The Statesman. — London, England, 1810-12-14 00:00:00

--4 N.IPERS. PAR! 1. Dcc. 3. rl 10 VOlt AN. 111.1taVias 10..1 ., T: vi will! vitit-00 ul PRIsURV.RS ult IwAR, . • . 1 . '4,! ! CtßoAr MI 310Iviisun.1 t , ,i , ;, . 0 0 the co mmencement .1 the preilent WS", r3 , ce and England bavanot had a single cartel fur cletioge of prisoners.' That which his oppoalo . ) I t hii hour, this (Noel, io important to hums. . iv, is, it 1$ understoml e a differeao up tta the • :is i a g points 7 . ' Ea 4 1 ,1 11 will consider only-lver own .subjects as ;tunas . she will sot intivindahis advantage of en chali zt to the Germans, Spaniards, Portuguese, )ler other Allies, fighting in her cause, or juin fah her own army, tic ocottil point in dispute is tho capitulation of 0 ,4 IValinutien, on the cesiquest• of Hanover, jou own then serreuderetl prisoners of war. •, 4 1 0 11 •111 not acknowledge them, although the '",; trr part of then, Officers as well as soldiers, c VI CO entered i u tu her service, in violation of egiinattion, and of• die law of eations. , D j og eight years these points have created long f ivoolos. Ard,lBlo, an English Commissary arrived at f i s. To remove these difficulties snegisciation comm uoed, whisk lasted eight mouths with. fiance proposed two bases 3 • f3e lir,t was, the to renew that of 1780. By the i o f 17A0, prisoners of both nations were tov.i ea me m, covering the difference by a of money. phis basis being declined, France proposed a to. exchange of prisoners of the two Belligerent :), man for mon, rank for rank. The mash funned a part of the same army, who joined L ag same mummies, and co-operated in thu e operations, were its effect the seine. In pro. 3g this second basis France went too far ; she ieuted to give up her surplus of Spanish psi. ens, that is to say,• she would abandon more 01 ,20,000 prisoners bey bud the number she should • hange. Ns second bssis alone was discussed during ,t England pretended to adopt the prin. liie exehougo was deemed concluded, but b or pro t iosal fur a cartel England exposed her true es. ft was observed, that while she appeared to ~pt the principle of the exchange, she held out a She ensleavouted, natter this pretest, to with. 06rprisoners that she has in France, its exchange ss espial untnner of French prisoners which are bead,. and she would then find some pee k,: detaining the remaining twenty thousand n ehmen who should still remain unease's:wird, 1.• France the Spaniards, about whom, she' • nothing. Thistsick was ton gross: Etigland led the principle of a general exelsauge, and at tt timo reserved to !unseal the power of mok. , .null a - partial eschange, when she should haves, ler own prisoners in • London ; for it certainly not the value which she put eine the French • ten that would have ind,eced het to respect the y, and seed the rumaindet of the French 'Orli- Cts to Vttc.ce. The English isetgociaturs• termed • is etbicurrenee in the principle cf the cachaaga; tlyr MIN and fithit':ictr toot, .bast not to 1,11 tcomplished simultaneously ; therefore they threw acs the mask, h and broke off the Negocia. when the cooslitiutd of a . cartel were let!, which should be executed with good d founded el o a the pin ciple, atol l to say, nialing an exchange of 3000 Feettcbii I • and ti.eir allies , agonise. 3000 Beglish sad allies, in the proper:lms in which they be found in the masses ; that is to say, 3000 ascb against 10LO English and 2000 tipacsiards. ai rsspect to the capitulation of IValnsoden, could not come to an agreement on it.. Bug. would give nesoure thin 3000 French fur the ,C6O ilaUOVeriAnde Er4iiee, from a spirit of sealiation, reduced her preteesions-ta one-third, is to say, to 6000 French, although it was • that, of the 17,000 ,Hanoverians, more 11000 had served, or were serving now in the lish ranks. After this preamble, the Moniteur contains 18 kid Papers : hi. A Note from M. Dumoustier, French ;emissary. Su. 11. May 25. The project of the cartel en bud in &o. I. the substance of which is, that all Ijittch, Italians, and Neapolitans, who are *skinned prisoners iri England, Spain, Porto. or the Brazils, shall be indiscriminately set at *nib France and her Allies shall do the saint: tenth Etigtan.l, including Hanoverian prisoners, [ 0 41%1611er prisoners of the above description.