The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-08-29 00:00:00

T

FRE NU 11 PAPERS.

[FORT ttER ZITKACTSI

PRlstrvEn•s or W'R.
It is not now, for the first time, that 'the British
Government he: been guilty of acts of wanton bar.:
barity towards those whom the fortune of -war has
placed in si.eir power.
•I h .Aliwginitsa;lo,.4 have at length adopted the
stohle7esoltition" Of eoforcing respect to their rights
a grflair'lag,•sSW-roiaelantr Acker Manama lettticrist.
New Vo k, in which Genoal '.Clinton heaped to-
- gethei their unhaily contitrymen by thousands, in
w:.ich the si%t 14 au, tie tv-v, and the bad quality
ofillue proil:votis cey ware supplied witl, gave birth
to asontagie.tis /ever, whit+ cafried them otr, and
aqinng them several womori and yoeng Aittireti. '
-16 1777,40 a vesse' from Nantz, Ldltosiere, was
returning i•i a disabled state from Part-an-Prince, an
Captain, having
.met' her, persuaded her
people to go into it. Augustin, in the Floridas.--.-
S.ie had sc,:ceiy arrived there in compliance with
this advice, when the Englishman obliged her to an-
chor beneath it's guns. War had not then ben *de-
, clared_Letw;en the_ two. nations, nevertheless, the
crew of LI Klsiere *ere made prisoners, and a re.:
we'd of izu Usi,cs was ofifered,to the savages for the
scalp of any of them who should attempt to make his
escape. We were kept in this state for six weeks
(says 'he chevalier A.-hard de Bonvouloir, in a let-
tri to M. de Sartines), and then sent to Port.au-
Prince in an unserviceable vessel, with as much da.
maged bisenit as was-sufficient for half the passage.
• The Chetalier de Bretigoy was also taken pri-
soner previous to the declaration of war,and.brought
Iwo A4insistiii.---." I have seen (said he, in his
letter to the Minister of Marine) sixty French sailors
soot to a desert island, where, shut up in a tower,
they were 'forgotten for four days, during which
time they were without food. They were then given
to understand, that if they did dot enlist in the regi-
ments of the garrison, or enter on board the frigates
in the harbour, they would be starved. They re-
fused at first, but the menace being followed up, the
unfortunate people, in order to escape the terrible
death•with which they were threatened, entered the
British service. I saw them weep while they signed
their attestation. They called upon me to witness
the violence under the pressure of which they did so,
and c ititired me to accept their protests. An un-
happy prisoner like themselves, I could answer them
Only by a lgh.
(signed) a, The Cheralierde BRETIGSTY."
It i. known that last year the emissaries of.,
the Brit isi: iovernment excited the Indians to make.'
inroads on the terr:tories of the United States, for
the yours• of massacring the peaceable cultivators,
and -calveig their s. omen and children ; and this it
not a new thing. ,'he inhabitants of Pennsylvania
have not forgotten the nature of the presents sent
by the tribe of the -ienekas to the King of England,
In 1778. This is a fact little known, notwithstand-
ing its just claims to notoriety.
Th.- letter by sshi h 11-e present was accompanied
was addressed to Coloi.A Ilaldimand, Governor
Canada, and was couched verbatim in the following
'terms:—

I ,
4
!16

l'

