TREATMENT OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN NEW YORK.

Evening Post, Issue 159, 11 August 1865, Page 2

TREATMENT OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN NEW YORK.

An account of the manner in which political prisoners are treated in the penitentiary at Albany, New York, may be interesting to those who, living under "an Old World despotism," cannot be supposed to know much about the bastille of a Republic. Mr. Smith (let us say) resides at Washington. Mr. Smith, in a moment of excitement, expresses ah opinion that Abraham Lincoln ought to be. impeached. Some spy overhears the remark, and the unlucky gentleman with a mind of his own suddenly finds himself on the way to the Old Capitol prison. Thence— perhaps in a few days, possibly in a few months— he is taken before a military- commission The proof is "clear," for Messrs. Sneak and Prowler can stoutly swear to the use of "treasonable language" by the prisoner. He is convicted, and, sent to the penitentiary at Albany, mayhap with the chaingang, or possibly without company. Arrived at the Albany prison, still in his handcuffs, he is marched into a small ; square room, compelled to. face the wall, told to turn his eyes upon the floor, and keep silence. A negro then approaches and shaves the victim, also cropping the hair in the most approved convict style. Mr. Smith is then inducted into the striped garments worn by the inmates of our prisons, and finally placed, in company with another unfortunate, in a cell seven feet deep and four feet wide. In this cell— six feet between floor and ceiling—there are two beds 16 inches in width placed one above the other. The mattreeses are filled with what might at one time have been straw, but which is filth outside; these mattresses are smeared with all conceivable and much inconceivable naatinesa. No sheet or covering is given the occupant of this "couch." . j At five o'clock in the morning the detenu is aroused, and partakes of a breakfast consisting of six ounces of black bread, generally sour, six or seven spoonfuls of boiled rice, and a tin cupful of a dirty fluid called coffee. Twice a week a small amount of molasses is added to the rice. At seven o'clock Smith and company,' whites and blacks mingled promiscuously, are marched to the workshop, each man carrying his bucket. At twelve o'clock diuner is served up, the repast consisting of eight ounces of boiled beef (and beef of the cheapest and consequently the poorest sort), six ounces of bread, one potato, and half a turnip. Twice a week " soup" takes the place of beef. At half-pa§t twelve o'clock the convicts and political prisoners return to their labour, which they leave at six o'clock to partake of a supper, consisting of mush' and molasses. On Friday of each week the shaving process is repeated, the razor being simply an instrument of torture, owing to the dulness growing out of constant use. Any complaint results in punisnment of some sort, from a simple kick to a thorough flogging! This is in no respect a fancy sketch, but the relation of the actul experience of a gentleman now residing at Washington, recently released from 'confinement at Albany.— New York Correspondent fthe Morning Herald.