, 1862-02-21
L0mQn the Slave Catcher.

Correspondence Of the n. 7. Times. Feb i3th-] |
Have .yeu noticed how desperately hard
it is to Kill the demon slavery: Even here
at the Capital, it shows as much vitality
as the fabled hydra. In the course Of some
Investigations made by the Senate, it became
public that the inl Of tile District was being
used for the safe keeping Of persons charged
with owing service and laborto other persons.
In many instances it was shown that slayes
we're in the Jail for safe keeping who were the
property of persons known to be fighting in
the ranks of the rebels-tle ownerB charging
with the safe keeping Of their property the
very Government they were attempting to de-
stroY. Besides, it vas shown that the man
agc1aent of the Jail was 4 disgrace to any
country, civilized or barbariau-thc miserable
beings, but half clad and half fed, being hud-
died together in apartments so small and filthy
as to be repul5ive even to the brutes who vert
the keepers: It would have been supposed that
these facts being made public, Marsbal Lamon,
who has authority in the matter, would have
promptly corrected the tias,rant abuses charged
upon his subordinates. Instead Of doing SO,
however, he issues written order to these
sane suberdinates that they shall not psrnlit
am perso1f to risit the jail, except upon his au
thority, and it is understood that Lie gave
special verbal oIl1crs against Senators and
Representative and members Of the press.
When this became known, his conduct was
made the subject Of animadycrslon in the Sen
ate, and think resolution was passed call
uEOu Lit LACEul4&E ~ IutiCNt LIZ AQA3Co
Of which such griesons complaint has been
made At ans rate, Secretary Seward took
the mat ter in hand, and Issued an order, dated
Jan. 25tb, to Marshal Lamon, commanding
him forthwith to release from custody all per
sous not held By regular commitment Of an
authorized magistrate.
1t WAS not until Feb. 10th that he complied
with the order. 1t took him sixteen days to
! make up his mind to obey orders
One would have supposed humane man
| would have been but too willing, to embrace
the earliest opportunity to relieve himself
| from hateful and bruta}iziug responsibility.
| But Marshal Lamon evidently is equal to the
most odious exactions Of the slaTe code It
| would be gratifying if it were no TorEe than
that he is willing tool Of an odlons institu-
ton. But he evidently has the capa-
! city to be f1st-elass s]aSe-driyer- Il
| has been ascertained and stated in his
! place In the Senate By Senator Wilson that be-
tween the date Of Secretary Stewards order
and Marshal Lannon's directions to his jailers
to execute its behests, he bad a general jail
in his charge, his minions moving them-a Ia
| the old stYle--to the slave pens of Baltimore
and to the iails Of Mary1and, beyond the
jurisdiction Of the District Senator
Wilson depicted in indignant and thrilling 9
language scene where Lannon's minIons had
lowered man, charged with being slave, out
OF window Of tl,e jail, fifty feet high, had
strapped him SCI ,ss barrel aud given hin a
severe whipping, and then taken him to tue
s1aye- pen at Baltimore. 1t was to afford time
for such acts, and to give opportunity for its
virtual veto. that Lamon 80 long de!syea exc exc,
himself more odious to the people, Marshal
Lamon has dismissed from the public service,
Mr.. Duya1l, the assistant keeper Of the jail
through whose timely expositions the Senate
first became aware Of the horrors Of that pris.
on-house. This man Lamon is a native ol
Ti1ginia- He was made Marshal Of the District
through come personal friendship entertained
for him By some membcrbf President Lincoln'E
family. It Is not probable that he viii be re-
moyed-though it is impossible to conceive
how he can be retained. But there are inau'
ences potent to retain known rebels in the
public service, and the same may and feaa
will be potent to retain one who is q blot upon
human nature, md an abidtag disgrace to tht
Aduinistration, the country and the age. Bus
the Senate, an happy to say, though power
less to remove LamoD, has yet the power and
the will to take from him the custody Of tht
District jail, and thus relieve humanity from
repetition Of the outragcs which have shocked
and scandalized the moral sense OF the country