•

allow them, indeed, the honour of fighting by .out
side ; but after all, they are only Spaniards and Pot.,
tuguese, and not Wives of Old England. if they
haw the misfortune.oto be taken prisoners so much
tlyi wofse for them. not acknNeiTgle them
lo
ageur allies any tong, 'or by any *ens admit,
that they should form a'pa t of the mass 6f pßson-
ers to be exchanged. Such an advantage is onlylit
to U ilealleglaiirribrgbekereir . . ___
[to an exchange, we have
,prisoners enopgWilve-
;tlall our own •cowuanritreenx Wdlill.` atiAMies,
ad
in the hands of
[ our euemy. But[vvirovim[ sticolasi er, 'ail inie.,Vrere
Ito act upon Ora Oul Ito kS* Id' be ;end
r
that we would no.lpeget littvelhe pleasure of taking
,\vengeatice on defenceless Frenchmen for our commer-
cial tosses and the destruttion of our manufactures.
We are told- thatwe'have violated a capitulation ;
our undoubted privilege to break our Vold''has been
disputed. Did we not capitulate to a French army
at Closter Severn, as did der Ministers make any
scruple of -breaking throuili a convention signed by
a Prince of the Blood? Let are adjure you not to
j abandon the principles of our ancestors. Nothing
which promotes our interests can be unjust. I must,
nevertheless say, that when I compare past times
Malt the present, I cannot conceal my regret at find-
, ing that we now are treated with intolerable arro. ,
gance. I dread, that one day or another, we 'shall
be compelled to act Pitt'', and 'then, according to
the prediction - of-the-groat—Chabam, ss e shall be
I ruined." ' .
Whoever has read the debates of the House of
Commons of the 2.0th.0f June, will easily perceive,
that the above is a faithful interpretation of the no-
tions
of Lord Castleriath;though they were express-
ed
by him with ratherlesa frankness. - lithe slightest 1
sentiment of honour is yet to be
.found in the )
hearts of Englishmen, let them answer our appeal.
Let their Parliament direct an enquiry with respect
to the following facts :-
1. Which Government first violated the rights of nations?
• 4. Which prisoners, French or English, hare frequently broken
their parole ?
1 5. Votes' *bat pretext does Engtood -retain 441 her prisons
12,000 nien, in defiance' of the C.o pitulatiests of Ba)lett ?
r. Let. Mr. Whitbread, Wilberforce,.and other Mem-
bers of the Commons frankly proposethese questions,
! and the families which, among both people, mourn
! over the protracted captivity of, their chlldrett, their
j brothers, and their friends, will anon know' which of
' the two Goiernments they should tax with their mis-
fortunes. You, in particular, Mr. Wilberforce, who
have evinced yourself so often the protector of the
oppressed, do you now employ your eloquence on be-
1-half of the prisoners of both nations. Let the English
1 nation know, that if her sons are compelled to drag '
on ertietence on a foreign soil, that they owe their
: sufferings to the injustice of their own Government—
' make your'Miuisters, if it be possible, blush for the
contempt theyeevince for their Allies. Say to them,
that when the Spaniards and Portuguese attached
• themselves to theireause, they had reason to expect
" f' at they should enjoy the privileges with respect to
-..Achanges of prisoners, which the English think be-
long exclusively to them ; and let the just and en-
lightened men who are to be found in both Houses of
Perliantent, fix the basis upcn which an exchange may
take place.—(Journal de Paris.)

