Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1813-12-13
Tar Of EGte,17lnation

appears that IT some ioiIner perIco |
:heie were, among the prisoners takel
from us by the British, twenty three !
persons sup osed 10 be British subjects
found IN arms against their country
hese persons instead Of being treateo
as Ameiiosn prlsoners oil wa, weIe
Sent 10 England 10 take their trial on a |
charge oil treason. --Whether they
were IN fact BRUSH subjects or Amer
lean oitizens does mol appear. Ii they
are OF the former character they mus
be condemned, If OF tie latter they
must be acquitted. Tie obvious and
equitable course OF proceeding in such
circumstances would be TO wait the Is.
sue oil an investigation, TO ascertain
lheir Characters. and If they shoulo
prove TO be bona fde American cilizeus,
10 demand THEN discharge Indeed il
that should prove 10 be the fact, they
will he discharged OF course.
But this Obvious and m derate
course does not accord with Our high
melted notlons oil Anittiotn honvui
General Dearborn prefers promp, re
piisals to Investigation, and accordingly
stizes twenty three aoknoN lodged
British Sub i CTS, WHO were prisoners oil
war, and detaips them as hostages for
the safety OF those whom The Bii,ish
had detained as traitors 10 heir Country.
! MS rash measure IS might have been
expected and as probably was intended,
has induced the British, as appears by
general orders lately issued BY ,neif
commander, - seize and dtta,u ioIlt
six american prison ers, some oil whom
are commissioned officers, as hostages
10 answer for the safety OF the isvenfy.
three, detained by US.
This simple Statement fills the mind
with awful anticipauons. liasystem OF
retaliation, irritation aud ferocious pas
sions is 10 be carried into our wariaf,
Increasing, extending and multiplying
in It's piogIess, 1t Is ume TO seek Tor
safety in some other cline Peace 1ep
er can be restored until such system Is
abolished IL has oiltn been as.tIted We
are al war tot BRUSH subjects. We art
indeed emihaaeaHy 30, II We will not al
low her tle right to enquire whether
those who are lesying war against hti
are legitimate enemies or traitors !.
Let Ms for moment reverse the Case
W. will suppose that In taking Aionfrt.
al or Quebec, TIMOTHY PIcKERIsG, an
"A L. IL
he,ing 10 oui enemies and lev. ing Wa
against US. Would h, be consider Ell
amply as prisoner OF Wal and releas
cd upon his parole, OF would be be ex
ecuied Us traitorl Suppose while
his trial was pending we should be IN
formed that Gems. Winchesler, Chan
der or Winder, was seized as hos
tage and would be decapilated, the
moment we should see fiji 10 execute
Pickering! Every American, and eve
~ hum. being above the grade of an
ideot would be shocked a, the outrage !.
Does the pres.ntcase differ from The
one here supposed ! We pe'seive no
difference, other than a reversal OF the
psr,ies What will be the consequences
of this system, we dare not attemp. TO
delineate War, even III lis miIdesl
form, is clothed Ia horI OTIS but when
blind DISCRIMINATING vengeance brand
ishes the sword, lis devasta,,ons battie
all calculation. We do hope that there
will be a pause for reflection, before our
rulers hurry on to scenes at which hu.
mani shudders, aud TO which they are
rapidly fastening. Heaven grant that
the people may exercise their native
humanity OF feeling, and save this ma
ton from the deep disgrace OF introdu-
cling warfare OF the most teroeious
character-Aezy BeDord Mercury.
Win,ey Cambaign. WILKINSON has com
mesced operations agsi0Sl HAnPros lie
"bruke ground" imme dis ely al er ms ,lcio-
~ over the British at Nilismsburgh.
Whether he will be as successful in this'
enterprise as in that for " Obtaining iootlold
on Montreal island," we shall see her CATER
The nature Of the service is much better
dipted 10 the season. as II can be performed
without cold fingers. by he iiresldc. Judge
FoRp has ~ ade " d,str ion IN l. WI u
Hampton--Salem Gasehe
Extract from fhe General o. der of Gen
Uifkinson, u ne 3 Aov
The troops ate 10 embark without