The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-11-18
Letter from John NIitchefl.


The Ereemen's Journal publishes letter from
the convict, John Mitchell. 1t is dated Both
well, Van Dieman's Land, May ], 1852. He
! says There is but little change here of late
except that O'AIeagher has escaped but Of
course you know all about this already We
| seldom come into collision with our keepers
here, and they seem disposed to let US alone il
our misconduct be not too outrageous l was
locked up, indeed, for night and day, in
Launceston goal, about n year ago /; but my
misconduct had been very gross. had hurried
down to Launceston, to meet my wife, SO quick
| that the official notification of my journey had
not arrived before me. To be sure this was the
fault Of the convict potentates themselves but
never complain or demonstrate. In truth, it
is good for US, now and then (while we remain
in the power of those pirates), to bear the key
grating In the lock of British dungeon it
acts as gentle stimulant or tonic. SO that |
think of taking it regularly once "A year or so.
How time runs The 18th of this months it
will be four years since Lord Clarendon, in the
interest of law and order, shut me up IN New
gate 1 begin to think now that 1 can spare
y e,
and hardly miss them. Speaking of law and
order-why have you all been vituperating Lord
Clarendon for hiring Birch. 1t was his duty. as
British governor, to buy public opinion for
support of that government, seeing that it was
not to be had for nothing-nay, to plant, to ere
ate $50 demoralsed is that country a sound and
healthy public opinion, by means of Birch, and
I 1ISfr hut 70 op1
Jealous agricultural viceroy as lie is, for propa
CATION of the same. Do you seriously quarreI
with him for this ? Was it worse. pray. TO buy
an editor than to pack my jury yet. all the
world knew that his Excellency had done this
Granted once that British dominion is TO be
maintained in Ireland, and all the rest follows
You cannot have your British Government
Magma Charta, you know, and then quarre
with the means. Sir, your viceroy is au en-
Hghtened nobleman, and knows political econe-
my and free trade What was he not TO buy
his birch in market overt ? am sure he paid
for him. Was he not TO get public opinion made
to order, and encourge Irish manufacture -
Had he not found il necessary, in support Of the
same law and order, 70 arraigu me before his
o7u castle jurors, by special appointment ju
rors 20 the Lord-Lieutenant And to DO thi
did he not feel it his duty, though with regret
only for time 10 trample on the law which !,
was his Office TO guard to make sheriff swear
that his excellency's jurors were good and law
ful men and impartially empaneled +? To turn
good judges into bad actors, and the assizes into
a tragi-comedy? And he is now to be held up
TO execration because he merely engages the
services of an able and jealous literally
thing which needed no swearing at all, but only
trife of money? You are fsctious. you are
factiOus. I tell you that in maintenance ofBrit-
ish law and,order my Lord Clarendon was bound
not only to purchase public opinion with his
own honest money but, if necessary, TO violate
(for the public good the very law he was win
vicating,' to,conjure with ballot-bo1 and jury
box as the jugglers do, and to change the pure
well-head of justice into a foul mother Of dogs.
But all this only for time. Lord bless you
just to avert, it were, the danger then threat
ening law and order. Nothing could be further
from his Excellencys intention, am sure, than
bosom friend for life ofhis own bought Birch
but the British government in Ireland must be
maintained. Now, this is my humble vindca-
ton of the policy of the ablest and most ameli-
would print it his lordship will, perhaps, value
it the more as coming from political oppo-
nent' -