— Its,ll ad Denmark shall do the suite by their pri. Ws, end std' be similarly treated. i`4.111. May t 5. Note frosu.Nlr. Mackenzie, 4 'int, that as be was not prepared to treat for a Portal exchange of prisoners, belonging to all the 'Vein Powers, lie therefore asks perinissitto to Ste to his Governniont. Ns. IV. May 26. -M. Duoionstier declares to T. Mackenzie, that if England will not accede to' principle of general and absolute. liberatiois of 1 the prisoners of war of thu two Belligerent' else, he is authorized to propose the cartel of I MO between France and F411'120(1 . 43 the basis. U. V. June 23. A Note frees Mr. Mackenzie 1 . 1. Demander, announcing that the counte r. ' e ject is arrived front London. It is in substance r411"8: all Priumers ie the possession of either f "") or their Allies, shafting set at liberty in the air priapism' by Use French Gametes:neat, sad /WO French prisoner* shall be set At liberty fbr. 1 1 o 0 llasoverians, being the utmost number in the :WA service of these who capitulated under riPlede Walgaudes. It also states the ranks of hi Prisoners, which are to be deemed egnivalent ou "rs, Sod concludes with an oder to establish vixanitsaries us London and Paris, to facaitikto %Change of laisoneri infante.. 1 8iri Nk in thiSifetcy. whit* is dated July . e, _, •", Ihmosilier discusses the counter p ro j ect ° Ristish Goverment., lie says, if the prised, 14 01 the general liberation of the two belligerent. mihrt ass agreed spun, that was nit done for Plr imo of atluptinj filusseres wbi;ll wo. i 4 3'10101911 WE STATESMAN. elude its most important consequences. The French 'Government is renvinced• itt t the Juntas of 04 1 lipkft Valencia, and other insurgent Governments iteSpiin, ntay submit or eisappear from those quarters, there. fore it becomes evidently impossible to execute with awn .the paragraphs I I and it of the ankle 4 of the counter project of the British Government ; and at the same time i$ may be foreseen that England may refuse to liberate French prisoners-who May remain in her poirer after the exchange of English prisoners.. Thus the adoption of the counter-pro, ject of the British will be no more than a partial exchange, which llberaies the whole of the English prisoners, and part of the French prisoners only, and the general principle of liberation, on which both proveraments : aro to agree, will be found deb. civet. 'lire only and laconic/I;6bl° means of executing completely a concerted prinsiple of a general ex, change, is to convey to the road of Calais all the French prisoners, and thoie of the Powers al. lied to France, , which are in England. To bring also all the English prisoners, with a number from the Allies of England, making together a number equal to that of the French, or the Allies of France, who are prisoners in England, and there make the txchange. By this meausan exchange, which only depends on ine will of the two Governments, will be cf. fueled. From Calais, the British Goierement could ,ranspurt the Spanish prisoners to the ports of Spain 6611 in a state of insurrection„ where they may diapose of them es molt convenient. Thu plan is simple and without obstacle, because it' suits well eoinigh both Governments. All the French prisoners in the power of England, and all the English in tho power of France, being liberated by these means, the surplus of the Spanish prisoners ;hall be exchanged against the French prisoners in Spain, and to this cull the British Government promised its intervention (as far as circumstances rendered it practicable to bring about the eit..- change). In waking an actual balance of prisoners of war between France and England, it is evident, from a Report of the population of both nations, that there is to one and the other a proportion nearly equal of prisoners or %as. ; consequently there is an equal proportion of wishes in Fraute and in England for their liberation ; an equal' proportion of warranty fur the treatment which they may ex perience; and an equal pia% er of making reprisals„ if circumstances should render it necessary. But if . we begin to deliver all th e English prisoners, Cligland finds herself inintedietely disinterested in this specks of misfortune; so mulch