The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg, Va., 1775-10-13 00:00:00, page 5

WHMZSUPPLEMENT-Wsi
P H I L A D E L P H I A,ss Septcmbcr 28.
The following ]oitcr: are ful-[fled by order of the
]"thUI-H'llpse (.omincmsi-xl Congrrsi/E.
Hmn-QUAm-ms, Cammmuz, Augzg/l 11,1775.
3 1 R, ss ct
UNDEHpTAND that the officers engaged in the
cause os liberty and ths-Zr country, v\ in.) by the
forume clsiwm' have fallen into your hands, hanc
'ch-n thrown ilsimiscrhninatdy into a common jui],
apsin-o why:-:! for. iL-lonsss: thus no consideration has
been h'siul for those of the omit respectshlc rank,
whsxu l.unguiihing with wounds and sickness-; th'Zt
some of them hu-csi been even amputated in this
unworsh), si'ssuation. '
" Let your opizjzm. sir, of'thc principle which
actuntes them he \\h:1t it may, they suppose they
act from the noblest of all principle-s, a love ossrcc
dom and their country. But political opinions, I
conceive. are son-is;" to this point. The obligati
ons miling from the rightz oshnmanity, and claims
"of rank, are universal!) binding :nnl extensivc, ex
("(szt in cnsc Os retsi.=sih;n't<m. These, ] should have
- hoped, would have dictated a more tender treat
:ent ()rll]()sCifld:Vidllle, whom chance or warhud
. .ut is insisour power. Nor can! sorbc-ur suggesting
lts sun:] tetdrm'y to widen that unhappy breach,
which y-u, :md thHsi' minishrs under whom you
act, have rgpczuedly declared you wish to see sonever
closed . ' _ -
" My duty now makes it necessary to apprise
_ you. that kin-the future ] lhzrll regulate my conduct
towardL those.- gentlsimrn who are, or may he, in
our jvsiox'seilhzn, cxctwlj, by the rule you shall observe
tctuvrul'lfs 1hose- nictnssurs nn-v 'zn )our custody.
" ls (F.-verin' :n:d thdlhip'msissk the lihe osyour
ecmdncsit (painful ws it may he to me) your prisoners
n'." see] its csi'c-c'tzz but if kindness and humnnity
Ht'e' she—an to 'T-urs, ] shall ulzh pleusme Consider
t'm-f' in cinr hsinmls on'nv as unsortnnute, and they
'ittctsisi'ss' rctceis-c smm me th ut treatment to which the
tuum-towne nrc n sir ( untied.
" ] be}; to be fsisivnurc tl \- ith :m answer as soon as
pofflblc, and am. sir, your very humble s-rvant,
()i-XJRUE VVASHING'XON."
H.:xrm're/lcu-qv gem-ral 6 56 5 .
S ! s'si, BUSTnN, Asilgzg/f 13, 1775'.
() the glory ns cct-sivf/zsizsid nations. hmlmm'fy and
zcsinsi lmz'c be,-all C!,'773l).'ls."[)[d ; (m.-I csiompesssiwi to the
subdued [act harm,-m (L'm'Z/f (( g<:/.-t'/'.:lss(j'fi'c*nz.
bill.-ws, 01 or 72}? ,mmem m 1.".-cn'_y, mnve outgonc
camsimnn cxzsirfsi! ff, mm' osimrluok the crimz'lml in the
cajth'c. Csipuuthq/n frincijdct, your hill-[wars, 1.;';/,/L
live: by tlf e lll'l"! (,sl/IL' [and, me dcsisii; ed to t! :e Cnrd,
have lsictlzerto hop-'t tle,-. ted uirh care and Ainsi-lmss},
m. ,! m are (,,eyglpr rsi-l ly in.-(ned than the linfr : trow/si- in
the [wi/s (us;, in.-M. rimmaicctfi it isishssue ]ussr [at,-{now
led-se no run,. ts/ if i.- wt shrive-,! from the In" hg.
]lsily lus,-fli- n-nn ]i-mz your ,n'mv would ifctstijjl
svert- rm'.rmzfu.si!liffn. I thcctrH/Z -.ml there are of the
fii71_"'5].'l.f'f.ss"si'_7ss/l'jfscts, i.!k w [),-:;er time ]mce by the
rein ls, Ill/wring Me m-sszsrn Nun-s: 0 pain their daily
sll /r/:' m ce- m l_'z-.-1.*'/L (al to the midst/laid (zl'ic'rnrltivc to
sijscr ( ' lssjz' [In-five or (:,Ae arm; (!:(11 11/1' tlm' ir Him and
c in,.[n' . T/lrz/Z a lit) lz. !"L't' unde tlzsifsi tr< ("ment rssjf t/ze
jsisisir [man in H. \' [lands, m If] \"-'1' alherssfiwmls' l.," Bol
t-m, ,: ss'lcll/ith ]isir /ss zc/z msim/fims, j's/u,1d[1,zr/mrity
uhssnl ful/", f'md . .
