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21 "with which we had been compelled to supply ourselves at Fort McHenry; otherwise we should have been compelled to lie on the bare floor, the officers here stating to us, that they had no supplies whatever, and could not furnish us with blankets, even of the must ordinary kind. We are distinctly notified that the orders under which the commanding officer of the post is acting, require him to impose upon us the following, among other restrictions, viz.: we are allowed to receive or forward no letters from or to, even our own families, unless they are submitted to inspection and perusal by some military officer;—no friend can visit us without the permission of Colonel, whose quarters are not at this Fort, and no intimation has been given that such permission will be readily granted;—we are to receive no newspapers from any quarter;—for one hour in the morning, and one in the evening only, we are to be allowed to take exercise by walking about in a small square, not larger than some sixty or seventy feet each way, surrounded on the four sides by the massive buildings of the Fort, three stories in height. We were, on our arrival here, required to surrender all the money we had, and all writing paper and envelopes—our baggage being all searched for these and other articles that might be chosen to be considered as contraband. It is unnecessary to give any further details to satisfy you, that our condition, as to physical comfort, is no better than that of the worst felons in any common jail in the country. Having been arrested and already imprisoned for a month, without a charge of any legal offence having been as yet, preferred against me, or those arrested at the same time with me, it is useless to make any further protest to you against the continuance of our confinement—But we do insist, as a matter of common right, as well as in fulfilment of your own declarations to me, that if the government chooses to exercise its power, by restraining us of our liberty, it is bound in ordinary decency to make such provision for our comfort and health, as gentlemen against whom, if charges have been preferred, they have not been made known, and all opportunity for an investigation has been denied, are recognized in every civilized community to be entitled to. It is but just to Colonel and Lieutenant, who commands the garrison here, that I should add, that both of those officers have professed their desire to extend to us all comforts, that their instructions will allow, and the means at their command will enable them to do. They have, however, each stated that the orders under which they act, are imperative, and that their supplies of even the most common articles, are at present very limited. I have writ-"