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A journal, of a young man of Massachusetts, late a surgeon on board an American privateer, who was captured at sea by the British in May, eighteen hundred and thirteen and was confined first, at Melville Island, Halifax, then at Chatham, in England, and last at Dartmoor prison : $b Interspersed with observations, anecdotes and remarks, tending to illustrate the moral and political characters of three nations. To which is added, a correct engraving of Dartmoor prison, representing the massacre ofWaterhouse, Benjamin

History

A journal, of a young man of Massachusetts, late a surgeon on board an American privateer, who was captured at sea by the British in May, eighteen hundred and thirteen and was confined first, at Melville Island, Halifax, then at Chatham, in England, and last at Dartmoor prison : $b Interspersed with observations, anecdotes and remarks, tending to illustrate the moral and political characters of three nations. To which is added, a correct engraving of Dartmoor prison, representing the massacre of

Waterhouse, Benjamin

Dartmoor Prison; United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Prisoners and prisons

Is it possible that Governor Strong can be deluded away by the
missionary and bible societies of Old England, so as to mistake the
English for a religious people? I am very confident that there is
_less_ religion, or appearance of it, in London and in all their large
cities, than in any other civilized country of the same numbers, in
Europe. Their national churches are empty, while their streets and
their harbors are full of lewdness; and they have more thieves,
gamblers, forgers, cheats and bawds than any other nation upon earth.
Add to this, their laws are bloody, beyond modern example, their
military punishments horrible, and their treatment of prisoners of
war a disgrace to the name of Christians. Can Governor Strong be
totally ignorant of the policy of some in patronizing bible and
missionary societies? And does he not see the impracticability of the
scheme contemplated by the latter? If we divide the known countries of
the globe into thirty equal parts, _five_ will be found to be
_Christians_, _six Mahometans_, and _NINETEEN Pagans_. It is difficult
to believe that the first man, the governor and commander in chief of
the great and respectable commonwealth of Massachusetts, can seriously
expect that the missionary societies of England and of Boston can
effect this immense task or that it ever was the design of Providence
that all the families of the earth should think alike on subjects of
religion. Let us take things as the sons of men have always found
them, and not presume to oppugn Providence, who has decreed that there
shall be, every where, men of different colours, countenances, voices,
manner of speaking, of different feelings and views of things, and
also of different languages and of different opinions, as it regards
the Deity, and his government of the world; and that among this great
and doubtless necessary diversity of the views of him, we may have the
most pure and rational system of any. Let us then enjoy that system,
encourage a virtuous education and love one another, and leave to his
direction and control the myriads of rational beings on earth, of
which we, Christians, make so small a part. No, no, my countrymen, if
Governor Strong will not attend exclusively to the mere affairs of the
state, with its relative duties, and leave the great world to the
legislation of its great Creator, you had better allow him to retire
to Northampton, there to study in silence how to govern his own heart,
and how to work out his own salvation, instead of continuing the tool
of a turbulent and vicious party. I still think Mr. Strong is a man of
good intentions, and an honest patriot; but that he has been deluded
by artful men, who in their scheme of governing the whole nation have
found their account in placing at the head of their party in
Massachusetts, a man of correct morals and manners, and of a reputed
religious cast of mind. But Mr. Strong should reflect; and being a
phlegmatic man, he is able to reflect calmly, and consider things

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