red and bleeding
countrymen lay groaning around them in the agonies of dissolution,
such an act of vengeance, at that time would not have been
singular--but on its being represented to them, by some
influential characters, that such a deed would stain the American
name, to their honour be it recorded, that humanity triumphed over
vengeance, the trembling wretch was released, and told to go--"_We
disdain to copy after your countrymen, and murder you at this
advantage, we will seek a more noble revenge._"

We deem it necessary here to remark, as some editors have
manifested a disposition to vindicate Shortland's conduct, that,
allowing every circumstance to be placed in the most unfavourable
point of view for the prisoners, suppose, for a moment, it was
their intention to break out, and a number had collected in the
market square for that purpose, when, being charged upon by the
military, they retreated out of the square into their respective
prison-yards, and shut the gates after them without making any
resistance whatever; under such circumstances no further
opposition could have been expected, and, consequently, their
intention must have been completely defeated. What justification
can there then be made to appear for the subsequent brutal,
unprecedented butchery and mutilation? NONE! The most shameless
and barefaced advocates and apologizers for British injustice
cannot produce any.

WALTER COLTON, } _Members of_
THOS. B. MOTT, } _the_
WM. HOBART, } _Committee._

DEPOSITION No. I.

I, _Addison Holmes_, being solemnly sworn on the holy evangelists
of Almighty God, depose and say--

That on the 6th of April, about 6 o'clock in the evening, I was in
the market-square, where the soldiers were drawn up. There was a
number of Americans in the square--to the best of my judgment,
between fifty and a hundred. I distinctly heard Captain Shortland
order the soldiers to charge on the prisoners, which they did not
do till the order was repeated by their own officers, when they
charged, and the prisoners retreated through the gates, which they
shut to after them. In this interim I had got behind a sentry box,
in the square, and the soldiers went past me. I sa