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VOL. II ) ATHENS, GEORGIA: PRINTED BY ALEXANDER M‘DONNELL, SATURDAY, JUNE 3, 1809. TER M S CF THE GEORGIA EXPRESS. s. IT will be printed weekly, ae three dollars per annum ; one half to be paid in ad van re, the icmainder a: the expiation of fix months. 2. Ad v&’ti foments will be charg ed at the fate of fixty-two a half cents per T&iare for the firft: Lnferctoo, and ‘fifty cents for each* continuation.* 11 4 i ?*■’ 3. No papers will fee difcor.rinu d without amotice to that efiefij nor then if in arrears. fcj* All letters directed to the Editor mud be pnfl paid. The following Gentlemen art author rized to receive Subfcriptions for this Paper :— Clarksfroro*— -Poft-Mafter. Jeff erf on —M<rj. Edwin L. Harris, Watkinfville —E. B. Jenkins, efq. and M". Edward Bond. Lexington —Pcft Mailer, & Capt. We*kii‘. Oglethorpe —Mr. Samuel Shields, and William Lumpkins, Efq. Walnut Grave— Mr. Aik/ns. Gocfe-fond —Mr. H. T. Woodv. A iaiijon —James G. Sims, Eq. Greenesboru'— Capt. T. Dawfon. Sparta —Do dor W. Terrell. Warronion— Poft - M afte r. Towelion —imr- Mifter. Milledgevillc —Janus Boz-man, Efcp haionion*^ ‘Ghriftopher B. Strong, Efq. ElberUn-7-Cai’ Wm. Chi Horn. Petersburg—AUx. Pope, Efq. & D„d. Watkins. - Vienna — c , B. Shields, Efq, Wilkes —David Terrell, Elq* Zc Pod*): Bibb. Lincoln —Captain N. Alien, and Capr. John Hughes, . : Lcuifdlld— Me IT. Day & Wl.ec hc. dvgufa —J. S. Walker, Efq. tz \j\,h t Smelt. Wayttsbor ‘—QoY. John Davies. SanderfutlU f—Mr. Wm; M'Mur ti; . Savannah —Mr. H. H. Moun ger, and Mr. A. W. Scribner. fcn r n -B T- - r -r mi umia 11, 1 1 nil I WIT— in 1 T IMPORTANT* COMMUNICATION. INADMISSIBLE PRINCIPLES. OF Till KING OP ENGLAND 5 ! PROCLAMATION. cf Cd. ii J 1807 — Covfidered. The f’uree from where ewe derive this bigb‘y important difchffvn of a fuh . JVf involving Jo deep y the rights , the honor , and the inierefi of Amer ica, wilt render it neccffury for us to invite the careful attention of our Pa.riot. Lf’ttcy January <7, ICC 9. ?IR, I t my letter of (hr :6:h of D?- tembrr it was remarked that thu prodam tion for prrfting teamen from our merchant ih : ps had roc Bern fufn iertly re pro bared. Some * f the r. a funs for that opinion will be iour.d in the follow!; g comment*- GEORGIA EXPRESS. MANY SHALL RVN T# AND FRO, AND KNOWLEDGE SHALL BE INCREASED. ries, which were written for private amufemen*, vGthin a few da* s after the appearance in public of ih s. Tixr. tf The pre cl am at ion of the king cf Great Britain, requiting the return cf bisjuljttfs , thefeamen efpectally , from foreign countries , to aid in this hour of ptcular danger, in defence of tbxir own.” : j 1 * B tit it being an etcknowle Igedprin cfp/e that every nation hat a right to the Jerviceof itsJnbjefts in time of war , that proclamation could not furnifit the Jl ghteft grftsnd for an embargo' 1 T his ptriiai description has 9 r en* dency to*deceiv mtny, ano roo übc has deceived thoufandx. It )s con - ceding tbs afp in a bafict #/ figs. Ihe dangerous, aiarm.ngand fatal part of the proclamation is kept caiefully out cf light. Proclamations of ore kind arc of immcmorablc utegr j but the prefent one is the fir ft of the kind. Proclamations of the. firft kind, ifTued ufualJv in the beginning of a war, are in eff-dt but fimple in vitatiom to fnbjedb, who bapi en to be abroad, to return home. * To de ny the right of the king to iffue therr 8 would be a i unreaforubie ,?i to tteny Ms rght to lend a ca and of u'lvitati'm to one of h;s fubjrdls to dine with him on St. George** day. But in n uher czfc is the fubjrdt bound by law to a cept the invitation. A* it if? natural to every human ni\< and to sympathize with its native county when tn diftrefs