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31 their health or sacrifice their lives, by visiting them with such cruel hardships, and they will hope, unless forced to a contrary conclusion, that it can only be necessary to present the facts to you, plainly, in order to secure the necessary relief. We desire to say nothing, here, in regard to the justice or injustice of our imprisonment, but we respectfully insist upon our right to be treated with decency and common humanity, so long as the government sees fit to confine us.

"Commending the matter to your earliest consideration and prompt interference, we are your obedient servants,