Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-09-21
The Prison House of Thomas W. Dorr.

The following from the Concord, IN. H
Patriot, is terrible picture of Federal and Ju-
dietary tyranny. Seach the world over, and its
equal for cold bloodcd, execrable oppression,
will not be found. What has it come to this |
that for the free expression Of political opinions,
a man is TO be immured in dungeon, the light |
of heaven almost denied him, the intercourse of
friends prohibited and all the degradation ofthc
felon heapcd upon him with Internal industry |
Such is the fact And in free America in the |
nineteenth century, is this revolving tragedy en-.
acted Let the press speak out in deep and
deeper tones of Indignation against this foul
wrong ARGUS.
The Oppression OF Dorr.
The treatment of the upright Dorr by his op-
pressors in Rhode Island is drawing forth from
every lover of liberty, deeper and deeper exccra.
zion. The history of no despotism in Europe
is stained by more inhuman cruelty and deliber.
ate magnity. is confined in small
room, with damp walls and hoor Of granite.
The only avenue of light and air is from an o.
pening above, through which he may peer aud
catch glimpse OF the sky, or perchance, in the
solitary, weary night by dint of watching, glad
den his sight with the view Of star. He Is
| allowed TO hold no intercourse with any person,
either verbally or in writing. His keepers sui
lenly push his fare to him through a hole, just
large enough for the purpose. There he is left
10 wear on; the tedious hours, by day, in the
] frtv e TO- b,
night in the gloomy contemplation of the ma.
! lice, the barbarity and tyranny of his oppressors
! He Is doomed 10 solitary confinement, and this
discipline, according to statement made bc
! the Warden OF the Rhode Island dungeon to the
! Chaplain ofo State Prison, a few weeks since
in Concord, produces insanity in every fourth
prisoner. Tue Algerne dungeon is so dcst.
tu,e of comfort, so naked Of humanity, so terri.
bic in its effects upon the mind, that one out oi
every four prisoners is punished by the nflic-
tion Of insanity What mode of punis shment
is that which visits upon the subject the calam-
Ity OF robbery Of reason The English mon
archy dares commit no such outrage. O'Con.
nell has large and airy rooms, and is permitted
to and converse with and correspond with
friends. The ministers of Charles Y OF France
after the revolution of the three DAYS, having
been tried and convicted of high state offences,
were confined in a fortress, where they were
INDUCED IN spacious apartments and the mos
humane treatment consistent with confinement
So II is with German and Austrian prIsonCrS ut
state now IN confinement We have lately
seen statement, that they are allowed to walk
| upon the batrlemcnts of the fortress IN winch
they are confined, and play upon such lnstru-
ments as they pleased. Bot in Rhode Island,
in this age and generation, we have the only
instance ola prisoner, confined for political Of
fence, and plunged into dismal dungeon, smo-
thered in the luted air, and deprived of light
and the society OF his tciioH-mcn. The cuwar.
dice, the meanness, the contempt OF the name
and principles OF liberty the utter want OF feel
ing, and the brutality and the drpravIty of the
villains who would make Dorr mad with mise,
ry, are detestable beyond all forms of expires.
sion.