so, that the' Frenchmen detained in England will find them. selve.s without warranty of exchange, and without warranty of the treatment which they expect.' On this reasoning Is established the principle of a general exchange, sod the principle of con: veniepce. It is this argument which id reason, Fo'policy,'and in humanity, admits not the ear.; Caution of 'means tending directly or indirect. ly to model ~the con,equences. The Undersigned raises not a question which,can be here removed, in entering into the detail of the deplorable situation of the French prisoners in England, crowded in hulks, tither. they are deprived of .all exercise. Cdopitir tfp 'hy - thouilinds 'in the pritnitilit - Dart. moor. described by all the reports which have reached us, as situated in the must unwholesnme sp.( in ail Englaed,breathingin this prison, as in the hulks, end, perhaps, Worse, a feetid and eurruplid air, they have contracted ebtitagious disterdeis which carries them off by hundreds, or which ter minates in diseases incurable ; to say the least of them, while they remain England will nut derive any advantage from them. The Undersigned dues not oppose to this Biwa_ lion of the French prisoners, the good treatment r..eeieed by the English prisoners in France, diritri. bitted in large citadels situated in the most healthk cities of the empire ; they exercise themselves in Ili she extent of these places as freely and familiarly 'as our owe people, and those among them who are la borious often obtain the reward which they deserve from their talents and industry.. .So far from hat ing contagious maladies, they. have fewer diseases .among them, perhaps, than if they were perfectly free. . s The Undersigned will make no more observations on the untidier of Ilanoverians described by the counter-project, nor on the omission of Russia and Denmark, which are to be taken into considertion with FralICC, in a treaty for the exchange of their prisoners of war, France will attend to all these accidental questions, whets the basis of the negucia. lion is agreed on. No. Yin. After some observations, Mr. Mae. ketaie says :—The principal objection stated against the counter-project is, that the fulfilment of its czacutimt depends upon the will of others/ This is inevitable, in a transaction in which so many . different Guscratnents are interested, • It is impel. sable to avoid some delay, of to guarantee, under, all possible circumstance., the execution of a print. ciple, however general its adoption ploy be. An objection similar to this, minimal against the British cUtoiter-project, might be well isptilled •to the French project, since, notwithstanding the' enunciation •of the principle of the universal exchange in some of its articles, the execution of this principle, as far as appertains to the ex. change between France and Spain ( without naming any other Governments), depends on the consent of the respective Governments. The only point proposed, which should be definitively decided, was the restitution to France, without delay, end iti mass, of all the French prisutrers in England, and to England of all the English prisoners in . France; a stipulation, all the advantage of which,. notWitlistandiug the singular argument of M. Bs. awastier, is on this part of France. Even, ac. cording to We proposiOnn Last transmitted, the full execution of the principle, as to eU the French pri.• s oners in Spain, and the surplus of Spanish prison ers in Fraoce, woulti depend on de success of the i n tervention of the Ilrilisli Quaniolltaat as to that • f SO". - - , • '1• llioldhalief will airtime remark, that io , es tablishing that the elevation of a principle, adopt id "at the cone limo b y the Enslish Goveruipant awl ih,t, 9 t Icauce, Shoald not hp kit 4 .011 11.isSectig011 of what he 4bilikl proper, ti call, th, Wu ruCtiunal Gogernments of Spain, be imbetitotes fora princi. pie rally atipfe4","ele. 7 1W gtaWrateschatege skill thee pritinsers IA all siAles, Ahe principle pat forward by F rance,. .41. the litrerstioe of all the french prisoners in England, together with 'Niro( till the English prisoners in Frahm; and then, beeiuse the taeuare proposed dues'not agree in cerlaiw points with the execution ,of a principle which Euglan4 does not