The New York herald., 1869-05-15


uttered many seditous speeches against the govern
ment OF England the Mayor having the audacity TO
praise martyr, the miscreant O'Farrel, who at
temped to murder Prince Allied In Australia So
much, In brief, for that passed. The speech Of the
Mayor OF Cork may be disposed OF IN very few
words. The speaker is evidently vulgar man,
fond Of what In your country is called 'tall talk
and anxious to bring himself into notoriety. Apart
from the position he holds his words were most
onenslve as the chief magistrate of large town
they were seditious and ought to meet with proper
punishment, as have no doubt they will. But there
was never smoke without fire. and this wretcned
speech, as well as the far more moderate ana in-
nnitely more excusable vauntings Of tue liberated
Fenisns must have some great moving cause, and |
think l can show that the government, or rather
the Executive under the last government has
much. very much to answer for in this respect.
have before me pamphlet which has just been
published in Ireland. It Is entitled "Things Not
Generally Known Concerning England's Treatment
OF Political Prisoners" Unless am much mistaken
this little work is destined to make very great stir
all over the civilized world, and to make England
by-word among nations for allowing a savage ven-
geance to be taken upon men ncarcerated for polit
cal offences. Talk OF the treatment Of the federal
prisoners by the Confederate authorities at Ander-
sonvllle; why the very worst-and God knows 1t was
mere chid's play compared 10 the details given in
this pamphlet Of the way the Fenian prisoners nave
been treated in our jas for the past three years. OF
course the question is whether the statements are
true. Would to God that, for the honor OF England,
i could throw doubt upon their authenticity. The
publisher and compiler Of the little work Is Mr. r. Pi-
Several letters from liberated Fenians In corrobora
tion OF the statements made In the body OF the pub
llcation. To give even resume of the horrors
detailed in these pages would far exceed the
limits OF news letter. The tale OF cru
city commences with the time when the Fenans
nS na na9 ID
February. 1866 IL goes on to state how, iinme-
searched IN the presence OF several jailers and Eng
Iish military ofcers their boards shaved on their
hair cut close to the scalp clothed in the feon dress
OF the prison. thrown into damp dungeons, handed
some cold milk and damp bread for supper treated
cold weather, to put all their clothes (even their
faaheis outside their cells at night obliged TO wake
up every quarter OF an hour OF the night by the jail
ers on duty who came to their cells, violently
opened their trap doors, plunged dark lantern
with powerful reflector before their eyes and kept
II there until they awoKe. In the same way, when
these political prisoners were brought across
to England. they were Kept ali through cold
wet night on the dock, two aud two, and when they
arrived at Pentonville Prison, mere in London
they were again stripped naked, their per-
sons searched after manner which | dare
not describe, and which, II | did describe
you would not publish; their nannels worn next
the skin taken from them and one OF the party,
been sentenced TO penal servitude for an unmen-
tionable offence. They were, on the whole, treated
far worse than the murderers the house-breakers
and the other scoundrels confined in the same
prisons with them, and with whom they were made
10 associate and 70 labor. They had to wear the
shirts, tie nannels and other clothing OF the vlest
criminals, many OF whom were suffering from the
most loathsome and infectious diseases syphilis
&c. If they complained they put on
bread and water. At the best OF times their food
was most disgusting in quality and utterly insuf-
clent in quantity. They were-and be ii remem-
me Qf rQ-
spectacle standing and Of education-once q week
stripped naked IN the same room, marched in per-
feet state OF nudity to the baths; brought before the
doctor naked as they were born, and when they at
tempted to make any remark about their health
they were told IN the most insolent manner to hold
their tongues. The clothing oil the abe-bodIed and
the lnyalds was exactly the same. allowance
was made for debility or disease. The man who was
In a consumption, or victim to rheumatism was as
thlnly clad IA the robust burglar tnat worked
IN the qrarries. They were only allowed once in
three months to write TO their friends aad the
slightest infringement OF the prison rules caused
even that small boon TO be Withdrawn for another
one, two, three and even Six months. The winter OF
1907 was the most severe winter that had been
known IN England for many years. but the Fenian
prisoners were kept new ng stones in sleet ard snow
and rain, most OF them-I may say nIne.tenths OF
them-being men who had never IN their lives per-
formed any manual labor whatever
And all this treatment allowed for can hardly
bring myself TO believe even now that II was
deredl by the government OF q nation which sets
itself up as what Catholics would cal 'the director
on morals OF the rest OF the world fhe conduct Of
Russia OF Austria OF the United states, OF the late
King OF Naples OF the late Queen Of spain II the
Pope and OF almost every sovereign throughout the
civilized world towards their respective political
prisoners has been more or less severely animad-
verted upon by the press OF England and even by
members OF Parliament from their places In the
House. But what do we see when our own turn
comesS Nothing that have ever heard or read OF
comes near In deliberate cruelty the statements now
made about the way we have treated these Fenians.
Russia, Austria or King Bomba could do no worse,
A. indeed either could do as much evil And with t
ali there has been degree OF secrecy which Is most
disgusting
say this pamphlet has been for more than week in
the hands OF the newspapers, but, with very few ex
Ssp'ons not single Engish print mas not,ced J. ~,
Weekly Dispatch, an ultra liberal paper the star,
which Is Mr. Brghrs peculiar organ, and the Iyeekiy
ReufsteT, the Roman Catholic newspaper published
In London. The Irish papers are, OF course, not 50
silent.
Times OF this mornlng-tnat OF Englands difficulty
with the United Staee Al last, and only since MIR.
summers speech IN your senate became known, the
serious nature OF the offence we committed against
America eight years ago: The leader In today,
a tone OF buster which Indicates more plainly
than I need point out that sooner or later W.
rn. saa Of nave wna, is Wrongly PDn yss cae
the Alabama question. II Is curious TO observe how
more OF less the same wrong head John Bulsn ton'
prevails throughout the English press. "We have
perhaps, done wrong; we'll pay for the damage, bu
we won't apologize is virtually the text whcl
they adopt. Like the Daily Ne,cs, which has away
proved itself a stanch advocate OF federal right.
and federal principles, do not go the length tina
Mr. Sumner does In his speech; nor do believe tina
any business like man In America would do so
But believe that England IN her recognition Of th,
Southern confederacy did the United states harm
moral az well as national-of which few English
men have not az yet calculated the cost. Then tn'
escape OF the Alabama followed close upon this pre-
mature recognition. That steamer was no doub
openly received and welcomed IN our colonial ports
sna rne later, M 70 say nothing Of Liverpool realll
became the basis OF warke operations, not onll
against American commerce, but against tn,
very existence OF the United States. And more
than TINS, In common with very many Engishmen
believe that the rebellion OF the Confederate state
would have been crushed IN two years instead n
four had II not been for the moral and aeral heI,
Afforded by England. stin look upon Mr. snn,
ner's spec more In the light OF what the connaa
for the -.ntin would utter in q case before iudoe
The lawyer may be right 10 his facts but he stas
the damages at O larger figure than his clients eve
expect to receive or than the defendants can by an
possibility Dpay. The DAILY Netcs OF this mornin
says "Mr. Sumner not only presents England wit
abnl OF i've hundred millions, but requires that v
should pay Il on our kneesr l don't believe tn
any American really believes that we viii or can ps
such bill; nor do beIieve that the United Stat
a IN pho I'm NJ In nj 00uratyply ,