informed; it is,
therefore, not doubtful that some new measures must be taken; whether
any better can be suggested than are offered in this bill, must be
inquired.

With regard, sir, to the clause now under our consideration, it is to be
remembered, that little more is proposed by it, than to add the sanction
of legality to a power which has long been exercised by the admiralty,
without any other authority than that of long prescription, the power of
issuing warrants of impress upon emergent occasions, by which sailors
are forced into the publick service.

This power, in its present state, must be allowed to have no foundation
in any law, and, by consequence, to be unlimited, arbitrary, and easily
abused, and, upon the whole, to be justifiable only by necessity: but
that necessity is so frequent, that it is often exercised, and,
therefore, ought to be regulated by the legislature; and by making such
regulations, we may rather be said to remove than introduce a grievance.

The power of searching for sailors, however it has been represented, is
far from setting them on a level with felons, murderers, or vagabonds;
or, indeed, from distinguishing them, to their disadvantage, from the
rest of the community, of which every individual is obliged to support
the government.

Those that possess estates, or carry on trades, transfer part of their
property to the publick; and those ought, by parity of reason, to serve
the publick in person, that have no property to transfer. Every man is
secured by the constitution in the enjoyment of his life, his liberty,
or his fortune; and, therefore, every man ought reciprocally to defend
the constitution to which he is himself indebted for safety and
protection.

I am, therefore, sir, unable to discover in what consists the hardship
of a law by which no new duties are enjoined, nor any thing required,
which is not already every man's duty. Every man, indeed, who is
desirous of evading the performance of any of the duties of society,
will consider every compulsion as a hardship, by which he is obliged to
contribute to the general happiness; but his murmurs will prove nothing
but his own folly and ingratitude, and will certainly deserve no regard
from the legislative power.

There is in the bill before us, sir, encouragement sufficient for
volunteers, and an offer of greater rewards than some gentlemen think
consistent with the present state of the national revenues; and what
remains t