Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-01-10
Ia Tnis a Civilized countryp


II is generally understood that the
Capital of nation, more than any
other portion of it, represents the pro-
gress of the people of that nation, mas
much as the rnliug influences there con-
esatEite, Washington, being or Cap
ital, according to This theory, ought to
be the standard Of our advancement.-
But, G III fairly represents the progress
of our people, then are We, indeed,
many degree below the natious which
We term barbarous. BUTT ought to be
remembered, that for many years, the
Internal and bru,alizing slave system
has,fuled supremein this Government,
sndc has lrynccntrated in the Capital
il5ahs efthe denominations, peculiar to it,
{ For instance, by a law, long ago
al6Ptel,. every person with African
blood in his veins, is lable to be ar
rested, and thrown into Jail, on Suspicion
of being fugitive slave. He is then
Advertised, aud if some one comes for
wardsand pays the charges, which are
enormous. he takes him away into
slasery. Mtif the victim is so noto-
riously free man, that no slave trader,
even, viii claim him, he is kept in Jail
eIie rear, and then sold as slave to pay
Gssexisense " his incarceration! This is
tbe nw as it exists in the Capital Of the
Uuited States by the authority of Con
gress, IN this year of Grace, 1862
Now let us see the operation Of this
law underethis "Aboliion, " aBlack Re
puJliean" Administration. BY some
strange revolution 10 political affairs, a
set of !" Fanat tlesh have got into the U.
S.sSenate, and, tosthe disgust and scan
dsi Of all conservative people, have
madea move towards the abatement oil
this. profitable business, by inquring
into the propristy of repeating this, and
other kindred laws. And, preliminary
to acting On the subject the facts, as at
present existing, were called for; and in
response to this call, Detective Allen.
has just made report to Provost Mar
shall Porter, and this report has been
laid before the Senate. 1t occupies
fifty pages--is dated the 18th November,
1861, We cannot publish it in full, but
viii give the first page or two, premis-
iag'that what is here copied is only an
average, specimen Of the whole. The
report says: g...;~ 1880.
II find incarcerated ia the City Jail
in this city, in the midst Of filth. vermin
aud contagious diseases, on cold, stone
floor, many without shoes, nearly all
Without sufficient clothing, bedding, or
ere, and iu q half-staryiag condition,
80 colored persons. male and female.
confined beeause-in the language of
their commitments-they scere suspected
Of being ruaapays, and no proofs had
been aellacea that they ,oere not rAaamays.
Thereare number Of cases of free born
neny such as that of Joha Alcslock
nlias Wexford, committed May 10, 1861,
who states that he is a freeman, of about
q year, of age, born in .Albermarle
County, Va; has wife and child in
Charlottesville, free; left home because
they were taking up all free colored
persons. and compelling them to go in
tke.front Of battle, and came direct to
Washington; was taken up on the
second day. after his arrival, while cross
ing the aqueduct, the constable saying
that he would have to keep him year,
aud then sell him to pay his fees; a
Inpaiha ago he. understood the fees
amounted to $50; hesha had no change
Of clothing since he came here; he has
not had enough to eat. Richard Oliver,
csmmitted Aug. s; born free in Balti-
more: came to Washington with the 2 lst
Pcnnsy ylvania Regiment; was arrested on
the way with them to Georgetown;
John Matthews, committed July 26;
born in the District, "a years old, slave
Of Mrs. White. Hired out to Company
G, I'd Ohio, as cook; staid with them
till they went home. On the dag be
was to be paid he was arrested. No OBJ
jection to returning to Mrs. White
Bill Bowie, committed Sept. 2I by
John IL. Newman; born in ST. Paul,
Minnesota, aged about 81; left last Sum
mer with the 1st Minnesota as cook for
the Captain and First Lieutenant Of
Company A; taken up in Georgetown
as . runaway when going to the Regi-
ment. He was not allowed to send
there for proofs of freedom The con-
stable said pass would make no differ
ence, as runaways frequently got them
from regiments. Eliza A. West, has IL
children. Her master is rebel. She
left because she was strSck with poke
by her master, and was refused to let go
to Church
And 70 the report proceeds to give
the history of the whole sirty. Some
of them, notoriously free men and wo-
men, have laid in that ''hell- hole for
eight months, without change of cloth
ing since their Incarceration Six are
confined in room 6 by 10 feet, and all
Others on bare, damp stone floors, with
out fire, nearly naked. alf-staryed, reek-
ing in filth, covered with vermin, and
breatbing contagion from day to day!--
And for what? "0n suspicion Of being
ruaa,rsy sla-es, Who suspected them!
The jailor aud petty officers of the City
ofMashington,, who make their living
bythe trade They are sure of their
fees for all they can catch. And the