• µ-f -rasa,—We be you to transmit to the Great King no ,
the other side of the water theNeolds wesend you, in order that, , —__.
view ing them, he .iy be itre‘t i proving to him, as.they will, ' EXCIIANGE OF PRISONERS.
our ;serve tra.ice in destroying his enemies, and en :miring him •
le the same time, us tires twin, that his presents have not be. n NN'_ ar is the sphere of power, and is evermore at-
throe ii two, on the ungrateful. I tended by a multitude of inevitable acts of violence;
ogee%) " CONGIOnATCIII,
would be crithes any where
Chief of the Scarkas." and those acts, which
but in the fi Id of battle, wouldibo dreadful, had'
. These horrible spoils, which the British Com-
oleanders received as trophies worthy of them, mere not civilization introduced rules, by which they
the wretc,.ed remains of their brethren of Pennsyt_ have been curbed, and tempered by the 'sacred so-
eerie, Ne.v J. isey, Virginia, and the districts ad-
tholity of laws, the violence of the reigning passions
...
.of the human heart, Ti:us a principle, Which all
lacent to Sew York. The excesses to which the
s agents of the British Cabinet had recourse during should respect, commands us to' spare the life of
hict
that tsar, both against the Americans and the French,
him who lays down his arms. Another,. w a
would fill a volume ; and what is very singular is, i France has at all times held sacred, directs, that
that these last never retaliate. They piqued them-1 Power should afford the same care and attention to
, the wounded soldier of their enemy as they do to
selves, it is said, upon their generosity ; but it is
more prohnble that the cause is to be found in the i their own.
Thus by a rule, salutary to the interests of man-
, apathy and imbecility of the Government, for there I
'ls no generosity in suffering outrages of such a na-' kind, the conqueror pardons the conquered, upon
x ture to pass unpunished, and in answering acts of • the condition of his remaining a Prisoner, and not
Injustice and ferocity by sterile remonstrance. '
attempting to quit the asylum afforded him, till corn-
prised in a general or partial exchange. Without
The right of retaliation is acknowledged by all na- such a reciprocal agreement, it is evident that civi-
tions, as a method of preventing murders, treasons, lilted nations, like savages, would destroy their re.
eud other outrages on humanity. The Government spective prisoners. ~
which employs it, is no more culpable than the Judge A prisoner who breaks his parole, does not mere-
'who condemns. an assassin to death. The honour, ly violate the laws of honour, he commits the repu.
the safety, the most sacred interests of nations re- 1 tation of his country, he brings evils upon his cow'.
quire that violence should he repelled by violence, trymen, who, prisoners like himself, have been feith-
and that he who violates the laws of huuvaulty should !• ful to their word, and gives offence to every eivilized
not be permitted to claim the protection of those people.
laws, In France, as well as in England, every reasonr
What have been the effects of our protracted an able inalArie7fEielpie- ticritiii WM deplore the copse-
cowarl,ly indifference upon the English Ministry? I quences of conduct like that of which all Eirrope
Why, it has accustomed them to consider other peo- ; complain, Be feels how usefol and necessary,it is
pie as of an inferior species, as beings whom they in the violent struggle in which the nations are en-
night use is they pleased, without danger of out- i gaged to check exasperation of mind, and lay down
rage belt g met by outrage, or of the terrible inju- ! certain barriers which are not to be passed.
ries they intlictee being resisted. These are the ! One of the best means of attaining such an ob..
grounds of Lord Castlereagh's surprise and regret. } ject, would be to exchange, man by man, such pri-
Full of monstroas notions upon the auL:,ct, he soiters as have made their escape on both sides.—
thinks, when En_lish prisoners violate ahrir paroles After such an exchange was effected, France would
it is a neltter quite in the ordinary and :tgitiniate I still have to, claim many English prisoners; never-
course of ails.. s, and ut the same time imputes the theless, she would not think of triumphing in this
same conduct to rte French as il crime. .
I advantage, which would render so apparent the in-
It is difficelt to reason coolly upon sueh a subject, justice of her enemy's eornplainte. That which she
but it is, tivirertht less, necessary to suppress our in- wishedl:;l7lliiivrateli—fi• s Frequiret, is a rigid and
dlgeation, in order to show distinctly all the absur, mutual observance, in future, of the principles which
dity of the reproaches of the English Ministry, I formerly produced the contempt and -desertion of
If Lord Castlereagh were to speak as he thinks, 'every primmer who broke his parole.
would he not address the House of Commons in the , It appears iMpossibli that propositions so just
following tennis : i i ' and moderatii should fail of receiving,the assent of
°c CI Emiumar,—Several French prisoners have the two Houses, and of bringing the, English Gtee
made attic escape, others have broken their parole, vernment to a resolution, serriceabW itethet,interests
011 fris je very wrong, and contrary to the lees of of bcth parties. If it were otherseisety4ae would'
honour. It is true, it.d. ed, that our countrymee be (erupted to think that an'OpOtillftintit' .se much.
• set them the example. bat what right had they to boasted of, were nothing more than a device of the
.11- follow it? Roes not the history of
,all times prove 'Ministry, who had •cemplained 'of the t'scal*'44
- that the English have a right to do a; they please? French prisoners with sto Over view but to turn et _tf
Did we net take the trees of leo merchant weasels minds et the people-Nom snore weighty nsattneSbes.
preeio•-s to any, deelftraiion of war against France? • fAnlothe 01)10"1thdleld99. .
land, nevettheless, do we not etvostautiy, assert; that'... Wi m*l4, however, williml4thinklietter of tbS
oar' enemies bare' been-geiity of great injuesiee, in 1,144044 n
.iii„trit,,,,,eitt Hsi* ,imititillin pipe.
tV 41jut.
• asking •rejwiiAlt, ti scaulinf Olif. ef tatiloir. 611.thd IliPentc;:tfilillelfd be 0111.16716er, t4rlVoitf
^- a-----• •_ e_'_-_...........1'• ...a ..1. ---I— .--I,ft r a .I.tvir_fil ..i........—.. - ... . . . . _ .. .

