Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-09-15
X / G. III MOND WIG.
HORRIBLE TREATMENT OF FRENCH POLITICAL
PRISONERS AT TCAYENNE-LErTERF FROM LOUIS

iohhibLE TREATMENT OF FRENCH POLITICAL
PRISONERS AT TCAYENNE-LErTER FROM LOUIS
BLANC.
IoAe Editor ofhs Londo. 7Tuaes:
Sra: In February. 1859 received . Letter ,b.,
signed as follows: "FAssez political prisoner tr.n.nor
ted in June, lsss Who Ia. now been o,L;,s %,
nonh'. like many Others among his fellow sufferers, up
-r chain 20 pounds 10 weight With cannon hal. a, the
I'D ofnr
IN mat ietter dated st Joseph Island Of DESPAIR Sen
"rr' ioo' the grauitous and unheard acts of bar
'"v we're stated which are inflicted at Cayenne upon
" oeoighg !" all classes Of society-atis.s tradesmen
~ofkmen' br-'"s, phy-icians farmers iouralsts sbol
s-'nese me" wing been voenty driven out of their
DOT :" eons-qnenee Of any lawful Judgement but
he mere impulse OF :Oiticsl pa. sions vas r.oue.
ed 70 lay before the civilized world the hsart r.nd.ng
'etail-, ~hieh did as far my power went
ee 'hat per,oi no change whaieyer appears to have
Aeh place IN the situation oi these unfortunate peoo.
"ho are subjected TO forced Labor rardr foreesl on
oney rock surrounded 5y the sea- at distance OF abopt
5000 miles from their native land
sk months ago letter was for " .rle IN M. -
lating what follows: W e
livery snip that comes from the presidential shore Of
CAyenne brings the death of victim The latest vic
in reret some time Major Of Bezers most generon
"eated man, feeling acuely while he vas rich that
DIS creatures Were pershng OF hunger and ready
spare neither his fortune his life the cause of bu
"Ah'y Having been deported to Cayenne without trial
or resisting the coup fetat Of the 2d of December he ,
enped with six fellow prisoners to escape from ,h,
"'lg ton'o. They put to sea at night in a boat Two
Per tar
ed ia his cloak, was drowned The six Others
But What an eIisence For two DAYS tbey lived on
'n' nsh they could find desoate rock in the midst
OF the ocean that threatened moment to
lem At last one OF them resolved to risk his life for the
rest Seeing no succor come he threw hm-n into the
"a aiu after three hours swimming reached the land
0hhaPpny the land was French Guiana He could onlv
ase his lie on condition OF surrenderinv hins.f ~
-oher bis hve companions rescued from the AZ.
.ouing sea only to be into another dungeop-tomb
for tomb" '
Now Sir here is third letter which hes lust rv,cb.a
10 H. Louis Blanc those deported Cayenne with urgent
request TO make public this appeal:
those deported to French Guiana make an the
ceilings ofJustice and humanity of all homes. men 20 r..
ever party they may belong.
Al Tue Very moment when much is spoken in France
Of clemency and generosity vhl- 40 mspv ,.;,;." - w
uing themselves with the hope OF claspins To tb-r
ne dear ones whose absence they have so long
w PoeA' rGums are treated In French Guiana in a man
ner worthy oil the darkest ages OF barbarity
IL certainly painful task unvei such an account
"eu,r!, out now Is It possible To pass in silence
The unjust and cruel behavior Of French Officers ,ovs
'neir ehoW countrymen: Let il be known therefore
mat We are uuspeakaby tortured on the imsiest nrte
Ee sne people deceived by the solemn declarations OF
iIeheh government think perhaps that every prison
open and that We at liberty Let il be known for
Instance that out OF five lately arrested for some tall
A oee the fancy oi an overseer to invent two were
oeu 20 stake and dealt with as the vile criminals
va uer being reluctant TO submit TO an gnominous num-
shmeni soldiers were called for Who rushing upon th.
victims, bruised them with blows tore of he;, hes,
ahu reckless OF shtieks with which wild beasts would have
moved bound them with cords as TO make the
blood gush ~
10 relate all suffer is more than we can possbly
10 Our cheeks kndle with shame and our hearts are
Neeung Suthce II TO say that while the French Govern
nent has its clemency cried up everywhere there sr
frcnchmen in Guiana who do gasp for life Nor are thcy
moved the soourn OF the Island OF Despsir horrible as il
- oAroarous administrators drag them VIOLENTLY on The
Continent to compel them to labor of EIGHT bon-s A.
~ e mnrshy forests from which pestilentia vapors are
continually rising.
NJ. .,,t,
hurderous attempt; We claimed promised liberty The
His~er Is ''dedh! "a magnanmous answer after the
| Irth OF princel '-
Is there indeed for any other prospect bu,
ieathE With no proper food, garments no shoes no
wine since February last there any chance that we
'hoaid be long able TO bear both the influence of an
n.ueng 'oll aud deadly cimates Again, where is the
law which assmilates political proscripts TO galley slaves
From beneath the brutal force that weighs upon u. heap
ed up together almost oreathes but by the
we dr" from the saeredness of and our
hope IN the triumph oijustce protest against the yio
enee which offered TO May public opinion be moved
al our misfortunes and energecay rise against deeds
80 well calculated to bring to shame reputed the
most enlightened and civilized in the worldY
Berbeje Alexandra, Gilbert, Goret Boudn, Jeceealy
Dan,e, kerniahd, Sofroi Pech Guerard, Bonnassiole
Saleles susini, Beaufour Lacour, Bockensky Laiond
Dime Gustave, Pelletier Dessae BjouI Dore RAYMOND
Aeuniere. Cayet Casnac, Frson Patdouani Labrousse
Ailhaud. Davau1, Bvors, Perrimond Chaudron Ptiol
Caudret, Caumette, Hollas.
These the lines SIR the insertion OF which in YOUR
columns earnestly request not a. Repubican-not
| even as trenchman-but as for this is not
question OF political feeling III of simple Justice and
humanity. Letit be carefully remembered that the tor
tured victims are men who have been tried by any
lawful court nor prosecuted by any form of law II lies
IN your power Sir-as said similar oecasion-that
goans they utter from the place where they are
speak, buried alive, should be heard in the world of the
living The French press is gagged and whoever has re-
Gently resided in Frabce msst Of necessity KNOWS stated
n letter addressed by Mr. ATroUN TO the most nfuen-
a paper IN this country-hat when the press is con-
oed by an arbitrary Government species Of nius
uce obong and oppression may be perpetratd uncom-
mented upon and even unknown the great majority Of
the population Such being the case in France the Ii.
oery o the kngsh press remains the only possible
Tor the oppressed to have the justice of
east examined lsppy therefore to the English press
and that all the more confidently since read The Times
few days ego THE pressi is emphaticay the repre-
senaives Of the people wisely directed il guards the
Interests OF all classes and conditions Of society and
has right in turn TO the sympathes and assistance
| Of all"
remain, Sir your most Obedent servant,
August 2S. LOUIS BLANC.