The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-08-19

AT the request of many citizens we publish to
day the card OF Mr.. +. X. Howard, alluded to in
our issue of Saturday. The copies of the Daily
Ne''S containing it, were sold out at very early
hour IN this city, and many persons DESTROYS of OBJ
tanning the letter, were unable to do so.
From The " z. Daily Ne,osi
The Political Prisoners at lFori La Eayc,te,
To the Editor Of the Ne,o York DaHy Ne,ra
crave permission to make, through the columns
OF your influential journal, statement of the I'M
paralieled wrongs which have been inflicted upon
certain citizens of the State of MARYLAND one of
whom | am bound, by every obligation to defend
and vindicate. i should not in any ordinary case
obtrude what some may choose to consider indvi-
duai grievances upon the public but in the present
instance the laws and the Constitution have been
tyrannically trampled under foot, and this | con-
ceve to be matter of vital concern to every citj
zen OF TINS and every other State. Denied all re-
dress before the legal tribunals of the land I be-
eye 1t to be no less my duty than nv rig hit to make
an appeal at the bar of public opinion. Subjected
to a despotism which | am pOwerless to resist m
instincts as an American freeman prompt me at
least to denounce it while the privilege of free
speech is still left me.
lou have already informed your readers of the
fact that three of the Police Commissioners of Bal.
tlmore are now close prisoners in Fort LAFAYETTE
One OF them is my father; and on their behalf de-
sire to lay before this community brief statement
OF the circumstances under which they were ar
rested and are now confined. 1t is for the people
OF New Y ork to indorse the arbitrary proceedings
of the Government, and to refuse their svrnnat6v
to Its victims, II they so pease--it is my duty to
see that the position of those for whom speak is
not misunderstood or misrepresented.
On the lst day of July, at o'clock in the morn
ing, the houses of the Police Commissioners in Bal
tmore We're surrounded by large bodies of troops
and without warrant or form of law those citizens
were arrested and carried to Fort McHenry There
they remained until the 10Th dav of july During
all that period they endeavored in vain, to discoy
a IA of aba L.
supposed the Federal Government designed to pre-
fer against them. General Banks, who had ordered
their arrest, had nothing to aege in paliation of
that act but the fact that they declined to recog-
niZe his right to dispace and appoint at pleasure
the officers Of the police force of Baltimore Save
this frivolous accusation none has been brought
agant them, and none can be suggested or sus-
tanned.
The Grand Jury of the United States Court.
whose members had been selected by Marshal of
Mr.. Lincon's own appointment, was in session at
and some weeks subsequent to the time. The Com
missoDers awaited its action, but onIy to learn
that the Grand Jury had adjourned without being
able to find any pretext upon which to indict them
Congress was sitting in Washington, and they sent
1t memorial, setting forth, in respectful language
the outrage perpetrated upon them, and asking an
Investigations but Congress treated the application
with contempt. The Government grew weary an
parently of these persistent and open demands for
justice and the Doth of July it ordered all those
against whom it could not procure indictments to
now lying, unconvicted and unaccused.
1t has been their misfortune to differ with Mr.
Lincoln in regard to the policy which he is pursu-
ing, and this constitutes their crime. They, to-
gether with large portion of the people of this
section OF the nation, constitute the minority which
is opposing, in all lawful ways, the prosecution of
war which they believe to be necessarily destruc-
tive of our institutions and runous to the country
and for this ofense they are punished. Any asser-
ton that they have committed or counived at any
act which. nj loyp
be regarded illegal, and still less as reasonable
is utterly and palpably false.
Since they have been confined in Fort La Fayette,
they have been denied privileges which are usually
accorded to the most abandoned felons
in the TOmbs. | have in vain solicited from the
War Department and from General Scott permits
sion to visit my father. lie and the six of his un-
fortunate companions compelled to live to-
gether in one small, damp cssemate. They are not
a'iowed to correspond with their wives and chill
uTeh, unless the commanding officer at Fort Ham,
ton lnspects and approves the letters of both par
tiss; nor are they even suffered to receive the daily
papers. deprived of the society Of their friends |
and cut OIL from all familiar intercourse with their
families, and from such communication with the |
outer world as newspaper would afford Them
they languish in Government fortress in this bar
oor in situation precisely similar to that of the
hapless captives of some Oriental despot.
Such are the main facts of the case which deem |
my duty to lay before the people of this CITY, If
ney believe that the Constitution and the laws |
rave suihclentlv provided for the punishment of |
nose VINO violate them, and that it can never be
eeessary or Justiiiabe to set up military dictator
mp to uphold the one or to enforce the other: if
hey hold that under any system of government or
nder any circumstances whatever, it is an afro
lous thing to Cypress men for their opinions, or
unlsh citizens because they are suspected, then
hey will, trust, accord to the prisoners in Fort
"a Fayette their cordial sympathy, and such aid as
may yet be in their power to render them. For
his these sufferers think they have right to look
.edress they cannot obtain. They can only con.
niue to assert their rights and to denounce the
'rongs which have been done them. Having ven-
ured thus inadequately to do this in their behalf
leave the issue with their countrymen.
Nvw Won. F. X. Howard.