or danger, it is well known chat cor.fiJerable numbers t Britilh commonly return home from various foreign countries, in conle quencc of invitations pro clamation. Tr.e Sntifh ambalTid >rs r confuls, agents, governors and oth er offi.ers give the proclamations a general circulation, ftimuiate the people to return, and contrive many means to encourage and facilitate their palTages. All this is very wtlij all this is v> ichin the rules tf modi (h, dtcency, law ard juftice j no fonable man will object to P. But none tf ih'fe proclamations, fill this laft ever afp-ned a right to take Bri t fh fubjeds by fjrcc, from the Ihips cf foreign na‘icn f , any more than Lorn the ciiici and provinces of for eign nations. Gt the other it is * q ally clear, that Brittfh fubjrdts in orrign couniries are under no in difperTabte obligation of religion, moralitv, lav/ or policy, to return in compliance withfuch proclamations. No penality is annexed by Englifh laws to any negleft j no, nor to any direct or formal disobedience. Hun dreds in fad, do negledt and and sobey the proclamations to one who com pl;es with them. Thoufands who have formed eftablifhments, and fet tkd families, cr become naturalised, or made contrafts, or enl.fted on board merchant (hips, or enren fhipa of wr in foreign countries, pay no regard to theie orders or invitationL of their former lovereign. lideed, al! who have becomie naturalized in foreign countries, or entered into conrrads of any kind, public or pri vate, with governments or mer riirnts, or f4rmers cr manufactures, have no right to return until they ha-'e fulfilled their ccnvenants and obligations^—-The Pufidcnt of the Un:fed States has as Ega! ruthorify to ilfie fnnilar proclamation", and would be it much refpeedted by American citizens, ail ovtr the globe. But every American would fay h s compliance was voluntary, and none, whole engagements a broed were incompatible, would obey. But fC it is an atknowlrcgcd principle, that every nation has a right to the fervi e of its furj-cls in time of war.** By whom in this prin ciple a knowledge ? By no man, I believe, in the unlimited frnle in w hich it is here afll rted. With cer tain qualificanor-s and reftrictlons it nuy be admitted. Within the realm and hi; own dominir rs the king has 1 r : ghr to fervice of h s fu s j its, at fra and on land, by voluntary enldh mrnts, and ro fend them abtoad on foreign voyages, expeduiors and en terpnles— but it would bed ffi !c to prove the right of any executive authority of a free people ro com pel free fubjects into fervice by con fcripti< ns or impn-fftnents, like gal- Ly (laves at the point of the bayo ner, t before rhe mourhs of tillery. Extreme cafes and impe rious nactfli y, it is ("aid, have no lav/;but extremities and nectflky muft be very obvious to the whole nation, or freemen will net complv. ImprtfTmenr?, of seamen from Bri tifh merchantmen in pert or it are no better than the confcriptions of foldier* by Nap ‘Von or Lewis XIV. who frt Mm the example. S > much for that part of the proGama which the rext produces to public Now for the oihei parr, which h has a r tfully concealed. The k ; ng not enly command h*s fubjrifts to rerurn, but he con'.mand* the officer, of his navy to fearch the merchants ihips of neutrals, (mean ing Americans, for it is not tpp!.ca ble to any others ncr intended to be ipplied to any others,) and imprtf* all Britiih feamen ih'") find on board, vitheut any regard to any allegation of naturalization j without any regard to any certificate* of citizei.fipp; withour regard toany ccntrafls, con venanta or connections they have formed with captains or owners j and without regard to any tuatr:3ges, families cr children they have in America. And in what, principle or law is this founded ? Is there any cf law of God to fupport it ? Is there any law of England to author ifeit ? certain!y nor. The laws of England have no binding force on board American fhips, more chars the laws of China or Japan. The laws of the United Statea alone, of which the law of naciois 13 a parr, bavt dominion over cur merchant fh'ps. In what law then Is it ground ed ? In the law of nations ? it is a counterfeit foisant into law, by this’ arbitary fraudulent proclamation, for the firft time. Such a title, as /?