Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-11-30
0Nasbinaton seatinel
Inte .estIne letter Of John Mitchell.

former editorial associate, Inonas i'eVlh heIiy,
now at Washington, has been sent 10 the New
! York Herald for publication. II is private letter.
written on the Of his taking the bold step OF es
Gaping in the face of the authorities, without vio-
| iating his parole:
| boutwell,, VAN DIEMANs LAND, April 26, 1853.
My DEAR REILLY have now passed nearly
FIVE years in captivity TO the English enemy--iour
years, eleven months and fourteen days--ior my
days have gone by heavily and ! had time 10
count them If endure il any longer, fear the
iron will enter into my soul and corrode-l lear
the virtue, that is TO say, the pluck will have gone
out of me.
Nothing could be easier than TO escape without
risk from this den of all the devils, if we could but
condescend TO fly clandestinely, in violation OF our
word OF honor II is enough 10 say, that TO enter
tain this thought would make us as bad as the
British government.
| The parole is the only chain that binds us we
are the prisoners of our own word-not Of Sir
William Denison, and his ablect, cut-throat con-
stables.
Now, / am going TO explain to you why have
come to the determination OF formally withdraw
ing this parole, and surrenderng myself into the
hands of my jaers, who must thereafter, hold me
as they can
When the British government called me "fel-
lon,n by act Of their canting parliament, need
not tell you, my friend how loudly they lied.
need not relate how vicously they coursed me
through their pretended courts of justice--under
how fraudulent a pretence Of law they procured
what they falsely called " conviction" against
me with what wicked speed they chained me
and carried me to the ends Of the earth--any-
where out of the sight of man, (for was the en-
envy, thank God of their empire, their name, and
their nation.) | need not remind you with what
barbarian Joy their whole press screamed after
me, convict ssfelon y "traitor!' nor how MUIR
derously they have been civhzing our poor coun-
Try ever since. The present object Of my writing
is merely TO put you possession of some personal
matters which wish to explain clearly to some
friend.
Il seems that we Irish exiles have been treated
with cemency by our enemies !. This the queens
viceroy affirms for this the canting press of Eng
land takes credit. We have been exempted, they
say, from convict labor in the gangs, (Which our
crimes had deserved,) and have been indulged
with comparative liberty and ticket OF leave!
mean first to give you list of the queen.of
| Engand's acts OF clemency in my own case, and
| shall begin at the beginning
| Fira.-On the very day my mock trial closed, /
was arrayed in gray convict garments, and had my
feet bolted into iron fetters. The clothes, indeed,
/ were removed Immediately after, but not the
chains, and was carried TO the place of my en-
barkation chained, in police van with con-
stables pistol at my ear
Secoud-On the same day of my mock trial, po-
lice constables were sent break into the Office Of
my newspaper, who seized types and papers,;
broke frames, and took possession OF account
books so that those who owed debts could not be
called upon to pay them; and thus her sacred
majesty lne queen Vi ISubIdHu, FOpUcu my WHc
and children of all their means, under that false
preence of trial. and in open violation therefore,
of these laws which Qhey say) il is her sacred
office TO guard.
Ihird.--I was kept ten months in a solitary cell
Of hulk at Bermuda, and with much more rigor
and less liberty than any ofthe real convcts at
that place, inasmuch that my health failed, and
the medical superintendent informed me, and GER
| tined tot the British government, tha. it detained
there much longer must die.
Il EongyL --While law there bet ween death and
life, almost the only news that penetrated 10 me
| from the outer world informed me Of the indigna
ton Of the British parliament, press and public,
against the generous officers of their pirate ships
gentlemen worthy OF an honeser service } because
they had spoken 10 me conrteously because they
had shaken hands with me !; because they had
suffered me 10 sit in their cabins. Chains,
dungeon, and convct's rations, said the great
British public, were good enough for the felon.
So the outraged admiralty had TO make inquiries
and give explanations 10 satisfy the angry public,
and those worthy officers narrowly missed the
honor of being cashiered from the pirate service.
Now, you may Judge whether all this ferment on
such subject must not have been more calling
and singing to chained man than the actual
chains, dungeon and convict rations.
Fijfh.--After two months delay, TO consider
the medical officers report, was at length put on
board the Neptune experimental convict ship, des-
tined to run contraband cargo Of felony at the
Cape of Good Hope. The British ministers, in
deed, knew that | should most probably never
land al the Cape, where, accordingly, never did
land ; but after five months voyage 10 the Cape,
and five months detention at the Cape, all in
close, uncleau. and unhealthy cavity, under the
poop deck of the Neptune, her malesty's cemency
ordered me 10 Van Diemcn's Land. The voyage
of the Neptune, from Bermuda 10 Van Diemen's
Land, had lasted Just one year, minus thirteen
days.
Sirth--Onmy arrival here, quite disabled by long
illness, found that all the real criminals on board
the Neptune, in consideration of the hardshps Of
their long voyage and detention were 10 be land
ed free; but that ! though also had had the long
voyage and detention, and though these were a
much greater hardship to me than TO them) was
still to be kept prisoner This was more than
three years ago; and a prisoner am still.
Sepenth-Before being allowed even the "com-
parative liberty" of ticket of leave promise
was exacted from me that | would not use that
comparative liberty TO make my escape. Now,
this idea of the parole was contrlved, not out OF
courtesy, God knows to us, but as a security 10
them--the only security they could have that we
would stay one week in the island. About this
there must be no mistake. If we had been dealt
with here as any of the classes of real convicts
are-it we had got the ordinary ticket of leave
wi hout parole, had been hired out TO settlers as
pass ss-holders," we would all instantly have left
the island Then if you ask, why give the pro-
mise at all why not demand TO be put on the
footing of the genuine convicts at once the an
swer is we had no such alternative. Mr.. y Brien 4
did at first refuse but instead oil dealing with him
as with an ordinary prisoner, tney cohnneu MIN In
n remote iail under custody as rigorous as mine
was al Bermuda whereby he also was in danger
of losing his life In short, the enemy desired to
have the parole for their own security, not for
benefit; and they exacted il under the penalty Of
a lingering death in dungeon.
EighAh-The governor ofthis colony, after first
demonstrating with his employers about the con-
sideration they showed us in treating us as "gen-
tlemen'-that is, as persons capable of giving
parole Of honor at all took care at least TO make
that high privilege valueless 10 us as possible
We are subjected notwithstanding the parole) to
stricter police surveillance than the true convicts
We are not allowed 10 live in the district,
common convicts are; nor 10 visit one another,
as common convicts may; we must report our
selves to the police magistrate of our respective
dungeon districts once month, and that person
ally, so that our keepers may us face TO face,
and make us feel once month that our parole is
not altogether relied upon; whilst the real thieves
have only 10 report themselves twice in the year,
and not personally. Within the last fortnight, too
while was staying quietly at my Registered resi-
deucer here n gentleman travelling through the