The Express.
London, England, 1856-10-03 00:00:00

TREATMENT OF FRENCH POLITICAL
BBILEB AT CAYENNE.

The following article, apparently an official an-
swer to the statements made by M. Louie Blanc
and his friends respecting the treatment to which
politioal exiles are subject at Cayenne, was published
yesterday:
(From the Moniteur.)
Although certain calumnies are refuted by their own
groaners, it is nevertheless good sometimes to oppose them
by direct espial:Miens. An endeavour has been made through
certain publications to make foreigners believe that the men
sent to Guiana had been the victims of the worst treatment,
both during the voyage and since their arrival at Cayenne.
The following is the answer to this accusation. An idea
truly philanthropic presided, it is well known, in the sup-
preesion of the &apes and the establishment of Cayenne.
It was justly cons:dered that the convicts of the begun,
encumbered in France within confined and unhealthy spots,
might be much better treated in a colony, where they could
amend their lives and become useful. To this category, by
virtue of the decree of December 8, 1861, were added the
men that formed part of the secret societies, the majority of
whom ware released criminals. Since the commencement of
transportation to the present moment, the number of indi-
viduals seat to Cayenne, and belonging to the self-styled
pallt cal category, has amounted to 820, a number which,
frees the last returns, was reduced to 180. The diminution
was owing to rather numerous napes ; to successive din
'barges through feelings of indulgence; and to 62 deaths,
recorded in this category over a period of more than font
years, a number that may unwise by its small
amount, when we reflect that yellow fever has prevailed to
an extraordinary degree in Guiana under its epidemic form.
Daring the stay of those individuals in Guiana, the
administration of the colony, far from d ' g the slightest
reproach on the SOON of hard treatment, has, on the con.
Vary, extended its care, consideration, and forbearance, es
far as possible. This hes been atteated even by letters from
the interested parties themselves. This Oars of prisoners
has never been unfounded in the penitentiaries with the
other., either en the Ws of La Mire or on that of St. Jo-
seph. They have always had special establishments as-
signed to them. For a long time they were maintained
without being required to perform any regular work. This
tolerance had necessarily its limit. It le a minority that has
set itself in a state of opposition to the regulation ap-
pointing work in the penitentiaries—a work for the rest
regulated in every essential condition, BO as not to impair
either their health or strength.
The clemency of the Emperor has been already extended,
as we have just seen, to a not inconsiderable number of the
prisoners reported to be penitent, or who were only known
for their continued submiseioa to the system to which their
rebellion had subjected them. Even among these, however,
there were many whose antecedents, in a criminal point of
view, were deplorable. Their dethriptione swarm with
statements that would have justified the classification of
them either with old offenders previously di• charged oe
with eonvicit. There are among them, we are fain to admit
it, assay that have been condemned, not by the present
ilea el government, but by that of the republic itself.
Legit not be forgotten, in few, that Algeria had received, fa
virtue of a law passed in 1850, the moat dangerous portico
et the lemuyinta of Julie, 1848, and that a certain numbs/
of these mete were merely sent from Algeri► to Chisels as •
sheep of piece, the reason being their own bad conduct in
the establishments of Northern Africa.
From the beginning, the persons transported to Guiana
in virtue of the decree of Dec. 8, 1851, have been scru-
pulously lodged apart from the convicts, and only MOM 88.,
tary meetiage caused by circumstances have ever occurred
between the old offenders and the so called political offenders.
many of which last had been dietharged criminals themselves..
The meetings, for the rest, consisted in the location of them
on one and the same island, but never beneath one and the
tame roof. The obligation of work, common to all, has in
theory been undenteod in a nailing manner, that is to my,
the compulsory right possessed by the authorities went se
far as imprisonment, and everywhere the prisoners have
been bound, according to their capabilities and strength, to
work in erecting dwellings and in gardening. But in futs
it may be said, that the so-called political class has
enjoyed a large relative amount of liberty. Many
lave received leave to reside at large upon bail, either
in the town of Caren' or in the quarters; those
who were confined either on the isle of La Mire, close to
Cayenne, or on the isle of B'. Joseph (one of the ides alai
Sallee), have only taken a secondary part;in the labourer
At a later period, under the administration of Reei-A.dmlrel
