The national Republican., 1862-01-24
THE coNTRABAMDs At Yo1TREss MONROE.

THE C0NTRABANDs At FORTRESS MONROE.
In the same speech in the Senate last week,
In which he read letter In relation to the Alex.
andris jail, Mr.. Wilson read the following from
. letter, which he said was from ga gentleman
Of character" at Fortress Monroe:
"The 'contrsband system Is but another
name for Government slavery. And whether
the plan on which the system is worked be
better or worse than II might, II cannot be
other tia, evil while II ID slave system In the
hands oi military officials. One OF these officials,
who 10 on familiar terms with me, expressed
his conviction that the Government had already
made at least fifteen thousand dollars ont Of
these Government slaves. General Wool stated
yesterday that there Ia now fund of 81 900
on hand from the svails of their labor. And
yet the Govcrlment has laid out no expense
on the women and children that do not work
for Government, or have mona 10 work for
them, many Of whom are suffering for want Of
comfortable quarters and clothing. Nor will
the authorities allow charity 10 come In and
make up the deficiency Of Government about
the fort, in supplying clothing, lest II should
take away an incentive to labor for Govern
ment. No money Is promised 10 women who
work for Government, and the only stimulus
afit rded Is clothing, and II clothing were given
indiscriminstely 70 oil who need, the women
would prefer to work for officers and soldiers,
and get little pay fosit. tr
" But Government does not even pay many
Of the men in the employ Of Government The
email plttsnce Of two dollars cash Der month.
Two men In the engineer department, at work
o, the railroad, told me yesterday that they
mad worked since the 18Th of July, and had
not received cent, and they did not know
any In the same gang that bad. And many Of
thaao havo far rntllnu In oc
And now change has been made In the COM
missary department, and have heard that In
the section outside Of Old Point bridge, where
most Of the families are, the rsticns are to be
reduced from Eve hundred 10 1fty, and that
many Of the familiee whose male head works
for Government will be denied rations, and
there will be great suffering.
"There are also great abuses practiced by
subordinate officials In whipping and bruisipg
the slaves. They have been Knocked down
with clubs, and they are cursed and otherwise
abused In shocking manner.
No wonder, then, that oge who knows told
me that their number had greatly diminished
within month or more; n large number hav-
Ing become missing, how he knows not; per,
haps by escaping 10 the North.
have not heard Of any goirg back TO Se-
cessis; but have heard some Of them say,
with tears, that they never were treated as
hard In slavery. Yet they cling to the Union
as the sheet anchor Of their hopes OF liberty,
waiting for deliversnce.
Now, Is IL policy mot 10 speak Of principle)
to treat this people 80: And is Government
thus q great practical stakeholder? viii you
not move for an investigating committee 10
come 10 Fortress MourOe and search into the
facts Of The 0sse--nOt simply among officials,
but among the people themselves, and those
who feel Interested for them"