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Extract of a letter from Thomas Jefferson, Esq. secretary of state, under the i't- rrctiofi 0/ George Washington, President of the United States, to 7T>omas Pinckvey, minister plenipotentiary of the United States at London, dated "DEPARTMENT OF STATE— JFUI^Y U, 1792, "THE peculiar custom in England of Impressing Sea- men on every appearance of war, will occasionally expose our seamen to peculiar oppressions and vexations. It wUl be expedient that you take proper opportunities, in the mean time, of conferring with the minister on this subject, \sk or- der to form some arrangement for the protection of our sea- I men on those occasions. We entirely reject the nM)de which was the subject of a conversation between Mr. Morris and him, which was, that our seamen should always carry about them certificates of their citizenship : This is a condition never yet submitted to by any nation s one with which seamen would never have the precaution to comply : the casualties of their calling would expose them to the constant destruction or loss of this paper evidence, and thus the British government would be armed with iegal authority to impress the whole of our seamen. The simplest rule will be, that the vessel being A- merican, shall be evidence that the seamen on board her are such. If they apprehend that our vessels might thus become asylums for the fugitives of their own nation from impress gangs, the number of men to be protected by a vessel may be limited by her tonnage, and one or two officers only be permitted to enter the vessel in order to examine the number on board ; but no press gang should be allowed ever to go on board an American vessel, till after it shall be found that there are more than their stipulated number on board, nor till 4ifter the master shall have refused to deliver the supernume- raries (to be named by himself) to the press officer who has come on board for that purpose ; and even then the Amerittin consul shall be called in. In order to urge a settlement of this point before a new occasion may arise, it may not be amiss to draw their attention to the peculiar irritation excited on the last ocvasiofty and the difficulty of avoiding our making immediate ret>risnh on their seamefi here^ You will be so good as to communicate to me what shall pass on this subject, and it may be made an article of convention to be entered inta either there or here." 176015 ^t,!?.." r",*!?- ''°". * "P'' "'' * '"'" f™™ Mcffrs. Blow & Melhaddo m.r coait ot Atriea, by the commander of a Britifh armed vefTe) q« J^ • a«> oM.r nation. No law forbids the seamen of any couJrZ engage, m time of peace, on board a foreign -vestel ; no law ""hor.ses such seaman to break his contract, nor the armed -^Z sets of his nation to interpose force for his rescue."* ^fffract from the instructions given bv Timothv P'irh/>,;«rr «,^ • «A.on, the angles left una'^^Jf l^L^oiMn^-erea^.^l^tre on^th?!, V^P'f "2 of American feamen. Mr, Pinckney ,vas fnftruaed Briufh imprefTes, prove that the fubjed is in its nature difficult. «; i f *"* j""P^^ft "»^^» as remarked to Mr. Pinckney, would be, that t/je t,es hnfi^ nf \" •"^P"''^^"' P°'»t g-'^'n'^d, if, on the /S;]^^ seas, our flag can proted z^tfrZ """"'^T'^'r^^^^^^^^ ^"^ for th:s,hur^a„ity as u^l - the r flfl^v P'^T'"^""^ Pj^^''- J^^^'-'^.h^"^ vefTels c.rry no more ha.^s than exDofe ho7h T ' T'^"'^- T^-A^hdraw any of chem on the ocean, is to pea tha^ThVr-V'.'^ ^"""^'''^ '° deftruaion. We have a right then to ex. pea that the British government will make no difficulty in acceding to this very ,ntereft,ng provifion Aud the fame r.otives fhould operaTe. wfth nea ly equal force, to procure for us the like exemption in all ii Brit (hco oT^ but efpeaally in the Weft Indies. la the latter, the confeoue ce of H^^^^ ddtroyed by the worms, and the remnant of the crewr cxpofcd to the fatal 5:!'^Lll^f-f- Hence a longer detention eniue's ; the vovl.e he ^•^-.=..= .nprt^iiraole, ir not runious to the merchant, and liumanitv c'enlores the loft of many valuable lives. But there is another cogenTSon fc t V abfolute exemption from rmpreffes in the Britifh colonies. S^hattheV:^^^ , as 1. always has been, attended with inonftrous abufes : and the" ia. premt even 1 zens, nies, r any a( In th( found contrc promj be mi, Mr. p »'I( . folk, r candoi (Wem an enc fixed i tion ar quiries seamer J to mak iiess to rights, British tion of the ide and TE ,^ other tl any res f will ev£ ;^ The sul ' but tiie your spi % 1 Rufus I * Byth .ialso presid i oi the opii J tries, upyn will m I 'State, under ted States, to i at London, liaddo, mer- ilors, on the So many jn- Vl their gov- difavow and )r to obtain ft likely to : protedlion need from ".ountry to y no law rmed ves- roN, when he ipute between ind to impress d. Secretary of ited States^ 8, 1796. ing nature 5 inftrucRed prefcrihed reprohi^ted. ;hem from \^tthe 'ves- ucJ!>. But an protedl ity as well • aiids than :ean, is to ben to ex- ig to this ^ith near- I colonits, :3f an im- njiircd or the fatal )Vaye he- deplores 1 for the practice d the-liu 5 preme power is fo remote, the evils become irremediable before rcdrefi can even be fought for. To guard againft abufe. on the part of American I? /.ens, every mafter of a vefTel, on his arrival in any port of he Br Scob n.es. may be required to report his crew at the proper office If a erward; any addmon be made to them by Briti/h fuhjccl ihefe may be taken away fn, H ^K f ^'"'n- ?"'"