Star.
London, England, 1818-07-18 00:00:00

On HELENA.

con 61 w LIMIT* PEON 0.1.111 Alt A, (BONAPARTE'S
PrIYSICIAR) TP ilfit IlUnsolll LOWE: •
LovowooS, APRIL 18, 1818.
" 84,--Aeeerding to fetid' Excellencf't directions, commits]-
cued to me yesterday by Alajor I proceeded to
Count Bertrand, and begged hint, as I had not preserved a copy
of the letter I bad written to him on the 12th of this month, to
lend it to me fur the purpose of taking a copy, which he did
without the smallest hesitation. Indeed, a little before (he in-
terriew which took place between him and Major Gorrequer,
he asked me if I had any objections to toy letter being sheasa to
Major Gorrequer, and be hes since informed me that his inten-
tions were, that he might either keep it or take a copy, as be
had done with several other papers some days before.
" For ten mooch, your Excellency has several times mani-
fested to me intentions to subject me to the same restrictions as
the French prisoners, to which I have always refused to con- j
sent : and I must beg leave now to state, that your Excellency has
not the right to do so, as Napoluolt Bonaparte is not considered '
as a Primmer of War, otherwise than by virtue of an Act of Par-
liament; and the other French (not even the domestics) are not I
named in the Bill, and could not be subjected to the restrictions
which have been imposed upon them they had not given their „'
consent by a written engagement, the, elfact of which causes at
die moment of their option, as is clearly shewn by the recent 'I
departure of General Gourgaud ; therefore still stronger manias.'
exist that an English subject -cannot be submitted to such re-
strictions without a special and written consent on his part, to
which I have always protested, and protest I will never agree
to, as it would be signing the dishonour of the naval uainum
and would inevitably draw down upon me the contempt of the
brother officers with whom I have the honour to serve. Tnere- ,
fore, in the natural state of things, neither your Ili cellency nor
spy other authority can subject me to restrictions contrary to
the rights of an °dicer, and the laws of England.
" I have also bad the honour to observe to you, that indepen-
dent of the general guarantee of the laws, I had provided a pri-
vate one in the stipulations which I had made in 1815, when
Admiral Lord Keith, then cotomanding the. Channel Fleet, in
Se/sequence of the sequest made to him by Count Brierand :hat
11should be attached to Napoleon as Surgeon, In place of the
Paunch Surgeon whom the Engliab Government had permit-ad
accompany him, authorised ate to do so, I begged of ms
LOrdthip to give me an order in writing, which he. declned
doing. I recollect pet fecdy well his answer, which siras—' It
is not in my power to order you to accept of it, as it is out of
the naval service, and is a business altogether extraordinary, and
must be voluntary on yoor part ; but I, as Commander in Chief,
will authorise you to accept of it, and I advise you must strongty
to do so, as I, arn convinced the Government will be obliged co
you, and it is a situation which may, with propriety maid ho-
nour, be held by an Engliahntaa.' Athough it was impossible
for me not to foliose the advice of such a distinguished Officer,
severtheless I made some stipulations viz.—that I should b.
at liberty to resign, should I find the situation not to be coils*•
neat to my wishes; that I should be borne upon the Navy List
in my rani as Surgeon, with my time going Cu; that I should not
be paid or considered as dependent upon Napoleon Bonaparte,
but as a British Olkcer (and consequently not subject to any
restrictions inflicted opon French prisoners), and I have repeat-
edly had the honour, verbally, to express to you, that sooner
than consent to allow my rightsas an English Over to be vio-
lated. I would prefer giving in my resignation ; and as you 4e
peered to be struck with my observations and the stipulations
which I had made with the Lords Commissioners of the Admi-
ralty, I therefore concluded that you had given up all idea of
pitting them in execution. When, on the I eth of this month, I
received instructions contrary to my natural rights, the stipula-
tions 1 bad made, and the protestations which I frequentlymade
to yourself wheel: you caused to be sent to me, l immediately
comprehended that it was merely a way of obliging me to quit
Longwood. Delicacy, my duties as a medical man, and huma-
nity, alike ordained that, prior to quitting, I should acquaint
Napoleon Bonaparte with my Intention, aid I did so.
In neither the Army nor Navy is it the custom, when any
Of icer is desirous to resign, for him to pet consult his Royal
Highness the Duke of York, or the First Lord of the Admi-
ralty, touching the propriety or otherwise of his doing so, the
resignatiod tendered direct through the proper channels is always
the first intimation ; therefore in sending my resignation to your
Excellency without first consulting you, I was only acting at-
' cording to the established customs ol both services.
" In writing th, letter to Count Bertrand I have not violated•
the respect which I owe to your Excellency as Head of the Go-
moment, as the question contained in it has been frequently
asltabled before. I have not violated the Act of Bahamian, or
any written restriction emanating from you. An inhabitant of
Longwood, I have not been subjected to the restrictions im-
posed upon the inhabiCauti of the Island either with respect to
passes, as I live in the house ; or as to communications, because
for nearly three years communications daily and nightly, verbally
and in writing, have taken place between us. There is not a
day passes that f do not see the French several. times, very frv-
suently by night, mel not a week that I do not make written
communications to both the masters and the servants upon me-
dical and other finkier.ia ctr.Atair4 to physic.
" I have not violated any written instructions, because I have
never received'any positive prohibition restraining the nature of
my communications. In all the restrictions there was always a
latitude, a kind of discretional power allowed me, by stating
" that I was not ordered not to reply to Napoleon Bonaparte or
to any of his family on any other subject not medical; that it 1
did so, the responsibility must rest upon myself; that I bad not
his authority for doing so." Indeed, had a positive prohibition
been given. to'comply with it is evidently impracticable for any
person in my situation; and as to the responsibility, I am con-
tent to bear the whole of it.
" When frequently required to act in a manner which I con-
ceived to be incompatible with my feelings and profession, and
dishonourable to me, I, have had the honour to demand clear
and positive Instructions in writing, in order that I might study,
meditate upon, and execute them punctually; or, if I found any
thing in them contrary to my conscience, to give in my resigna-
tion. I have never had any except such as were worded in the
manner I have described above.
" For some month I have been made to katl anion wretched
life by you Excellency's obliging me to proceed to your house
twice a week,-reviling me, turning me out of doors 'in a most
ignominious manner, once, indeed: having experitoced every
thing except personal violence, menaced by wools and looks be-
cause I did not choose to comply with verbal insinuations.
• " It is not for me, Sir, to pretend to remain in the situation
against your will, but instead of receiving orders to that effect
from the Right Hon. the Lords Conimisaioners of the Admi.
rally, means are taken to oblige me to quit by attacks upon my
rights mid-personal liberty, and for several days I, have bet n np-
MONA, humiliated, and dishonoured ; dishonoured as much as
an Officer can be by an arbitrary-act, and rendered b r indigna-
tion, nearly incapable of exercising my calling. 1 have there-
fore, Sir, the honour to demand from your Excellency—tat.
Either the, resciuding .of your directions of the loth of this.
womb. and the privilege of exercising my functions at Long-
wood as I have done tor near three years--2d. Or to accept the
resignation which I wrote as soon as I found that I was assind.
Lied to the French prisoners, and to allow nit to proceed to
England-3d. Or, if It 19 asserted that I have committed a crime,
either in writing the enclosed letter to Count Bertrand, or by
having done any thing else which I am ignorant of, and which
your Excelleucy has not thought proper to comMunicate to me,
orof net having complied with verbal and obscure directions,
or of having in anywise violated the Act of Parliament, I de-
mand to be, according to the provisions of that Act, transferred
to. England for trial before& competent Court. I further pro-
test against any
.longer detention in the state of oppression in
which I aim which, by rendering me incapable of following my
profeasional avocations, necessitates my tieing speedily replaced
at Longwood; and I appeal to the justice of the Right Hon.
the Lords Commisdintertuf the • Admiralty against the violation
of the terms under which I accepted the situation,
" I have the honour to be, Etr, with all possible respect,
" Your Excellency, most obedient bumble servant,
" B. O'MEARA, Surgeon, Royal Navy.
" To his Excellency Lieut.-General Sir Hudson
Lowe, K. C. B. &c. site. Governor."

