ight be obtained in
England, though it was refused most inhumanly at New York."

In December following he had arranged with Major Thornton, "who appears
a man of humanity," to visit the prisons and give relief to the
prisoners, and he hopes that Thornton "may obtain permission for that
purpose." "I have wished," he added, "that some voluntary act of
compassion on the part of your government towards those in your power
had appeared in abating the rigors of their confinement, and relieving
their pressing necessities, as such generosity towards enemies has
naturally an effect in softening and abating animosity in their
compatriots, and disposing to reconciliation." Of such unconventional
humanity was he!

Hartley met Franklin's ardent appeals with responsive ardor. May 29,
1778, he writes that he will press the point of exchange as much as he
can, "which in truth," he says, "I have done many times since I saw you;
but official departments move slowly here. A promise of five months is
yet unperformed." But a few days later, June 5, he is "authorized" to
propose that Franklin should send to him "the number and rank of the
prisoners, upon which an equal number shall be prepared upon this side
for the exchange." Franklin at once demanded lists from his captains,
and replied to Hartley: "We desire and expect that the number of ours
shall be taken from Forton and Plymouth, in proportion to the number in
each place, and to consist of those who have been longest in
confinement." He then made this extraordinary suggestion: "If you think
proper to clear all your prisoners at once, and give us all our people,
we give you our solemn engagement, which we are sure will be punctually
executed, to deliver to Lord Howe in America, or to his order, a number
of your sailors equal to the surplus, as soon as the agreement arrives
there." It is easy to fancy a British minister thrusting his tongue into
his cheek as this simple-minded proposal of the plain-dealing colonist
was read to him. The only occasion on which Franklin showed ignorance of
diplomacy was in assuming, in this matter of the prisoners, that honesty
and honor were bases of dealing between public officials in
international matters.

He suggested also retaining a distinction between sailors of the navy
and of the commercial marine. After repeated applications to the Board
of Admiralty, Hartley was only able to reply to all Franklin's proposals
that no distinction could be made