The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-11-12

avn, SIT, your most obj. servant,
:, (Signed( -. q. BEASLEY.
-Nerandr'' 1I'Leay Esq. &c.
No.2,
hrtructa II a letter efinstructiors from the
Secretary # State 10 CoL. Y'o5mS Lcar, an
hol7ted 10 negociQ-e, OF, thc hart o5'tAe u.
S!ates, an exchange 81 7trisoners IF zga,.,
T0'fh Or Geo. Preooss, dqted
WASHING TON, June %, 1914.
On the subject of hostages, if any are re-
tanned on either side, it cannot I've admitted,
that number OF prisoners shall be left liz the
hands OF an enemy in that state, or m any o.
tier. different from the ordinary state Of pri-
soners OF war, grea; er than shall be held by
us IN answer Tor their proper treatment and
safety
6 You arc not unacquainted with the cause
when induced the government 20 designate
Certain persons. prisoners Il war, ii,- orr nos
session, to ABIDE the fare of such American
prisoners of war as the euemy had thought
proper to separate from then. comrades, and
to transport, under severe and ignoniniuus
confinement, to England, for trial as traitors
this treatment continued and while
there was probability of the threatened tri
al and punishment, this government could not
land would not have relaxed in the measures
At had adopted. Information, however hav-
nS been recently received from Nv. Bcasley,
American agent for prisoners at London, da-
ted Oh tho 18th day of March last. by which
it is known that he had received assurances
aud that he was satisfied of the fact that the
treatment of the individuals sent to that com
try avowedly for trial, has been in no res
pect different from that of other prisoners OF
war, the President has been induced 10 hope
from this circumstance, as well as from the
length OF time which has elapsed since these
persons have been in England, without hay-
ing been brought to trial, that it is not the in
tentlon OF the British Government to take a
step which would inevitably involve conse-
quenceS shocking to humanity ; and sincerely
aeSlrous OF lesSePmg, as much us possible, the
sufterings of individuals on both sides, he has
determined, that reserying to the government
the tul right of replacing the hostages who
may have been designated here, and retain
ing the power to do SO, such of the prisoners
taken from the command of Sir George Pre-
vost, as have been SO designated, may now be
exchanged. You are accordingly authorized
70 stIpulatc that the proposed release and ex
change shall be without distinction of hosta
Bes, taking care that it shall be reciprocal. &
That a special reservation be made of the right.
which may be common, to replace them,
Whenever 1t is deemed proper to do So
No. 3.
Extract OF such parts Of convention, for the
exchange OF prisoners of war, proposed on
the 18th April, 1914, &c Of the instrument.
by which it was modified, and finally agreed
upon on the 10th July following, between
State of the United Star eg, On the one part,
and Sir George Provost, commander in
chief of the British forces in the Canadas, on
the other, as relates to those who had been
On either side confined under the system. of
retalst N.
Extract q tie COnUenfion ofthe 18Th Of
.fhrK
Article |. Il IS mutually stipulated < agreed,
that all the persons belonging to the army,
navy, or militia, of tue United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, or the provinces
or dependencies thereof, under the command,
authority, and jurisdiction of his excellency
sir George Provost, or any subjects or resi-
dents thereof, within the same command, au-
thority, and jurisdiction, who may have been
made captlves during the present war, under
and by the command and authority OF the 60
of the u. States, and also all per
sons belonging to the navy, army, or militia,
Of the U. States or any of them, or the terri
tory thereof, or citizens or residents of the
same, or envy OF them, who may have been
made captives, during the present war, by <
under the command and authority of Sir Geo.
Provost aforesaid and which said persons,
so respectively captured, arc now held in con-
tinemcnt by the said respective parties, either
rs prisoners Of war, hostages or otherwise,
shall be mutually and respectively forthwith
released from confinement, and sent or per-
mitted to proceed TO the u States or Canada,
respectively, in the manner hereinafter poin-
ted out, with as little DELAY as may be, saving
and excepting always the first three & TWEEN
ty men first put into confinement OF princi-
pies OF retaliation, as hostages, by the United
States, and the sfiicers and non-cOmmissioned
officers put int confinement by his excelleucv
sir George Provost, IN retaliation for the con
hnemeut OF sad twcidy-thrce men, private
soldiers.
Article TX. 1t is further mutually agreed,
that all the persons thus released, & sent or
permitted TO return 20 their respective conn-
tries, who are now ia Lower Canada, or on
the eastern side Of the Alioghany mountains
IN the U.Slates, and also all prisoners of war
who are now on parole or otherwise in their
Respective countries, be and the same are
hereby declared to be exchanged, z that they
and every one ofthem, from and after the 15h
May next, shall be perfectly ard entirely free
to enter and engage in the military, naval. OF
other service Of their respective countries, as
II they never had been prisoners Of war and
hostages and iii like manner all the said per
sons who are on the western side Of the Ale
ghany mountains IN the United States, & those
who arc III or near Halifax, or in EOva-ScO-
tia, and who are captured by and under the
command of Sir George Provost, shall be and
are hereby declared exchanged and az lber-
ty toenter into the naval, military or other