The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-08-29
LETTER FROM J. NJ. BARRETT TO
HIS FATHER.
From the (CincinnatD Daily Globe.

WY Dear falIleT: 1Ou nave ntei ~"
correctly Informed by the newspapers. ! am
indeed in prison, and would have informed you
Sooaer, hat how could pain your kind heart
by the sad news? Oh! with a fathers tender.
ness you reared me and have loved me, and in
your old days have broush sorrow and atllIc.
ton upon you. i pains me, my father, it pains
me to my hearts core. You say in your letter
to the Clerk here, that left you with IA charac-
ter untarnished. My father, you will believe
me, you will love me, let the world say what
they will of mel have committed no crime,
been guilty of no deed that ought to bring re.
proach or cenSure upon any one.
No, |, for whom you feel so much soIlcltudr,
although | am in prison ana may never see you
again in this world. have not stained your name
with iE,ny by the commission of any crime.
am charged here with having circulated db0-
oliion documents. Now, my father, you will
believe me, have circulated no documents Of
any kind in the State Of South Carolina, nor
violated any law Of the State, so far as know.
Bear it in mind that tell You so, and although
death may close my eyes in eternal sleep before
see you again, when you shall hear that ap.
pearances are against me, and see my name
persed in the public prints, remember what
told you, and treasure in your heart that am
innocrnt-,hai - -" niciin of ~" ot"o"tc"'
,n;..-..,.uct, anil mfutuaiion Of others, and that
| now suffer for what others have done, and for
which they ongkt to he responsible.
My storj is simply this: | came here as an
agent Of L. Harwood g. Co., of Cincinnati, to
procure materials for publishing gazette.
came here in the early part of the season, in.
tending to 90 North as the weather grew warm
er, and finally around to our old home in Flr.
ginia-thence to Cincinnati aud to Dublin.
found documents alioat in the Stale which we're
obnoxious to the people, AMI which gave me
soEls trouble, as people suspected me for having
some connection with them. But knowing
myself clear Of their circulation, Tel, no fears,
and proceeded with my labors. came to this
place with an anxioas heart, for had written
to Sarah, and expected an answer at this place
from one whom tenderly love my dear sister.
As soon as had taken lodgings at IL hotel,
the people came upon Ine with Two letters, one
from Dublin. which was much pleased 10 see,
bu, on opening it, oh, Sarah it panied me, it
was not from you. Why did you moi, my dear
sister, write ule simple letter as requested
Then, perhaps, | M; ght have escapedthis prison.
But don't blame you in the easl-nor do |
blame Mr.. johnson, for know he intended no
harm, but his letter injured me. The other let
ter was anonymous, and contained a few Nos.
of this same obnoxious document, which the
writer requested me to circulate. 1t was
enough-lhe people were excited, and threw
,ne into prison instantly, where have since
remained. Crhis was the 9Th Junc.)
Since then other documents have been sent
me, making the same request. The documents
were all close J enveloped, addressed to persons
in the State, and | was requested to drop them
into pos, offices along my way. Thus was
made to circulate them wIthout knowing what
they were. But did not circulate any Of them.
The first that came 10 me was at this place,
and there is perhaps nothing in the law against
me at lca>, the attorneys have employed,
and my own jul men! is, lhat 'hs!e is Dkbk kls GE pE
J "y Geihplnyers VIII / came here for, and i!
could lind The man who sent me the documents,
which may yet do, that they were sent to me
without my knowledge or consent. And this
ought certainly to set NE especially since
they can have nothing against me but vague
circumstances. The people are excited, how.
ever, and it will be hard for me 10 have fair
hearing.
The penalty is one thousand dollars fine and
one years Imprisonment in the counp prison.
can be bailed out al ono thousand dollars, and
this mus, be in cash deposited here.