•" ^^"^ ^^^'^"^' ^he impref. of BrS TbUcU found on board our veffels muft doubtlefs be admitted. But thraXodd U controlled by regulations to p.event infults and injuries, and to adm nider prompt rehef where Amencan citizens (which will alfuredly iLptn tal be miilaken for Btitifh fubjects. ^ "appen; man Mr. ftckertng under the dnecthn of president Washington, to Mr Kin^ al «„ /'^'^''-"''"ARTMENT OF STATE. September 10. ,796 ^' fl T '' ^^T^'^'^^ Francis S. Taylor/deputy collector of Nor- folk relative to four impressed seamen. It appears to be written with candor, and merits attention. If, as the captain of the Prevovrnte (Wemyss) s.yst).e dignity of the British government will not perm ' .n enquiry on board their ships for AmerLn seamen, terrdoon" fixed lor the war : and thus the rights of an independent neuSn a tlonare to be sacrificed Xo British dt^ty i Justice requires harsucMn quines and examinations should be made, because the libe atTon of our" seamen will otherwise be impossible. For the British government then ri.l . , • f •'"' '"^ y^' ^^""y *'^^ °"^y '"^^n« of ascertaining thofe nghts IS an insulting tantalism. If such orders have been given^o the British commanders, (and Mr. Liston's communication, in the conversa jon of which I sent you a copy in my letter of the 31st i t oltenance; the Idea) the agency of Col. Talbot and Mr. Trumbull wi^be Se« and THE SOONER WE KNOW IT THE BETTFR * R.,^/ "" ''\5V^"\"eSS, other ,hi„gs, and if .heBrithh g^nrnlh^^e .n'^'eLr.o o-" '1^ any respec. for our nation, .nd place any value on'^ur Kendsh fhev r> r zr- (J^'gne^^) TIMOTHY PICKERINP ^ Rufus King, Esq. esV. eSJV. rn^JllLKliNG. ■ 1* ■ :{^ni^ opinion, tha aCoSt J W S , "'"/T *!'' ^«" «-« -"tte„. we.eboth ..^tries, upon the subject of l^„,T' ' ^ "°"" ''''' ^'^^ •^^^"'^^" *''« »-" ----' ■i 'i* " I fhmU ^ -^ '^«'5'/— OEPAKTMENT OF STATE, October 26 1 79fi Or«/.; . i lUA HAVE EVEN SOMETIMES IMPRESSED FRENCH- t. MEN. If there should be time to make out a copy of a protest lately re- ceived, it shall be enclosed, describing the impress of a Dane and a Portu- ^guese- This surely is an abuse easy to correct. They cannot pretend an inability to distinguish these foreigners from their own subjects: and they may with as much reason rob American vessels of the property or mer- chandize of Swedes, Danes and Portuguese, as seize and detain in their service the subjects of those nations found on boa* d American vessels. The president is extremely anxious to have this uusiness of impresses placed on a reasonable footing." £.xtraetof a letter frnm Mr. Pickering, secretary of state, under the dircahn of ■president Adams, to Silas falbot, esquire. »«DEPARTMENT OF STATE AugUSt 15, 1797. «»I was pleased with your success in obtaining relief for so many A- merican seamen, as mentioned in your several letters : but your laft, containing the orders of Admiral Parker to his captains m lottger to obey the writs of habeas corpus^ gave me much tmeasiness. Yesterday I gave those letters to the British minister, Mr. Liston ; and wish he may do something to afford you a prospect of further success : but I fear, not- withstanding he is perfectly well disposed to administer relief, that his remonftrances or requefts will have too little effect. I ihall transmit copies of these letters to Mr. King, our minister in London, to lay be- fore the British ministry, if any naval officers shall have committed such an outrage on any American seaman as to bring them to the gatigwayy as you mention, or to inflict any kind of punishment on the i, especially for seeking opportunities to inform you f thar situation^ for the purpose of obtaining the just relief to which they are entitled, pray endeavor to get proper proofs of the fa£l, that I may make it the subject of a spe- cial representation to the British governmem." Extract of a letter to R\iia% King, esquire, frefn tie secretary tf slate, dated-^ "TRENTON, October 8 1797, "Lord Grenville's observations on the a^ of Congress for the relief and protection of American seamen, present difficuhies which demand consideration at the ensuing seffion. But your reasoning, in your let- ter to his lordship of the 30th of laft November, is conclusive against the British pretences to retain real American seamen who are married in their dominions, or who have voluntarily entered on board British ves- sels. // behoves the honor and faith of the Britlh government to adhere to iheir principle on natural allegiance ivholly^ or to renounce it ivhotly : and an answer on this point would have become his lordship's candor. I consider colonel Talbot's agency in the West Indies to be no C( longer verv imnnrf-anf. agency 1 no rtrrirl mnrlni-f r»r orli-riirol c!r Hw/^o er, (who from the beginning has thrown obftacles in the way) leaves but little room to get our seamen released. The oppofition of the of- f cers in general, induced col. Talbot to take out writs of habeas cor- pus at ed the time p lalbot ATTEl^ TION. not to their \ every < are a tic The Sec The Mr. treaty ft retary i Mr. Lil express quently * Byt ering '■'un of a treaty ■and Mput Extract King, ■ "The liitude, ■■ \ "This who eng 'I "No r |hey are i |he evide to serve, iThese mi In the m if the U, foreign se |heir disci th unrelii ijurious i ' "It is tl aeasures test lately rc- ' and a Portu- ot pretend an sets: and they perty or