The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-11-16

were lncarcerated. L stopped him, be-
ing struck with the intelligent, though
sad expression OF his face.
"Old man." said l, "have you been to
the iail2'
"Yes, boss" he replied, "I'se been to
see my young massa. Dey got him in
dar."
"For whatY'
Fur muffin in Gods world, boss, but
dat he is Dimocrat
do they charge him with any crime?'
None dat he nor l knows on"
"Whatp exclaimed, "desn't he
know what he is put in Jail for?'
mo, sab; dat he don't. An l knows
dat de boy is as innocent OF Ku-Kluxin'
as you is. or 1. All de niggers will
swar dat"
"If there is nothing against him, why
don't they let him goY
"De Lord only knows, boss" he re-
piled, in the most earnest and mournful
manner. "Dey say dey gwine to keep
EN- all in dere till way on to Christmas
times"
How long has your young master
been in jail2"
1.-TWO weeks, an better"
"And you don't know what ne was
put in Jail forY
mo more nor you, nor l." the old
man replied, shaking his head.
HAS he had no trial or hearing of
any kind p
"No, sab. Layin' IN jail, boss, an no
chance give him O clearin' hisselfr'
THAT is too bad. Is he married p
my young massa married? Ha,
ha, haI No, boss. He's picked out
gal, an soon as de milintary lets him
out O Jail he's gwine for her; but he's
got mother. Since old masters dead,
my young boss is her sole dependence.
She's left all alone at home now; an
she's nigh distracted concarnin' Of his
takin' off an Judgement in Jail. l
never spected to see de day when my
young boss would be put in Jail, an fur
muffin under Gods SUM-" said the old
man, with eyes dimmed with tears Of
commingled sorrow and indignation.
"Well, what do you think of all this
business, old man p said 1.
"Ah, boss, l don't think much Of it."
what, are you not glad that the
Ku-Klux, the prosecutors of your race,
are being caught and put in Jail p
mo, boss, l amt glad. De Ku-
Kluxes neber trouble me. never
steal muffin. / never burn nobody's
barn. Ineber march about de country
with Scott's melish, wild muskets, an
drums, an flags, tryin to 'timidate de
white folks. Some o de colored people
say dey are glad dat de white men am
put in jail or driv out o de country.
But amt. 1t hurts me to see 30 many
young men in Jail down dar, huddled
together like hogs in pen-driv about
like cattle-an by dere own color, too!
White men treatin' white men in dat
way, is more than l can understood
Drops big as buckshot comes up into
| my eyes cherry time | looks at dat jail,
wild nv Young boss Gagged in dere like
he was bearp
Here the good old African made a
pause, after which he said, with an
urgency of tone that bespoke the
sincerity Of his words:
"Ah, boss, if I was de President OF
the United States I'd die before la let
nv own people be crammed in jail dis
way by sojers, an kept deere widout a
hearin'l Id stop dis. I'd set things TO
rightsp 1884,,
/ babe the earnest old negro good
bye, and passed on to the gloomy JAIL
where Ku-Klux prisoners were "hud,
died together like hogs in q pen, an
driy' about like cattle" l found the
prisoners guarded by soldiers as though
they were captives of war: There was
the dark, dreary looking building, with
its grated windows and forbidding as:
pecI. There beheld the sad faces OF
mapy an unfortunate victim OF Radical
persecution peering wistfully through
the iron bars, longing to be IN !ne
sweet sunshine without, and yearning
for the homes wbere'they had left their
loved ones in tears, in loneliness, IN
despair. There stood the grim sentl-
mel with neat Uniform and flashing
bayonet guarding the entrance to tne
iail. There was the camp OF GRANT 3
soldiers, the white tents and seaoy
booths dotting the green slope OF tne
Hill that sweiled up in graceful outline
IN the rear of the prison house. ana
here, thought I, is the seat OF Grant 3
Rebellion one of the dungeons l
rather thought, selected for the arol. Oh.
trarv imprisonment of the victims OF
political persecution. This was my
frst oIimpse of "the Rebellion. AS
T looked upon the scene-the military
csmn. the guarded Jail, and the quiet,
peaceful little village reposing upon Tue
Hills around-I thought how IN Tie
midst of peace we are in war! a. 900
It was q sickening sight to see THESE !:
men crowded in the narrow cells OF sn; ~
dungeon, and narrowing to hear 'ne, lei.
anxious inquiries. when ~iIi w, W,
have a bearingY asks one. us ou'
trial never to come OFF, exclalms an.
other "Will the Government never
Give us an opportunity Of establishing ing
onr inpocence9' says q third; -.
thew never intend to tell us what w
. srsin iail fort What specific offenses W.
srs charged With, inquiries fourth
an the name OF God and humanity ar
we to lay here and rot in jail wisno =,
s ss investigation, q hearing, ], trial, al. o,
- .Nn