New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-12-07


ette had paper torn from her bosom by lawless
hands, and that even change of linen had to be
effected in sightof her brutal captors. 1t Is my sad
experience to record even more revolving ontrages
than that, for during the first days of my mprison
ment, whatever necessity forced me TO seek my
chamber, detective stood at the open door. And
thus for period of seven days ], with my little
child, was placed absolutely at the mercy OF men
without character or, responsibility (; that during
the first evening, portion of these men became
brutally drunk and boasted in my hearing Of the
mice times" they expected to have with the fe,
male prisoners; and that rude violence was used
towards colored servant girl during that evening,
the extent of which have not been able to learn.
| For any show of decorum afterwards practieed
towards me, was indebted to the detective called
| CAPTAIN Dennis. q ~ ID --r-p1r. q. ~ -
In the careful analysis of my papers, I deny the
| existence of line | had not perfect right to
| have written, or to have received Freedom OF
| speech and of opinion is the birthright OF Amerl-
| cans, guaranteed to us by our Charter of Liberty
! the Constitution of the United States. have eX-
ercsed my prerogauve, and have openly ayowed
my sentiments During the political struggle,
| opposed your Republican party with every instinct
| of self-preseryation. ! believed your success a
| vrtua! notification of the Constitution, and that
would entail upon all the direful consequences
which have ensued These sentiments have doubt
| less been found recorded among my papers, and
| hold them as rather proud record OF my saga
| ctyfA
| / must be permitted to quote from letter of
yours, in regard to Russell of the London Times,
| which you conclude with these admirable words
Individual errors of opinion may be tolerated, so
| long as good sense is left to combat them" By
way of illustrating theory and practice here am
l. prisoner in sight of the Executive Mansion, in
sight of the Capitol where the proud statesmen Of
our land have sung their pens to the blessings Of
our free institutions. Comment is idle. Freedom
| of speech, freedom of thought, every right per-
tanning to the citizen, has been suspended by what
| / suppose the President calls g military neces,
sity." A blow has been struck, by this total dis
regard of all civil rights, against the present sys-
tenn of Government, far greater in its effects than
the severance of the Southern States. Our people
have been Taught to contemnz the supremacy of
the law, to which all have hitherto bowed, and to
look to the military power for protection against
its DEGREES. A military spirit has been developed
which will only be subordinate TO military die
tatorshp Read history, and you will find that the
| causes which bring about revolution rarely pre-
4 dominate its close, and no people have ever re,
turned to the point from W hieh they started. Even
should the Southern States be subdued and forced
back into the Union, (Which regard as impos
sible, with a full knowledge of their resources) q
different form of government will be found needfu
to meet the new developments of national charac
ter. There is no class of society, branch of in
dustry, which this change has not reached, and the
dull, plodding, methodical habits of the poor car
n never be resumed. -. 4
You have held me, sir, to a mans accounta
bility, snd therefore claim the right to speak OF
subjects usually considered beyond womanf
ken, and which You may class as " errors o
opinion" / offer no excuse for this long dgres
|
formula of law, gives me authority for occupying
even the precious moments of a Secretary o
| State. .| ai .-' ..".. f-.. .-
My object is to call your attention to the fac
that during this long imprisonment, | am ye
ignorant of the causes of my arrest; that my hous
has been seized and converted into prison by tn
Government; that the valuable furniture it con
tained has been abused and destroyed; that dur
ing some period of my Imprisonment have suftere
greatly for want Of proper and sufficient food
Also, have to complain, that, more recently,
woman of bad character, recognized as hayin
been seen on, the streets of Chicago as such, b.
several of the guard, calling herself Mrs. Ondel
donk, was placed here in my house, in a room ad
joining mine. ..,.D ...a a,.. -7-, .@4.s@5
In making this exposition, have no object o
| appeal to your sympathies. If the justice of IN
!, complaint and decent regard for the world
l. opinion do not move you, should but waste tim
! to claim your attention on any other score.
u | may, however, recall to your mind that, but
0 little while since, you were quite as much pre-
scribed by public sentiment here, for the opinion
y | and principles you held, as am now for mine.
: ! could easily have escaped arrest. having ha
= timely warning. thought 1t possible that you
=. / craftsmanship might prevent such proclamatio
of weakness to the world, as even the fragment {
- once great Government turning its arms agains
the breasts of women and children. You hav
the power, SIR and may still further abuseit Yo
+ | may PROSTATE the physical strength by conine
+ ment in close rooms and Insufficient tood-yo
may subject me to harsher, ruder treatment than
y have already received, but you cannot impriso
n the soul Every cause worthy Of success has ha
1t its martyrs. The words of the heroine Corday ar
applicable here: "G'est le crime qH fat Ia hont
ii non pas reclsdfdude.' My sufferings will atfor
asignifcant lesson to the of the South, tha
It sex condition is no buwark against the surgin
pillows of the 'rrepressibIe conflict" '-,-
e The '' iron heel of power may keep down, bU
l. itcannot crush out, the spirit of resistance in
people armed for the defence of their rights; and
l. tell you now, sir, that you standing over crs
u ter, whose smothefed fires in moment may burs
L. forth.
1t is your boast that thirty-hree bristling fort
: tications now surround Washington. The fortified
e tions of Paris did not protect Louis Philippe whe
J. his hour had come. 49, .---g..a a& ~ l.'s 49,.
a In conclusion, respectfully ask your attento
g. to this, my protest. and have the honor to be, et
% LSIguedl ROSE o. n. GREENHoW.