] vumz/sil will! Fnjctlv hope-, sir, that the sentiment:
of lf-/*rrct!,"si.11v ,c/u'r/z ] hssn'tss (she.-{1 r lzss'lirmrd will in
10] _/.,, us]] be cxulcd to CUI'l'ccl t/zsi]c* 7)!I]J0,')1ct'>'.sB(-'
temperate in political dps'quf/ition, give-free ripe-ration
to truth, and ]umijh those who deceive and mist e
sent ; and not only the sfiectx, but the n'as;/es, o tht't
unhappy cmsiflict, will be removed . _
Should tho/Z- under who/e u/erped authority on
act controul/chh :: (lf/pssisi'sh'tion, and dare to call left,/e
'rity retaliatimsi to God, who know: all heart:, he the
appealsi for the dread/ill Can equenees. I tra/t that
British/bldiere, affZ-rting the right: ( f the flute, the -
law: ofthe lrmd, the being ofthe con/tssitution, will .
weet all events with becoming so;-titude. They n'ill
court victory with the spirit their eats/e hzjfirenwmdss
from the same motive will find the patience ojssmartctw:
under mixsortune. _
Till I read your irz/t'nuatiom in regard to minis
ter: I cohceived that ] had aZZed under the king
who/e wishes, it is true, as well a: those qfhi: "lifts/I.
ters, and of every haue/? man, have been to se? this
siunhapjsij/ breach jor ever closed; but, unfortunatebvshr ss
both eatssljztries, thcto/e who long since projected the fre
jeu-t crylr, ammymencc the council: 0] Amerzca, have
view: "very dfflant flom aceommodatian.
! am, str, your mq/I obedient humble servant, ,
THOMAS GAGE.
Gzonarct VVAsmNG'roN, csq; '
HEAD gon—rus, CAmnmoz, August 19,si1775.
S I R,
ADDRESSED you on the 1 ith instant, in terms
which gave the fairest scope for the exercise of
that humanity and politeness which weresupposcd
to Form a part ofyuur character. I remonitrated
with :,ou on the unworthy treatment shewn to the si
officers and citizcns of America, whom the fortune
of war, chance, or a mistaken confidence, had
thrown into your hands. - .
" W hether British crAmerican mercy, sortitnde,
and patience, are most ple—eminent ; whether o'ur
virtuuus citizens, whom the hand of tyranny has
forced into arms, to desend their wives, their chil
dren, and their property, or the mercenary inflru
_ ments oi'l-sitwless domination, avarice, and revenge,
best deserve the appcllsiitiun of rebels, and the pu
nishment of that c-zrd u hich your affected clcmency
has shrbnrn to inliict; whether the authority under
which ] act is usurped, or shunde—dupun the genuine
principlcs os liberty, were altogether for-eiglt to the
subject. ] purpose-ly avoided all politicai'disquili
tion: Nor shall Inow avail myselsof thole advan
tages which the sacred cause osmy country, osh
he:-ty, and human nature, give _me 0_\_Cl' youi ""lfh
]cl's lhsitll ] i'toop to rctort and mvccuvc. out me
intelligence you say you have received from our
army requires a reply. ]have taken time, sir, to
make :: shict inquiry, and lind it has not the least
soumlntion in tiuth. Not only your officers and
soldicrs have been treated with a tenderness due to
fellow-citizens and brethren, but even those exe
crsitblc parrici- les, w hose councils and aid have delugcd
their country uith blood, have been protected
from the snry of ajullly ent-aged people. For from
compcllinsse' or permitting their allistance, ] am cm
bu-russcd v. ith thc numbers who crowd to our camp,
:mimnted with the purest principles ofvirtue, and
love- of" their country. You advise me to giie fi'ec
OPCl'iillOH to truth, to punish mi'srepresentution and
sulsehoud. lt'cxperience iiamps value upon coun
sel, yours must have a \\ eight which few can
claim. You best can tell hmsit' sill' the convulsion
which has brought such ruin on both countries, and
llmlssen the mightv empirc oF Rrimin to its (bunda
tion, may be trsisitced to these malignant causes.