-
Articles/Ads
Article HOUSE OF COMMONS. ← Page 3 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
House Of Commons.
Thursday , 22 . Mr . Baker rose upon the subject of the misrepresentations relative to the treatment of French prisoners . This country had been charged with inhumanity and cruelty towards these unfortunate people . As it would he highly beneficial to the country , and essential to its character , to have this matter cleared up , and the calumnies refuted , he should move for the proceedings of theAdmiralty , the Transport-Board , and the Sick and HurtOffice , relative to the treatment of prisoners of warto be laid before the House .
, Mr . Rose seconded the motion , and said , that for a complete investigation of the suhiect , and to satisfy this country , and all Europe , of the gross misrepresentations which had been propagated , he should add another motion , — ' For an account of the expences incurred in maintaining prisoners of war , distinguishing the expences of each year , together with an account of the dail y and weekly allowances to each prisoner . '
Mr . Dundas was happy to hear the motion made by his Hon . Friend , who deserved the thanks of the House for it . That the Directory of France should propagate reports of that kind , did not surprise him ; but he was truly astonished to see them copied into the English newspapers . Gentlemen would now be enabled to see the whole of the correspondence ; by which diey would judge , whether , if there was any difference in their treatment latterly , it did not arise from the obstinacy of the French Government in refusing to fulfill
their engagements . This conduct had obliged us to make certain retrenchments with regard to the French prisoners ; and it was also necessary , by way of retaliation , for the bad treatment English prisoners received in France . Mr . Huskinson moved for an account of the daily ration allowed by the French agent for prisoners in this country , since the ist instant ; and the ration allowed to the English prisoners in France , together with the instructions given to Captain Coates , for the regulation of English prisoners . He
moved this in consequence of a recent agreement between the two countries , that each should maintain its own prisoners . The motion was agreed to . Friday , 23 . Mr . Huskinson said , that while the prints in France misrepresented the conduct of this country , they carefully avoided nor to give the smallest information of their treatment of" the English prisoners confined in France , which was infinitely worse than that of the French prisoners . What , he asked , while we were making efforts for the rek-ase of La Fayettewas their
, condufif towards Sir S ydney Smith , that great , that worthy , and gallant officer ? He would assure the House what his treatment was : —he was , contrary to the customary usage of war , confined in a close dungeon , subject to every species of insult ; to the most indecent mockery ; and debarred of the aid and assistance of even his own servant . He did not make invidious comparisons
to provoke retaliation ; no , he merely mentioned the circumstance , to shew ihat the Directory were guilty of those acts of cruelty to our prisoners , which they falsely ascribed to us with respect to theirs . He was , therefore , of opinion that , for the purpose of manifesting to the world , that we had not abandoned the principles of humanity and liberality , it was hi ghly becoming the House to make every enquiry into the whole of the subjeit . He would therefore move , that there be laid before the House copies of the extracts and
letters received by the Transport Board , and Sick and Hurt Office , together with the correspondence relating to Sir Sydney Smith , and the negociations entered into respecting the prisoners of war . Ordered . Monday , 26 . The Master of" the Rolls presented a petition from the Trustees of the British Museum , stating the insufficiency of their present fund , arid praying for the farther support of Parliament . —Ordered to be laid on the table . He next moved for an account of the expenditure of the sums granted by Parliament for the support of that institution . —Ordered . ' The -Solicitor General observed , that on a former day he had given notice
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
House Of Commons.
Thursday , 22 . Mr . Baker rose upon the subject of the misrepresentations relative to the treatment of French prisoners . This country had been charged with inhumanity and cruelty towards these unfortunate people . As it would he highly beneficial to the country , and essential to its character , to have this matter cleared up , and the calumnies refuted , he should move for the proceedings of theAdmiralty , the Transport-Board , and the Sick and HurtOffice , relative to the treatment of prisoners of warto be laid before the House .
, Mr . Rose seconded the motion , and said , that for a complete investigation of the suhiect , and to satisfy this country , and all Europe , of the gross misrepresentations which had been propagated , he should add another motion , — ' For an account of the expences incurred in maintaining prisoners of war , distinguishing the expences of each year , together with an account of the dail y and weekly allowances to each prisoner . '
Mr . Dundas was happy to hear the motion made by his Hon . Friend , who deserved the thanks of the House for it . That the Directory of France should propagate reports of that kind , did not surprise him ; but he was truly astonished to see them copied into the English newspapers . Gentlemen would now be enabled to see the whole of the correspondence ; by which diey would judge , whether , if there was any difference in their treatment latterly , it did not arise from the obstinacy of the French Government in refusing to fulfill
their engagements . This conduct had obliged us to make certain retrenchments with regard to the French prisoners ; and it was also necessary , by way of retaliation , for the bad treatment English prisoners received in France . Mr . Huskinson moved for an account of the daily ration allowed by the French agent for prisoners in this country , since the ist instant ; and the ration allowed to the English prisoners in France , together with the instructions given to Captain Coates , for the regulation of English prisoners . He
moved this in consequence of a recent agreement between the two countries , that each should maintain its own prisoners . The motion was agreed to . Friday , 23 . Mr . Huskinson said , that while the prints in France misrepresented the conduct of this country , they carefully avoided nor to give the smallest information of their treatment of" the English prisoners confined in France , which was infinitely worse than that of the French prisoners . What , he asked , while we were making efforts for the rek-ase of La Fayettewas their
, condufif towards Sir S ydney Smith , that great , that worthy , and gallant officer ? He would assure the House what his treatment was : —he was , contrary to the customary usage of war , confined in a close dungeon , subject to every species of insult ; to the most indecent mockery ; and debarred of the aid and assistance of even his own servant . He did not make invidious comparisons
to provoke retaliation ; no , he merely mentioned the circumstance , to shew ihat the Directory were guilty of those acts of cruelty to our prisoners , which they falsely ascribed to us with respect to theirs . He was , therefore , of opinion that , for the purpose of manifesting to the world , that we had not abandoned the principles of humanity and liberality , it was hi ghly becoming the House to make every enquiry into the whole of the subjeit . He would therefore move , that there be laid before the House copies of the extracts and
letters received by the Transport Board , and Sick and Hurt Office , together with the correspondence relating to Sir Sydney Smith , and the negociations entered into respecting the prisoners of war . Ordered . Monday , 26 . The Master of" the Rolls presented a petition from the Trustees of the British Museum , stating the insufficiency of their present fund , arid praying for the farther support of Parliament . —Ordered to be laid on the table . He next moved for an account of the expenditure of the sums granted by Parliament for the support of that institution . —Ordered . ' The -Solicitor General observed , that on a former day he had given notice