than to any other
power. Expatriation teems to be a natu
ral right, and by the original charader of
our inltitutions, founded by compad, on
principle, and particularly by the unquali
fied invellmcntof the adopted citiz-.n with
tlie full rights of the native, all that the
United States could dos to place him on
the fame footing, has been done. In point
of interdt, the oojed is of little impor
tance to either party. The number to lie
aiftvttd by the Itipulatioh is inconsiderable;
nor can that be a cause of surprise, when
the character of that dais of men is cimis'i
der-cd. It rarely happens that a seaman
who fettles on a iunn, or engages in a
trade, .nd put sues it for any fi-ngth of
time, returns to lea. His youthful days
aie exhausted m his fi.il occupation.
He leaves it with regret, arid adopts a
iiotln r. either in contequence ot marriage,
‘ofdiieafe, \or as ail asylum for age.
To a (lipulation which Hull operate
prolpectiveiy only, the fame olijcdion does
not apply. In naturalizing foreigners,
the United States may preferihe tin* limit
to wnich their privileges lliall extend. If
it is made a condition that no native Bri
tilli fubjed, who may hereafter becoftn- a
citizen, ihiil be employed in oui public or
private Blips, their exclqfion will violate
no right. Those wlio might become cit
izens iiftefwaids would acquire the right;
fubjed to that condition, and would lx*
bound by it. lo luch a flipulation the
Prtfident is willing to alfent, althc’ he
would much pretei the alternative ‘ of re
straints on naturalization ; ants to prevt nt
frauds and to carry tlie lame fully imo
c ill cl, you are authorized to apply all the
reftiamts and checks, with the neces
sary modifications, to Suit the case, that
are provided in the ad above recited, rel
ative to seamen, lor the purposes of
that act.
In requiring that the flipulation to ex
clude Britilh feanien from our service,
with the regulations for carrying*it into
tffed, ,bc made reciprocal; tiie Prefir'eiit
desires that you make a provifiorv, author
izing the United States, if they Ihould be
lb disposed, to dispense with tiie obliga
tions imposed by it on American citizens.
Hie liberal fpintot our Government and
laws is uniriendly to reftrifints on our cit
izens, such at fi?a!t as are imposed on Bri
tilh tubjeds trom becoming members of
other iocieties, This has been ihewn in
the law ot the last session relative to fta
uien, to which your particular atten
tion lias been already drawn. This
provision may likewise be reciprocated if
dtfired.
Tlie Prcfidentis not particularly soli
citous that cither of these .dtemativts (ma
king tne proposed reservation in case the .
latter be) Ihould be preferred. To ft cure
the United States againtt impressment he
is willing to adopt either. He cxptds in
return that a clear and diftind provifimi
lliall lie made againlt the pradice. Tiie
pretile form in which it may de done is
not insisted on, provided the import is ex
plicit. All that is required is, that in con
lideratioit of the ad to be p. rformed on
the part of the Ui.ited States, tlie Britilli
Government lhall stipulate in Ifime ade
quate manner, to terminate or forbear the
piadice of impreflinent from American
veflljls.
It has been fuggefled as an expedient
mode tor the of this contro
versy that Britilli cruisers Ihould have a
right to ieatch our vessels for Britilli tea
men, but that the Commanders thereof,
llioald be fubje&ed t* penalties, in case
I
they mane nv.fhtkes, and took from them
American citizens. By this tlie Britilh
Government would acquire tlie right of
(earth for seamen, with that of imprefling
from our vi-ffcls die l'uhj. cts ot all other
Powers. It will not eltape your atten
tion, tliat by admitting the right, in anv
case, we give lip the principle, and leave
tlie door open to every kind of abuce. The
fame objection is applicable to any and
every other arrangement, which withholds
the rtsped due to our flag bv not al
lowing it toproted thecrew failingunder it.