:TVIMAN

....-7-.7--- - - l
sEs.mAvsip
Frenchnfen ohould be restored to liberty at one and To ram EDITOR or TOE TAT
A
countrymt.ti nia, ea.
the same time. --...--
What do the two Governments, what should they Sra,—Although I would not willing'y (lamp any
ilish for N—Talrestorktion of their prisoneri. mounded hopes which my
titruo'n of the final success of our Northern Allipc
t To obtain
.Ibis' object, avowed by ,both ,parties,
ot but consider it unworthy of t )
Franco, lethe course of the discussions which took i
()tacit in 1810, proposed to renew what had been% the Ltriikh
press, and of the British people, ia to .11-ulgn in ,uch
, done in 1780. By the cartel of that year the pri-
,souers of _the two „twos Aretit ess,hangeci bp it jinn) 1 Rimy speculations, and to foster expectations so
the balancefieingcoveied byo stills ofeiontly. MB extrategalt as those by which the Ministerial 1
was dt -

rtihbabt'eorsf
which thibrowe In the
male daily violate that respect
pwuhbollacm understanding,
plain
m man,
-nor.
a,anancidndC7ninfors-rr g&invtehineentoilep;reTtend to
ciples of probability
, me
'greater knowledge than I pose. ss, nothing can pre,
flotogolalyiolosfetrahinebillimeteifn:ydet,iotacttnhainnicstF:onsgseeolantfiallire,
is)ulrieiprt(e7rinii
~sent a more contemptible picture of arr...gance and
dongrts:
to know.
the moat.. 'celebrated and experienced Genera',
Europe, is to enable them to penetrate
*tentless, correct the errors, and anticipate the
1 fate of. these veteran Commanders.--Far be it
from me lo imitate this senseless and absurd pre.
• sumptirm ; conscious that in applying to circus'.
tntances, which are net fully in my possession, the
• rules and principles of a profession of which I am
not a member,. I might jlisplay my ignorance, and I
must expose my temerity ; let me be content humbly
to appeal to the plaln and universal standard of ez.
perience and reason ; let me endeavour to chew, by
the application of this vulgar standard, that the con. '
jectures and anticipations which the venal Journals
of the Treasury would force into circulation, are the
base and worthless symbols of interest and fraud,
rather than the sterling currency of wisdom and in,
tegrity. It is pretended that the Russians are art.
fully leading on the French to the end, that being
at a great distance from their resources, their re.
treat may be at length rendered impossible, and their
destruction certain; or, in other words, that the
northern Potentate is spreading a net for BONAPARTI
and his legions, the texture of which is so extremely
fine, as altogether to elude the close inspection of
the icutest eye in the French army ; but which it
nevertheless perfectly and distinctly seen by the sa.
pleat Conductors of the diurnal press, on the banks
of the Thames, Groin other words, that Bottsrsatt
and his .Generett.'are all fools and Ideote, whilst
ALEXANDSR and kis Commanders engross all the mi.
-Mary skill and talents upon earth, except indeed se
far as they share them with their powerful end sus.
L.tsssful Allies, the pen and ink heroes of this en-
ligatened city !! I did, when I commenced this epis-
tle, iittend to have reasoned a little upon the subject;
but indeed, Sir, when I look again at the case thus
fairly and candidly stated, it does appear to me en.
tire)), to defy the powers of reason, I must, there-
fore, leave RAP its own natural effect. I will not,
however, conclude this without asking a plain goes.
-titre ortwo on the retreat of the Russian armies,aud
feelings which that -circumstance _mites
_in this
'ountry. As the retreat and discomfiture of our Al.
lies is now, for the first time, held up as the proper
iii bject of triumph and exultation ; if they should
hereafter change their plan, and think proper to
advance, are we then to change our tone; mutt
we then, in order to prove our loyalty, adopt
the accents of grief and lamentation ?—Or, are
we indiscriminately to exult, and triumph and
rejoice, like good and loyal subjects, whether the
movements of our Allies be retrogade or progressive,
whether they experience success or disaster ?-•-i” it
is manifest-that retreat, in itself, is of an equivocal
character-that-{t-may result either from prialenee or
from bait:, tk Is very natural to enquire, " Is therm
any thingknown by experience of the chewier of
our august retreating Ally, which can divest it of
this ambiguity ?"—To which of those opposits
motives is it most reasonable and proper, rte
fleeting on the past conduct of this Monarch,
to ascribe his present mode of action, which may
indifferently result from either of them ? Can out
Vecolfectieoe lead ps to any conspicuous aes
• moo of
consummate prudence in his past history? Or do
ire, on the other hand, recal any conclusive indi.
`'Cations of timidity and weakness ? These question,'
each of your readers will answer for himself—fors
upon the answers to these questions, the opinicni
every rational mind, on the present state of affairs
the North, will more esseatially depend than Ira
any tedious details of military operations, or any G.
ristinceibibitions of military pedantry.
London,"Aigust 28.

