Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-08-23
The Grand Jury of the United States Court

The Grand Jury Of the United States Court,
whose members had boen selected by a Mar.
shall Of Mr.. L.incolr's own appointment, vas in
session at and some weeks Subsequent 10 the
time. The Commissioners awaited It's action,
but only to learn that the Grand Jury had ad
journed without being able to find any pretext
upon which to indict ltcln. Congress vas
sitting in Washington, ard they sent il Il
memorial, setting forth. in respectful laasnnga,
the outrage purpctra,c.. ..pon ,hcin, and ask
ing an Investigations; but Congress treated The
application with contempt. The Government
grew weary apparently of these persistent de-
mands for justice, and on The 18th Of July it
ordered all those against whom it could not
procure indictments to be transferred to Fort
La Fayette. There they are now lying, un-
convicted and unaccused.
It has been their misfortune to differ with
Mr.. Lincoln in regard to the policy which he
is pursuing, and this constitutes their crime.
They, together with q large portion Of the pco.
pie 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 destructive to our institutions
and %ruinous to the country, and for this ottense
they are punished. ANY assertion that they
III u JAZZ St 81 nay ~ "i'iSh,
by any construction of the laws, could be re-
gardcd as illegal, and still! less al reasonable,
is utterly and palpably false.
Since they have been confined in Fort La
Fayettee, they have been denied privileges
which are usually checrfully accorded to the
most abandoned felons in the Tombs. l have
in vain solicited from the War Department
and from General Scott permission to visit
.-u ctlo, RI, n,,J tt>o csp ~ bic ,,pGDrt,Dofo
companions are compelled 20 live together in
one small, damp cascmatc. They arc net al
lowed to correspond with their wives and chill.
dren, unless the commanding officer at Fort
Hamilton inspects and approves the letters of
both parties nor are they even suffered to
receive the daily papers. Deprived OF the so.
ciety of their friends, and cut of from all IA
miliar intercourse with their families, and
from such communication with the outer
world as a newspaper would afford them, they
languish in 4 Government fortress in this lar.
Dor, in 4 situation precisely similar to
that of the hapless captives Of some Oriental
despot.
Such are the main facts of the case, which |
deem it my duty to lay before the people of
this city. If they believe that the Constitu.
tion and the laws have sufficiently provided
for the punishment Of those who violate them,
and that it can never be necessary or ~justiiia
BILE to set up 4 military dictatorship TO upholdthe
one or to enforce the other; if they hold that
under any system Of government, or under any
circumstances whatever, ii an atrocious thing
to cypress men for their opinions, or punish
citizens because they are suspected, then they
will, | trust, accord 10 the prisoners in Fort
La Fayette their cordial sympathy, and such
aid rs it may set be in their power to rem.
! der them. For this these sufferers think they
have n right to look. Redress they cannot OF
tain. They can only co"tiuc to assert their
rights and to denouncc the wrongs which have
been dore them. liaving Tcntursd thus in.
adequately to do this i'll their behalf, I leave
the issue with their countrymcn.
F. h. HOWARD.