The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-07-30
" IT. COL r. E. Parker"
" DEAR SIR,

DEAR SIR,
e Your letter addressed to the
Commander OF his Britannia Maiesty's forces
i'll the Potomac, which was ordered tn car
ry, delivered to Adm. Cockburre, whom [.
found to be the commander on board the AL
bion a.
The subject Of the poisoned spirit was the
first to which he directed his conversation. &.
1t appeared to have made a considerable i'm
preston on his feelings. He remarked with
much propriety on the horrors of such mode
OF warfare, was glad to understand flonSyou
that you received it in the same light, and
alluded to the suggestion in your communica-
ton' that was possessed of facts which would
repel the imputation. I remarked that the
character of Virginians was strong assn
rance that none of them could be found so
base as to practise means so vile. That the
particular facts which you had directed me
to state to him, were--That the spirit had
been brought ont by Mrs Thompson foJ, the
refreshment Of Gentleman who had rome to
her house upon the approach of the barees,
OF which he drank-That when the forces
landed, Mrs. Thompson hurried from her
house leaving the spirit, glasses, &c standing
out That you and some other officers enter
ed the house as she retired, meeting her
at the gate, & discovered the liquor, of which
you all partook-That you continued there
until the nearness of the forces rendered it IN
saTe longer to rcmain-That upon retiring.
some OF the company and believe Yourself.
again draDk-That it was quite impossible. in
the short interval between YOUR leaving vo,r
house, and the arrival Of the British at f. that
any poison could have been infused in spirit
learnt that the name of the person, charged
with the fact, was an individual in vo,1r ,egi
ment, named John Crabb. l told him YOU
were not advised at the time YOU wrote yo,i,.
communication, who was the person CHARGED
= hat although not particularly instructed
Dy you TO say what course you would vet take
ret no hesitation in saying, that as a Viz
glnan, and NJ! Officer, you would feel equallv
interested to institute rigid examination in
to the aifair--suCh as should be satisfactory
to him and to the world.-He alluded to a
similar occurrence in MARYLAND as having
excited a suSpiciousness Of such practices.
could not torbcar remarkng, that the honor
able and prompt manner in which an individ-
ual had come forward on that occasion, to ar
rest the fatal effects, was a strong assurance of
our abhOrrence Of the means and that they
Would not be prdctised or countcDanccd. He had
stated that the information had come from
prisoner, but could not tell Of what des,riut ion
| observed, that had learnt on board the Al
bion, since my arrival, that negro had given
the intormation.-That it would be hard If
credit were given to such testimony, to fix an
i''Pu0illCi upon OUT people, winch, tor the
honor OF human nature, was almost incredible.
hat 1t was very probable that slaven tie
moment OF his liberation, might wish 20 excite
as angry and vindictive a spirit as possible, IN
the bosons Of the enemies to his former mas
ters and that no suggestion would be more
ettectual than the one under considerations
lie said he knew not before that it was a pri-
soncr OF that description and sent an officer
to enquire in the waid-room, if it VS. known
what prisoner had given the information
The officer returned and said, that the officers
stated, they received the Information, or heard
V as c0tnlng from negro.---The Conversation
concluded upon that 5jcct with my express
sing my readiness ana ny wish, 70 receive d