mer- etain in their irican vessels, of impresses he direerhn of 15, 1797., ' so many A- ut your laft, I longer to obey erday I gave L he may do I fear, not- ief, that his lall transmit I, to lay be- nmitted such ^angwayf as I, especially ; purpose of endeavor to ;ct of a spe- 8 1797, or the relief ich demand in your let- isive against e married in British ves- t to adhere to tly : and an )r. ies to be no Kzy) leaves 1 of the of- habeas cor- pus at Jamaica, by which, directly, or in their consequences, he obtairr- ed the discharge of near fifty seamen ; but admiral Parker has seme time paj} prbidden ha officers to pay any obedien,-e to such -writs ; and coL lalbot informs me that some of our seamen have been punished for ATTEMPTING TO SEND LETTERS TO HIM TO INFORM OF THEIR SITUA- •riON. Mr. Lifton has aflured me that the Britifh officers have orders not to impress any American seamen, and of course not to retain againft their will any already impressed : but if they perfift in obftruainc every channel of information and proof of their citizenihip, such orders are and w/// continue deceptive^* Tht Secretary of State to the Pre/, dent of the United ^/«/^j.-department oir STATE—Fcbniary, 20, 1800. Ihe secretary has the honor to lay before the prefident— Mr. Lifton's note of the *th February, together with his project of a treaty for the reciprocal delivery of deserters ; which appears to thesec>- Texzvy utterly ttiadtnijfihk, unless it would put an end to impressments, which Mr. Lifton seemed to imagine, while the 7th paragraph of his project expressly recognizes the right of imprefling Britifh subjects, and conse- quently American citizens, as at present. (Signed) TIMOTHY PICKERING.* \rL -^.SiL**/""!1 """ *''"! "'^ *'"*^ ^'"^ ^"g'''"^ '^'^"'^ ^ satisfHctory to Mr. Pick- ' SaieatC^^ w,r»h^^'V'" r'^r"^'''^-'^ ^"^ "'"' in hi. opinion, every ''project Binact Df a letter frtn Jchti Marshall, esaulre' tecreiarv o/,,^,- .. d r K,„g, „>,i„er t'enip,ten,Ury oftte' ule/st/tesTio/dTjJ'e^^l'"" ■ „TL„ • , "DEPAHTMEKT OF 8TATE— September 20, 1800 "lhe.mpressmentof our seamen i. an injury oi very serious ma„ «itude, wh,ch deeply affefts the feelings and the honor^ "naS" j^ "Th,s valuable class of men is composed of natives and foreigner; , who engage voluntarily in our service. "reigners ^ "No right has been asserted to impress the natives of America Yet |hey are .mpressed, they ara dragged on board British shiprof wa „Tth |he evidence of citizenship in their hands, and forced by xllence there Tl-tr'' «""' T''"""'^f'*''"'>"'^'= °f "'"' birth can^be obra?ned I! These mull mod generally be sought for on this side the Athm^ |n he mean t.me acknowledged violence is practised on "c Wz „" "It IS the duty as well as the right of a frien.lly nation, to require that .«sures be taken by the British govern„,e„t to preven't "he continued TT I'? If] 8 l^e|ietUion of such violence by its agents. This can only be clone bv punishing and frowning on those who perpetrate it. The mere release of the injured, after a long course of service and of sulicring, is no compensation for the pafl, and no security for the future. It is impos- sible not to believe, that the decisive interference of the government in this resped by volumary contract to serve in the American employ ." «But if neither of these s afiigned as a rea- fon againft the difcharge of John Maxwell, is without any juft foun . t'ont^and confequemly operates to the difadvantage and injury of tU^ American citizens. Euract of a letter from Rufus Hing, esrahe tnthe secretary of state, datedj^ '•LONDON, April 13, i7y7. ' «.Tt was before my arrival that lord GrenviUe had expreffed to Mr Pinckney a diffiitisf action with the practice of granting pioteaions t*. American seamen by our consuls. rrP^vJllp had writtrmVa^lTtt^rrin which this branch of the conlular power is de- S Tnd notice given to us that the practice muft be dilcontinued A cipy of this letter, and of mine tranfmitting it to our feveral coniuls. I ha'd'the honor to fond you with my letter of the ^^th of December- >. Pre ous to the commiinication of this rcfolution ot the Br.t.fh gov ernment, it had been notified to Mr. Pinckney. that ^^/Pjf-^^^^^^^ the difcharge of American foamen imprefled into the Bnti(h iervice. 11 from the American confuls, as had beeii cuftomary. One conlequence of this regulation has been, that the fubjeft in all its details has come under my oblervation, and its importance, I confefs, is much greater than Ihad supposed it. Injiead ofaftnv, and those in many injlances equtv- ocal cases, I have, fince the month of July pnji * made apphcatton for the discharge from the Britifh men of Huar of 271 seamen, 'who, fiatmgthert^ seh»s to be Americans, have claimed my interference : Of thts number 86 have been ordered bv the admiralty to be discharged ; 37 more have been ae- tained as British subjeBs, or as American volunteers, or for nvantofprooj that they are Americans ; and to my applicatic.is for the discharge \}'^' ^'T maining 148, 1 have received no answer ; the ships on board of ivhich these seamen ivere detained, having in many inflancesy sailed before an exanmatton sew made irt comequence of my applications .