"There is no occasion for threats," he said, mastering his passion. "You
tell me that such a punishment is contrary to English law. That is
enough. I abandon it at once. The prisoners shall be hung and quartered.
I presume that you have no objection to offer to that."
"That, general, is a matter in your own competence, and for your own
conscience," Hamilton said. "The men have simply, as I understand,
defended their property against marauders, and they are, as I conceive,
worthy of no punishment whatever. If you choose to sentence them to such
a punishment, it is your sentence, not mine. I thought it was your policy
to heal the breach between the two parties. It seems I was mistaken.
Personally, I protest against the execution of the sentence, beyond that
I am not called upon to go. An act of injustice or cruelty, performed by
a general upon prisoners, would not justify a soldier in imperilling the
success of the campaign by resisting the orders of his superior;
therefore, my duty to the king renders me unable to act; but I solemnly
protest, in my own name and that of the English officers under your
command, against the sentence, which I consider unjust in the extreme."
So saying, General Hamilton, with the English officers, left the
general's tent.
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