131]

The Lord Il/Iajar’: Qjeries in Reflux‘?
to live Legality 15f Prefi I/Varranh.

COPY.

UERY 1. May the Lords of

the Admiralty of themfelves,

by virtue of their commiili n, or

under the direction of the Privy

Council, legally iffue warrants for
the imprefling of feamcn?

(k 2. If yea, is the warrant an-
nexed in point of form Lgal P

(L3. Is the Lo-d Mayor com-
pellable to back fuch svarrants ; if
he is, what may be the confequence
0f a. refufal;

“ The power of the crown to
compel perfons purfuiug the em-
ployment and occupation of Sea-
men to fcrve the public in times
of danger and neceliity, which has
its foundation in that umvenal
principle of the laws of all coun-
tries, that all private intereti rtzviil:
give way to the public fafety,
appears to us to be well eilablilhed
by ancient and long continued
ufage, frequently recognized; and
in many inliances regulated by the
legiflature, and noticed at leall
without cenfure by courts ofjuf-
zice; and we fee no objection to
tnis power being exercifed by the
Lords of the Admiralty under the
authority of his l\‘lajcfly’s orders
in council. i
i “ The form of the warrant, as
well as the manner in which fuch
warrants have been ufually exe-
cuzed, appear to us to be liable
to many confiderable objections;
lead us to think it the more expe-
dient, that the authority of a civil
magilirate {hould intt-rpcfe in the
execution of them to check and
controul the abufes to which they

ANNUAL REGISTER, 1770.

are liable ; and, therefore, although
we do not think that the Lord
Mayor is compellable- to back the
warrants, or liable to any pumlh-
ment in cafe of his reliufal, we
think it right to fubmit it to his
Lordlhip’s confideration, whether
it will not be more conducive to the
prefervation ofthe peace of the city,
and the protection of the {abject
from opprelzion, if he confnrtn- in
this intlancc to what we underiland
to have been tne praftice of mull
of his predecelilors upon the like
occaliori.

AL. Wisnneiuauitn,
].G1.Yr<i~;,
_]. Duxitmc.
Nov. :2, 1770.

To the KlNG’s molt Excellent
Majelly.

T/se. bunzéle Aahlrefi of the Lard
Illa-jar, S/Jerfflt, Cammonr, and
CYtize/z: 0f the Cit] 9f Dub/in, in

Comma»: Council qjemb/ed.

Moll gracious Sovereign,

WE your Majeftfs molt duti-
ful, loyal, and alfefiionate
fubjetfls, the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs,
Commons, and Citizens of your
faithful city of Dublin, in com-
mom-council affembled, beg leave
humbly to approach your Majeily
with the mott fincere afilurance of
our lteady attachment to your Ma-
jelly’s illulirious perfon and family,
and our ardent wifhes that your
reign over us may be long, and.
as tranfcetidcntly dillinguifhed as
your virtues.

Emboldened by our experience‘
of that attention which your Ma-
jefly affords to every part 0f Y0"?

fubjefls,