admit, he complains that it ;work or elude!, the consequences the pluAt itnportent a which Eng. land does out admit, , It was not within the ennipetenceollthe functions with which M, Dumoustier awl the Undersigned are charged, to establish, or even do discuss the ques. tion, relative to the .Government of `pain. The Undersigned must, however, observe, that a Go. vernment capable of putting armies in motion, 1%1 capable of making prisoners of its enemies, is, at least, competent to treat with Nose enemies fur the exchange of its prisouers. That Government, which Great Biitain acknowledges for her ally,. ought, at least, to be cousulted by her as to what concerns her interests, her sentiments, and her ho. flour. It is for that QO4 erntnent to decide; whetbei it wishes to obtain sbe deliverance of so many thou: sands of Spaniards, who may cooperate in its de fence, in allowing for the price of that advantage the deliverance of as many thousends of French. men who may co-operate in attacking her. It does not belong to the , undersigned to antici. pate upon the prottability of _ . the duration, and on the final issise.nt *lie contest; bur if the overthr ow of•tbis.Government is so certain and so near, that there is not even time to communicate the terms of a cartel, he cannot refrain front asking what are become of all the arguments employed with so much warmth to induce Great Britain to exchange the French prisoners in her power, together with the Spanish prisoners in the power of France! If the war ss ith Spain is in fact so near its end, what rea son can there be that in such a case Great Bri. 1 tain.should be ready to make a sacrifice for their el change ? . .. It should still be observed, that the plan now proposed by M. Dumoustier differs considerably from that proposed in the French project, by which the alternative was established, of sending the Spanish prisoners in France into England, or into the different towns in Spain which might be agreed upon.' This last part of the alternative is alone admissible. It is not just that the embarrass- ' meld and the expence of the transport of her allies • to their respective countries, should fall upon Great' Britain. The only proper and equitable principle is, that each of the contracting parties should en. gege to transport into their respective countries the prisoners which are found in their possession. ' The Undersigned is charged, in consequence, with informing M. Dumoustier that this part of the pro. position contained in his Note is not admissible. Mr. Mackenzie is further ordered to add to M. Dumoustier, that the British Government does not feel itself hound in justice to make any addition to 'the humane and liberal proposition which has already • Won madein its name. it does nut fintritself its tenor. front is posed to depart in any degree ront . • 'Nevertheless, to establish the sincerity •nf Its de- sire to effect an exchange and a cartel. If possiblts,. in a point of !kg still naopgge ntlere..-- propose is autism - slim p n a thou a cid, Wtii ought entirely to remove the apprehensions of the French Government, of the possibility of a conti, nisation of the captivity of its subleces, aftireall the British subjects shall have been liberated. M. Dumuustier disavows in intention of agitating 11 question which he fuels is misplaced, relative to the treatment of French primers in England ; yet, notwithstanding his disavowal, he enters into this misplaced qoestion. Mr. Mackenzie will not imitate him, but simply assures him that the discus. slim itself is riot more misplaced, than the enume ration of facts which M . Dumoestier advances is erro neous. If any convenient opportunity offered to enWr into those details, the untiersi,gned declares that the British Government Mil be able clearly to prove that the information on which the French Government founds its opinion on this subject, is altogether without foundation. Be is sorry to be obliged to observe, that all comparison which could , be made between the situation and treatment of pri. limners in Great Britain and in France respectively, cannot turn out but in favour. of the form , r. The British Government has charged Mr. Mac. konzie to declare, that the number of flanoverians having been fixed after the most attentive researches' and coosideration which could be given to the subject, he cannot depart from his proposition. 