If the nrft alternative Ihould be adopt
ed, it will follow, that none of the Britilh
j seamen who may be in tlie U. States at
the time the Treaty takes eflTed, and who
1 lhall have become citizens, will be admit
| ted into our fei vice, until they acquire that
I right.
i If the second is adopted, the number of
I native Bntilh seamen, who have been n vt
-1 uralized, and will be admissible into our
service, will not, it is btiievcd exceed a few
hundred, all others who may be in tlie Uni
ted btattsat the time the Treaty takes ef
fect, or who may arrive afterwards, will be
, excludtd.
Asa neceflary incident to an adjust
; nient on the principle of either altcrna
■ tive, it is txpded that ail American
seamen, who have been impressed, will
be discharged, and that those who have
been naturalized, under the Biitilli I ws,
bv compulsive ftivice, will be permitted to
! wifhdiaw.
! I have to repeal that tl great ohje£t
j which you liavt to fccure, in regard to im
pr> ffment, is, that out flaglh dl protect the
crew, and provided for this in a fatisfitfto
-1 ry manner, th t you are authorized to se
cure G. Britain effslually again ft the em
ployment of her seamen in the service of
the U. States. l hi< it is believed would
be done by the adoption ot either of the
above alternatives, and the application to
tli ,t which may be adopted, of th’ cheeks
contained in the law ot tiie tail seffi n rel
ative to seamen; in aid ot which ii will
! always be in the power of G. Britain to
make legulations oixrati ’g in lu-r own
ports, with a view to the fame etCsPt, To
terminate, however, this con*iovc-rfy in a
I manner latisfaiflory to both parties, the
Prtfident is willing, lim'd otlnr checks
be suggested as like) >• to ix- more effectual,
confiitent with the spirit of our constitu
tion, tliat you fhoui i adopt them. The
I strong feature of the fi ll alrrmutive which
j authorizes the naturalization of
j requires th ir continued residence in the
U. States toY fi.t vears, as iiuiilp.njabie
to die attainment of that right. In case
this alternative be adopted, the President is
willing, for example, to lecmv a compli
ance with that condition, to m tke it the
duty ol each aii. n, who may he desirous
to become a citiz.n, to apioear in court ev
ery year, for the term of fiie years,
| till his right Hull be cumfdctcd. — Puis
| example is given, not as a limitation,
j but as an ilftiftration of your power; lor
j to the exclnfiun of Britilh seamen from
our service, no repugnance is feit. To
such excluljoh the amicable adjustment of
this controverfv with G. Britain affords- a
strong motive, but not tlie only one. It
is a growing fentinint in tlie United
States, that they ought to di pend 01; their
own population, lor the supply of their
Hups of war and merchant lervice; expe
rience has ihewn that it is m abundant re
source. In exprt ifing this fentiinint you
will do it in a tnr.nr.trto inlpire non fufly
a confidence, that the airangen.ent whicii
! you may enter ii to, v. ill Ik carried faith
j fully into effect, without derogating, how-
I ever, fiom the conciliatory spirit of the ac
’ commcdat'on.
A strong dtfire lias heretofore been ex
po ifed by tlie Britilh government to ob
tain of the U. States an arrangement to
prevent the ddertiou ot Britilli seamen,
when in our pon*, and it cannot be douot
ed, that a Itipulation to that effedt would
be highly Ttisfaflory, as well as ufeful
!to Girat Britain. It is fair!-, to be pre
! lurried that it, alone, would affoid to the
Britilh government a strong indmemt nt to
enter into a arrangement of
•lie difference relating to imprelTment.—
The claim is not inadr illible, espcially as
the United Stites have a reciprocal inter
est in the reltoration of delertt rs Irom
American vtlfels in Britilh ports. You
may therefore agree to an article, such as
hath betn heretofore authorised by the
United States, which shall make i, the du
ty of each party to deliver them up.
Os the right of the U. States to he ex
empted from the degrading praCtio of im
prelTment, so much as b-en aiieadv la : d,
and with such ability, that it would be use
less, especially to you, who are ntlierwife
so well acquainted with it, to delate on its
merits. 1 mull observe, however, that tlie
piadice is utterly rtpuguant to the laws of
nations ; that u iiipporteff by no treaty
w ith any Nation ; that it was never acqui
esced in In am ; and that a fubmillion to
it by the U. Statis, would be the abandon
ment, in favof of G. Britain, ot all cl. ini
to ntutral rights, and of all other rights
on the ocean.