\ "It is certain that Ibme of thole who have applied to me are not a- merican citizens, but ihe exceptions are, in my opinion, few, and tne evidence, exclufive oi certificates, has been fuch as, mmoftcales, to fatisfy me, that the applicants were real Americans, who have Deen forced into the Britifti fervice, and who, with Angular conftancy, nave generally perfev^red in refufing pay and bounty, though m tome m- ftances they have been in fervice more than two years. As the appli- cations for my aid feemed to increafe, after the fufpenfion of the con- fular power to grant proteftions (owing to the expofed fituatiop ot our feamen in confequence of the denial of this power,) I judged it advila- ble, though 1 faw little profpeft of any permanent agreement, to attempt to obtain the confent of this government, that, under certain regula- tions, our confuU fnould again be authorifed to grant certificates ot citizenftiip to our feamen. My letter to lord GrenviUe and his aniwer you have enclofed, i • u t i „«« ^o "I likewife fend you the copy of another letter, to which 1 have re- ceived no anfwer, that I wrote to lord GrenviUe in order to expole the inconfiftency with the laws and principles of British flegiance of a rule by which av-knowledged Americans are detained in the Bntilh lervice. •A Detiod of about eight montln only. ' , .u^. j,^, tByf^port of the Lretary of state, to congre.s dat^ Jan. 15. 1812. j;^/^;^^^^ n.ent9 and e^^dence then before congress ; it appeared ^hat at that time the.e were SIX THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN impressed Americans .n tl« service of fc.ngland. Extract nf a letter from Rufus King, Esq. minister plenipotentiary of the Uni- ted States, to the Secretary of Siate, dated "LONDON, MARCH 15. *799' - *'I then mentioned our diflatisfaaion with the continuation of the praaice of talking out of our Itips, met on the main ocean, fuch of ttieir crews as did not poiTefs certificates of American citizenfhip ; rf^^)'*^!:. a d the hopes of America • and ^ remained for President MADISON to take that" ten In onr national policy, which .« his predecessors sZ^2' Zal betaken, and ardently longed for the time, when by reason of the increasing strength of our nation and a change of cir cumstances, it could be taken with a reasonable exp^ectat on of an honorable peace. What the fathers of our cOnnfrv Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and their copatriots to™ prophesied as essential to the complete emancipaHorof Ame nca, our present Congress have had the policy and com o declare, a war nvith Great Britain. And, by thi. measure «' Proteftions from Confuls and^iceConfuls H Notarial affidavits made in Uie United States S -SJ 28 ^^ "^ .5 . Do. do. England 1 s ^ § .;i • A^o. ao. iLngiand •g 1 CoIIeaor.s Proteftions Admiralty Prote<^ions Indentures Documents from the De- Bischarged and ordered to be dif. charged "Having no documents Being Natives of the United Kingdo; . Do. Weft Indies Do. Africa Do Impofters 5i s <: - eivenr h^ defcnpuon ^ Cannot afcertain the names of the Hi^^^^X::^:^ 1^^ ;^;P- board of which .en are ^'T±%^^' "^^"^'^ '" ^he U. S Not on board the ftips as ftated ^"^'"-^°'" 3(^Deferted *^ S Drowned 2 S Killed 1 (, Invalided ^ 1 ;^ On board fhips on foreign ftations 59 2 ^, Applications unanfwered 1 Having been taken in priva- te 3 of the enemy No reafon affigned Being a deferier Being a native of Pruffia LNot being Amerieanai 9 8 2 1 1 10 13 Q 7 2 1 S 14 Clerk^sOjtce, Houfe ef Representatives of the United States. 1 certify, that the foregoing is a true copy of the ahftraft G. contained in the mefliige from the Prefident of the United States tranfmilting a report ftom the Secretary of State, ou the fubjefts of imprefTmenta, of the loth Jan. 1^12, the original whereof is now on file in my office. In nv'itnefi •whereof^ I have hereunto set my hand and nfiixed the feal of my office, the 12th November, in the year of our Lord one ihoufand (seal) eight hi-nJred and twelve, and of the Independence of the United States the thirty-feventh. - P. MAGRUDER, c. h. r. u. s. It will be observed that this number of 325 Mariners were all impressed from on board of American vessels, during the short period of THREfi months. And if the operation of the British practice of Impressment be so destructi-ve upon our fellow-citizens, in the short space of three months, what would it be in the course of years,during the whole continuance of a "vyar, and upon our posterity forever ? Let the honest and indignant feelings of our happy Yeomanry, who love justice between nations as well as individuals, determine. Extract of the Prnclamatinn of the President restoring commercial imercoursc with Great Britain, and leaving our statute of Nonintercourse in for their allegiance, by ofilcera o£ a foreign government, whom neither the law of nations, nor eveij the laws of that government, will allow to decide on the ownerftiip or chancer of the ainuteft article of property found in a like fituatioq. , IF ithout a provision agaimt mpressmentst fubftantially fuch as is contemplated in your original inftrudtions, no treaty is to be cohcldded. From this communication^ and from the letter of Mein*s. Monroe and Pinkne}^, publifhed by order of Congrefs, with the documents (contain- ing the treaty which was rejedted and the correfpondence relating to it,) it would appear, that pofitive inftrudtions had beeu given to our minifif ters, not to conclude a treaty, unlefs a provifion ihould be vcyaAe againft.; impreffments. And yet in their letter dated 3d Jan 1^07, upon the- fubjedt of the treaty fent out to America, they hy--^**Jf^e ar^ sorry Uadd that this treaty