After an imprisonment of two months, Mr. Williams was released by taking the oath of allegiance, and placing himself under bonds. As was usual in other cases, no charges or specifications were ever made against him, nor any trial accorded him. He was discharged, and left to "guess" the if any, for his arrest and confinement.

reason,

THE

HON. DAVID SHEEAN.

HE arrest of Hon. David Sheean, at Galena, Illinois, on the 28th of August, 1862, was one among the many wanton and inexcusable acts of despotic power committed during the Administration of the late Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Sheean entered into partnership with John A. Rawlins, Chief of Staff to General Grant, and at present Secretary of War, in the practice of law, in 1858, and continued the partnership until the time of his arrest. He had been twice elected City Attorney of Galena, and once its Mayor-running far ahead of his ticket. As a lawyer, he stood high in his profession.

For honesty and honor his character was proverbial. The pride of his political and personal friends, he was esteemed and respected by all who knew him. Although an uncompromising Democrat, his bearing toward his opponents was candid and courteous, commanding their respect even during that period of frenzied passion which marked the inauguration of the late war.

A resident of Illinois from his childhood, he was opposed to the war, not from any sympathy with the South, but from principle. His opposition went no farther than the expression of his opinions to those who desired to hear them, and this right he maintained from the beginning, upon all occasions, and under every circumstance.

On the evening of the 28th of August, the United States Marshal, assisted by the Sheriff of Galena, arrested Mr. Sheean in his office, without any warrant, or other authority, save the following telegram from Washington City:

"WASHINGTON, August 27, 1862.

"To J. R. JONES, United States Marshal, Chicago, Illinois. "You will arrest David Sheean, lawyer, at Galena, for disloyal

practices, and con-ey him to Fort Lafayette until further ordered

"By order of the Secretary of War.

(Signed)

L. C. TURNER, Judge Advocate."

What the "disloyal practices" were, Mr. Sheean was never informed, but they may be readily inferred from the follow ing circumstances.

Every community, at that time, had its "loyal" bully, to regulate the opinions of Democrats, and incite mobs to acts of violence. Cowards and sneaks in ordinary times, they became heroes when numbers backed them in assaults upon single individuals. Galena had such in the persons of two brothers, named Harris. They assaulted a poor Irishman on the streets of Galena, because he refused to enlist unless he was paid his bounty in advance. Remarking that A. B., who had enlisted, had not yet got his bounty, and asserting his right to state this, they beat him most shamefully; then, with a howling mob at their backs, dragged him senseless to the County Jail, telling the Sheriff' he had been discouraging enlistments, and must be imprisoned. That official being a "loyal" man, without any further authority, closed the door of a felon's cell on him. As soon as he recovered sufficiently, be sent to Mr. Sheean for relief. A writ of habeas corpus was immediately applied for, but the "loyal" Judge Sheldon, of that Circuit, had seen a telegraphic despatch to the "New York Tribune," that persons discouraging enlistments were to be arrested, and refused the writ on the ground that he had heard the prisoner was guilty of that offence.

In vain did Mr. Sheean point out the fact that the prisoner's petition stated he was guilty of no offence, and was imprisoned without affidavit or complaint filed against him. In vain did he urge the utter insecurity of liberty, even of the Judge himself, under such ruling; for this same Judge had declared in a public speech, that he who talked about the Constitution in those days should be murked as a traitor. Finding the writ of habeas corpus practically abolished by a partisan Judge, a trespass suit, for false imprisonment, for

ten thousand dollars damages, was then commenced against the Harris brothers and the Sheriff, who, being naturally cowards, now became alarmed at the turn matters were taking. They fancied they had every Democrat chosen for imprisonment, and had already got a second victim in the jail, and if not cheated, would soon fill it. But a claim of damages for false imprisonment before a jury brought them to their senses.

They ceased to send any more to jail, and sought the advice of E. B. Washburne, member of Congress from the district, as to how they should rid themselves of the suit. Now was Washburne's opportunity. Sheean was bold and fearless, placing himself in the pathway of loyal terrorism, and inspiring others with courage. If he were stricken down, the road would be clear to trample upon others. Washburne had the ear of the "Government." He could direct its right arm, the Secretary of War. Armed with such influence and à certified transcript of the trespass suit, he departed for Washington on his devilish errand. The foregoing telegram was sent back the day after his arrival. suit was dismissed for want of prosecution, while Mr. Sheean was in Fort Lafayette, the plaintiff being then in jail. But on his return home he commenced the suit again, and had the satisfaction of hearing the verdict guilty pronounced against the Harris brothers, by a jury selected by a deputy of that Sheriff, and a judgment of damages upon the verdict entered by that Judge.

The

The arrest of Sheean was made so secretly, that but two of his friends knew of the occurrence, until he was far out of the way. The Marshai and his assistant, knowing his popularity, feared that a disturbance might be made, and desired to conduct him from his office to the train through an unfrequented street; but receiving his pledge that no trouble should occur, he was permitted to go the usual route. Arriving at the railroad depot, he found the instigators of his arrest had assembled to witness the effect of it upon him. A smile of satisfaction played upon

their countenances. They stared at their victim with a fes! ing of triumph.

He returned it with a look of proud defiance, feeling a loathing contempt for them. But few, however, of the Republicans of Galena justified the proceedings. The larger portion of them felt it was wrong. The whole community, with but a few dishonorable exceptions, declared that he was the innocent victim of Harris and Washburne. Even the officer who arrested him declared afterward that no act of his life gave him so much pain as the arrest of Mr. Sheean. Being unprepared for the journey, he desired time to obtain funds, and write a letter to a friend, directing him to take charge of his affairs. But in such haste had the arrest to be made. that it was denied him. On arriving, under guard, in New York, the "Inner Temple," with its prison cells and irongrated windows, at the police headquarters, became his tenement until the prisoners' hack was obtained to convey him to Fort Hamilton. Arriving there, Lieutenant Colonel Burke's receipt discharged him from the custody of the Marshal, and placed him under military authority. Then, conducted between two files of armed soldiers, he was conveyed across the channel to that silent tomb of living heroes-Fort Lafayette.

Thus guarded he was taken into the presence of the commandant, who divested him of his watch, money, and other valuables, and then subjected his person and baggage to a strict search. He was then sent to the battery, and furnished, like the other prisoners, with an iron cot, a straw mattress, and a blanket, there to await "further orders."

To the spirit of Mr. Sheean, and others there like him, it was a long and weary waiting. Marched to and from their meals like felons, and guarded by armed sentinels while eatingwatched by day and night by the tools of despotism — restricted to a limited intercourse with each other—insulted daily by an overbearing soldiery, and forced to submit to rules designed to degrade and humiliate, the plan was well calculated to break down the boldest spirit, and bring it lacerated and bleeding to the foot of power. Galling