Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1867-03-28
POLITICAL HISTORY.
Relics Of Lincoln's Bastiles--The Case OF
Colonel North.

Relics Of Lmcoln's Bastiles--The Case Of
Colonel North.
Slowly but surely the record of
crime at Washington is unrolling it
self. 1t is as black, but with letters
more distinct than the charred papyri
which came from the mud and cinders
of Pompei. MIR. Seward may try
to write over them the conservative
platitudes which now dribble from his
pen, but, from underneath, the story
of wrong, and outrage, and wanton
abuse Of power, struggles TO the light
at last. Reading some of these revel-
ations, one is lost in wonder at the
patience and long suffering of the vic
Tins, but we do not wonder at the
tenacity with which such wrong-doers
as Seward, and Stanton, and Holt
cling to the immunity which the mere
possession oi Office appears to give.
Mr.. Lincoln, whom these recent dis
closures seriously implicates, is in his
grave, and pity for an untimely end
softens in his case the voice Of censure.
But, while Sandford Conoveris in goal
and Detective Baker is dismissed, and
Boston Corbett-who so unnecessari-
", or with an evil intent, shot Booth
in the barn-has sunk out of sight,
tho triumvirate at Washington still
retain high positions, and still are
amcnable to public criticism. These
ideas are prompted by the singular
and, as we may well describe them,
awful revelations recently mado in
New York, in the case of Col North,
the uncontested facts of which are
briefly these:
Colonel Samuel North, who resides,
we presume, somewhere in the neigh
borhood Of Cooperstown, was, and is,
amanO entire personal responsibility.
In 1854 he was appointed agent of the
State of New York. TO reside at Wash
ington, to look after the interests OF
the volunteer soldiers of New York in
that locality, and to do and perform
such things as were necessary in ad-
ministering TO the wants and interests
of all such connected with the army,
the sick in hospitals and elsewhere.
How faithfully he discharged those
arduous duties, how willingly and eff
cicntly he aided hundreds of poor sol.
diers, how many acts of kindness were
shown parents and friends, how i'm
partial was his treatment of all, NAV
be shown by the united testimony OF
political friends and opponents. With
him were associated Mr. Cohn and
Mr.. Marvin NJ Jones. On the 9th
of October, 1864, about a fortnight
before the Presidential election, these
gentlemen were arrested by military
process, in Washington, and thrown
into the Old Capitol Prison, the charge
being "defrauding soldiers of their
votes" There they remained till
January ard February, 1865, when
they were discharged as innocent
Now let us see what happened in
those dreary three months of illegal
wanton Imprisonment. From within,
no word of complaint was allowed to
reach the outer world. But Governor
Seymour, hearing of the case, ap.
pointed n commission, consisting Of
men of high standing-Messers. Palm.
err Allen and Kelly-Yho visited
Washington, and with somo difficulty
were allowed to visit these poor men.
In their report to the Governor, the
commissioners give this CHASTITY mar.
rative-so bad that we almost hesitate
TO reproduce it:
The undersigned availcd themselves Of the per
init granted them to visit Colonel North, NJ. NJ
Jones and Levi Cohn. They found them in th'
"Carro Prison." in close confinement They
learned that Messrs. North and Cohn had been
confined together in one room, and had not been
permitted to leave it for moment during the foui
days they had been prisoners, for the purpose o.
answering the calls Of nature They had beer
ruppicd with moagre and course prison rations
70 be eaten in their room where they constant,
hrcathcd tho foul atmosphere arising from th,
standing oder. They had no vessel out Of which
% dnak water. except the one furnished them fo
urination. They had but one chair, and had slcp
tSreo Of the nights Of their confinement upon n sacl
Of straw on the floor. Thoy had not been per
nittod to a newspaper, and were ignorant o.
the cause Of their arrest All communication be
tween them and the outer world had been denied
them. The undersigned complained to the acting
superintendent, who seemed humanely disposed
Aui llsNueu DIS course ul but PRISON fAltt anu An
Instructions Of his superiors. The undcrsignc,
Afterwards complained Of the treatment Of thcs
persons TO the Judge Advocate and also 20 th'
Secretary Of War and the Assistant Secretary o
War, and were happy to learn, 1t a subsequcn
visit TO the prisoners that the seventies were rc
laxed and their condition made more tolerahlc
But al neither Of these visits made to The prisoner
by The undersigned werc they permitted to sec then
without special permit and only IN the prcsenc
Of an oihcer Of the prison
Brief, however, was this indulgence
for we read that "though for a time
the prison brutalities were somewhat
modified, they were soon taken to Q
room on the second floor, where they
were confined with thirteen othors
and were allowed TO purchase food fl
TO eat, at high price, Of n person
supposed to have intimate relation:
with the head keeper of the prison
On the 18th of November, for a pur.
4 pose which will appear, they were
taken thence and placed in solitary
conhnement, TO subsist on hard tack
Ahu iight the vermin which infested
After time the trial, before a mill
tary court Of which the redoutabl,
here, Abner Doubleday-the detracto,
" Uenerai Aoade--was president, ans