contains no provisions against the impressment of our seamen J^- The Britidi commifiioners refufed to infert a provifion againft im-"^ preflliients in the treaty; but in a note ligned by Lords Holland and- Auckland, direderftood on both fide^, that tolthout sv'- an .abandonment on the part of the enemy t or su,:h assurances, or such condui.. .i the part rf the United States ^ his majesty will not consider himself bound by the present sig^ nature of his commissioners to ratify the treaty^ or precluded from adopting such measures as may seem necessary for coifn- teracting the designs cf his enemy. . .. : 1 A,.. ... VASSAL HOLLAND, (SignedJ AUCKLAND. To Jatnes Monroe, bSc. ftfc. i^c. . William Pinkney, Wr. Vc. Gfr. In what view our minifters at London cpniidered this note, will ap^ pear by their liptfer to our government. Extras of a letter fyom Meffrs. Monroe and Phtkney, dated ^an. 3, J 807, VVe-repHcd in very explicit ierm« to the BFitishcomrtiissioners mat nv^ consid- ered thair proposition ifittgether inadmissible on our part, and not likely to ac- complrslf, if tue €Ould agree to if, the object nuhich they contemplated by it : that such a proposition toourgoverninent, under the circumstances atiendmg it, would arnou\ir» in ^gbstance./p e of which will appear by the loiiowing, EsctraB of a letter frofti JJf r. Rttfell to Lord Cafilereagh, dated London, 24fth Auguft, 1812. JW> Lerd—h is only ncceffary, I truft, to call the attention of your Lordship fa a review of the coniludl of the government of the United States, to prove jn< controvcrJibly its uncrafinj; anxiety to maintain the relations of peace and frhfn^- y feek- ing to arreff, on terms confiftent with juflice and honor, the calamities of war. It has, therefore, authorifed me to ftipulate with his Britannic Majeffy's govern- ment an armiftice, to commence at or before tlie expiration of fixty days after the /ignatnre of the inffrument providing for it, on condition that the orders in coun- ril be repealed, ?nd no illegal blockades be fubftituted to them, and that orders be immediately given to difcpntinue the impreirment of perfona from American vefTels, and t#» reHore the citiren of the United States already impreffed ; it being rnoreovcr well underflood, that the Britifh government will alTent to enter into definitive arrangements, as foon as may be, on thofe and every other difTcrence, by a treaty to be concluded either at London or Wafhington, as, on an impartial confideration of exifling circumflancei fhall be deemed moft expedient. As an inducement to Great Britain to difcontinue the practice of imprefTment from American yeffels, I am authorifed to give afTurance that a law fhall ht pafled (to be reciprocal) to prohibit the employment of Britifh feamen in the public or commercial fervice of the United States. It is finderely believed, that fuch an arrangement would prove more efiicacioui in feiruring to Great Britain her feamen, than the practice of tmpreirment, fo de. rogatory to ihe fovereign attributes of the United States, and fo incompatible with the perfonal rights of their citizens. [ This propofition was rejeded by tljc ^ritifh Cab'net.;) REPORT Cf the Committee of Foreign Relations, In fhe house of Representatives of the United States, Jan. 29, 1813. EXTRACTS. ^ The U. States having engaged in the war for the folc purpofe of vindicating their rights and honor, that motive alone fhould animate them to its clofe. It becomes a free and virtuous people to give an ufe- ful example to the world. It is the duly of a reprefentativc govern- ment to render a faithful account of its conduct to its conftituents. A juft fenfibility to great and unprovoked wrongs and indignities will nillify an appeal to arms ; an honorable reparation &ould reftore the bleflings of peace -, every ftep which they take, (hould be guided by a facred regard to principle. Your committee has feen with much fatisfaction that at the moment of the declaration of war, the attention of the Executive was engag- ed in an effort to bring it #3 a fpeedy and honorable termination. As early as the'twentv-fixth of Tune laft. tlie Charo-n dps AfFaJrs of i-hf TT. btates at London wasmflructed to propofc to the Britifh government an armiftice, to take an immediate effect, on conditions which it it believed the iiripartial world will confider faf> honorable and advantageous to G. Britain. They were few in number and limited to ppfitive wrongs d^i- ly practifed. That the orders in council fhould be repealed, and that s 22 our flag (hould protect our fcamcn, were the only indifpenable ccndi- tiom infiftcd on. Other wrongs, however great, were poilponed tor liable ne^^^^^^ As an mducement to the Britifli government to forbear the f« wrongs, it was propofed to repeal the nun. importation law, and to prohibit the employment of iiritilh fcamen,in the publtcand pn- vate veSels of the U. States j particular care was taken that thclc pro- Bofitions ihould be made ui a form as conciliatory, as they were amica- Vou^committce cannot avoid exprelhng its aftoniniment at the man. ncr in which they were teccived. It was not luincient to rej^c /h^ propofed armiftice i terms of peculiar uprcach aud tnjuU were adopted ta make the reje5lion ojfetifive, ' , ,. i .u^rr ^;M^^Q af- It happened, th it almoft on the fame day, m which the U, States, al- ter having been worn out with accumulated wrongs, had rclorted to tlie laftan.l only