'With •regard to Denmark or to Russia, Mr. Mackenzie canisoc conceal his surprise that M. Du. moustier could maintain that there existed, wish re spect to them, a material omission in thu British Project, of which the first, the second, and the sixth article, comprehend the Allies of both partly'. If Russia and D.,nmark are Allies of France, they will find thinbeelves comprehended in these articles. If they are not so, what right has Great Britain of France to nil! their interests in this Convention. Neverthelesi; Mr. Mackenzie is authorized to announce, 'that there will be no difficulty in un. dersta'nilitig'the principle of the British' Project in tegard to the Russian and Danish prisoners re. speptively; . and that the British Government• is ready to Cuter into an arrangement with these two Powers, upon the baiis of the Project which ha,s been Wrenn' in their name. (Signed) C. A. MACKENZIE: ADD;tIOSAL AlltTlett pitoPOSEO. To to state in which the Spanish Government is, the terms of this Convention will be cominunicatzd ; but, , snits acceding to the terms censint he notified in less than three months from the date of the sig. na ture, but the French subjects , whia may be pri. sutlers io Great Britain or her possessions after the exchange of *prisoners raWctively, as expressed in the five' first paragriphe of the fourth Article, shall be liberated successively, without delay, by succes sive coneeyances, of one thousand men each, on peeper receipts, in the form which shall 00 . o‘fei..l l tenon, and upon the positive engsgeinetit ' raeti bed by the Crencb.GoverntOunt) th at they shah) no t eerie either upon sea pr laud ag anst, Great Britain, or tiny of her Allies, in any COentlx the world, before they be regularly ophOnitegtor *kik; British prisnnersOho, to the chance of OW, mgy fall iptq the hands of the Feenah * lod who shell eensenuentky be liberated fris time to time, Until 41111•411rPlill yf FI:CROI Openers fernsetty.hieotioned shell bedischarged. A similar exchange *ill' take place according to tho ith dth pidweraplie of .the fourth article. - All the Officers not egehanyd; led those who may be permitted to tetnetC to :Pan* isle *ex: pressed above, must also IWiensiderid tf stliejf • were upon their parole `o(•fitatisier l and ehill be beaud to trip** itTgoler report of *lilac,' of th_ir 'residence to 'thy British Agen; lit tritnet, ai *as theprectiii lad war.. 'otter Lars Mr.- Meek erhliftio M. Denton!. tier.. Medals, A.agast 15,• IslO. • . estli••••-•ttattos waited with anxiety fur some corn. mutileation upon the decision of the French Go. 'eminent, whether acceptance or refusal * relative to the proposition which I had the honour of *pee. • muting you on •the mroruing of the 2d inst. which • has hitherto. detained the messenger and the vesNel; f' reseal myself in your house at the expiration of 10 dap, end to declare to you terbell e v,. 4 Othat j . rrcdeed instructiens to wait with patietiee during-n,, length of time far an answer to the •propesiiiens • which have been made ; and that in case they ere not agreed to. by the F rench Govemment,"l shall retura to England." tam at present desired teen. form you, that the Windt government feels 114 , 4 f repugnantly forced tosintietode, that the dispositiollk of the Preach Otereiiinieiti• is le - witufe - *brat' Menders a prUlougatiew• of the negsiciation .eseless and I am ordered to beg you *ill have thogoodeese to demand my pusports for my immetliete totereio England," &r, In No. X.4(tstig. 