New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1862-10-10
THE IOWA POLITICAL PRISONERS.
Special Correspondence Of the Dubuque Heard.

THE IOWA POLITICAL PRISONERS.
Special Correspondence Of the Dubuque Heard.
| WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 1862
DEAR HERALD: The ice has moved ut last,
and although it is again "blockcd," it gives
us hopes Of a change which in the course OF
time will probably result in the liberation Of
our Iowa State prisoners. On Friday last
| called Mt the Office of the Judge advocate to
enquire Nc lin when it was probable an ex-
animation Of their cases would be made, and
found in tho room some ten or twelve per.
sons having strong prison odor about them
Among these was not a little surprised to
find Mr.. Steward, the fellow prisoner of Mr..
Mahony. He informed me that he and all
the others whom saw there, had been
brought up for examination, and that he
supposed Mr.. Mahoay would be examined in
q day or two.
He desired me to remain, but on enquiring
of the Judge Advocate, learnt that he
would prefer that should not do so, and
judging it better not to attempt to cross his
wishes in this respect left the Office.
| | was afterwards Informed that Mr. Shcw.
ards examination did not result in his dis
charge, but that he was to be brought up
osain tomorrow. 1t is supposed that MIR.
Nlohony WILDE examined to-day, but this is
not certain.
At all events the official topper which has
so long existed on this subject is at last bro.
ken, and VIC may hope for action in the
course ortime, but probably not until af.
ter the election.
On Saturday I was called upon by Mr..
Smith, Of Jacksonville, LINES He had
been confined in the same room with Messrs.
Mahony asd Steward, and was one of those
whom saw in the Judge Advocates office on
Friday last. So.
Some philosophers tell as that in order to
bear our own mstortunes with the more for.
titude, We should look around us to find those
who are in much worse condition than our.
selves. If that is sound philosophy, this old
mans case must have been of service to our
Iowa prisoners.
He was arrested more than seven weeks
ago, and had laid in prison ever since Nc
accusation Fad been made against him, So
far as he knew, and he was now set at libcr.
ty without baing informed who was his &C
cuser or what was his supposed offence. He
had always been democrat. but knew Of no
other ground of imprisonment, as he had
never been the editor of a newspaper.
He had some notes. contracts and other pa
pcrs that were of some value, and constituted
all his remaining worldly wealth. These had
been seized at the time of his arrest He had
just been to the Office of the Provost Marsha
were obtained the rest could not be found
no one knew anything about them. and he
was left remed;less.
Tie old man was between sixty and sew
onty years Of age. One eye was entirely
sightless and the other very defective. H,'
only son had enlisted in the Federal army
and lost his life in Western Virginia Hi
wife was dead. He had neither kith nor XIII
neither house or home to which he coult
return. He had been lawlessly and wanton
ly seized, dragged a thousand miles, igno
miniously imprisoned for seven weeks strip
ped Of what little he possessed, and was nov
about to wend his way back to end the m 6
cradle remnant Of his days in homeless pen
ury. His simple story sounded like some 9
the tales had read of occurrences in Frame
in the time Of Louis XIV. l hope the Amer
can ear is not to become familiarized t