remaining honorable alternative in fupport oi their rigius, the Britilh government had repealed, conditionally, its orders m council. That mcafure was unexpected, bccaufe every application tor it had failed, although repeated to the very moment it was decided on. Conditional as the repeal was, it was admitted to have removed a great obitacle to accommodation. . r- tr ^ u^rccnrn. The other only remained : the practice of imprelTment. It was pro- pofed to the Britlfh gorernment to open an amicable negociation to pro- vide a fubftitute to it, which fhould be confidcred an ample equivtilent. The subftitute propofed was defined,and of a character fo comprehenlive* as to have removed, as wis prefumed, every P««"'b'«,°^J^^^*;?,^n\"^' '^^^^ commodation. The propofition before made to exclude ^^^^h fcamen from our fervice ivas ettlarged.fo as to comprehend all naUv.e •^/'¥-' /' *; jeai mi already naturalized or entitled to naturalization under the lanvi oj the U. S. s this was likewife rejtited. Your committee have fought with anxiety fome proof ^^ » .d»^P°5'-'?" in the BritiOi government, to accommodate on any tair condition the im- portant difference between the two nations, relative to ^n^f^A^^^^^^^^ [hey have fought in vain , none is to be found either m the communi- cations of thelSritilh minider to the Amencau Charge des Affairs a London, or in thofe of tlie commander o*. the Brmfl. naval forces at Halifax made bv order of his government to the Ueiv.utment ot Mate. . ?Sy Lve f^en wTth regret, tf at although I^rd CaiU.reaoh profefied a willLnefs in his government to receive ami diicufs amicably any pro- pof Kaving In view either to check abufe in the practice of impreff- ment or to prSvide a fubftitute to it, he not only decUued entering ^nioa negociationforthepurpofe.but d^fcountenanced ^^^'^,y/'^^^f^%f^j,^.;(^, {"^f' tute could be propofed, which his government ivuild accept It merits notice alfo. tWh it ceafed to be a t.ufe of furprize, that m the communtca- tbn of Admiral Warren to the !>-> ittment of State, the fubject of mi- preffment was not even alluded ai ^ i «f fi,^ Had the Executive confemc...or^^nmftice on ^he 'repeal ot the orders in council, without a fail^factory provifion againft impreiiment, or a clear and diftinct underftanding with the i3ritiiii governmenc lu .au. effect, in fome mode entitled to confidence, your committee would not have hefitated to difapprove it. . ., r ^ ^ • • The impreffment of our feamen being defervedly confuered a princi- pal caufe of the war, the war ought to be profecutcd until that caufe be « ^ it the not removed. To appeal to arms in defence of a right and to lay thcnn down without fecuring it, or a fatistactory evidence of a good difpofition in the oppofite party to fecurc it, would be confidered in no other light, than a relinquilhmcnt of it. To attempt to negociate afterwards, for the fecurity of fuch right, in the expectation that any of the arguments, which have been urged before the declaration of war and been rejected, would have more weight, after that experiment had been made in vain, would be an act of foUy which would not fail to expofc us to the fcorn and deririon of the britiih nation an'' ot the world. On a full view therefore of the conduct of the Executive in its tranf- actions with the Britifti government fince the declaration of war, the committee confider it their duty to exprefs their etittre approbation of it. 1 hey perceive in it a firm refoluticn to fupport the rights and honor of their country^ with afncere and covimcndahle liifpoftuon to promote peace^ on fuch jujl and honorable conditirns as the U. S. may iviih/afety accept. Itrcn.ains therefore for the U. States to take their final attitude with G Britain, and to maintain it with confiltency, and with unfhaiven hrm- net"'^ md conftancy. The British government has infifted that every American citizen fhould carry with him tlie tvidcnce of his citizenfhip, and all thofe not pofleffed of it might be imprefled. This criterion, if not otherwife ob- jectionable, would be fo, as the document might be loft, deftroyed or taken from the party to whom it was granted, nor might it in all cafes be entitled to refpect, as it might be counterfeited, transferred, or grant- ed to improper perfons. But this rule is liable to other and much Itrong- er objections. On what p»-inciple does the Britifti government claim of the U. States fo great andjhamefu/a degradation ? Ought the free citizens of an independent power to carry with them on the main ocean, and in their own vejfclsi the evidence cf their freedom F ^nd are all to be conjidered Britifh fubjeils and liable t» impreffntnt who do not bear with them that badge ? Is it not moie confiftent with every idea both of public as well as ofprivate right, that the party fctting up a claim to any intereft, whether it be to perfons or property, fliouM prove his right ? What would be the con- duct of G. Britain under fimilar circumftances ? Would fhe permit the public fliips of any other power, difregarding the rights of their flag, to enter on board her merchant vcflels, take from them fuch part of their crews, as the boarding officers thought fit, often her own fubjects, ex- pofing by means thereof their veflels to dcftruction ^. Would ihe fufFer fu ;h m ulurpation to derive any fanction from her patient forbearance ? With the Britifli claim to imprefs Britifh feamen, the U. States have no right