Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-05-01
MILITARY DEsPOTIs1E.
A Reign Of Terror in Marshall,
Texas.

Correspondence Of the Louisville Courier
Journal
MARSHALL, TEXAS, April q, Jo5s
Since 1 wrote to you, further arrests
have been made At Jefferson, The mill
tary power, instesd of relaxing it, TigOr,
/ has increased in the severity OF its treat
ment toward the prisoners and its exac-
tious upon the people. Tyranny ever
commences with caution, becoming
more bold and insOlsnt as it finds that il
meets with no resistance. DespO-
item, ever insidiOus in it's first move.
ments, becomes more relentless in its
/ progress. The town is OYeIru1 with de-
/ tectivss that even invade the sauctity OF
private dwellings, bribs servants and
eavedrOD at windows. Staggering OH
GERS, dressed IN q little brief authority"
strut with staggering gait through tue
streets and lord il over the people. lu-
I solept negroes and drunken soldiers take
up the sidewalks. CibZsns no longer
/ talk openly and boldly, but secretly and
/ in 'sbated whispers" No man feels safe.
! To be incsTeeTated in the Bsstile that
! has been erected involves pecuuiary ru-
! in, family grief, aud what degree OF bu-
initiation will never be known until the
/ persons now in it are relieved and al
/ lowed 10 speak with freedom. We have
]
means OF torture have teen resorted to.
I HoE much truth there is in these re-
! ports cannot tell. Everything is mau-
1 aged SO secretly, and such terrorism
! prevails throughout the place, that 1t IS
/ impossible to find out. Men whom
know to be brave aud true shrink with
terror from the prospect OF personal in
terview with the horrors Of this prison.
One OF the prisoners, however, has had
the fortune and the boldness to smuggle
out q letter. Of which the following is a
copy:
BUEI's BAsTILE, April Is, 1859.
Dear Friend 1 write to-day in hope
that through you our friends and rels-
tives in the North may know OF the IN
fanny thst is being practiced under the
sacred banner Of liberty. l have now
been in the hands Of the vampire, Geo. 7.
Buel, nearly three months. At one Time
there were nineteen men in the den with
me, but oGe Of them having been seiZed
with bleeding at the lungs. and two 9TH
eTs taken sick, and some OF the ofneers
mEkipg strong recommendations that II
was impossible for the pisee to hold SO
many, our number has been reduced tC
thirteen. We are locked up at sunset and
kept until reVeiue in the morning, and
stencil can better be imagined tlan de
seribed. Last nignt / was seiz ID witt
vomiting, and am 80 weak to-day thai
can scarcely write. Another prisoner has
bleeding or the nose from closeDess OF the
air, Those Of US who are not utterly too
weak when We arise in the morning, ssf
each other: "Csu It be possible suct
things can be done and not punishedF 2
For NV part, love the Union yet, snC
came. believe that the great soldier WHIT
rules our great republic knows Of the do
ipgs OF this insulter Of women wit
built bridges during The war that brave
men might cross over to Ight' tuef'
are thirty-six prisoners In sli, and many
OF them are opposed 10 my writing aoou
il, as they think Buel viii treat then
/, worse; but, for myself, there can oe n'
worse fste than to be smothered 70 dest'
Ike rat. 1 only hope that the coWaI'
who has me IN mis- power viii give m'
the same fate that his minion BOstwicE
gave nay lsmented friend, VIM. Perry
It ia unnecessary 20 say to you or th'
friends who know me, that l am limo
cent OF crime to my fellOW-man or tn
: Government. To them ! leave my re
cord.
, The fault OF this man was not that h
3 had committed any crime, or hso ooni
anything wrong, but ne hso spo ksi
] freely and unreservedly bis senti eAt
: regarding the murder Of Mr.. VIM. Perf;
By the notorious BostWick and bis sol
: diers, and had openly denouseed the ~
: ranny that prevailed in Jefferson.