Philadelphia, Sunday, 13 April, 1777.
Inclosed with this you have a correspondence[168] between the two
Generals concerning the cartel for the exchange of prisoners. Washington
is in the right, and has maintained his argument with a delicacy and
dignity which do him much honor. He has hinted at the flagitious conduct
of the two Howes towards their prisoners in so plain and clear a manner
that he cannot be misunderstood, but yet a decency and a delicacy are
preserved, which is the more to be applauded because the natural
resentment of such atrocious cruelties renders it very difficult to
avoid a more pointed language in describing them. They might indeed,
without much impropriety, have been painted in crimson colors of a
deeper die. If Mr. Howe's heart is not callous, what must be his
feelings when he recollects the starvings, the freezings, the
pestilential diseases, with which he coolly and deliberately destroyed
the lives of so many unhappy men! If his conscience is not seared, how
will he bear its lashes when he remembers his breach of honor, his
breach of faith, his offense against humanity and divinity, his
neighbor, and his God (if he thinks there is any such Supreme Being), in
impairing health that he ought to have cherished, and in putting an end
to lives that he ought to have preserved, and in choosing the most slow,
lingering, and torturing death that he could have devised. I charitably
suppose, however, that he would have chosen the shortest course and
would have put every man to the sword or bayonet, and thereby have put
an end to their sufferings at once, if he could have done it without
detection. But this would have been easily proved upon him, both by
friends and enemies, whereas, by hunger, frost, and disease he might
commit the murders with equal certainty, and yet be able to deny that he
had done it. He might lay it to hurry, to confusion, to the fault of
commissaries and other officers; nay, might deny that they were starved,
frozen, and infected. He was determined to put them out of the way and
yet to deny it; to get rid of his enemies and yet save his reputation.
But his reputation is ruined forever.
The two brothers will be ranked by posterity with Pizarro, with Borgia,
with Alva, and with others in the annals of infamy, whose memories are
entitled to the hisses and execrations of all virtuous men. These two
unprincipled men are the more detestable because they were in the
opposition at home, their connections, friendships, and interest lay
with the opposition; to the opposition they owed their rise, promotion,
and importance. Yet they have basely deserted their friends and party,
and have made themselves the senile tools of the worst of men in the
worst of causes. But what will not desperate circumstances tempt men to
do, who are without principle and who have a strong, aspiring ambition,
a towering pride, and a tormenting avarice? These two Howes were very
poor, and they have spent the little fortunes they had in bribery at
elections, and having obtained seats in Parliament, and having some
reputation as brave men, they had nothing to do but to carry their votes
and their valor to market, and, it is very true, they have sold them at
a high price.
Are titles of honor the reward of infamy? Is gold a compensation for
vice? Can the one or the other give that pleasure to the heart, that
comfort to the mind, which it derives from doing good? from a
consciousness of acting upon upright and generous principles, of
promoting the cause of right, freedom, and the happiness of men? Can
wealth or titles soften the pains of the mind upon reflecting that a man
has done evil and endeavored to do evil to millions, that he has
destroyed free governments and established tyrannies? I would not be a
Howe for all the empires of the earth and all the riches and glories
thereof. Who would not rather be brave even though unfortunate in the
cause of liberty? Who would not rather be Sidney than Monk?
However, if I am not deceived, misfortune as well as infamy awaits these
men. They are doomed to defeat and destruction. It may take time to
effect it, but it will certainly come. America is universally convinced
of the necessity of meeting them in the field in firm battalion, and
American fire is terrible.[169]