to interfere, provided it be in Britifli veflels or any other than .thofe of the U. States *i hat Americftn citizens JJjould be exempt from its cperaiiony is all that they demand. Experience has (liewn that this cannot be fecured otherwife, than by the veflel in which they fail. Take from the American citizens this harrier ^ which ought to be held farredy and there is nrthing to protect them againfl the rapacious grafp of the Briu/h navy. This then 13 the extent of the demand of the U. States, a demand fo juft in itielf, io confident and inieparabie from their rights, as an independent nation, that it has been a caufe of aftonifhmeiit, that it fhould ever have been called in queftion. The foundation of the Britifli claim is, that Britifh feamen find employment in the fervice of the U. States ; this is reprefented as an evil affecting effentially the great interefts of 24 '*he iritifti nation. This compliment would have more ^veight if fane- tnfd bTth'f Britifh example. !t is known on the contrary, that it is niect^repugnancetoit. G. Britain Hoes not fcruple to rec.ivc into her ftrv ce alfwho enter into it voluntarily. If ihe confined herfelf tlthin that 1 imu controvcrfy would not exift. Heretofore rAb ects oTeien the moft dcfpotic powers have be.n left at hbert) toVurfie their 6wn happiness, by honeft induftry, wherever their inch- ""'fTe^Biit^^^^^^^ refufes to its feamen that privilege. Let not this thenVbe a ground of controverfy with that nation. Let it be dif- ttcdfund^^^^^^ ^%"^^^^' ^t ween the two nations, whereby each fhould exclude from its fei vice the Sizen and^fubjectsof tl^^ the principles and conditions above Serthat thishoufe will be prepared, fo far as depends on it, to give it effect and for that purpofe to enact laws, with fuch regulations and ;en!?t "will be ad'equate- With this pledge, it is -tperceived on what cround the Britiih government can perfift m its claim. If Britith Smef are excluded fromShe fcrvice of the J. States as may be eflec- tuaUv done'^he foundation of the claim muft ceafe. When it is known twLt one Britiih feaman could be found o^ American v.iTeis, f ITld bTaE to urge that fact as a motive for fuch impreffment. In declaring a willingnefs to give effect to the propofed arrangemenc, vourrommitree confidlr it equally the duty of the houfe to dectare m SmsX moft decifive, thatihould the Bniifti government ftill decline t ?nd per?^ere in the practice of impreftinent from American veffels, the U States will never acquiefe in that practice, but wil refill it un- langlywfrall their for^ It is not neceffary to !nucl. obj«..»n) proofs of the nativity or citiienship <•! tue person , .. 26 may have been made, shall be invesiigafed by sucli commander or collector. And be it furthrr enacted^ That if any ccrnmander of a public vessel of tJie United States, shall employ, or permit to be employed, or shall admit or receive, or permit to be admitted, or received on board his vessel, any person whose em- ployrnent or admission is prohibited by the provisions of this act, he shall, on conviction thereof, forfeit and pay the sum of one thousand dollars for each person thus unlawfully employed, or admitted on board such vessel. And be it further enacted^ That the provisions of this act, shall have no effect or operation with respect to the employment as seamen, of the subjects or citizens of any toreijrn nation, which shall not have forbidden on board her public and private vessels the employment as seamen or other vfise of native citizens of the United States j or who shall permit the commanders of her public vessels to im- press or take away from on board any vessel sailing under the flag of the United States, any seaman or any other person, not being a soldier or otherwise in the employment of an enemy of such nation. REMARK. It is a little remarkable that this Bill, whose only objeft and tendency is a refloration of peace with England, fhould have been prepared by the /?-ion Invo fhpwn it, hilt in the rule that all who sail under the flag (not being enemies) are proteaed by the flii-g. It is impoflible that this country fllould ever abandon the gallant tars, \^ho have won for us fuch fplendid trophies. pi ti a a s t "cc Note at the end of the paifnphkt for aiitlibrlties on the right of Ekpatria- id REMARK, th^ pretended claim of Great Britain to Impress liieft bn board of our ships at sea, is so totally groundless in princi^ pie, that it excites the ridicule even of her own subjects. As evidence of this, the following is extracted from the late wri- tings of a distinguished politician of that country :-^ " We have heard (says he) much talking about these inar- *« itime rights of Great Britain ; but I have never ye^t^eard «» one man clea ^^ state what he means by them. The A- " merican Government say, that we have no right to stop « their -vessels at sea, and take people out of them y and 1 " say that this is a right that Great Britain never before eon- »* tended for ; and I defy any man to shew that any neutral " nation in the world ever submitted to such a practice, or " that such a practice was ever attempted.' If the subjects of Britain be her slaves, let her treat them as such. In the language of our Speaker in Congress, "if She desire a mark, by which she can know them, let her give them an ear mark. The colcJrs that float from the mast head should be the credentials oiour seamen." The practice of enslaving our