Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-12-16
F.,sr VARIES, Mass, March 3, 1862

Hon. Edwia IL. Stanton, Secretary Of Fu::
Sur: For ak months past | have beeu de-
tanned IN c!o%e custody IN ore or other Of the
forts Of the United States. am, I believe
termed in the novel language of the day, a
''pnlitica! prisoner or "prisoner Of State. p
Until recently have been held subject 10
the order I'll the Secretary of State; tut
now understand that / am specially in charge
Of tho War Department. You, therefore, are
responsible for my further detention. Under
these circumstance It is proper that I should
place upon record, 10 your office, a statemrH.
oil the wrongs done me, and demand for all
instant and unconditional release.
On the night Of the 18th of September,
1861. and between Il and ! o'clock, | was
male p~riaouer in my cwn house, in Balti-
mote, by q bnpd OF armed men who, al
though they showed no warrant or author;-
ty for thcir proceedings, profsssed, and l
have no doubt truly, " DO acting under the
| orders Of Mr.. Seward, the Secretary of State.
My house was searched from garnet to cellar,
my private papers ransscked, and most of
thsru, as far as | can Learn, were carried OF.
/ was kept for al hour or more a prisoner
in my wi parlor, armud men were stu
TONED throughout my house, aud even n
the door Of my chlidren's chamber,
wfl'a this search was proceeding. l will
not continent further upon the lndignitiss then
pat upon Inc.
Was finally Carried off to Fort McHenry
leaving my h"ua. in possession Of the myr-
midonS who had invaded It, and who refused
TO allow me to aend for my wife father or
brolh,r who we're in the immediate neighbour
hood, and whom to alone my family, at such q
moment, could look for protection. was de-
tanned MT Fort McHenry during the following
day, and then Transferred to Fortress Monroe.
At this latter post | was confined close pri
sGner, with fourteen other gentlemen,
for over ten nays, none Of ua ha9ing been
suffered to leave far an instant tho Two case
mates which were there assigned US. So
rigli was our Imprisonment thst the very
windows and duors, through which we could
look out on the parade grcund, were closed
ami p%udlocked.
| Was then carried with my companions to
Fort Lafayette. At tbs latter post DO provi-
sion whatever had bccu made for our receu-
ton, aud no decent accommodations were at
any time provided. ] slept in the dark cold
gun battery i'll which WIS guartered, upon
q bag Of straw, until procured bedding from
New York and during my wllole stay | was
Compelled to pay for my meals, as I could not
have esLrn the wretched rations offered Inc
by the commanding %otficsr.
On Lhe LIST Of November lsst 7 was brought
to this place on an orer-crowded and filthy
stesnler which was insufficienlly supplied
sven with The miserable pork and bread pro-
viled for our subsistence. But for Tho fact
that had brought my bedding with Inc I
should have been forced: like many Of my
companions, to sleep, for two weeks after my
arrival here, upnn the faor;; and without q
single blanket TO cover me. Such Is a brief
statement Of The Treatment TO which have
Leen subjected.
From the moment Of my arrest down to
this honT, no charge OF any sort has been
preferred against Inc, and nous cen he alleged
OF established, for L have not violated any
law whatever, State CT Federal. VAS, as
yUn may perhaps DO aware, one of the editors
Of the Daily Exchange" 4 morning Journal
published in Baltimore. In that paper had
expressed my political opinions without re-
Serve. ! had, o year ago, advocated the
adoption Of some compromise by Congress,
which should stay tho then threatened rup-
ture between the North and South. had
subsequently, deprecated any attempt to co.
cree the South, on the grounds that it would
only render the separation of the two sections
inevitable and final. I asserted that war
would leave the country in a worse condition
it found it; and as it would moreover,