The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1862-10-04
LETTER FROM JAMES w. WALL.
5 BURLINGTON, Sept. 16.
To The Editor Of the World .

Of the citizen, are certainly due to you for
your bold protest against the recent arbi-
trary arrests of the administration. You
seem, however, strangely to. forget the
brave spirits who are now and have been
pining in the dreary classmates of Fort
Warren for the last twelve or fourteen
months. | refer to the Police Commits
missioners of Baltimore and the members
of the late Legislature of Maryland. The
offense of the Baltimore commissioners
consisted in their very prouerly refusing
to resign the official position they held
under the laws of Maryland at the dicta-
ton of newly-made major-general, just
fresh from Massachusetts. Their offense
had this extent, no more. There was no
allegation or preteuce that they had been
concerned either directly or indirectly in
aiding those in arms against the United
States authorities. Surely, even in our
day of startling novelties in criminal ju-
risprndence, this is strange offense to be
deemed worthy of close imprisonment
for more than twelvemonth in distant
fortress. 1t would require all the cum
ming ingenuity of the most remorseless
despotism the world has ever known, to
torture this into an offense worthy of such
severe punishment. With mind con-
scious Of right, these men have endured
with sublime courage and patience this
gross outrage upon their constitutional
rights. Innocent Of any offense, they
have nobly refused to compromise them
selves or the cause they represent either
by base resignation of their official posi-
tions, taking the oath of allegiance, or
giving their parole. An unconditional
grant of freedom is the only favor they
can accept at the hands of an admnistra-
tion that has thus despotically trampled
upon their rights, honor them for it.
1t is the highest, most conclusive evil
dence of their innocence and integrity
But is it right that free people should
submit in silence to such gross indignities
and outrages as have been inflicted upon
these lofty minded sufferers? Is our in
dignation to be aroused at the illegal ar
rests and confinement for few days of
certain substitute brokers, and to find no
expression when wrongs upon such high
toned, noble men are heaped mountain
high? These substitute brokers all pro-
fess devoted loyalty. They, like too many
patriots in the community, would support
the aoar By nsatimg the aoar support them.
While we are willing to protest against
the illegal arrest of any man, even if it is
for attempting to make penny out of the
anxieties and fears of men exposed to a
draft, we certainly find our sympathies
more strongly drawn toward the terrible
case Of such noble spirits as Howard,
Gatchell, Kane, Harrison, and others
We have little faith in the kind of loyalty
that supports itself upon the necessities Of
the Government and avoids the battle
feld-men whose loyalty takes all shades,
according to their interest whose opinions
make their interest the polar star.
~ "What makes all doctrine plain and clear p
About two hundred pounds year.
And what was proved quite plain before
Proved false again ?-two hundred more'
There, too, in the casemates of that dis
tant fortress, far from homo and loving
kindred, some of them in close confne-
ment, are most of the members of the late
Legislature Of Maryland Harrison, Wal
lis and others. Their offense, as alleged,
was that they fully intended to pass an or
dinance Of secession for this adminstra-
ton, among their various assumptions,
have actually assumed one of the attri-
butes of Deity-of looking into, judging
OF, and Furnishing the interts and secret
thoughts of mems hearts. The facts of
their case, as we have learned them from
the most reliable sources, are as follows
The administration charged that these
men were about to pass an ordinance of
secession. That ordinance in the hand
writing of s. Teackle Wallis, one of the
first lawyers of Maryland and member Of
the Legislature, Mr.. Secretary Seward
professed to have in his possession. Now
the intention Of passing such an ordinance
could not for moment have been enter
tanned, as no Southern man with State
Right proclivities, admits the right for u
moment Of any such body as Legisla-
ture to pass or give validity to any such
ordinance and in the next place, shortly
after their arrest, Mr.. Reverdy johnson,
upon examining the famous document in
the hands Of the Secretary Of State, pro-
nounced it base forgery and we have
since been informed that it was forged by
q clerk, now in Washington, aoto had been
indicted for some felony. and convicted
tclile M, Walls soas prosecutor Of BALI
more, This put new complexion on
their case, and the Government offered