States was brought about by the exercise on the part of this country of the right of search. No statement can be more absurd, and it is an instance, among so many, of the extremely loose way in which technical expressions are used, and patent historical facts perverted. The overt cause of war with the United States was the right claimed by this country of impressing English sailors found on board American vessels. That English sailors often took refuge under the American Flag to avoid impressment was notorious, but that the right claimed by this country was often very injudiciously exercised, and that bona fide citizens of New York, and Boston were often impressed under the mistaken idea or pretext that they were Britishers, appears now to be acknowledged.
The American Government did not deny that the English had a grievance, and they offered to redress it by a change in their municipal law if we would abandon our high-handed proceedings; but for many
