It is difficult to express the sentiments of indig nation and feeling of disgust at the conduct of the Administration towards this blind, feeble, pennyless, infirm, old man. When he was first introduced to us in No. 13, he had neither coat nor hat, and no change of clothes of any kind, and it was some time before his fellow prisoners who had the means to help him found an opportunity to so. Being a Free Mason of a high degree in that order, he contrived to make his situation known to his brethren in Washington, and through the kind offices of Dr. Hull, who had access to the prison, the Masons relieved some of the wants of this victim of tyranny.

When Mr. Smith was brought to the Old Capitol he was stripped naked, and his rags of clothes and person searched for evidences of whatever charge was made against him, or of the suspicions entertained of him. But nothing was found to implicate or convict him of any offense. Nevertheless he was kept nearly two months in the Old Capitol, and was only released at last, as were several others at the same time, to make way for some other victims. Like all the other victims, he was wantonly kidnapped and cruelly punished without cause, trial, or judgment. Papers deemed of value by Mr. Smith were taken from him when he was kidnapped, and on applying for them when he was released, they were withheld from him. These papers had nothing whatever to do with the affairs of the Government, or with politics. Mr. Smith had an inventive mind, and he was continually thinking of some improvement in implements of husbandry, domestic economy, and, during the war, of improvements in arms, projectiles, &c. He had patented several improvements in bee-hives and farm implements, but, like most inventors, realized little or nothing as the fruits of his genius. It was papers which had reference to some of these inventions

which were taken from him when he was kidnapped, and which were withheld from him when he was set at liberty, confiscated, doubtless, as was the property of many another victim as prize of war, or as t the reward of such services as no one who had any respect for himself would descend so low as to perform. The poor old blind man, Smith, had to beg the means to feed himself on his way home, the Government furnishing only transportation.

KIDNAPPING OF HON. ANDREW D. DUFF, ONE OF THE CIRCUIT JUDGES OF ILLINOIS, WITH SOME OTHER GENTLEMEN.

I was arrested at Marion, in Williamson County, while holding Circuit Court there, on the 14th August, 1862. Hon. Wm. J. Allen, M. C., (from old 9th district,) John M. Clementson, States Attorney for 26th Judicial Circuit, Hon. John H. Mulkey, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the city of Cairo, Dr. H. Bundy and Alexander C. Nelson of Williamson County, were also arrested at the same time.

We were arrested by Messrs. Scott and Woodruff, United States Detective Policemen. We went with them to Cairo on Friday the 15th; we were treated generously by these gentlemen. When we got to Cairo, we were paroled upon honor, where we remained until the 2nd day of September. On the 20th of August, the affidavits, or at least a part of them were shown to us.

Four or five of them against me were for speaking against the corruptions of the administration, these affidavits being so true in the main were suppressed, and never to my knowledge published. There was one affidavit by one G. W. Myers, corporal in Captain Creed's company of three months men, then stationed at Big Muddy Bridge, near

Carbondale, Illinois. This witness states that he was introduced into the K. G. C., on 10th July, (year not given,) near Marion, Illinois; that afternoon he attended a meeting three miles from Blairsville in Williamson County, where upwards of three hundred men were present; that seven or eight speakers addressed the meeting; that I was present and made a speech in which I informed the meeting that the K. G. C., would soon be armed, &c., giving no date, no names, &c., not even stating that he knew me at all.

Upon the reading of this affidavit, I informed the Provost Marshal, Mr. J. W. Merrill, that it was a lie of whole cloth, that I had never seen or heard of this man on earth before, that if he (Merrill,) would send up (being about eighty miles,) the line, and retake his affidavit, and require him to state who the speakers were that addressed the meeting, and name some of the persons present, name the day of the week, month and year, also state whether he was personally acquainted with me, if so, describe my person, &c., or else bring him down to Cairo and bring the witness to cross-examination himself. I proposed if this was done, that I would pay all expenses attending the same, knowing that Creed's company, to which this corporal belonged, left Duquoin about 15th July, for Camp Butler, Ill., where they remained till first August, and my court commenced at Vienna the fourth of August, leaving but five or seven days from tenth July to seventeenth for him to fix upon, so that he could either prove his or my whereabouts. But all this was denied me as if their object was accomplished which they desired.

On the 24th of Aug. all the evidences the other gentlemen together with this aff. and also an additional aff. (the name of affiant not given) was pub

lished by the Chicago Tribune, and then by all the Abolition papers in the West. This publication was made before any decision was made by the Provost Marshal, and was obtained from his office (and was intended to prejudice us before trial.) The name of this last affiant we have so far been unable to obtain, but is false from end to end. This affiant states that myself, F. M. Youngblood, W. Newland, and J. Crouch of Franklin County, attended a meeting of the K. G. C. two miles north of Pinckneyville, in Perry county. This is thirty miles west from Benton. As to this affiant, it is enough to state that the meeting is stated to have been on the 10th of August, 1862. My Circuit Court commenced at Vienna on the first Monday in August, being 4th August, where I remained till ten o'clock Saturday, the 9th-drove home fifty miles that night-was at home all day on Sundaywas about town and the taverns in Benton all day on the 10th. Half the inhabitants, both men, women and children, both Democrats, Republicans, and Abolitionists, saw me at all hours of the day up till dark; and on Monday morning, 11th, I left for Marion, Williamson Co., where I opened my Court at ten o'clock. All these facts I offered to prove, but was also denied. We were all started to

Washington city 2d Sept., 1862. At Centralia we met with Captain Corder, also of Marion, and Dr. John R. Brown, of Randolph county, under charge of Captain Rockford. We then proceeded to Washington city under charge of Deputy Marshal Isaac Philips, who is a gentleman in every sense of the word, Major Board, (who is both a fool and a tyrant) and Captain Rockford, who is also a gentleman.

We arrived at Washington the 5th Sept. Judge Allen being very sick, was paroled and left at the