Arkansas intelligencer., 1848-06-17
From the Boston Courier
Extract Of a letter from IFasIiHgion.1

= i 80"
VISIT TO THE PRTsoN. In this ra III.
erng place Of the knowing men and great rogues
of the land, there was one person whom | was
most desrous Of seeing and rendering honor 10.
and whom first sought. And where do vou
think | sought him? la the White Houso-in the
Senate-n the Speakers chair? Mol But in the
prison-locked up alone in n gloomy dungeon.
that had no window, or chair, or bed-that offered
him only its stono walls TO lean against when
weary, and its stone floor to lie down upon when
he sought sleep.
1t was only with much trouble and difficulty.
and with the aid of men who are held in fear by
the powers that be, - lhat | was allowed to visit
him.
You know, Of course, whom NATURALIZATION.
the chief actor in the late noble and daring nj
tempt to free iour-scare human beings from sa-
very and degradation. lie seems made for
soldier In such u cause a bold, stern determined
man, ready TO do battle unto the dealt i'm the
cause of right. lie is in the fullness Of manhood.
a tall, statwart fellow, whose strongly marked
features and Sicaay eye denote character and
courage, and whose open and ingenious counte-
nance inspires confidence and respect. He will
have need, | fear, Of all his vigor of body. and
all his strength OF mind, to bear up against the
cruel treatment which has already begun, and
which may last until his frame, now 50 vigorous
and erect, is bowed down with age, and his eve.
now so clear and stern, is dimmcd with the shad-
Ows of death.
He is aware Of his position and his danger in
deed, he was well aware Of the risk he ran. and
counted tho COST before he set out upon his enter
prize, and provided for lis family in case Of his
capture. He is in the iron grin of the law
made by Shareholders themselves to protect what
they call their property in the bodies and souls Of
human beings, and made rs sharp and as strong
as the wit OF wicked men could make it. The
Jaw, too, IS administered with cruelty that is
revoItIng. The man has been kept, till now, an
secret, as it is called by the few European gov
ernmenis which still preserve this relic Of nquisi-
torial treatment. He is considered cuilty-ho is
virtually refused bail-he is cut OFF from commu-
mon or correspondence with his frends-hc is
put 10 the torture of solitude and suspense-he is
treated, IN short, worse than would be felon or
murderer And all this crueity-where and for
whaF Why, in the capital, and under the FLAG.
OF that people whose shibboleth is ..Hberly. /"
whose creed is the right Of every man to the pur-
suit Of happiness and for the crime Of helping
men to pronounce that shibboeth, and live by
that creed
The excitement among tho Shareholders is still
Intense,-ther wrath is still hot, and they mean
to mako Drayton drag out life of misery and be
a living beacon TO deter others attempting TO
knock off the shackles of their slaves. The oun-
Ishment for stealing slave, with view of selling
him, is imprisonment for from seven to twenty
years, at hard labor; for taking him with VIEW
- " -Ai->N Ali-i ~ LibEhi IL is payment oil his
market UdfUe, fine of two hundred dollars. and
imprisonment in the iail
with refinement of cruelty, they mean to try
to convict Droyton OF the crime of stealing slaves
for his own gain; and, lest he might live twenty
years, and then go out grey headed man from
his prison, they mean to bring an indictment for
each slave whom he tried to carry off,
Failing in the attempt to convict hin, of tho
first offence, they mean to convict him of tho
second, and in the one way or the other. to qIn,
their vengeance upon him.