(COPY).
" St. Ilelens, May I, 1818.
" My DEAR Sts—As it is probable that my removal from the
situation which I now hold will, ern long, take place, (which
event, indeed, considering the manner in which I have been tor.
mented and ill-treated, for several month. put, obviously and
evidently with a vicw to oblige me to resign, is note desirable),
I have thought it essential to my justification to forward to you
the above letter (which was sent to the Governor the day it was
Written), and the other inclosures of my letters and the replies to
than" in order that you, trout whom I have received so rainy

marks of Mendshi?, art whine esteem and goA 6pitioe
trize SO highly, may not be led to stippose,by any artful ioso.tta.
aeons or migrpgterientations, arising from malice, reveugc,
dread of the truths being made It•!nsvn in P.ngrand, or even c..
mere m.take, that any improp -r or dishocourabh! conduct on
my part, h]t occasioned my rtmoval from u sltuatinh, to whiti3,
whether comidored in the light of novelty or delic.icy, history
offers-no paralleL To you, ore of my carli;lit and sindeikst
friends, I am bound to render this indislidnsihk explanation 2.-
which obliges me, to discouthuk: the secrecy which hitherto I
have maiutaiu,d, even with revert to my own situadon
this rock.—lielleve me to be, nay dear Sir, your mou sinwe
and obliged friend, " Desert. tremasu., Saloom
“ Will:euri Ferguson, Tug."