Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-02-06
To Il. g. II. Consul,

| -----, reC, LIS, 1910.
To Il. 8. II. Consul, ------, Virginia:
Sir-Undor the iupressicE that, 90 Coz
sui Of the British Gasernment, you have au.
! !horley to take ccgnIzance aud make reports Of
any II treatment Of British females, presume
,, 60 intrude my grievances on your notice, no,
oaly il justice to myself, but to others who
nave bean silailSlly insulted. While wss
staying in Maryland, the following sdvei-
tissnent was issued from tie Q. 8. Govo:n-
r,ent for tins benefit of ladies who vere anxious
t. come South. Immediately hastened to avail
mysel! If the opportunity to return to my
friends in Virginia, from whom had for some
lime been separated. made, on cath, the
! statsment required; snd having no relatives
in the army on either side, end never trou-
blirg myself with the politics of Ito country,
| anticipated NJ difficulty, aud therefore en-
bsrksd at Washington for Virginia on the Ito
OF January, 1858, i'll tho steamer New York,
with SONS Eve or Elk hundred females, not
one OF whom had cTor seen before. lma-
CINE my astonishment when, az soon rs the
best had lett Washington, found We had to
go through personal e1aDia*tion-s coudi-
sicn for which We were not prepared. as by
reference to tho advertisement you will find
il is not So nominated n the bond. Had 1
been aware Of it, nothing would have induced
nie TO enter that vessel and endure such in
digpi!;es.
Imagine to yoursslf the most sosutin:zi ng,
personal inspection, conducted, Il is true by
women, but in tae pT5se5cs Of 4 man, who
watched the ladies srspiciousay US they wsre
iivestei Of each article Of dress. My Bri.ieh
feelings burnsd with indignation, and my
casess with nlushss at tha degradation but
| vas powarless, far fron. home SUD hsl 20
submit.
This was not all. You will perceive, tom
the s1yer tisement, that zach lady was allowed
\ racaags pr trunk contaioirg female wes.-
ics appar"l, weighing 100 lbs, and, though
had strictly adhered 20 t!.is INDUCTION, they
opened nIy trunk, and roiai'od Zoe of haif tho
clothing i'll u the whole contents being
scarcely sufficient supply fer any lady
moving IL respectable society.
Now, I would ask you, cir, is there no re-
dress for this /? Tho GovernEasnt which thus
robs ianocsrt foreigners Of the property,
aud insults their feelings with impuni:y, nssy
slso dispose CT their lives wherever it cen
invent preteat. I see nc bounds TO it's
power.
They impose upon US osiha, whose value
they, themselves, regard not; they subject US
to degrading treatment without tbs lenss NO
tica; and while pretending to grant us free
t;ayel. pay themselves tHico over by ,hsir
rchbsres, which they disnify BY the rsme
Of oozf5 :atioas. They arc tae do;nss ~ ,fa
powe-s taat be il Washington, and l Simply
ask have they thorisht to con6scsts the person
alproperty of sn unofsnding foreigner? Muet
every British subject leave the country? Or
IL there no voice to reach across ihe Atlantic
snd PLEAD Cor Ia Surely all pations have not
lost their chiyslEy and manhood, bu. there
mus. yet bs some poHor :Aat will btuud BY
unprotected females and preserve thoG from
insult aad ROBBERY!
You viii pardon mo if writ, warmly, ms
feel deeply and pray favor me with al
early rep,y, Cor i. ia not my intention to let
such proceedings pass urnot,ced, other English
iaGies taTiug suffered in tho Same manner.
I an, air,
Your obd't se.v't,