l eyes, instead of going to a
place of worship, with the sight of what they called "_rebels_." These
are generally Scotchmen, or sons of Scotchmen, and are very bitter
against the Americans. Some of this class were clergymen, who came
occasionally to pray and preach with us in prison. We paid every mark
of respect to every modest and prudent minister who came among us to
perform divine service; but we never could restrain our feelings, when
one of these refugee gentlemen came among us, praying for king George
and the royal family of England. The men considered it as an insult,
and resented it accordingly. Some of these imprudent men would
fulminate the vengeance of Heaven, for what they conceived
_political_, instead of moral errors. The prisoners respected some of
these reverend gentlemen highly, while they despised some others. The
priesthood, however, have less hold on the minds of the people of the
United States, than of any other people on earth.

The Bishops and Church of England are fast destroying their own craft,
by aiding the sly _dissenters_ in spreading the bible through every
family in Britain, and in America. In reading this blessed book, the
people will see how Christianity has been corrupted. They will compare
the archbishops and dignified clergy of the present degenerate days,
with the plainness of our Saviour, and with the simplicity of the holy
fishermen, and other of his disciples. Before this book the factitious
institutions and gorgeous establishments of the modern priesthood will
fade and die, like Jonah's gourd. The English Episcopacy never has,
nor ever will, take deep root in the United States. It can never
flourish in the American soil. Even the Roman Catholic religion is
here a humble and rational thing. Its ministers are highly respected,
because their lives adorn their doctrines; and the parochial care of
their flock, who are principally Irish, is seen and commended. It is
observed throughout our sea ports, that the seafaring people are
generous supporters of their ministers; but these same people can
never be made to pay tythes, or to hear and support a minister whom
they had not directly or remotely chosen. This is the predominant
sentiment of all the Anglo-Americans.

The daily allowance of the British government to our prisoners, is
one pound of bread, one pound of beef, and one gill of peas. Over and
above this we received from the American agent a sufficiency of
coffee, sugar, potat