Bonged, this class or category, always steeping the men
out on bail, were assembled on the third sale des Saul,
the Devil's Island, the rule being laid down that those who
should show themselves most dangerous by their resistance
to the enders date authorities were to be sent on board the
hulk Castor, and there detained under strict dis4line.
If this were the proper place to compare the amount of
work Imposed upon these transported entreats with that
which is the lot of the convicts, properly so called, in the
peaitentiaries of Guiana, it would be evident that then
no analogy between the treatment and condition of those
two classes of peruse. The labour of the forests is pre-
scribed to them, it is strictly compulsory, it is always
gratuitous, and really of a productive kind, and it has
always been exacted from them with as much regularity as
the trying influences of the climate would allow. It is by
the hands of the break that the establishments of the
Isle Royal, the Montague d'Argent, and the Comte, have
been formed. In the two first of these, the temporary
wooden structures for barracks and hospital., the tempo-
rary magazines, defensive works, pumps, and cisterns, have
I bean replaced almost entirely by edifices or buildings of
brick and stone. In the third place two establishments
have been formed, at St. Marie and St. Augustin, and at
this time two others are in course of formation. Thant
wen in June, 1866, on the Isle Royal, 919 forgets, all white
men; on the Isle Ls Mille, there were 221; at the Montague
d'Argent there were 189, and in Le Coast* there ware
838 ; besides which, In July, two fresh drafts, numbering
about 603 men, were introduced at the Montagne d'Argent.
It is by the labour of these criminals, assisted by two oe
three hundred persons under judicial punishment and about
a hundred sad fifty negro convicts, that the penitentiariel
have actually been formed, end that they are carried at
ander the a►le and persevering management of the officers
and agents charged with their direction. The necessary
conditions of their constitution, with the cruel embarrass-
meats caused by the yellow fever sod the climate la
general, will account for their agricultural labours, without
their having been neglected, being still to ems extant
unproductive. As regards the class of convicts said to be
transported for political offences, it may be said that, with
rate exceptions, they have come to Guinn only to exhibit
their idleness and their uselessness there.
As for their treatment on board ship, the captain of the
Brigs.. gives some detailed particulars, the preciseness of
whilst' will serve completely to rebate the false accusation
that have been made.
The clothing supplied to them at statics' was not
, uniform, but it was such as to prove the cue which has
b•ee taken to clothe the persons transpnted differently
front the forgets; they bad given to them pantaloons, pale-
tote, Weight from the Brest outfitters, woolen shirts, and
shoes or boots taken on board is the ship stock. Their food
1 was the same as that of the crew and of the de-
-1 taehment of troops on board, and vessel sailed 0$
without a commission haring tined the good
L quality of its provision,. Their water was taken from
L the nine tanks which contained the water furaished to all
the others, even the officers of the staff. Who will believe
that the Begone carried come provisions specially laid in
which were damaged, and wbich were set apart for the food
I of the peruke traseperted ? Such an insinuation Minot
itself. Back class of passengers occupied separate quarters,
sad the men had so communication with each other. Every
proceatioa was taken to prevent a mutiny, but, happily, we
►ad so occasion to have recourse to such muss; they
showed thennelves submirsive and obedi.nt to the prescribed
II orders. As for their health I spared no pairs to secure ft
The portholes were regularly opened at sunrise and closed
: at aunt. By suck insane, and thanks to the fine weather
we mj led during the voyage, I arrived at the anehmage
of Camas on the 27th of Jane without a single person on
the sick list."

Them last wcrde, "not oas on the sick list," 'Wad*
trearythiag, and ars a cemplets answer to everything.
They clearly dhprove the assertion that 'soh prisoner cm
board was allowed a space of 90 centimetres. The passengers
on board the Brlgone ware 400 persons; the venal had else
her mew of 101 men, and 50 soldiers and watchmen. The
&lions was an old 44 gun frigate, sad had beta stripped of
her gene aid warlike material, and oonverted into a
port ship. No one can suppose, therefore, that there wan
the heat raowdlog on board of bar, such being the case.
This, t►ee, is an exact and eiresisatautisl mount of all
that sesoene the persons transported, during their pang%
and sines their arrival at Ceyence. It is the simplest and
beet contradiction of the falsehoods which hare bean written
upon this subject, and with which it has been attempted In
harm upon foraLgams.