The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1861-12-17
THE COWARDLY DESPOTISM AT
WASHINGTON.

we have come in possession of the following letter,
by brave and noble woman to Lincons
vizer. We are given to understand, that the
perusal of it was not without visible effect upon
that impersonation of all human villainy. The
twitchings of the muscles, aud his agitated
ner betrayed, not perhaps any compunction, but
sense of personal insecurity at the hands OF the
avcnging Nemesis.
This letter is the most graphic sketch yet given
70 the world, of the cruel and da>tardy tyranny
which the Yankee Government has established at
" Washington. RUSSELL In one of his letters to the
London Times, mentions the expedient Of ''arreSt
by tclegrolph," which has been introduced 10y
Seward as something new and appalling, and out
stripping all the ingenious contrvances of all the
despotisms that ever existed. But the incarcera-
ton and torture of helpless women, and the out
RACES heaped upon them, detailed in this letter,
will more shock mani y natures, and stamp the
Lincoln dynasty everywhere with undying intamy.
The letter tells its own tale, and may be relied
on a true copy of the original in the hands Of
VIM. H. Seward
WASHINGTON, Nov. II, 1861
To tie Hon. ". II. tSccard, Secretary Of State:
SIR-For nearly three months [ have been con-
fined, close prisoner, shut out from air and ex-
ercise and denied all communication with family
and friends.
" Patience is said to be a great virtue" and |
have practised 1t to my utmost capacity Of en-
durance.
1 am told sir. that upon your ipse dirit, the
fate Of citizens depends, and that the sign-manual
of the ministers of Louis the Fourteenth and
Fifteenth, was not more potential in their day,
than that of the Secretary of State in 1861.
l, therefore, most respectfully submit that on
Friday, August 23d, without warrant or other
show of authority, | was arrested by the Detec-
tive Police, and my house taken in charge by
them: that all my private letters and papers of
life time, were read and examined by them: that
every law Of dccency violated in the search of
my house and person, and by the surveillance over
ne.
We read in history, that the poor Maria An
tonette had paper torn from her bosom by law
less hqnds, and that a change Of linen had to
be effected in sight Of her brutal captors. 1t is
my sad eaperjeace to record even more revolving
outrages than that, for during the first days of my
imprisonment, whatever necessty forced to
seek my chamber detective stood sentinel at the
open door. And thus for period Of seven days
|, with my little child, placed absolutely at
the mercy of men without character or respo nsi-
bty; that during the first evening, portion of
these men became brutay drunk, and boasted in
my hearing of the ''nicc tnaeS' they expected to
have with the female prisoners; aud that rude
during that evening, the extent Of which [ have
not been able to learn. For any show of decorum
afterwards practsed towards me, indebted
to the detective called Captain Dennis.
In the careful analysis Of my papers [ deny the
existence of line | had not perfect right to
have written. to have received. Freedom Of
speech ard Of opinion is the birthrght of Ameri-
cans, guaranteed to us by our Charter Of Liberty
the Constitution of the United States. [ have
my sentiments. During the political struggle, |
opposed your Republican party with every instinct
of selfpreservation. [ believed your success
virtual notification of the Constitution, and that
it would entail upon us all the dircful consequent
ces which have ensued. These sentiments have
doubtless been found recorded among my papers,
and [ hold them as rather proud record Of my
saeacty.
| 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,
long as good sense is left to combat Them BY
way Of illustrating theory and practjce-here am
l. prisoner in sigh: Of TIE Executive Mansion,
in sight of the Capitol where the proud statesmen
of land have sung their paeans to the blessings
of our free institutions. Comment is idle.
Freedom of speech, freedom of thought, every
right pertaining to the citizen has been suspended
by what, | suppose the President calls "IHh-
tury necrssitY" A blow has been struck by this
total disregard of all civil rights, against the
present system Of Government far greater in its
effects than the severance Of the Southern
States Our people have been taught to contemn
tie supremacy of the law, to which all have hth-
erto bowed, and to look to the military power for
against its DEGREES. a military spirit
has been developed, which will only be subordi-
nate to a -N1atnry Dictatorship. Read history,
and you will find that the which bring
al out revolution rarely predominant at its close,
and no people have ever eurned to the point
from which they started Even should the South
ern States be suhdued and forced back into the
Union, (which | regard impossible, with full
knowledge of their resources,) a different form of
Government will be found needful to meet the
new deveopements of national character There
is no class of society, no branch of industry,
which this change has not reached, and the dull,
plodding methOdical habits of the poor can never
be resumed.
You have held me, sir, to mans accountability,
and therefore claim the right to speak sub
jects usually considered beyond woman's ken,
and which you may class g errors of opinion.
| offer no excuse for this long depression,
three months imprisonment, without formula of
law, gives me authority for occupying the
precious moments of Secretary OF State.
Ny object is to call your attention to the fact
that during this long Imprisonment, | am yet
ignorant of the causes of my arrest that my house
has been seized and converted into prison by the
Governments: that the valuable furniture il con-