The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-10-08
Hgent ofMe u. Statea jar prisoners
u ga. IN c. Gri.ain.

E.xtsacts of 9 lstter fFefn NJ. BeaeIey 90
1918.
" In the letter OF their lo;dships' sccreta-
Try of the 5th inst. the board are directed to
observe to me that the printed letter W hich
addressed to certain American sear3en
detained in the British navy, "cuhtairs a
statement ,l'1ounGed IN fact /: far that rel
Ither since tre war with AiGeiica, nor begure
have cher lordships declined 10 release a
meTican seamen admitted or proved 10 be
such" l, IS not necessary to my present
purpose 10 enter Upon an e8aninati3n cs
their lorGsnlps' conduct on tins matts'r bs.
icfe The var si.h ugh NJ own official .0-
servation, in nunerous cases. when / held
tie of!ice of consul, would authorize me o
dispute ever that part q tGeir sec retgtv's
assertion. But with Tefeieate to raeic
iordGhips' condnct sirce the war, beg %
remind them OF their lettei IL the j. Aug.
soon at er the comm retirement cf he war, in
answer 10 a reqpes' made on the slst Laly
for the release of certain imp essed Ameri-
can seamen, IN which their lordshjess going
beyond the mere declining to release the
men, stated, that under the present cic-
cumstances, they will defar the considera-
ton of the request for ,her release =" or in
other words, that they viii not 1T present,
war being commenced, even think On the
subject Of their e'ease Iff1rther prc.f 81.
necessary Of their l0rdships' having, IS (
stated 10 my printed letter, declined the re-
lease o. SUCH seamen in cousequehcs Of the
war, l III call to their recollection p ;et,er
written by their secretary, on the 25th Aug.
in answer to an appi cation farthe elease
OF William Wilson, an impress ed Amcrican
detaised board the Cordelia, in which
they state that this man being an alien enc.
ny must continue 10 serUe o. 70 10 hrfsou.
Should other confederation be wanted. l.
may be found IN The long and marked silence
OF the British government 20 ny nuperCn5
applications, again ard sgain rerertr1, for
the reieaae ct these rpen seeing tiiat il v1s
rot until the 25th of Febriarv, nearly seven
months afier their lord>h;ps had info med
me Of their having deferred tue c0nsl6eta.
ton OF the subjec; and rcariy fva Ho7ths
after my formal demand made to lord Cas-
tlereash, that they directed the board to
INFORM ne Of Their intention 20 treat they
rs prisoners OF war----even This wss ~
done uHti eient days after NY ir.if.,,J
letter IN question appears IT. D,ve Lcs1
on their table. surely II wv's in inter-
forgettulness Of all these eircu,nstanrcs IN -
their iordshIps declared my stategent IN,
l'iu ls VI I<c. TOT X appears Impossible
bear different in,erpretation f,o,n ~.
which have giyer, theoo. pntb,,,%, 80
iScts bear on their lurdsh;ps' .tatenrn, )
How, ask, does their detern;rat;5a H.,
Wilson hroOed and ea1iitled 10 BE an Inn.
r,ee7I' niitsf continue 10 scrUe o,.go "a hft1o,
( ssnppofE the assertion that their lordshin9
& nave NOT 5tciiacdfo reicase ,1,ncric7a sea
} men aHzn,fgcd or fro0ed 10 be ghcI 2
bu perhaps 10 their Iori. hiDs' y evs. 4,
send trem from service and detepticp n
SHIPS Of war TO confinement in prisons. IL. 10
lTFlea3s them. If SO, it is unnec essar1 60 pnr.
tue TIE subject further, and giH content
myself with having vinGicated the correct .
ness ef ny own statement"
lord ships' purpose, ~ expressed in the;r CO.,
ltetafy's letter of the Is, ulSirno. to trea1 !.
prisoners Ct ssr the american seamen Who