The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-25
DONOVAN ROSSA.
The Celebrated Letter PnbI,.shod in ola Mar

seIIIaise.0
The following, from the London Telegraph, is
the text of the letter, said to be written by the
convict O'Donovan Rosa, and recently pub
lished in La Mdrseilldise:-- ..
/ have told you of the hypocrisy of these
English masters, who, after having placed me in
position that compelled me TO rest upon my
knees and elbows in order to take my food, half
starve me, deprive me of light, aud give me
chains and q Bible. i make no complaint of
the penalties which my masters require Inc to
endure-my fate is to suffer; but l maintain that
j have the right to acquaint the world with the
treatment to which am subjected, and that il is
Illegal to suppress my letter which speaks of that
treatment. The minute precautions taken by the
prison authorities to prevent me from writing let
ters are as ridiculous as they are abhOrrent. The
most outrageous proceeding was to strip me
naked once u day during several months, and TO
examine my arms, legs, and all parts of my
body. This occurred ut Millbank every day in
February and up to May, 1857. One day l re-
sisted, and then there came five officers, who
aseailed me with blows and tore off my cloth
ing. Once was enabled to send outside a let
ter, and that procured me visit from Messrs.
Knox and Pollock two police magistrates.
What mockery it was, to send two Govern
ment officials to ascertain the truth concerning
English prisonsl These gentlemen refused
to take note of what 1 had of Importance
to tell them. When 1 approached a subject
which did not suit them, they stopped me by
saying that with the discipline of the prison they
had nothing to do. Is not this true, Messrs.
Pollock and Knox? When told you that had
been forced to bathe in the water that had
already been used by half O dozen English pri-
soners, did you not refuse to take notice of my
complaint? At Chatham a certain quantity of
opium was given me to pick, and was told that
l would have to fast if had not completed my
task by a certain hour. perhaps" said /, "you
will punish me in the same manner if 1 do not
complete my task; that has already occurred to
me at Mibank" "How was that?" asked the
Governor. Then l related to him how, on
the 4th of July, having, finished my task
ten minutes before the fixed period, l took up a
book. The officer saw me, accused me of
idling, and was sentenced to bread and water,
and was confined in a dark cell for forty-eight
hours. One day perceived my friend Edward
Duffy. He was very pale. Soon afterwards l
ard 1t said that Duffy was seriously Ill, and
tha he had expressed a desire to see me-we
had ~ very intimate in Ireland. solicited
from thS Governor of the prison permission to
visit him. He fatty refused. That was about
Christmas, 1867, and some weeks later a pri-
soner told me in low tone, through the grating
of my cell, Duffy is dead" Ii
such thing had happened in
would have considered it! IfMr Gladstone had
| been present at such a death-scene at Naples,
what picture he would have painted of 1t !!
All! smooth-spoken Pharisees, trafficking in
hypocrisy-the Bible on your lips, the devil in
your belly. l owe word to the memory OF
| John Lynch. In the month of March, 1866, /
found myself with him in the exercise-yard We
| were so closely Watcned tnaJ ne cOulQ laruly
say these words to me, 'The cold is killing me.
| But these English, what did they do 2" They
removed us to London the day before Christ
mas Arrived at the prison, we were deprived
| of our tannels, and we were left for months
shivering with cold in our cells. Yes, they cannot
deny it, they assasslnated John Lynch, but al
the inquiry, nevertheless, there was no lack of
officers forthcoming to prove that Lynch and
Duffy had been very tenderly treated. The lying
| of our English rulers exceeds an the limits oi
imagination. If | am to die in prison, con-
jure my family and my friends not to believe
word which these people say about me. Let II
not be supposed that / am influenced by any
personal rancor fagainst those who have pur
sued me with their falsehoods. | accuse only the
| nance of such a system. Many times circum
stances have reminded me of these words O
Machiavelli, "that tyrants have an especial in
| terest in the circulation of the Bible, in orde
that the mass of the people may learn its pre-
cepts and submit to pillage without resistin!
the brigands." While a slavish people practist
the morality and obedience which their priests
preach to them, tyrants will have nothing t
fear. If this letter should reach my country
men, have right to demand that they shall
raise their voices to insist that justice should b
| done to their suffering brothers. Maythe word
stir the blood which now curdles in their veins
/ have been harnessed to small cart, with
knotted cord round my neck. The knot was con
nected with long pole, and two English prison
ers were ordered to prevent the cart from re
bounding but they released their hold, the pol
sprang up in the air, and the knot gave way.
the knot had held tight, should have been
dead man. | affirm that it was not right t.
place me in position where my life depende
| upon the acts of Others. A ray of light pene
trates through the bolts and bars of my prison
1t is the recollection of day passed at New
| ubp / mi wit lraT