BIB_ID
387095
Accession number
MA 1268.9
Creator
Macleod, John, of Colbecks, -1823.
Display Date
1808 May 17.
Credit line
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1899.
Description
1 item (8 p.) ; 25.4 cm
Notes
Marked above the salutation as "No. 4."
Volume 11 (MA 1268) of a 33-volume collection of the correspondence of Sir James Pulteney, his family and distinguished contemporaries. (MA 487, MA 297 and MA 1260-1290). The arrangement of the collection is alphabetical by the author of the letter. Items in the collection have been described individually in separate catalog records; see collection level record for more information (MA 1268.1-60).
With a small clipping from the Madrid Gazette Extraordinary dated April 1, 1808 of an "Order of April 1 - French Army" from "Joaquin, General in CHief of the Staff, Aug. Belliard," ordering them to prepare for the arrival of the Emperor and encouraging good will between the French and Spanish armies."
Volume 11 (MA 1268) of a 33-volume collection of the correspondence of Sir James Pulteney, his family and distinguished contemporaries. (MA 487, MA 297 and MA 1260-1290). The arrangement of the collection is alphabetical by the author of the letter. Items in the collection have been described individually in separate catalog records; see collection level record for more information (MA 1268.1-60).
With a small clipping from the Madrid Gazette Extraordinary dated April 1, 1808 of an "Order of April 1 - French Army" from "Joaquin, General in CHief of the Staff, Aug. Belliard," ordering them to prepare for the arrival of the Emperor and encouraging good will between the French and Spanish armies."
Provenance
Purchased from the Ford Collection of manuscripts.
Summary
Thanking him for sharing the letter from Sir Rupert George; discussing the dire situation of the prisoners of war in both England and France and the futility of hopes for Prisoner Exchanges; commenting on the plight of the prisoners "When I consider and see in the recollection of my own former part of those miseries - the wretchedness of so many - and many Thousands of the unhappy and unfortunate Victims of Modern Caprice - Men, Women and Children - Worthy, good and irreproachable characters - Helpless people - Disconsolate Fathers - Mothers - children and Friends - All - All- All sacrificed for What? Yea's! For What? For That Which I have seen which I have known and which I do see! A misconception of that true Dignity and Humanity that ought to actuate the Highly Dignified Rulers of those Two Empires - places Them Hand in Hand as Notoriously implicated and unworthy as to that Exchangeable invidiousness - Each lays to Each others charge - on the score of the unfortunate, miserable and unhappy victims of this disastrous War - Those prisoners made on Both sides: in consequence of it;" saying he does not believe any passports have been granted since his was issued; saying he worked very hard to establish relationships with the highest officials in France that he felt might be useful to him and to England in the future; asking him to "Send me over - as a Preparatory Negotiator for Establishing an Exchange of the unfortunate Prisoners of War in a manner suitable to the magnitude of the undertaking and the dignity of this Powerful Empire;" adding that while he was in France he "lived in the style of Scotch Hospitality, that the French like and which did more to come, at my aim, than any other mode of proceeding with them;" asking that he return to France and entertain in the same manner to lay a foundation for negotiations.
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