....ta tsp.*. Saul
MIMI le elk liClitleal ,Witllo{ll any) reasonable motive
by the Engash.
itoniiheil by the refusatitni-Vitencit Goveinel
went pet,this question: o(4' 'did 'the two .nations '
cofnmence the prinent sttuggliyalOne ai Wildstheir
allies 2—with their allies was the answer. Wellittereli
said France, lotus form of the respeCtive. beilige-
renti two masses, and let us proceed to the exchange
iof these, man for man, rank for rank. Nay, she
went further, she agreed to restore ail the Spanish
ishe had over and above, that is, she would have
abandoned all the advantage she might have had from
the retention of 20,000 prisoners. Who. would have
• thought it ? the English Government •rejected this
offer, the justice and generosity of whidh mast strike
every mind. Here is the manner in which they cal- I
lculated ; they wished to have all the Euglish ex-
changed for an equal number of French, to retain, '
without any guarantee, such as would have exceeded ;
the number of English restored, and leave with us
their allies, the Spaniards and 'Portuguese, almost
entirety destitute of any means of regaining their
liberty. The contempt of public faith, and all that I
is most sacred,' could not have been pushed much
further.
In fact, independent of this incontesfible prin-
ciple, that a belligerent mass is one and indivisible;
that in the same army, whether fighting or treating,
no distinction should be made between soldiers
united under a common standard, how did the En..
glish dare to say to the Spaniards—‘i Yon have
fought by our sides, you have shed your blood for'
us ; but we do not acknowledge any bond of con-.
nexion with you? Soldiers of Galicia, you covered
with your bodies the retreat of General Moore; but
you shall not be exchanged for Frenchmen, taken
under similar circumstances. Soldiers of the army
of Cuesta, who formed the advanced guard at the
battle of Talavera • who were taken passing the Ta-
gus; who sacrificed yourselves for Lord Wellington,
you shall be excluded fiom exchange, you are not
worthy of being assimilated to Englishmen." If
such language could be heard by Spaniards and Per.
tuguese, surely those people would become very cool
towards their worthy allies, whose yoke begins to
gall them so severely. What a singular contrast
now presents itself!
France espouses the cause of people with whom
she is at war'; she takes nearly as much interest in
them as in her own citizens, in every one she respects
valour ; at all times she compa'sionatea misfortune.—
France is willing to admit the Spaniards and Portu-
guese to the advantages of an exchange, .4,11i1e the
English Government, who has spirited them on, and
reads into danger their inesperienced et/h/ins, re-
fuses to make,any stipulation` on their laehalf, or to
trebeihem as if on a leVrel withtheir owkpeopie.
Perhaps this Government relies on the worthy
expel Iment of Lord Wellington, who has presumed
to issue a Proclamation, calling upon the Spaniards,
who have fallen into our hands by the fortune
.of
war, not to consider themselves as prisoners of war,
and to break theit parele.—lt ia painful to elgkel
such statements, particularly when they itepbr,4lo'
MPS WllO atipire throughowt-Heropor tfj
whose names are not disstitote of lustre. Bht it ll'
preamor, n'ri the eersinti4,..te have to state, .thathe
Spanish beperals of a nation a-peep
to the miseries of a pointer revolution, could atter-
be prevailed ellen 'n circulate the Psociamation of
the English General. and thertby, sect to emancipate
their countrymen from the bonds. oT bonotir.