1 his pradice is not founded on any bel
'ligeitnt right. The gaateft extern to
which the belligerent claim has been car
ried, over the vcffels of neutral nations, is,
to board, and take from diem, ptrfons in
thel.nd and fi.a service of the enemy, con
traband of war, an tiitrry’s property.—-
All nations agree refunding tlie two firft
articles, but there has been and still ex ffs
a diveriltygof opinion ax to the last. On
that and oth. rqueftians ufeunfuit rahle im
portance, disputes have arisen wl.iJi are
yet unsettled. The Kmprefs Catharine
of Rutlia, a diftii guiftucl advocate of just
principles, placed herlt if in 178031 the
head of nt utral nations, in favor of a lib
eral conitrud.on of their l ights, and her
fucctfliirs have generally fallowed her ex
ample. In all the discuiiioas on these
topics, we find nothing of the Britilli claim
to impressment; no acknowledgement of
it iu any treaty, or proof of ini-million to
it by any power. If infiances have octur
td in which Britilh cruizers have taken
Britifli seamen from the vessels ot other
nations, they were, as it is piefumed, in
cases either not acquiesced in. or of an ex
traordinary nature 0111 v, affording no coun
tenance to their pradice and pretention in
relation to the United States. Cases of
this kind, if luch there be, aflbrd no proof
of a systematic claim in the Britifti govern
ment to impreffinent, or of fubmillion to it
by other powers. This claim has been let
i up againlt the United States only, wno
have in conlVquence thereof been compell
ed to discuss its merits.
i his claim is in f..d traced to another
source, the allegiance due by British sub
; jects to their sovereign, ?nd his"right by
’ viitue thereof, to their lervice. This has
j been diftindly stated in a late declaration
by the Prince Regtnt. Kfiowing the na
-1 ture of the claim, v.e know also the extent
! of” the fight and obligations incident to it.
! Allegiance is a political relation between
j a bovereign and his people. It is the ob
ligation which binds the latter in return
for the protedion which they receive.—
! These reciprocal duties have the fame lim
it. Ttiey are confined to the dominions
|of the loverign, beyond which he has no
I rights, fan afford no protedion, and can of
I courle claim no allegiance. A citizen or
j fubjed of one power, entering the domin
. ions of another, owes allegiance to the lat
’ ter, in return for the protedion he receives.
; Whether a f vereign has a right to claim
1 the service of such of his fubjeds as have
I left his own dominions is a question, res,
I l>-diiig which all * a difference of opinion
niay exist. Iti? certain that no sovereign
1 hat, a right to pursue his fubjtds into tlie
tei ritones of another, be the motive for it
what it may. Such an entry, without the
coufent of the other power, would be avi
; elation of its territory, and an ad of hos
, tility. Offender*, even can
not be pursued by one power into the ter
■ ritory of another, nor are they delivered
up by the latter, except incompliance with
I treaties, or by favor. That the vrffels of
a nation are Considered a part of its terri
’ tory, with tbe exception of the belligerent
. right on|y, is a principle too well eftablilli
ied to be brought ; nto discussion. Each
Rate has ex.iufive jurisdidion over its own
vessels. Its laws govern in them, and of
ferifes agaiiift those laws are punill able by
i its tribunals only. The flag of a nation
1 proteds every thing failing under it, in
time of peace, and in time of war like wife,
, with the exception of the belligerent rights
growing out of the war. An entry on
board the veffl ls of one power by the
cruizers of another, ir any other case, and
the exercift* of any other authority over
’ them, is a violation of right, and an aid
of holtiiitv,
i The Bt itilh government, aware of the
truth* of chi- dodrine,, has endeavored to
avoid its C'uifequences in tlie late declara
tion ft the Prince Regent. It lias not
contended that Britilh cruizers have a right
to pursue and search our vessels for Britilli
seamen. It asserts only that they have a
right to search them for other objeds, and
being 011 board for a lawful cause, and
finding Britilh seamen there, that they
have a right to imprel’s and bring them
away, under the claim of allegiance. When
we letj a ft. Hematic pursuit of our vessels
hy Britilh cruizers, and the impressment
of seamen from them, not at a port of the
enemy, where a regular blockade had
been inftitirtd, and by tlie blockading
fqnadron, but in every part of the ocea'n,
on our coast, and even in our harbors, it is
difficult to believe tliat impressment is not
the real motive, and the other the pretext
for it. But to place this argument of the
Britilh government on the strongest ground,
let it be admitted that the entry was law
ful, is it so to commit an ad\ not warrant
ed by tht purpofc for which the entry was
iraaei There is * levity in this argument,
which nt itlier suits the parties nor tlie lub
jl isl. The Bri'i/h governm-at founds its
right of impressment from our liiips on
that of allegiance, which is a permament
right, equally applicable to peace and war.
