Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1868-12-24

enee. when engaged OF an err.nd Of ner-
%:
! have some peculiar Renaissance, cons
nected with Fer. Lafayette. IL 1861
three dis.ir gu;sheagentieman. Hon. VIZ
n Gvinn, who had served many years
With distinction in the Senate Of the Uni
led States. Hon Calhoun Bcnhsm. nc
had been United States District Attorney
in California, and Mr. Brent, who had
been prominent lawyer IN Baltimore,
and was ;aen very proninen. lawyer ot
California. embarked on steamer fer
some point in the East General Slnn-
.r was on board he same steamer When
she vas near the Is,hmss the General
! made ;,sen bis prisoners. He simply
dcign.d to tell them tia, they were Intend
! ing 70 6gh, against the United States, !
. suspicion perfectly preposterous in the case
/ Of DR.. Gwiua. who Was an inhrm old man
! Of about seventy years. When they de-
mandei the ground OF his suspicion, he
only answered that h. enter tanned it, aud
! was not responsible for his suspicious
The throe victims were conveyed 10 the
| Federal Government. and Mr.. Seward
Secretary Of State, ordered them, without
an interview, to Fort Lafayette
As one Oft -. prisoners WAS ny
near anas1 kslat;Se. I >hasteued
release. Il.a .4!.e ss US ses =
earnestly = the President for the release
of Gov Mqehead, Mr.. Durrett, and 9th
crs, but wen q member Of my ows fami-
lily vas. -icsim ofoppression and tyrau-
ny, felt lat | should give ny pcrsonal
! presence . the effort Tor deliverance -
! / arrived at tie capital long after dark
and calledimn.dia,ciy en Mr. Lincoln.
He received mo with the greatest corii
Atty and ,enislity. though be gently in
tiuated that be rather thought that had
been little unjust ts him. l asked him
for the dscharge Of tie three Fort Laf4y
es.o prisoners. GWiun. Benhan, and
! Brent He inquired what were tue char
gss against them. y. course told hun
ina. dnn't know, and suggested rne.h-
! -r it wan. more his bu>luc. than ours
to know He answered well, / don't
know about these :hlugsy but an dl.-
! posed t do what l$casSfOr you and will
/ give yu letter to S-wasI." took
the Letter aud called At Mr. Sewaru's o.
: ice thenc1t morning. The distinguish
e. Sece,sry received nc with his accu.-
:eueJ amcnitv, but, Ill regard to the
mat.cSiD hand, talked quite diplomatic
cally Il VS. about my first experience
Of regular dlplomati.ss conYersation.-
! didut much admire or understand it
Sir. s invited me 70 take Tea with him
that ,veuins | did. A.:er tea l re-
ns*et my application for The release Of
ny fzends and argued She matter So vol
=. cosld. He uai only this reply to
make: Il am considering the matter,
and Ishsll 30 very glad to see you at tea
Or br:aktss, or dinner every day, and WI
vll ak the subjtct over"
Oue evening, when had been sbou.
four days il " ashlngtou, ventured TO
urge my request very strcngy upon the
SECRETARY, and he SAID "cs!l u: my Office
.o4uorrew morning ct kaIf-past ten, ami
| will give You an order ter the rel. Of
y>sst1.snds" OF course WA, punctuai
70 ,hGhiItto. FRET" said he, adj
ireaing his son aud Assistant secretary,
give Mr.. Prentice the document uI-
rscted you to make out" Tae assistant
secretary placed it in my hends. | resd
it. It was no, IN order for the discharge
of the victims. 1t WIS only an order thai
l should have the privilege of seeing
them III their prison wheu | pleased. =
Why, MIR. Seward, this is no, what you
promised me yesterday No it is NOT j,
but especially desire that YOU SO to New
York and talk with your triends, ascertain
their feeling. and intentions and report
to me- | told him il terInt. lite brlet
possibly, that he certainly could not c1-
pect n,e ~ visit my friends in prison and
enter into conversation WITH III IL Is :.
Government spy. Well, he said. do
me the fayer 10 60 AID SEE them, and
write 70 lie az you like. | SAID yes.
| went. and wrote to hin every day
rs ..ron gly .. could in favor of the re-
lease Of the prisoners. Ny first .hg,e
letters were uaun.merra Ia reply to
tho fourth received dispatch s.ying
that my friend, we're 'par0lei to HatA-
lnston for explanation. OF course
considered that dispatch as Implying
discharge | went Immediately with Dr..
,ivlun'. wife and daughters T. Furl Lt-
tayettc, exhibited the order to the prlso-
uers, aud advised .neuI to proceed 10
Washington ilnmcdia,ely go wItu Us.
said they l told them that it would be
exceedingly announcement for me TO 90
with them They were apprehen.ive
Of deceit and treschcry go with us,
said they. "vr We vii, not GO |
went With them. On arriving at Wash
ngton | called upon Secretary Seward in
their behalf. lie required that they
should either take y certain obnoxious
oath or be remsnded 10 prison. asked
them what they would do. and tney agreed
that, as there were no charges against
them, aud 8. they had committed no
crime, they would sooner SO back to taeir
hassiie .L-A sa.e aaJ oath. All my APP
peaIs to the Secretary we're of no avail
Then nay appeal was to President LIZ
soln. certainly kind-hearted thrs.L :.
many thugs. a sadly mssgaia d Junction.
arv. At my sesond interview with hir:,
he said. Il will set your friends irce.-
They may 60 ~ much At large as any
otner c;,izsu Of the United States
asked him il he would grant them per-
n.;ss,su TO 90 TO Europe. lie replied
tia, none Of our people had the right to
90 to Europe without passports, not even
himself, and that therefore be could not
give passparts, but that my friends shoulu
he just IS free IS ne or auy other uian
under the Goyerrneut to 60 and come at