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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

This trial, and this specimen of oratory, convinced me that Liberty is
the parent of eloquence. I have noticed a striking difference between
our men and those of England, with all their loud talk of English
freedom. When an American speaks to an officer set over him, he utters
all that he has to say in a ready and fearless manner; but when these
Englishmen come on board of us to bring vegetables, or any thing else
to dispose of, they stand with their caps off, scratching their heads,
through awe and embarrassment; and every other word is, "Yes, your
Honor," or, "Will your Honor have this, or your Honor have that;" and
"your Honor knows best;" and all such mean and slavish language. It is
remarkable that you never hear this sort of language, and see this
servile manner, in the common savages of our wilderness. It belongs
only to the common people, and I am told, to the shop-keepers of
England, and to our negroes. Necessity first inspires the poor with
awe for the rich, and by and by it grows into a principle.

A day or two after these transactions we resumed the consideration of
the practice of gambling, and we turned the tables against the
billiard players; and they were taken down by an almost unanimous
consent; whatever some individuals thought or wished, the general
opinion was so strong that they dare not express it. The authority of
the committee and the authority of the President, were established
more firmly than ever.

While writing down these occurrences, I have thought that we might
here see the great characters and the important doings of the Grecian,
Roman and American Republics, in a very small compass. Here we saw the
struggles of vice and virtue, wisdom and folly, and the desire of
distinction, and the ambition of taking the lead, and the little
workings of emulation, amid rags and tatters. As often as I moaned
over wearied moments of captivity, I do not think the time entirely
lost to me. I learnt a great deal. I saw close to them the first
workings of those springs which set republics, kingdoms, empires, and
armies in motion; the winds and tides, without which, the great ocean
of human life would stagnate, and all within its vast bounds would
perish--until now, I saw the human heart covered over by pride,
encrusted by avarice or cloaked round by hypocrisy; I now saw it
exposed, naked and bare, to the inspection of each man's neighbour.

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