From the South.
Before the consignment of the three Episcopal ministers of New Orleans to Fort Lafayette, for not praying for
Lincoln, one of them desired a friend in that city to make to the country a true statement of the case.
That friend has written a letter to the Mobile
Tribune, from which we extract the following:
Revs. Leacock,
Goodrich, and
Fulton, It is known, have been arrested and sent, I understand, to Fort Lafayette.
My informant states that
the Rev. Dr. Hodges, also of New Orleans, is to share the same fate next week.
Why he was respited so long I did not learn.
The charge against these clergymen in general is, that they refused to pray for the
President of the
United States--L e., they, on being ordered by
Butler to use the prayer in the
Episcopal service known as the prayer for the
President and Government of the
United States, refused to obey.
For this they were apprehended.
I understand that they told
Butler that they were willing to omit that prayer altogether — L e., not to use it either for the
Confederate or the
United States, that they could not use it for the latter without doing violence to their consequences.
To this
Butler would not consent, and insisted that they should use it for the
United States or be imprisoned.
They chose the latter alternative, and hence their seizure and imprisonment.
In the case of
Dr. Leacock, especially, it appears that a sermon, preached and published by him in the earlier stages of the accession movement, afforded a very special pleas for
Butler's malignity; that he charged
Leacock with treason against the
United States, and threatened him accordingly.
He also states, I am informed, that if he could catch
Dr. Palmer, who also preached and published a sermon about the same time that
Dr. Leacock did, he would hang him without judge or jury.
He said he was determined to make a clean sweep wherever he could lay his hands upon a clergyman who had presented and instructed the people on the stirring topics of the times.
But with all his threats and bravado, he could not now the spirits of these Christian men. They left in fine spirits, and triumphed in the hour of triumph of the ‘"Beast."’
Rev. Mr. Fulton waved his hand to the friends who crowded the wharf to see them off, and exclaimed exultingly: ‘"When we return to you, friends, it will be under the glorious banners of the
Confederacy"’ Some one asked him if he were not afraid to express himself so boldly ? His reply was, ‘"No ! they have me in their power — let them do their worst !"’ or words to that effects and so they all left home and families.
Let me add one word here in regard to
the Rev. Dr. Pinckney, whom the
Episcopal clergy nominated a year or so ago to the laity for their
Bishop Dr. P. was incarcerated within one month after that in
Fort Warren, and was still confined in prison as late as July last, and the writer believes that he is a prisoner yet. This is pretty good evidence, the writer thinks, of
Dr. Pinckney's Southern sentiments, notwithstanding the laity at the time could not be convinced of the fact.
This is not said with the intention of seeming to give place to a regret — for the writer is sure that the Episcopal Church has been singularly blessed in its of a Bishop — but by way of validating a noble clergyman of
Maryland, who is suffering in behalf of the
South.
New, what are we to say in regard to these highhanded, tyrannical measures !
Gen our Government do nothing to arrest such wicked proceedings ! Is it not the duty of the
Government to demand the release of these three New Orleans clergymen, or in some way to retaliate, until the Abo Government of the
North shall be brought to its ! Shall we continue to parcel any and every villain who comes to slay, and rob, and steal, and leave our own citizens to suffer in Northern prisons ? I think the
President, with a good and clear conscience, could afford to hold in prison, and if need be, in chains, any half dozen or of their
Colonels,
Generals, or what not, for each of these clergymen.
Of course, true patriotism rests on nothing of the kind, but justice requires that something should be done.
No clergyman or ether good citizen will leave his country the less whether any steps are taken to redress these wrongs or not; but it is the duty of those in power to use every means to guard and protect those who have fallen into the hands of a Godless Government.
The Recent Executions in Texas.
A week or two ago we gave a brief account of the troubles in
Cook county, growing out of the discovery of a treasonable plot to surrender that portion of the
State to Federal authority.
Cook county is a border county, contiguous to the
Indian territory, and is thinly inhabited, a great portion of the setters being originally from
Ohio and
Indiana.
It seems there was a secret organization formed, having signs, grips, and passwords.
The members were sworn to secrecy, and those found worthy were entrusted with three degrees.
The first degree bound the member to secrecy, and to avenge a brother member's blood.
The second degree was confined to robbing, jayhawking, "c. The third contemplated the re-establishment of the old Union.
By some means the whole plot was discovered, and created intense excitement.
The Marshall (Texas) Republican says:
‘
A bout seventy men were arrested, the most of them, as we understand, low characters, with here and there a man of limited influence.
About twenty-four of these were tried and executed, when the community was freshly excited by the intelligence that the son of the hotel keeper at
Gainesville, (whose name we do not recollect,) had been waylaid and assassinated several miles from town.
Col. William C. Young and several others went out to get the body, but had not reached the spot when some one in ambush shot Young through the head, killing him instantly, Such was the exasperation caused by these assassinations that the community hung several others.
The number executed in
Cook county, at last accounts, reached forty-two, and two others were shot in attempting to make their camps.
The extent of the plot was not known, but was not supposed to be very extensive.
How could it be, when there are probably not a thousand Union men (if so many) in the
State ! It was traced, however, to Grayton county, Some few arrests had been made at
Sherman, and one man was condemned to be hung.
Others, it was expected, would be summarily dealt with,-- Altogether, it is a strange affair, that a body of man not numbering two hundred, should consent a plan of this kind, inviting invasion when they were not. living in a country which an invading foe would be likely to run the of entering, and when they must have known that the discovery of their plans would be visited with condign punishment.
We must inform that thieving and rubbing was at the bottom of the affair.
Since writing the foregoing, it is rumored that several persons have been hung in
Grayson county, and among them
a Dr. Lively.
’
A letter from a lady residing near St. Francesville to her father in
Shreveport, says:
‘
"
Gov. Wickliffe was sent by
Gen. Taylor with a flag of truce to New Orleans to see
Gen. Butler, and to tell him if he did not stop his depredations on the
Mississippi river he would hang what prisoners he had in his possession,
Gov. Wickliffe saw
Gen. Butler and told him what
Gen. Taylor said.
Gen Butler replied to
Gov. Wickliffe, ‘"You tell
Gen. Taylor if he hangs one of my men, I will commence in New Orleans and hang until I get to
Memphis, or until I think I have satisfaction."’ And then he asked Gov. W. What were the depredations that had been committed.
Wickliffe mentioned the burning of Bayon Sara.
Butler said he did not know Bayon Sara was burned, and asked who burned it. W. told him
Captain Porter, of the
Essex.
Butler then called
Porter in the presence of
Wickliffe, and asked him why he had burned Bayon Sara.
Porter replied that he sent a boat's crew of men on shore, and they were fired on by the citizens, and several of them wounded.
He then burned the town.
Butler said he done exactly right.
After
Wickliffe had communicated
Taylor's message, he and
Butler entered into a conversation.
Wickliffe asked
Butler why the
North did not make peace with the
South; that they knew very well they never could conquer the
South.
Butler replied, that it was merely a question of time; that the
North was eighteen millions strong, and the
South only eight.
On
Wickliffe's rising to take leave
Butler requested him to walk around the city; told him he would place no restraint on him whatever, and entreated him to go and see some of his lady friends, and to ask them if he was the brute he was represented to be in the newspapers outside the city.
He told
Wickliffe, too, that he intended to make us see sights this winter; that we hadn't seen anything yet. He asked
Wickliffe when he intended leaving the city; told him as soon as he got ready to leave to let him knew, and he would have a steamboat in readiness to convey him to any point he wished to go."
’