citizens by impressment, and of requiring written protections about their persons, are marks of national degradation, to which America ought not, and can Hot, longer submit. She has once caused her Inde- pendence to be acknowledged, and she is now impatient to be free in reality^ and to assume her equal rank among the nations of the earth. And we trust in God ! there is a re- deeming spirit in the people* which, having once triumphed over England, will not stop short at the acquisition of half their Independence. Thi? badge of vassalage must be thrown off; this stain upon our national honor must be wiped away ; and the time will come, and is fast approaching, when the A- merican name will be respected throughout the world ; when our mariners shall sail the ocean without any other pro- tection than the flag that flies over them ; and when the ex- clamation "/ am an American ciiizeii' shall ensure, m all parts of the globe, freedom and safety to every member x)f this ex- tensive and growing republic. PI* ,i 80 taOTE — to page 28. The foltdwlng are fome among the numerous authorities, proving the natura'l and twalienablc right of Expatrtatio?t : An opinion upon the fubject of naturalization has been forntaHy and judicially pronounced in the Supreme Judicial Court of the U. States, m the cafe of Talbot vs. Janfon, as follows — Judge Irfdell. — " Perhaps it is not necessary that it (right of expatriation) should be expressly decided on this occasion, but I will freely express my sentiments on liiat subject. That n man ought not to be a slaue^ that he should not be confined against his will to a particular spot, because he happened to draw his first breath upon it ; that he should not be compelled to continue in a society, to which he is accidentally attached, when he can better his situation elsewhere, much less when he must starve in one country, and may live comfortably in an- other, are positions which I hold as strongly as any man, and they are such as most nations in the world appear clearly to re- cognize" It appears from hiftory, that the Right of Expatriation was clearly acknowledged and eftablilhed among the moft antient nations. The law of the Republic of Athens, extracted from Potter's Gr. An. b. 1, ch. 26. **It is permitted to every Athenian, after having become acquainted with the laws and customs of the Republic, if he dislike them, to retire with his family and goods." Law of Rome, extracted from the writings of Cicero, the Orator : *^Glorioi/s and divine right, which we have received from our ancestors and which is coeval with the Roman name, that no one of us can be a citizen of more than one common- wealth, (since different states must of necessity have differ- ent laws) that none should be compelled to change his country against his will ; and none against his will to remain in it. — This is the firmest foundation of our liberty, that every one is fREE to retain OR DIVEST HIMSELF OF THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENSHIP 1 Extract from the Justinian Code— Dig. Lib. 49. tit. 15. ^'^E'very otte is free to decide for himself to what country he will belongP Thefe three authorities are fufficiently conclufive, as to the laws and practices of the antients — And with the antients agree an the moaera writers of any eminence upon the law of nature and nations. Extract from Ptijfendorf, b. 3. ch. 9. iec. 3. "It is impossible that the 5>ame subject should be capable of r /I \1 31 two obligations of the same nature." It has been justly coiit eluded, therefore, that "Naturalization necessarily annuls his first allegiance'* ^ Extracts from Vattel,h. I, ch IQ. ♦'A nation or sovereign, who represents it, may grant to a stranger the quality of a citizen, by admitting him into the body of the political society. This is called naturalization." "Every man is born free, the son of a citizen, arrived at years of discretion, may examine whether i(|be convenient for him to join in the society for which he was destined by his birth. If he finds that it will be of no advantage to hint to remain in it, he is at liberty to leave it, making a return for what is done in his favor, and preserving as much as his new engagements will allow him the sentiments of love and grat- itude he owes it. "// the so-vereign attempts to stop those, who ha-ve the righi of emigration, he does them an injury^ and they may lawfully implore the protection of the power, who would receiue them, "It appears from several historical facts, particularly in the history of Switzerland and the neighboring countries, that the law of nations established there by custom for some ages past, does not permit a state to receive the subjects of anoth- er into the number of its citi;zens. This vicious custom had NO OTHER FOUNDATION THAN THE SLAVERY TO WHICH THE PEOPLE WERE THEN REDUCED. A prince, a Lord, considered his subject^ in the rank of his property and riches, he calculated their tiurxh her as he did his flocks y and to the disgrace of human nature this strange abuse is not yet every where destroyed" From Grotlus, lib. 1. ch. 3. fee. 4-1. " It is no violation of amity, to receive subjects individual- ly, who are desirous of emigrating from one country to ano.- ther. This, as v/e have formerly shewn, is not only a fiaiu- ral but a salutary liberty." According to Bynkershook— In every country that is not a prison, the right of expatriation is recognized and allowe4.