3), M. Demolisher reetteseti, and repeats; • . Ist. That the French Government offers a gene. • ral exchange, man for man e and rank for rank * considering Spatriaecls,Purtuguese, Eitgllsh,frenoh, Italians, &c. upon an avidity. This is must jest and re as =ea' le. 2lly. France also eansents that all the French prisoners should be sent to France, and all the English to England; bet as the - number of French prisoners exceeds that of the English/ they *hell be sent to France on their parole, subject to the eon, ditions of the edditionel article of the 4tl of Al. • . gust. 3411 y. Lastly, France at once cements that all French prisoners in England should be liberetqls • but she never can coosent to liberate only a part, and abandon the majority in England* without g ee l rantee or hope. . No. XI. Another project of a Con/engrft* the Exchange of Prisoners, presented by M. Di; moustie.r, with the preceding Note,. dated the > 3eJ4 of August. ~ • No. XII. Note of Mr. Slacketerie, The undersigned Commissary for the exchange of prisoners of war, hath transmitted to his*Go. verntnetit the Note'of Ptunoustier of the 30th of August, together with the project there refer, . red to ; and is thatged, in answer to that communi s cation, to inform M. Ductioustier that his •last pro. .jeet is is many respects inadmissible ; but it appears 'by his Note that he raises •no objection as to the ha. sis of the British project, and that the „difficulties re,eard erri.•ly_tere poin.ta,of detail, oametyl to ffise'pllcr; kii.kt which regards the additional article regulating the description of tlic surplus of French prisoners remaining in Fellow's on the agelutailioti of Spain refusing tfi accede to the Convention ; and secondly;that which respects the !timber of ?wilds prisoners tV he liberated on accuent of the Hone.. veriatt army of Count Walmoden. • The British Government bath considered these two points with the same dispositiou which it bads ever bestowed .in doing away the difficulties, end hath contributed to the 40 4 1 seems of the negocia, tiun by every reasonable concession ; and finding• that, though adhering faithfully to the ptinciplee which it bath before menifested * and which it still maintains, changes 'debt be introduced in the de, tails of the Coovention * of a nature to give satl". • faction to the wishes of the French Govereinent uq that subject; he is freely disposed to offer them, in expectation that these alterations in the terms of his project, being the last which can be made ott hie part, will he found also the must acceptable, and that they will enable the French - Govertiment let furnish its assistance heartily, and candidly, es bring this prolonged dis.coassiou to an happy kind, nation. As on. the first point the objections of M. Do. •• tooostier had a reference to the setting at liberty the surplus French prisoners in England, and to the, :doterteitiation of an exchange between France end 'Spain ; and as the point alien which he insists ho thet tiberation, 06°4 (falai, of ell the Preach nrian•; tiers in Englaud, its eacharsge for those of Great Britain Lind her allies now in France i the Pritisb Government bath consented to make such a moth, ficatitaniii its - project as may be able to .fulfil that •Obj'ect ' which M. Pumeestior hash censidered of `such greit 'importance, . •I Instead, therefore * of sending pecording to (he etifatillonaortbe original British proposal) the eg. iitiogo-tvf the settles of French prisotiers rensaiitie4 in En g land, rOt autßiut for Spanish prisoners re. •maining in Fraticei even td the full completion of exchange, man for mari ) astd rank for rank, betweeo 'France and Spain, Mr, Mackenzie is authorised to COIISCiit that the exchange of the surplus of french prisoners who possibly might remain In England at the -concession Of the ewe; between France an. England,. should take place immediately, and with, . 'out waiting fur the 'conclusion of • the exchange 4 prin for man, and rank fur rink, between Irene. and Spain ; or, in other words, thd tritish•Govero l. 'meta consents to anticipate the eachange of the sor e plus, and thus to accelerate, by this rewillerisioy 00. dick part, the liberation of so many flock 14 spenish captives. The litidersigeedis charged to declare in ettlitioeo • thet by a commutlication which bath bees !Web, • the sow's', Government, through its Mieister rep siding in London, the British Government is fully inthorised to accept * without more delay tbe cx. change • of Spanish prisoners in 'return for .frinitt prisoners ? its the proportion ebove mentioned ve l itt • that the Seenlch Government hath equally toedp k no wn is disposition to accede to a copreittitin• fee j a general e*tange, agreeehleto the term; Olc4fof • • M . )1 7 7 11, 9 10 1.% V. • b IT. rtitil trAil ii 411 0.0 i. 56. 04 Qr. o' 5 4C30 1 it a 1 111013 esad reluro Latch) c bj Lb id Atl C As till rater Al r , ■