Tlie right of impressment, therefore, from
the vessels of other powers muff like wife
be permanent, and equally applicable to
peace and war. It would not, however,
take this, broad ground, left the Uijnfiice
and extravagance of tlie pretension might
exerte die allonillynent and indignation of
other powers, to whom it would be equally
applicable. To ckiiir it as a belligerent
tight would have been unjust and absurd,
as no trace of it could be found In the
B’ lligerent Gode. Tlie Britilh Govern
ment was, therefore, reduced to a very
embarralling dilemma. To acknowledge
that it could not support the claim, on ei
ther principle, would be to rclinquifh it,
and yet it could rely on neither. It en
deavored to dra w lbme aid from both. A
State ot V\ ar txifts which brings the par
ties together, Great-Britain, as a bellige
rent, and the United States as a Neutral
Power. Britilh officers have now a right
to board and search American vessels, but
for what ? Persons in the ferv ice of an en
emy, contraband of war, or Enemy’s pro
perty ? This would not accomplilh the
end. It is however, the utmost limit of
the belligerent right. Alleguuce, which
isan attribute of sovereignty, comes to her
aid, and communicates all the necessary
power. The National Character of the |
neutral vessel ctafes. The complete right
of sovereignty and jurisdiction over it is
transferred to Great-Britain. It is on
this foundation that the Britifli govern
ment has raffed this monstrous lhperftruc
tnre. It is with this kind of argument
that it attempts to juftify its pradice of
Imprtssment from our vessel*.
The remark contained in the declara
tion of tlie Princt Regent, that rniuipntfcs-
I inf Britifli seamen time .American ve>-
- sfcis, Great-Britain exercised no right wh'u h
llic was rot willing to acknowledge asap
; pertaining < qually to the Government of
the Ur.ind States, vyi'h rdprch to Amer
ican lea men in Britilh merchant (hips,
proves only, that the Britilh government
is ccniV’u us of Ye injuftjee of the claim,
1 and desirous ( f giving to it such aid as may
be derived from a phitifible argument.—•
The femhhmoe of equality, hewever, in
this prr’pciition, which strikes at firft view,
disappears on a fair examination. It iz
unfair, firft, because it is impolfibie for the
United States to take advantage of it.
• Impressment is not an American practice,
, but utterly repugnant to our Gonfiitution
and laws. In offering to reciprocate it,
nothing was offered, as the Britilh govem
: pient well knew. It is unfair, secondly,
bt-caufe if Impressment was allowable,
reciprocation of the pradice would be no
equivalent to the United Starts. T"i:e
exercise of a light in common, at (la, by
two Nations, each over tlie vessels of tiie
; other, the one powerful and ,i,e other ccm
-1 paratively weak, would be, to put tlie lat
’ ter completely at the mercy of tiie former.
Great-Britain, with her vast Navy, would
I Toon be the only party which made ini*
1 pressment.’ The United States would be
compelled to abffa’n from it, and either to
submit to the Britifli rule, with ail the
abufts incident to power, or to refill it.
