The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-16
THE COWARDLY DESPuTISM AT WASHING.
TON
from tho Richmond Whig.

- .zcA - h'HA IA W hoIiANO-
TON.
From the Richmond Wing, December3I
through the fundamentally Of one OF Stewards conf
GENITAL agents We have come In possession OF the follow
ing letter. addressed by brave and noble woman 10
Lncoins vizer. We are given to understand that tho
perusa of 1t not without visible effect upou that i'm
personaton Dor all human viany The twitchpps OF tho
muscles and bis agitated manner betrayed perhaps
any compuncion, but of personal insecurity at
the hands Of the avengng Nemesis.
This letter is the most graphic sketch yet given TO tho
world, Of the cruel and dastardly tyranny which the
Yankee government has established Washington Rus
SELL IN one OF his letters to the London Times, mentions
the expediont Of arrest by telegraph which has been
introduced by Seward, something new and appalling
and oatstrppng all the ingenious contrvances Of all the
desposms that existed. But the incarceration and
torture OF helpless women and the outrages heaped npon
them, as detailed in this letter, will shock manly
natures ana stamp the Lincoln dynasty everywhere with
Tho letter tells its tale and may be relied on as
true copy OF the original in the hands of William II.
WASHINGTON, Nov. II, 1861, 1893 sixteenth street.
TO THE Hon. WIN. Fl: SEWARD, SECRETARY or STATE
SR-For nearly three months | have been confined n
close prisoner shut out from and exercise and denied
all communion with family and friends.
Patience is said to be great virtue, and have prac-
tcel II TO my utmost capacity Of endurance.
am told sir, that upon your ie Dirt the fate OF citi.
gems depends and that the sign manual Of the ministers
tentia ia their day than that Of the Secretary of ia
1861.
therefore most respectfully submit that on Friday.
August %, without warrant other show OF authority
was arrested by the detective police and my house taken
in charge by them that all my private letters and papers
ofa lifetime were read and examined by them every
law OF decency was violated in the search OF my house
and person, and by tho surveillance over me.
We read in history, that the poor Marta Anoinette had
paper torn from her bosom by awess hands and that
even change of linen had to be effected sight Of her
brutal capors II is my sad experience TO even
more revolving outrages than that for during the first
days OF my imprisonment whenever necessity forced
TO seek my chamber, detective stood sentinel at the
open door. And thus for period Of seven days with
my little child was placed absolutely at the mercy Of
Or rpg mail, J,r,, IA
first evening, portion of these became bruialy
drunk and boosted in my hearing Of the nice times
they expected To have with the female prisoners aud
tina. rude violence was used towards coored
girl during that evening the extent of which have not
been able to learn For any show OF decorum afterwards
practced towards me VISA indebted TO the detective cali
cd Captain Dennis.
D the careful analysis Of my papers deny tho exist.
ence OF line had not perfect right to have written
70 have received Freedom Of speech and of opinion
is the brthrisht OF Americans, guaranteed to us by
our charter OF hberty-the constitution Of the
tive, and have openly avowed my sentiments
During the political struggle opposed your republican
party with every instinct Of self preservation believed
your success virtual notification OF the constitution
and that il would entail upon all the direlu conse,
quences which have ensued These sentiments have
doubtless been found recorded among nv papers and
hold them as rather proud record Of my sagacity
must be permitted to quote from letter Of yours In
regard to Russell, of tho London Times which you con
cude with these admirable words "lndvidual errors Of
opinion may be tolerated. long good sense is left to
combat them. BY way of illustrating theory and prac-
tice-here am prisoner In sight Of the Executive
son In sight Of the Capitol where the proud statesmen Of
our land have sung their peans to the blessings of our
free institutions Comment idle. Freedom Of speech
freedom Of thought every right pertaining to the citizen
has been Suspended by what | suppose, the Presi-
dent calls ''mitary necessity" A blow has been
struck, by this total disregard Of all civil rights,
greater in its effects than tho severance Of
the Southern States. Our people have ben taught
TO contenn the supremacy Of the law, to which all have
hitherto bowed, and to look to the military power for
protection against its DEGREES. military spirit has been
developed which will only be subordinate to military
Dictatorship Read history, and you VIII fnd that Tho
causes which bring about revolution rarely Freedoms.
nate at its close aud people have returned the
point from which they started. Even should the south
ern States be subdued and forced bak into the Unon
(Which regard as impossible with fal knowledge Of
their resourccs) different form Of government will be
found needfu to meet the Developments of
character There is no class Of society branch
dustry which this change has not reached and the dun
pioddg methodicai habits Of the poor be re-
sumed.
Yop have held me, sir, to a mans accountability and
therefore claim the right TO speak subjects usually
considered beyond womnn's ken, and which YOU may
class errors Of opinion offer exc So for this
long depression, as three months Imprisonment with
ont formula of law gives mo authority for occupying
even the precious moments Of Secretary of State
My object is TO call your attention to the fact that dur
ing this long imprisonment. | yet ignorant Of the
causes of my arrest that my house has been seized and
converted into prison by the government that the
valuable furniture contained has been abused and de
stroyed; that during some period of my mprisonment
have suffered greatly for want Of proper and sufficient
food Also, have TO complain that, more recently a
of bad character, recognized having seen
the streets OF Chicago such by several Of guard
calling herself Mrs Onderdonk, was placed here in my
house in a room adjoining mine.
In making this exposition, have object OF appeal
to your sympathes. the justice OF my complaint end
decent regard for the worlds opinion not move YOU
should but waste tm9 to elan your attention on any
other score. =. -A.s-
may. however, recall to your mind that but n little
while since you were quite much prescribed by public
sentiment here for the opinions aud principles you held
as am now for mine.
could easily have escaped arrest having had timely
warning thought i possible That your ss,esmapshjn
night present sil Proclamation Of weakness e ne
world as even the fragment Of once great government
turning its against the breasts q Women and chill.
dren. You have the power, sir, and may still further
abuse IT, You may PROSTATE the physical strength by
confinement in close rooms and insufficient fo0ti-you
may subject TO hasher, ruder treatment than have
already received, but you cannot imprson the soul
Every worthy Of has had its martyrs The
words Of the heroine C0rday applicable here: aCea
ie crime Q, fat la hote ct pas echdfdde NV sui.
ferings will afford significant lesson the women OF the
South, that sex or condition is balWark against the
surging pillows Of the 'irrewessible conflict
The 'siron heel Of power may keen down. but IL can
not crush out the spirit Of resistance OF people armsl
for the defence OF their rights; and tell you now sir
that you are standing over crater whose smothered
fires In moment may burst forth.
Is your boast that thirty three bfisng
now surround Washington. The fortiHeatons of Paris
did not protect Louis Philippe when his hour had come
In conclusion respectfully ask your attention to this
my protest, and have the honor to be- &C., &c, &c
ROSE .. n GREENHOw.