community. We were
allowed to establish among ourselves an internal police for our own
comfort and self government.--And here we adhered to the forms of our
own adored constitution; for in place of making a King, Princes,
Dukes, Earls, and Lords, we elected a PRESIDENT, and twelve
Counsellors; who, having executive as well as legislative powers, we
called _Committee men_. But instead of _four_ years, they were to hold
their offices but _four_ weeks; at the end of which a new set was
chosen, by the general votes of all the prisoners.

It was the duty of the President and his twelve counsellors, to make
wholesome laws, and define crimes, and award punishments. We made laws
and regulations respecting personal behaviour, and personal
cleanliness; which last we enforced with particular care; for we had
some lazy, lifeless, slack twisted, dirty fellows among us, that
required attending to, like children. They were like hogs, whose
delight it is to eat, sleep and wallow in the dirt, and never
work.--We had, however, but very few of this low cast; and they were,
in a great measure, pressed down by some chronical disorder. It was
the duty of the President and the twelve committee men, or common
council, to define, precisely, every act punishable by fine, whipping,
or confinement in the _black hole_. I opposed, with all my might, this
last mode of punishment, as unequal, inhuman, and disgraceful to our
national character. I contended that we, who had suffered so much, and
complained so loud of the _black hole_ of the Regulus, Malabar, and
other floating dungeons, should reject, from an humane principle, this
horrid mode of torment. I urged, as a medical man, that the punishment
of a confined black hole, was a very unequal mode of punishment; for
that some men of weak lungs and debilitated habit, might die under the
effects of that which another man could bear without much distress. I
maintained that it was wicked, a sin against human nature, to take a
well man, put him in a place that should destroy his health, and, very
possibly, shorten his days, by engrafting on him some incurable
disorder. Some, on the other side, urged, that as we were in the power
of the British, we should not be uncivil to them; and that our
rejection of the punishment of the _black hole_ might be construed
into a reflection on the English government; so we suffered it to
remain _in terrorem_, with a strong recommendation not to have
recourse to it but in