Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-02-14

ton seemed inevitable, rom his frank con-
fession, and his hslpleue family would be
plunged into ruin. Under.these cifcHmotans
Gee ny iselhg wa, If you can escape Il twill
hurt no oze, ''go sin nc more" Of courSe
intended no aid, ard am as free in saying
| intended no hindrance. To inIure Sheriff
Oraw, from whom had received kindness, /
could have no wish. But should be escape
by bis own ingenuity, It would make 1t his
own act, and that could neither implicate nor
injure that officer. certainly never dream
I'D OF Il being part of my mission here to
watoh the State prisoners. and at the same
time psy In suffering the United States for al
legged obstruction Of process" in the at
tempted arrest Of slave. There is point
In which | confess | was wrong; that in
saying and feeling that would not have in-
formed had noticed him 20 out with my
company Of visitors. made the deelsra-
ton without investigation and now admit
that should have watched and guarded that
point Hence have offered to foot the ex-
penses of his apprehension could thereby
be restored to q mail shaTs Of my former
comforts. OF course do not wish to pay il
once in money and Hfty times in suffering,
Ny fault arose from letting my sympathy
run away with my better judgment. And
as Goldsmith says:
"The vice leaned to virtues side"
The retrebution to me has been terrible. The
Herald has shown 20 much desire to abuse
and misrepresent me that feel like letting il
return the manifestly delicious enjoyment.
Ny boarding, formerly very good, is now
reduced to common prison fare. But this is
small item. Ny great comfort was COM
paraiively quiet study, 3 good writing desk
and facilities to keep my mind actively en-
gagged. With these my naturally cheerful
disposition remained buoyant, and l was not
unhappy. was not aware that the Sheriff
had such an engine of torture ct his COM
msnd. Ny dwelling Is q cell with stone
floor; my writing desk my bed, at which
stand with my feet chilled to my knees, and
into which, small as it is, two of US are locked
up at Eve o'clock in the evening and let out
little before eight In the morning, Ny suf-
ferings with The exception Of Two or three
or more men, who can stay but few days
longer, probably triple those Of all the 9TH
er prisoners combined. They gather round
the stove in Toistering merriment, and thus
pass hAC my oAu AGh 0A bl1 Plus ~ bnOAk-
ing to each other in their cells in songs and
repsrtee till nine o'clock at night They seem
to intensely enjoy themselves with coarse
ribaldry, and the den of blasphemy is cease
less, except during few night hours. In
this incipisnt pandamonium the fat has
gone forth that sun TO spend my nearly
four remaining months. At first my dis
tress wss deep and intense, and feared I
should sink under it. But l am thankful
that my naturally buoyant spirits are rising
to the demand, and shall meet it with Gods
blessing patiently. Ny prayers to move the
"bowels" OF Sheriff OraW to relax in my
case his severity of Office, have been fervent
but unsvailing, and they are ended. Per-
hsps be may yet do It. For although have
seen his face but q few times, bis looks
seemed to me pleasant and benevolent -
A chief complaint of the jsilor has been
from the first, the trouble of letting in
30 many visitors. Should my friends hear
Of my future elevation, intensely as en-
joyed their visits, hope they will cease to
make them. A quiet study, without the
sight of q human face during the remainder
of my term, would be a luxury compared
with my present condition.
As to my deserts, feel ss before. was
put here without crime against my country,
have broken no law of the State, and have
only erred (if at all) in cherishing too deep
symLathy for an erring, but repentant
young man, and pity for his helpless family.
Ny crime charged was hindering one man
from making slave Of another, and but for
that would not be here. Sheriff Oraw
claims to have deprived me Of no right but
merely to have Withdrawn extra mercies. II
this is strictly 50, his elemency was very great,
for the new trouble has lowered above the
former four-iold. Two of my neighbors, in
dicted as was, and much more prominent
In the alleged " obstruction of process than
was, came before Mr.. Payne and Judge
Wilson about ten days since, and were let of
without trial, with Ems of $40 each. l re-
joice in the relief of my neighbors, and the
immense improvement in the equity of the
court. Ny confinement up stairs was elOfer
than any inflicted in our country for q viola
ton Of the fugitive enactment before, to my
knowledge. Sheriff Gray, In Chicago, gave
Messrs. Hossack and Stout large jail bounds.
The praises Of the magnanimous Sheriff
Wightman are yet fresh in your city, for his
treatment of the "0berlin rescuers" With
my former privileges, though immensely less,
was satisfied. With these milder sacrifices
the slave power was then put of Now that
power is in open rebellion-slaughtering our
soldiers on hundred red fields Of earnsge-
and am the Northern victim. And in pro-
portion to intensified Southern insolence and
treason, Northern servility is putting me to
an equally intsnEifsd cruci6xion.
For the use of your columns, and your
general kindness and fairness with me,
Messrs. Editors, you have my thanks and
gratitude. GEORGE GORDON.
CLEvELAHD JAN, Feb. 10, 's2.