Page:Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies, from the papers of Thomas Jefferson - Volume 1.djvu/184

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LETTER XII. TO COLONEL MATHEWS.

In Council, October, 1779. SIR,

The proceedings respecting Governor Hamilton and his com- panions, previous to your arrival here, you are acquainted with. For your more precise information, I enclose you the advice of Council, of June the 16th, of that of August the 28th, another of September the 19th, on the parole tendered them the Ist instant, and Governor Hamilton’s letter of the same day, stating his objec- tions, in which he persevered : from that time his confinement has become a voluntary one. You delivered us your letters the next day, when the post being just setting out, much business prevented the Council from takmg them into consideration. ‘They have this day attended to them, and found their resolution expressed in the enclosed advice bearing date this day. It gives us great pain that any of our countrymen should be cut off from the society of their friends and tenderest connections, while it seems as if it was in our power to administer relief. But we trust to their good sense for discerning, and their spirit for bearing up against the fallacy of this appearance. Governor Hamilton and his companions were imprisoned and ironed, Ist. In retaliation for cruel treatment of our Captive citizens by the enemy in general. 2nd. For the bar- barous species of warfare which himself and his savage allies carried on in our western frontier. 3rd. For particular acts of barbarity, of which he himself was personally guilty, to some of our citizensin his power. Any one of these charges was sufficient to justify the measures we took. Of the truth of the first, your- selves are witnesses. Your situation, indeed, seems to have been better since you were sent to New York ; but reflect on what you suffered before that, and knew others of your countrymen to suf- fer, and what you know is now suffered by that more unhappy part of them, who are still confined on board the prison ships of the enemy. Proofs of the second charge, we have under Hamil- ton’s own hand: and of the third, as sacred assurances as human testimony is capable of giving. Humane conduct on our part, was found to produce no effect; the contrary, therefore, was tobe tried. If it produces a proper lenity to our citizens in captivity, it will have the effect we meant; if it does not, we shall return a severity as terrible as universal. If the causes of our rigor against Hamilton, were founded in truth, that rigor was just, and would not give right to the enemy to commence any new