Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-04-18
BEbLIGEREST RIGHTS.

bEHLlhEhbNl IllbhiSs
The Philadelphia Press has correspondent in
the field who writes excellent etters-Mr. J.
Morris Chester lie !, tall, stout, muscular,
vet unassnmng man. lie is a black man. En-
terng the hall Of Congress he sat down in the
speakers chair and commenced writing on the
speakers desk. rebel officer who had been
paroed entered the room. "Come out OF there
you black cuss shouted the officer, his teeth set
and his fist ceuched.
Mr. Chester raised bis eyes, calmly surveyed
the officer and went on with his writing
"Get out Of there or III knock your brains
out" the officer beloved, pouring out torrent
Of oatbs.
Mr. Ceester did not move. The officer rushed
up the steps to seize him by the collar, but found
himself tumbliug heels over head over chairs and
benches, knocked dosn by one well planted blow
between his eyes, hch Mr.. Chester had given.
Mr. Chester SAID not word, but sat down
aud went to writing as il nothing had happened.
The officer sprang to his feet aud called upon
Capt Ilutchins oil Gen. Dsnver's staff for
sword.
AIN Gu. the fellows heart out, said he.
40, no. | guess not. won't le. you have
my sword for any such purpose. Hyou want to
isht Nlr Chester, will clear space here and
see that you have lair play, but let me tel you
that you vii get tremendous thrashlng, sad
Capt Hutca.ns.
he officer leh he hall in disgust, while Mr..
Chester continued his writing. 81 thought
would exercise my rights as beligercnt," was his
remark a. be told me the story, which is fully
confirmed by Capt. Hulchos.
This happened in Richmond, 10 the hall Of
Congress, where society," politicians, ministers and
eli believe gual coored men have no rights which
whte msu is bound to respect. What sacTl-
lege il w4s for Mr.. Chester to enter the Capitol
the hall-srd sit in that chair where jeff Da.
Wis sat when he visited the Senate The incident
shows how f4st and how AR We have advanced
toward universal human brotherhood during the
four years Of the war.
POETIC JUSTICE.
The fire which licked out with forked tongues
Of flame the heart Of Richmond on Monday last
which turgel from James River to the Capitol,
from Belle Isle TO Rockets, which made tie
place a scene Of ndescriblble desoAton, IefI the
LIBBY Prison unharmed, though nearly oil other
buildings around it were burned.
Libby Prison What horrors have been wit
nessed within its walls What signs and groans
What PRAYERS and tears What dying out Of
hope and wasting away Of body and mind What
nights Of darkness settling on human souls Its
door an entrance 10 living ohsrnel house-ils
iron grated windows the loop holes OF hell Death
was the warden. Whoever entered there stood
on the verge of the grave and met Death face to
face.
Ihis morning, accompanied by friends, / visited
the prison, which now contains about five hundre
rebel prisoners. They we're peeping out from
the grated windows looking in;ently and sadly
upon the scene OF desoa,ion around them-a city
in runs--still smolderlng and smoking. A large
number we're upon the root, breathing the fresh
air, and gazing upon the fields beyond the James,
green now WITH the yerdure OF spring. Union
prisoners never had such liberty. Whoever sp-
preached the Window bars or aid his hand upon
them, tell dead the next instant.
There was crowd Of women with pals and
buckets At the windows, giving the prisoners pro-
visions and talking freely with their friends, who
came not only 10 the window, bu, to the door,
where the good nItured sentinel allowed conT.r
sation without restriction.
The officer 10 charge conducted our party
through the wards. Inc crowd Of filthy wretohes
gazsd upon US with curiosity, wondering what
was the purpose Of our visit. The air was felId
with vile oders, arising from the unwashed crowd
from old rags and filthy g.rments-from
checked up urinals and snks-from puddes OF
filthy water which ooIed from the conductors,
ddpped through the floor, ran down the walls,
siekening 70 oil the senses. From this prison
on Sunday last, fifteen hundred men we're hurried
to the hig-oi-truce boat, that they might be ex-
changed before falling into our hands. Many
thousands Of men have lived there month after
month, wasting away, starving, dying OF fever
consumption, Of OH disease, known to medical
scence-from insanity, despair and idooy-hav-
food from friends, no sympathy, no compassion
denied everything, starved to death, tortured in
death by rigor ofimpiisonment; Of by men whose
hearts grew harder from day to day until they
became fends 10 human form
" Please give me = BIT Of bread, aunty, am
starving was the plea made one day by yourg
soldier @ho saw negro woman passing the win
dow. lie thrust his emacated hand between Ii
bars and clntched the bit which the kind hearted
elloted Won n cheeriulS gave him but before
1t had passed between his teeth be saw the brains
of his kind benefcress 'pattered upon the side
walk by the sentinel.
Where on The page Of history is there such a
damning record Of crime as that written in Rich
mond - al Libby, at Belle Isle, at Castle THIN
der the je and the penlten,isry. Andersonyillc
and Salisbury, and Milen are parts Of the Rich
mond record Of orime--ior all orders were issued
from here.
AT the jail Major Stevens the Provost Marshal
found a crowd Of starving wretches-men, wo
men and children, bhck snd white, ncarcsrlted
for petty crimes.
"What are you in here for ?" he asked Of
little girl
"For stealugA piece OF bread sir. | wal
hungry and my mother was starving" she re
Piled, the tears starting down her cheeks.
Slajcr Stevens ascertained that nearly all were
imprisoned for petty offences driven to crime by
necessity y--and opening the door told them to e
where they pleased.
Bubari,y aud inhuminity are characteristic
Of shyery--whoh have shown themselves on tb,
plantation, 10 the slave mart and in the prison
10 slaves and prisoners of war alike.
" intend to treat the prisoners we'll. The
have murdered our men, but | shall not re,aliat
except with kindness said the officer who con
duoted us.
Charles Summer in Richmond The ho,el, des
pised, miltreated fanatic Of other days, who's
lie was sought, who was received only wit
naughty, lnsolent contempt Of his eompsers i
the Senate OF the United States, walked III
,Ieets OF Richmond todly, entered the Caplo
oi the Couledaraoy, while ex-Sen,tors Maso
Hunter Breckenridge, Benjamin aud Davis ar
iugiuses. lis not Senator Sumner who hiss III
umhped. Men are Gods instruments. Jus,ie
aud righteousness have won the mighty victory.
JUBILEE.
Yesterday and to DAY here have been iubile
meetings in the African churches, conducted B
members OF the Christian Commission. The
are purely religious in their character The co