But, ftiould the United States be permit
i ted to make Inipteffment from Britilh ves
sels, the effect would be unequal. Great-,
j Britain has, peihaps, thirty flaps of war acf
sea, to one of the United States, and would
profit of the arrangement in that propoi
i-tion. Besides, impressment is a praciilc
. incident to war, in which view, likewise,
the inequality is not less glaring, fli- be
ing at least thirty years at war, to one of
the United States. Other ccm fide rations
prove that the Britilh government made
acknowledgement merely a* a pretext
to juftify its practice of Impressment, with
. out intending that the right or predict
i Ihould ever be reciprocated. What would
he the tfltjdf of its adoption by American
liiips of war, with Bi i ifti merchant ves
sels. An American officer boards a Brit—
: ifti merchant veffcl and claims, as Ameri
can citizens, when lie pleases. How ma
ny Britilh seamen would difdaim a title
which would take them to the U. Status
j and secure them there all the advantages
* of citizen ft. ip ? ‘J he rule of evidence, as
1 the ground of impairments in every in
fiance, muff likewise te reciprocated be
tween the twe governments. Tlie ac
knowledgement of the men would furtly
j be a better pro.f of their national characj.
ter than the decision of a Britifli efimt*
who boarded an American veffcl, however
; impartial he might be, and strong his pow
er of diferimination, when opposed by tlie
voluntary and foltinu declaration of tie
| party. In this way we might draw tioivi
the Britifli service the greater part, if nut
ail their f amen. I might further aik, why
was this acknowledgement made at this
late period, for the fiift time only, after
the declaration of war, and when on that
; account it could produce no efftfl ? In the
various difctillions of this fubjeft, in many
of which it has been dtmanded whether
| the Britifti government would tolerate such
i a prafrice from American ships of war, 11*
such intimation was ever given.
! If Great Britain had found the employ
ment of her seamen in our service injuri-
I ous to her, and been disposed to lefjxdfc
- our rights, the regular course of procecd
-1 ing wouid have l>e>en for her government
i to have complained to the government ot
, the United States of the injury, and i
j have proposed a remedy. Had this heea
done, and no reasonable remedy been a
dopted, found in principle and reciprocal
in its operation, tbe Britifli government
might have had foine cause of complaint,
and fome plea for taking the'remedy into
its own hands. Such a procedure would,
at least, have given to its claim of impress
ment the greatest plan Ability. We know
that such complaint was never made, Ex
cept in defence of the pradYice of
ment, and that in the mean time the prac
tice has gone on, and grown into an usage,
which, with all its abuses, had refinance
been longer delayed, might have become a
law. The origin and progress of this ufux
pation afford strong il'uftrationsof tlie Bii
tifli policy. The practice and the claim
began together, soon after the close of our
revolutionary war. and w'ere applicable ta
dclertcrs only. ‘They extended next t*
all British seamen—then to all Bri
tifl. fubjefls, including as in the case of
emigrants from Ireland, persons vyiio
would hot have been fubji est to impress
ment in Britifli ports, not being featur
ing men—and finally, to Swedes, Danes,
and others, known to be not Britilh l’ub
jefts, and by their prated*ions appearing
to be natuialized citizens of the United
States.’
[To be continued .]
* ANECDOTE.
Avery ignorant woman, who feldoni
attetided divine service, one day happen
ed to go to church, when ft’.e heard a Ser
mon from Luke xiii “ Except ye re
pent ye fliall all likewise peril!;.”—At her
return, fome of her neighbors enquired of
her, what was the niinifier's text ?—Oh,
la!” she exclaimed, “ a dreadful—a dread
ful text— except <ws pay cur trent we
shall be all turned cut of th parish'!”
Auction & Commission
BUSINESS.
The fnbfciiber having returned from
the Northward, offers his btft Services to
bis friends aud the public in ti e al ovi-liue
and bepes by his attention to pit afi .
T. A. SGHOEDDF..
Ofkober j” #*t e 8