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hostilities on their part: and all such new severities are to be con- sidered, not as retaliation, but as original and unprovoked. If those causes were not founded in truth, they should have denied them. If, declining the tribunal of truth and reason, they choose to pervert this into a contest of cruelty and destruction, we will contend with them in that Ime, and measure out misery to those in our power, in that multiplied proportion which the advantage of superior numbers enables us to do. We shall think it our parti- cular duty, after the information we gather from the papers which have been laid before us, to pay very constant attention to your situation and that of your fellow prisoners. We hope that the prudence of the enemy will be your protection from injury ; and we are assured that your regard for the honor of your country, would not permit you to wish we should suffer ourselves to be bullied into an acquiescence, under every insult and cruelty they may choose to practice, and a fear to retaliate, lest you should be made to experience additional suffermgs. ‘Their officers and sol- diers m our hands, are pledges for your safety : we are determined to use them as such. Iron will be retaliated by iron, but a great multiplication on distinguished objects; prison ships by prison ships, and like for like in general. Ido not mean by this to cover any officer who has acted, or shall act improperly. ‘They say Captain Willing was guilty of great cruelties at the Natches; if so, they do right m punishing him. I would use any powers I have, for the punishment of any officer of our own, who should be guilty of excesses unjustifiable under the usages of civilized nations. How- ever, | do not find myself obliged to believe the charge against Captain Willing to be true, on the affirmation of the British com- missary, because, in the next breath, he affirms no cruelties have as yet been inflicted on him. Captain Willing has been in irons.
I beg you to be assured, there is nothing, consistent with the honor of your country, which we shall not, at all times, be ready to do for the relief of yourself and companions in captivity. We know, that ardent spirit and hatred for tyranny which brought you: into your present situation, will enable you to bear up against it with the firmness which has distinguished you as a soldier, and to look forward with pleasure to the day, when events shall take place, against which, the wounded spirits of your enemies will find no comfort, even from reflections on the most refined of the cru- elties with which they have glutted themselves.
I am, with great respect, your most obedient, and most humble servant, TH: JEFFERSON. VOL. I. 22
