Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-12-30
cM THE sAr1osAL ADVOCATE.


Mr.. EpIToR,
observed in the Gazette, of tn
18th ihst an article signed Thomas Barclay. on
the subject OF the treatment of American pri
sonerS OF war III the British Clominions purpor-
ting to be denial Of their bad treatment. and
attaching the blame, If blame can be attached.
10 the American agents for not seeing that the
prisoners receive better treatment. That col.
Barclay believes there have been repeated mis-
representations of their bad treatment i'm th..
American newspapers, is very probable But
however sincere he NAV be in that belief. am
confident he is egregiously mistaken, for have
myself been prisoner tins war and have been
an eye witness To- the bad treatment the prison
ers have received IN England, under tho yerv
eye OF the government. Ii, then, they receive
bad treatment there, can it be matter of sur
prize that they should receive equally bad or
worse three or four Thousand miles from
thence, in the colonies Some of those state
ments in the newspapers, to which, presume.
col. Barclay asludes, and which he calls mis-
representations, / know TO be too true and
hundreds who have been prisoners will, if cal
led upon, testify that the treatment they re-
ceived in English prison ships was disptacefil
20 any nation calling itself civilized. / know,
nothing OF the treatment prisoners have re-
c wed al Halifax, Que bee, jamaica &c. only
verbal ) and written, by those who have expe
rIenced 1t and Il their statements be correct.
their treatment was horrible With ,espect tu
the affidavit OF MIR Walter, have no doubt of
is truth because il so exactly accords with
the conduct OF he English towards American
prisOncss in England, and because Mr. w. is.
J am informed, very Respectable man, and
would not, under oath, state any thing but
what he firmly beiiev d to be true
The cause of the bad treatment priso.ere
receive in England is we'll known II is To in
dnce, or rather force th m into the British ser
VIC and IN some instances; has had the desired
effect M1fe than two hundred have entered.
some OF hem on board their Indianen, aud the
ress they gave for so dong was. that thev
could scarce ly subsist upon their allowances on
account OF its bad quality
That IT has been and is the policy offc Br;.
tsh government, TO statve our brave intrepid
seamen into their service, firmly believe and
their officers make no secre, OF the fact but
publicly declare they must and will have men.
tnot by fair, they will have them by fonl
means and foul indeedj must be the means Of
starving and forcing freemen into the service
OF the enemies OF their country, and obliein0
them 10 raise their hands against II, and per.
haps enlbrue !hem in their brothers. blood -
lac benevolent and enlightened mind shuddt rs
~ such a'rOcious deeds, and calls on Heaven 20
mterpose It's power, 10 stay such criminal con
duct. mt be urged, in extcnastion, that but
few, u any, Ofthese men are taken into sbips nj
V-f' out INTO merchant ships, IL is not the less
CRIME and, politically speaking, IL has the
anne eilec,, because IT enables the enemy Il,
ase those whose places these men sppiy IN
nc merchant service into the naval service.
md thus strengthens their naval force, which
hey Otherwise could OF do--and IN addition
thus, they subject themselves 10 inpressuert
2 q VIII be Impressed Whenever a ship of war
IN want o men and eannot set them in AN,
b way One of my brothers, who is here
- tour moths on board two prison Sims. viz
~ icc or at Ply mouth, and the Grown Prince
q Chatham. iit STATES 70 me, and his state
fnt coToborsted by hundreds OF others
mat the allowance he received was two and
ma pounds of beef, two pounds of fish, tv,