Star.
London, England, 1810-12-15 00:00:00

rGE OF PRISONERS.

I' nom THE MONIMIR.-4- cower,uprio PROS[ THE STAR of
YESTERDAY. •
No. VIII. After some observations, Mr. Macken-
zie says :—The principal objection Stated against the
counter-project is, that the fulfilment of its execution
depends upon- the will of others. This is inevitable,
in a transaction in which so many different Govern.
ments are interested. It is impossible to avoid some
delay, or to guarantee, under all possible cinatm-
stances, the execution of a principle, however gener il
its adoption may be. An objection similar to this,
advanced against the British counter-project, might ,
be well applied to the French project, since, not-
withstanding the enunciation of the principle of the
universal exchange in some of its articles, the ex-
, ecution of this principle, as far as appertains to the
exchange between France and Spain (without
naming any other GOvernments), depends on the
cow eau of the respective Governments. The only-point
propo.ed, which should be definitively decided, was
the restitution to France, without delay, and in
mass, of alLthe French prisoners in England, and to
England of all the English prisoners in France ; a
• stipulation, all the advantage of which, notwithstand-
ing the singular arguinent of M. Dumoustiet, is on
the part of France. Even according to theproposi-
• tion.last transmitted, the full execution of the prin-
ciple, as to 'all the French prisoners in Spain, and the
surplus of Spanish prisoners in France, would depend
en the success of the intervention of the British Go-
vernment as to that of Spain. -
, M. Dumoustier will therefore remark, that in esta-
blishing that the execution of a principle, adopted at
the same time by the English Government and that of
France, should not be left at the discretion of what he
thinks proper to call the insurrectional Governments
of Spain, he substitutes for a principle really adopted,
viz, the general exchange of all the prisoners on all
aides, the principle put forward by France, viz. the
liberation of all the French prisoners in England, to-
gether with that of all the English prisoners in France;
.and then, because the Measure proposed does not
agrees in certain points with the execution of -a prin-
ciple which England does not admit, he complains
that it annuls or eludes the consequences the most
important, which England does not admit.
,It was not within the competence of the functions
with which MoDumoustier and the undersigned are
charred, to establish, or even to discuss the question
.illative to the Government of Spain. The Under-
. ,signed must, however, observe, that a Government
coabie of putting armies in motion, and capable of,
sitaking prisoners of its enemies, is, at least, compe
teht to treat with these enemies for the exchange of
Its prisoners. That Government, which Great Bri.
tain acknowledges for her ally, ought, at least, to be
consulted by her as to what concerns her interests,
her sentiments, and her honour. It is for that Go-
vernment to decide, whether it wishes to obtain the
deliverance of so many thousands of Spaniards, who
may co-operate in its defence, in allowing for the
- price of that advantage the deliverance of so many
thousands of Frenchmen who may co-operate in at-
tacking her.
It does not belong to the Undersigned to anticipate
'upon the probability of the duration, and on the final
issue of the contest ; but if the overthrow of this Go-
. vernment is so certain and so near, that there is not
even time to communicate the terms of a cartel, he
. cannot refrain from asking what are become of all
the arguments employed with so much warmth to in-
duce Great Britain to exchange the French prisoners
in her power, together with the Spanish prisoners in
the power of France ! If the war with Spain is in
fact so near its end, what reason can there be that in
such a case Great Britain should be ready to make a
sacrifice for their exchange ?
It should still be observed, that the plan now pro-
posed by M. Doumoustier, 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 dif-
ferent towns in Spain which might he agreed upon.—
Fhe last part of the alternative is alone admissible. It
is not just that the embarrassment and the expente of
the transport of her allies to their respective coun-
pies, should fall upon Great Britain. The only pro-
.per and equitable principle is, that each of the con.
Sracting parties should engage to transport into their
bespective countries the prisoners which are found in
their possession.
The undersigned is charged, in consequence, with
infpnuing M. Dumoustier that this part of the pro-
position contained in his note is not admissible.
Mr. Mackenzie is further ordered to add' to Mr.
Diattrustier, that the British Government does not
feel itself bound in justice to make any addition to
the: humane and liberal proposition which has already
been made in its name. It does not find itself dis-
posed to depart in any degree from its tenor.
Nevertheless, to establish the sincerity of its desire
to effect an exchange and a cartel, if possible, in a
point of view still more clear, the. undersigned is au-
thorised to propose an additional article, which ought
entirely to- remove the apprehensions of the French
Government, of the possibility of a continuation of the
captivity of its subjects, after all the British subjects
shall have been liberated.
M. Dumoustier disavows an intention of agitating 1
a question which he feels is misplaced, relative to the)
treatment of French prisoners in England ; yet, not- I
withstanding his disavowal, he enters into this mis- I
placed. qpestion. Mr. Mackenzie will not imitate
him, but simply assures him that the discussion itself
is not more misplaced, than the enumeration of facts
which M. Dumoustier advances is erroneous. If any
convenient opportunity offered to enter into those de-
,.tails, the undersigned declares that the British Go-
vernment will be able clearly to.prove that the in-
formation on which the French Government founds
its opinion- on this subject, is altogether without
foundation. He is sorry to be obliged to observe,
that all comparison which could be made between the
1 situation and treatment of prisoners in Great Britain
and France respectively, cannot turn out but in fa-
four of the former. -
The British Government has charged Mr. Mac.
-kenzie to declare, that the number of Hanoverians
buying been fixed after the most attentive researchei
Land consideration which could be given to the subject,
1,4 cannot depart from his proposition.
„;Stri.th regard to Denmark or .to Russia, Mr. Mac-
kenzie cannot conceal his sutprize that M. Diunou-