1945. CRUELTY, British in America.—[continued].
I doubt whether humanity
is the character of the British nation in general.
But [your] history, and every one which
is impartial, must in its relation of the [American]
war show, in such repeated instances, that
they conducted it, both in theory and practice,
on the most barbarous principles, that the expression
here cited [114]
will stand in contradiction
to the rest of the work. As examples of their
theory, recollect the act of Parliament for constraining
our prisoners, taken on the sea, to
bear arms against their fathers, brothers, &c.
For their practice, recollect the exciting the
savages against us, insurrections of our slaves,
sending our prisoners to the East Indies, killing
them in prison ships, keeping them on half
rations, and of the most unwholesome quality,
cruel murders of unarmed individuals of every
sex, massacres of those in arms after they had
asked quarter, &c., &c.—
Notes on M. Soules Work. Washington ed. ix, 300.
Ford ed., iv, 308.
(P.
1786)
