not to fight for us against the English and their allies the Indians.
In their eyes, and in the eye of our laws, no imputation of crime
could be attached to their conduct; yet were these men seized from
among other prisoners, taken in battle, and sent together in one ship,
as traitors and rebels to _their country_. We fled from our native
land, said these unfortunate men, to avoid the tyranny and oppression
of our British task-masters, and the same tyrannical hand has seized
us here, and sent us back to be tried, and perhaps executed as rebels.
Beside the privations, hunger and miseries that we endured, these poor
Irishmen had before their eyes, the apprehension of a violent and
ignominious death. While we talked among ourselves of the hard fate of
these brave Hibernians, we were ashamed to lament our own.

I cannot help remarking here, that the plan of retaliation determined
by President Madison, merits the respect and gratitude of the present
and future generations of men. It was this energetic step that saved
the lives, and insured the usual treatment of ordinary prisoners of
war to these American soldiers of Irish birth. This firm determination
of the American executive arrested the bloody hand of the British.
They remembered Major _Andre_, and they recollected Sir _James
Asgill_, under the administration of the great WASHINGTON, and they
trembled for the fate of their own officers. May eternal blessings
here, and hereafter, be the reward of MADISON, for his righteous
intention of retaliating on the enemy any public punishment that
should be executed on these American soldiers, of Irish origin. While
we feel gratitude and respect to the head of the nation for his scheme
of retaliation, we cannot suppress our feelings of disgust towards the
faction in our own country, who justified the British government in
their conduct towards these few Irishmen, and condemned our own for
protecting them from an ignominious death. I speak it with shame for
my country--the ablest writers of the oppositionists, and the oldest
and most celebrated ministers of religion, employed their venal pens
and voices to condemn Mr. _Madison_, and to justify the British
doctrine. This is a deep stain on the character of our clergy; and the
subsequent conduct of the British, may serve to shew these ever
meddling men, that our enemies despised them, and respected Madison.

Our voyage across the Atlantic afforded but few incidents for remark.
Every