Year: 1871




The following letter, written by u lady OF
her 90, Is published In the New York pa
pcrS:


! 81 wrote to you only few days ago, my
dear friend, and told you something of the
state of things, but within the last two
days the storm has burst, and the reign of
terror emphatically has begun. Under that
vile proclamation Of Grants, and an Fact
for lntimidating voters The old scene be-
tween the Wings and Tories of the old Re-
yoluton is being enacted. Every Radical
who has private grudge against another
! among our Democratic and Confederate
people have gotten up the uilest conspiracy
against the people of this district, and, TO
grutiy their revenge, denouncc them as
enemies to the Goyernment-upon what
| charges they know MOTTO the Yankee
commander. Col mel Merrill, who is Il ,fend
ihcdradte, and he Is arresting citizens right
| and left, crowting the jails to such IN cX-
| tent that ii kept there much longer Jail
| fever will spare them q trial before q
packed jury of Radicals and Judge sent
| to cOnrict In order to compass their ends,
spies are everywhere, and the most casual
words which drop from the hunted VIC
| Tins lips are reported and brought in evil
dence against them of reasonable inten-





pass'their diabolical ends All this is in Il
time of profound quiet. Not disturbance
has occurred I'm any way in this district for
months, and people have been quietly
going about their business. The Ralical
representative from this district in Congress
is at the bottom of the whole thing, and to
revenge some private quarrel with the
community he has outraged and been
exposed for. There are four or five
other districts in the State enduring
the same fiery trial, and people feel the
tyranny and oppreSSon~is so unendura Bile
that within the last few weeks six hundred
persons have left their homes and all they
had in the world to tind some place where
there was ut least a semblance of law and
justice. / have the promise of full and
written account of all the Radical proceed
ings in the case of these prisoners (arrested
on Saturday last), and will send it to YOU
as soon a> get 1t, and hope you will find
some paper at the North honest and Just
enough to publish it. 1t may he a month or
more before the end comes. 1t really seems
as If the Radicals were bent upon goading
the people Of this State to madness. The
petty schemes of tyranny and revenge they
exercise remind one of the tales we have
read Of Austrian prisons and the doings of
the most dcspctic Kingdoms Of the Old
w Oliu. aitN WIS - iIce, IcptlDllCHH AIle-
rica God help the name The friends of
liberty may indeed weep at the atrocities
committed in her name. Negroes and the
lowest white men are bribcd to bring evi-
dencc against those they wish to convict,
and the prisoners are kept in entire igno-
rance of what they are accused until
brought to trial, which gives them no
chance to disprove the charges brought
against them. Lest this should get into
the hands of those demons / shall in future
give you an initial. They are putting
women in Jail in some OF the other dis
tricts, hear. don't think they will make
much by that move. General Grant has
sent his order on to crush and terrify the
people to vote the Radical ticket and keep
Grant in nower. The North may look on
with apathy, but rest assured when we are
crushed out their turn will come, and New
York will be the first to feel the iron heel
of the despot and his abominable faction"