cks and the
pillory. The soldier's legs were held firm in two apertures of a thick
plank, while his body and head were bent down to a plank placed in a
perpendicular direction, to receive the man's head, and two more
apertures to confine his arms. In this immoveable posture, human
beings, _Englishmen_, _Irishmen_ and _Scotchmen_, have had their flesh
lacerated for more than half an hour! But the Doctor informs us, that
the men did not like this new contrivance, as it checked their
vociferation and injured their lungs; so it was discontinued; and they
returned again to the halberts, where their hands were tied up over
their heads. Some of these poor wretches have been known to gnaw the
flesh of their own arms, in the agonies of torture; and many of them
have died with internal impostumes.

AMERICANS! think of these barbarities, and bless the memories of those
statesmen and warriors, who have separated you, as a nation, from a
cruel people, who have neither bowels of compassion, nor any
tenderness of feeling, for the soldier, or the sailor. They value
them, and care for them on the same principle that we value a horse,
and no more, merely as an animal that is useful to them. I have for
some time believed that America would be the grave of the British
character. Our free presses dare speak of their military whippings,
without fearing the punishment inflicted on the Editor of their
_Political Register_, as drawn by one of themselves.[F]

Those pressed men liberated from the British men of war, and sent on
board this ship, the Crown Prince, that is, sent from one prison to
another, are large, well made, fine looking fellows, for such they
usually select as Englishmen.--Some of them were men of colour. The
following anecdote does honor to the character of Sir Sidney Smith, as
well as to that of our brave tars. Sir Sidney was then off Toulon. On
the news reaching the crew that the UNITED STATES had declared war
against England, all the Americans on board had determined not to
fight against their country, or aid in striking its flag; they
therefore asked permission to speak with Sir Sidney, who permitted
them to come altogether on the quarter deck; they told him they were
all Americans by birth, and impressed against their will into the
British service; and forcibly detained; that although they had
consented to do the duty of Englishmen on board his ship, they could
not fight against their own country.--"_Nor do I wish you sh