Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-10-15
From the New York Times. -u.. F..
THE GALLEY SLAVES AT TOULON.

1t is not to be expected that one can speak Of
of Toulon without saying word of the galley
slaves or forcate. There are, in the arsenal and
yards. 800, who do all the heavy work. They
drag the materials about, and some are employed
in saving timber. The worst are attached in
couples by heavy chains passing around the ankles
and waists. and linked together. The better be-
haved are allowed to 60 sngy, ironed in the same
way, with the exception Of the connecting chain
they are clothed in coarse CANVASS truwsers and
shirts branded with their numbers, and a wooden
jacket. Those who condemned !or life wear \
long green, peakless cay. something like a night
cap with the top cut off; and mado square. On
The front Of the cap is tin plute with the num-
Der of the wearer punched out. The con victs VIII,
are condemned for number of years distin-
guished from the others by red caps, and those
who have been mure than once to Bagne, by the
yellow sleeves to their jackets.
Their faces. close shaven, bronzed by exposure
to the sun, and brutalzed by crime, are fearful to
behold and their repulsive appearance is height
ened by their hair being notchcd short, in lines
running round the head, in order to facilitate their
recognition should they escape. AT light they
lie down on inclined lengths Of planking, Wi ihout
ma,,rass or coverngn twenties or thirties, and an
iron rod is through the leg chains of each, SO
that no one can move withou. the rest. Their
food consists of brown bread, not all wheaton flour
soup. and haricot et 1eres beans. No wine or to-
bacco is allowed. but the e'convicts allowed to
receive l0f. month from their friends, with which
they may purchase any eatabe they please. The
greatest and most degrading punishment which
must also be the greatest obstacle to reformation
is claiming the men IN couples. Youths Gver six
teen may be seen chained to old men tainted with
every vice. ..-.
Walking or sleeping the compa9nons de cAaine
are never sepai ated, until freedom death removes
one of them, In spite of the hideous costume and
revolving apr earance of the .torcats, there were
some who still exhibited traces of their former po-
sition. whose gentility, so to speak, pierced
through their convict garb. One in particular
standing nearly six feet high. and who intenty
watched the arrival of wounded French soldiers
from Italy, struck me on account of the perfect
ease and grace with which he moved, bowling to
the guardians passing by, although his actions
were accompanied by the horrid clanking of his
chains. At the time of my visit was told that
there we're them among the forcates, COL de Cercy.
who commanded regiment at Marseies in 1851
who was charged with the execution of the coup
d'estat in his town, and who was subsequently
convicted Of escroquerie; Capt. Donelu, CAef dun
bureau Arab, convicted of having consp ed to
murder an Arab chief; Lieut.. de Mercy convicted
OF having, unfairly, and with permeditaton,
slain another officer, when tipsy. in duel the
chief army accountant, (chef romptabie,) who was
sent to the Crimea; the two managers Of the bank
of Toulon and six abbes land there are more who
manage to keep their former calling secretly
An EN- nent painter is chained to a distinguish
ed memSer of the Paris bar, and between them
they keep the accounts of one department. of the
prison, whio of lawyers and notaries there is no
end Among the torecats are men of all nations,
as of all ranks in sucety. We contribute ou rquota.
one-an Englishman, who was arrested at Calais,
with forged notes in his possession, and who. there
is every reason to believe. was guiltless of any
criminal intention. lie has recently brought to