The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-23
Interest,ns Letter Of John Mitchell

Interesting Letter OF John Mitchell.
The following letter from John Mitchell 10 his
frmer editorial associste, Thomas Devin Reilly nov
at Washington, has been sent us for publication. 1t
is private letter, written the eve OF his taking
the bold step Of escaping in the face OF the anthor
ties, without violating his parole bu. Mr.. Reilly de-
siIes to have it pub ished and we accordingly give
it to our readers, complete =
boutwell,, VAN DIEMRs's LAsD,
April %, 1853.
MY DEAR RRILLY-I have now passed nearly
five years in captivity to the English enemy-four
years, eleven months, and fourteen days; for my
days have gone by heavily, and had time to count
them. If endure it any longer, fear the iron will
enter into my soul and corOde-l fear the virtue,
that's 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, II could but
ccndescend to fly clandestiney in violation of our
word of honor. It is enough to say, that to enter
tain this thought would make rs 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 abject cut throat constabes.
Now, am going to explain to you why have
come to the determination Of formally withdrawing
this parole and surrenScring myself into the hands
of my jailers who must thereafter hold me % they
can.
When the British government called me felOn,"
by act Of their eanting Parliament, need not tell
you my friend low loudly they lied. need not re-
late how viciously they coursed me through their
pretended courts Of justice-under how fraudulent
a pretence Of law they procured what they falsely
called "eonviciion against me; with what
wicked sYeed they chained and carried me to the
ends OF The arth-an5 where out OF the sight of man,
(for was the enemy, thank Cod Of their empire,
their name. and their nation) need not remind
you with what barbarian joy their whole press
screamed after me, convict ~ !" feloD ~ /" traitor y
lor ow murderously they have been civilizing our
poor country ever since. The pre- ent obieet 4
writing is merely to put you in possession of some
personal matters, which wish to explain clearly to
some friend.
1t seems that we Irish exiies have been treated
with clemency by our enemies This the Queens
viceroy sfirms tor this the csnting press OF Eng
land takes credit. We have beea exempted, they
say, from convict labor in the gangs, (which our
crimes had deserved) ard have been INDUCED with
comparative Liberty and ticket OF leave
| mean first 20 give You list Of the Queen of Eng
lar as acts OF clemehcy IN my own case. and shall
begin AT the beginning
First On tbe very day my mock trial closed,
wos arrsled IN gray convict garments, and had my
feet boted into iron fet'ers. Ibe clothes, indeed,
we're removed imme diatey after, but not the chains
and was carried to the place OF 10Y embarkation
Chained III police van, with . constaoles pistol at
my ear.
Second-On the same day Of my N, * trial. police
constables we're sent to break into the Office Of my
newspaper, who seized types aud pagers, broke
frames, and took possess OF account books 50 sdat
those who owed debts could not be called upon TO
pay them and thus her sacred Majesty the Queen
Of England robbed my wife aud children of al their
means, nnder tbat faEe pretence Of trial ana in
open violation, tteleore, Of these laws with (hey
say IL is her sacred Office to guard.
1hhd-I Has kept ten months Ia solitary cell OF
a hulk at Bermuda, and with much more rigor aud
less liberty than aDy OF the real cOnyicts IT that
place, inscmuc1 that my health failed and the med
Cal supelin endent informed me, and certified to the
British government. that If detained there much
longer must Ole.
Four,b-Whie I lay there between death ard
life almost the only that penetrated to from
the outer world, informed me of the indignation OF
the British Parliament, press, and public, against
the generous officers OF their pirate ships, gentle.
men worthy Of honester seryice,) because they
had spoken to me courteously because they had
shaken haLd DIS with me because they had suffered
me TO sit in their cabins Chains, a dungeon, and
eohvcts rstons the great British pubic, were
coed enough Tor the teion. SO the aged Admt
raity had 10 make inquiries and give eS pianatlnns
10 satisfy tie angry pubic, ard hose Enrhy officers
narrowly missed the honor OF beiog Gathered rom
the pirate service. Now, you may JUDGE whether al
this iermen6 on such subject must not have bsen
calling AID singing 10 chained mar than the
actual chs us, dur geoD, and cony CT rati0ns.
Ffth-Ater a two Uonths' delay, to consider the
mecica officers report, at length put board
the Neptune experimental convict snip destined 20
run cottraband cargo OF felony at Tie Cape o.
Good Hole. The British Ministers, indee;, knew
that should nost probably never land at tie Cape,
where, accordingly never old snd nut after
five months voyage to the Cape aud five months de
tention at the Cape, al ia close, uncean, and
healthy cavity under the poop deck OF the Neptune,
he Mali clpmapsv m Van mi "a
LaDd. The voyage Of the Neptune, from Bermuda
to Van Diemeb's Land, had lasted jest one year,
minus thirteen days.
Sixth-On my arrival here quite disabled by long
illness found that all the real criminals on board
the Nepture in consideration Of the hard-hips Of
their long ", yage and dttenton, we're to be landed
free; but that (tbough | also had mad the long
voyage ard detention AID though these much
greater hardship TO ttan to ihem) still to be
Kept prisober This vas than three years
ago and prisoner ! ana still
Seventh-Before bsing allowed even the " COM
parative liberty" Of ticket ofleave, promise was
exacted from me that would no; use that compare
tive liberty to make my escape. Now, this idei of
the Parole contryed nOs out Of courtesy, God
knows 10 US but 4, a security to them-the only Sc
curiiy hey could have that would stay one week
in the island. About this there mnst be mistake.
If We hao been de8t with here as oy OF the classes
of real cOnyicts are- we had got the ordinary tick
etof-leave without parole, or had been hireo out to
settlers Us "pass.holdels," we would all INSTANTLY
bave left the islard Then if you ak, why give the
promise az all why not demand ~ be put on the
footing OF The genuine cohyicts at once the
is, we had no such alternative. Mr.. o Bren did al
first refuse; but instead o. dealing with him with
an ordinary prisoner they confined him in remote
Jail, under custody rigorous mine at Bermu-
da, whereby be also in danger Of losing his life
In short, the enemy desired 10 have the parole for I
their security not for our benefit; and they ex-
acted il under the penalty Of lingering death in
dungeon.
Eighth-The Governor Of this colony, after first |
demonstrating with his employers about the consd. |
GRAFTON they showed us in treating us as gent,emen"
that is persons capable ofgving parole of honor
al a-took at least 10 make thas high privilege
vaueess TO possible. We are subjected
Notwithstanding the parole) to stri tier polioe-sur
velante yhsn the true ccnyicts. Weara not allowed
TO i've il tie ostii g. a. common convicts re
nor TO visit one another, a. common convics may
we must report ourselves to the police magistrate OF