SPANIARDS!—Consider how wipely you have acted
in remaining faithful to the principles . ocknowiedged
by every General
_worthy of the title, .while Lord
Wellington, by proptistng that whiaTWlrtftlworthy
of you, would lay you open to gm pyll if just reta-
liation. His Government
.1-erased. you the .support
which was your. due, refused to, edre- it you to the
advantages of an exchange between England and
France. Thus, on the ono hand, they rendered yes
unfit for such an exchange, and on the other) they
refused to let you participate in it.
Bat to return to the justice of the proposals made
by France, let us anticipate an objection which will
certainly be made to them. Your generosity, it Wilt
be raid, depends upon your interest, we hare*
vetter number of French prisoners than you haiw
of English. Well, suppose the fact to be so, what'
inference you can draw from it adverse to ear yea..
sonings 3
Independent of the justice and propriety of a. pro-
,
posal conformable to all that has passed in Europe
for the last century, should we give, up to you oar
unhappy countrymen, withoutJeaving in their power
to contemplate any'limit to their captivity ?
If we were imprudent enough to release all.our
English prisoners, what would became of the French
remaining in your-hands/ whom you would be in no.. .
hurry to melange .for allies, in whom you take no . It has been thought a favourable prelimintryte the.
interest You .aiready treat these unrortunate per.
accession of Mr. CANNING to office that a very so
sons with so little humanity, that, notwithstanding cable intercourse has taken pilit of the latter lace 'between him ell
;
the feat of retaliative, we should have every thin ti Lord SIDMOUTM. The p lacab
to apprehend' for them, if once the restoration of at! 1 pioverbial ; and it is said that Mr. Cassfe nos
t
e _
'y
the English in our power shOuld have freed you from iqualifies his old conundrum, and thinks that the
all resttalnt with roped to them. small-pox-may be taken more than once.
Would not your Government neglect every thing On Tuesday morning the investigation of Mr.fils._
due to them and their families, as soon as ever they siERTY'S complaints commenced. 'the whole ?fe hia.4ll
were deprived ot'the guarantee Or/Med them, by (day and the next were occupted in the eso
the detention of so great a number of English ?
is neggioary to retsits these 'as'hostages, when oar) upon to deliver In a written statement of h
of his witnesses. Mr. F. had been previous
.Nlesibillave *POO for any morel obligation:inhich he' had accordingly done in the course ;e
to
Moll* Vies elittitY9ll In England a //umbel of en.. week. A copy of this statement was Sidi"
lightsidid pensona and 'or respectable 'families who the Magistrates, who returned it with marginal notes:
part
'seek restoration of sh r children with just indi- So far as the evidence is yet gone into/
elevery 1)1_2,
nation. There are independent orators whose sin- Mr. FisttEsTY's statenmot has been confirms ~!
.ipseesse was sever sold, and who wilt exertjhemselsea is supposed that the commission will terminate
.7;
hi tbis tweed tease of humatilty.--Einally, there is ' week, the Conimisidoneil having refused tole 61
'a Opotai s.anner.isOptee encir. the investigation dill& khants's charges,
'` Waiters ill'4ltromendollg-teR44Ol. ~The day of he pressed theist stmseiely; and pledged Meet
assil.Erincewill patient!? await. it, prove them.: Tbe Vemedslioaars diem Also,fen! the ...4'
Jr .11 •in enter into any'enquiry with respect to
gat UP
IrtlY:
his
Ire calleda
ese:t

J. B.