Madam, I AM directed by the duke of Portland to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th instant, enclosing one for Mr. Sampson, which his Grace has forwarded to the commissioners of the transport service here, in order that it may be forwarded to France. I am also to acquaint you, that his Grace has no objection to your corresponding with Mr. Sampson: but that it will be necessary for you to send all your letters unsealed to him for this office. I am, Madam, Your most obedient humble servant, J. KING. Now here was a very gracious concession made to the tears and prayers of my unfortunate wife. That I should remain where I was sent by force, and where I must stay in fact: as without volunteering, in search of new dungeons, of want, and eternal separation, I could not stir. For time has proved, that had I gone to almost any country in Europe, except Turkey, or Portugal where I came from, I should have very soon found myself in a country at war with the king of England, whose arms were yet red with the blood shed for those thrones which they were now to bombard, and for the deliverance of that Euwith which his ministers are now at war. rope I was also allowed to correspond with my wife by unsealed letters, sent to the secretary of state's office, to be read. Certainly this was more agreeable than to have my letters basely intercepted, in order that to my own sufferings, the tortured feelings of an innocent wife and mother, might be added. But let me ask in what part of my agreement with Lord Cornwallis will it be found, that I was to be thus cut off from a country to which I have been so true, that I have no other enemies than its enemies? Upon what ground was it that a man, who had committed no crime, should be treated like an outcast, and that the pains of felony should light upon a virtuous wife for holding correspondence with him? Let me not pursue this further; justice may one day return; until then, complaint is idle. Suffice it for the present to say, that Mrs. Sampson was so charmed with this mitigation of her torment, and the atrocities practised against me, that she returned an answer overflowing with gratitude, and I myself was well pleased that there was somewhere to be found a term to the extent of persecution. But the worst was yet to follow. It was natural, now, that since I could not go to my family, for that had been positively forbidden, they should at least be permitted to come to me. That religion, for which the earth has been so amply drenched in human gore, has it for a precept"Whom God has put together, let no man put asunder." There wanted but this sacrilege to fill the measure of my wrongs. And on the 27th of July, Mrs. Sampson wrote to the duke of Portland in the these words: My Lord, HAVING been indulged by your Grace in a manner that has excited a very lively sense of gratitude, with the permission of corresponding with Mr. Sampson, I am emboldened to make a second application, which I hope your Grace will pardon, in consideration that I have been separated two years and an half from my husband, except a few weeks that I was permitted to be with him in prison. What I have now to trouble your Grace for, is leave to pass with my children, and a female servant, to Bordeaux. And if this indulgence be attainable, I hope your Grace will furnish me with passports, which will enable me to sail in a neutral vessel: or if that should not occur, and I could make it convenient to go to Dover, should I be permitted a passage in a cartel ship to Calais. I shall not trespass longer on your Grace's time, than to entreat, that if there be any thing improper in this application, you will have the goodness to excuse it on account of my miserable situation, and allow me to remain Your Grace's Much obliged, And very humble servant, GRACE SAMPSON. To the above, the following answer was received: Madam, I AM directed, by the duke of Portland, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 27th, requesting permission to pass with your family over to Bordeaux. I am to express to you his Grace's regret, that the regulations it has been found necessary to adopt in the present moment, will not admit of his Grace's compliance with your wishes in this case. I am, Madam, Your most obedient Humble servant, C. W. FLINT. I leave it now to you, my friend, to imagine, if you can, any thing more refined in persecution than this and I shall not insult you by making any further comment upon it. In the summer of 1806, the rumors of peace gained ground, and I, with the advice of my friends, formed the project of coming to Paris, where I might be on the spot if any occasion should offer of claiming redress. This hope proved vain, and I passed the winter in unprofitable expectation, and part of it in sickness. During the summer of the last year, whilst great armaments were fitting out, and Lord Nelson was bombarding the port of Boulogne, I was on a visit at the country-seat of a friend, and from thence went to the waters of Plombiere; from whence I had the intention of proceeding to Switzerland. Captain Ꮓ Cotes had had the goodness to charge himself with the care of forwarding my wife's letters to me wherever I should desire to have them addressed. But a change took place in England, which deprived me of that advantage, and I returned in the month of August to Paris. The duke of Portland had in the meantime been succeeded by Lord Pelham, and Mr. Cotes by Mr. Merry. As soon as I heard of Mr. Merry's arrival, I wrote to request that he would do me the same kindness that Mr. Cotes had promised. But between the date of my letter, and that of his answer, there was the distance of a month and it was not until after my return to Paris, that I received his answer. As it is but short, I shall transcribe it. à Monsieur Monsieur William Sampson, à Plombiere. Sir, Paris, August 15, 1800. I HAVE to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th ult. in answer to which I beg leave to observe, that Captain Cotes did not mention any thing to me relative to your correspondence: and I am sorry to add, that it is not in my power to comply with your wishes on that subject, without I receive an order for that purpose from the British gov ernment. I am, Sir, Your most obedient Humble servant, ANT. MERRY |