- pressment of S earns*, was never found in any code of law?, fince the fiift canoe was launched into the ft a ; not evtn that of England. Whoever claim* right muft produce a law to support it.—-Bur this proclamation attempts to transfer a preiendrd right of impreffing feamen from their own fhips, which in truth : s on ly enormous abufc, to the imprtff- (No. r 4. mentof feamen from foreign path foreign fhips and foreign fi:bj*wi>. The honor of this grois this affront to our underftan - well as feelings; this comei our natural and national re lei., me h 4 of injuries, as well as our fymparhies with fellow-citlzerts and tures, lufforing the vileft ten auff \ tinder ini umanicy anti never have appeared in the eof had nor the fpuics of Lord Bute ana Lord George Gcrcname rifen again st St. Jamt‘s. * * It is in vain for theßritnnsro fav, ihcfe men are the kwgfo lub j How are they the king’* lubjtAi ? By Britilh laws. And a r< * - ’ Brit'fh laws to us. on the I ‘gb of OtaheivC. We Ameri a s mult fay they are our fcl; .vr cidzets by our laws. They have fworn alle g:ance to the U. S. Wt 1 ave ad mitted them to all the rghrs an ! privileges of American citizens, a <l by this admiftion have with rhm to fupport and def-nd them in the enjoyment of a)’ lueh rights. Our laws acknowlei ge no divine fight of kings, greater thnrj thofe of fuhjeifls, or any indcfeafi ble duty of fubjf£ts more tha tf ad of king*, to obedience. Theifo re mnents of feudal tyranny and ec clcliafttcal fuprfftirion, have been long fine* expli ded in America.— The k ng claims them to make them flaves. The Prtfidenr cf the U. S. claims them, as it is h : s duty to do, by his r ffi e and his oa h, to ei Have them bur to pretrdt them rnd preferve them free. Our laws ire as good as Brbifb Ifwa. Our c itizens have as gi od a right to pro ttdlion as Briufii fubjeds, and our government ?s as rr.urh bound tu iff/rd ir. What is the Impr ff nene cf fesmt-n ? Ic is no been dan what the civilian* < all Plagiat, a crime punifhable with Oy all civifized nation*, as one 1 f t.he rnf It audacious and puniftiable < ff-nci s agair.ft fociety. I: was lo coi.li ier cd among the Hebrew*. •He that ftealetfi a man and fellerh or if he be found in h ; s hand* h fhall furely be put to drathd* ; Ex odus 31. 17. “If a mao be found fhaling any of his brethern, then that thief fhall die.” Deuteronomy 24. 7. The law of Athens, like thefe of the Hebrew*, condemned the plagiary orman dealer to death and the Jaws of Rome pronounced the fame judgement againfl: the fame outrage. But to delccnd front the Hebrews, Greek* and Reman to the Brftifh. What is the im preffment of feamen in England, by their own Jaws, in their own port?; from their own (hips within the four feai, or any where on the h'gh Teas i 1 It is lard to be an ufage. So were Ihipmoney loans and benevolences in the rtign r f Charles ?h fiTr, and arguments were by his cour tiers, to prove t, fir legality, ss plifib!e and conclufive as any that have been produced bv judge Fof ter, in favour of impreffment. It s at beft but aa abele, lubfiftirg on?y by toleration ad connivann, l;k the praftice in l loliand of kidnapping 0 tn for feeders or Icrvaats in bau-