Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-10-05
LETTER FROM GEN. CHAs.
s....... p. STONE

GoQCHLAND Co, Va, Sep. l2 1867.
! Editor Boston POST
Sir: A friend of mine has sent to nae
| q copy of your newspaper, tissue Of Au-
gust oath ult.), which has Just been re.
ceived, and therein l find marked 8
communication relative 10 nv imprisOn-
ment in 1852.
Your correspondent has fallen into
some errors, which appear in his COM
municstiOn; but this is hardly to be
wondered st when the mystery thrown
around the Incarceration and its termi-
nation are considered.
One statement in the communication !
feel bound TO correct, disagree8ble as it
is to me TO parade my personal wrongs OF
years past before the public. The state
ment is as follows:
"Csn it be believed, that though the
truth hsd long since dswned upon him,
and he had come to recognize the craven
malignity which has pursued and ruined
him, vet he cherished the desire for lioer-
| ty, for restoration. for home, society, and
the amenities of life. and was so hum
bled and cast down that he sued for mer-
cy from his calumniator, Sumner, and
professed his readiness to suffer such self
humiliation as might be imposed upon
him, IL it would procure his release from
the bastile which threatened soon to be
bis grave"
Knowing, as / do, what is "t the heart
Of the solitary prisoner knowing and
having the strain upon the mind, the
body aye, the strain upon the sOHt OF a
man, who, conscious OF inBoceDee, finds
himself suddenly a prisoner to arbitrary
power cut of from free association with
friends, comrades and famiy-held with
in four wails-his every movement sub
ject to the scrutiny Of a silent sentinel
kept in ignorance Of charges, or even al
Relationships continued day after day,
week after week, with just sufficient re-
Taxation from the rule solitary from time
to time TO make the solitary intervals more
real-UeTnlitted to learn Through letters
subject to previous Inspection OF guards
of illness and trouble in his distant fam
ily, but allowed TO write no word of ad-
vice without having his letter carefully
notwithstanding appeals again and
again for information as to what charges
or allegations might have been made
against him., and never receiving so
much as an acknowledgement Of their
receipt-sllowed to learn that devoted
friends had for weeks hung around the
sources of power, Supplying everywhere
for information concerning the cause Of
his imprisonment, but everywhere find
ing only silence, sometimes receiving
cOntumely-teHlptsd, after weeks of this
regimen, by the intimstion that If be
would but bsar testimony against his
commander 8 friend of his YOUTH he
could have liberty and advancement.
Knowing, say, what all this is, | could
readily believe that man 50 circum-
stsnced might lose, if not sustained by
more than human power, all control of
body, mind and soul. No one who has
not known la his own person what such
confinement is can 1orEa even 8 dim
conception of 1t.
But yet your correspondent is In error,
and / feel it nay duty to my family, my
friends and myself to correct il:
never, during nay Incarceration sued
for usercg from any man. asked again
and sgain for trial, for presentation OF
charges, for knowledge as to whe ordered
my arrest. These applications I made
as Of nag right to my military superiors.
They were never answered. After
months OF Imprisonment, l asked for
suspension Of arrest and permission 10
serve in my place in the army until such
time as trial would be granted. This Rp-
plicstion, like the rest, was received by
silence.
Throughout my Incarceration I fre-
quently asked (unavailingly) for nv
rights, but / never sued for mercy.
Especially Is your correspondent in
error when he writes that / sued for
mercy to Mr.. Sumner.
] ana confident that none of my friends
ever did 50, and s. for myself, / knew