The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-26 00:00:00

Lord Wharneliffe and Mr. Seward.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—Will you oblige me by inserting the follow-
ing correspondence ? As I feel precluded from
writing to Mr. Adams in reply to the contents of
Mr. Seward's despatch, I take this opportunity of
answering some of its statements.

Mr. Seward asserts that the Confederate prisoners
are not suffering unusual privations. This leads
me to quote the following extracts from a letter
published in the Northern papers, bearing date the
14th of October and written by a Unionist of New
England, whose name in full is at the foot of it :
Prom every prison in the north, from Rock Island to
Fort Warren, goes out this wail of suffering humanity.
• . • Those 1,500 pale faces are before me as I saw them
pass me a': the depot. Those ghastly, pleading faces I—l
saw them here again, saw the pile of dead—dead from want
of nourishing food. . . • H it tears of shame for my coun •
trymen who permit these outrages upon humanity, tears of
pity for these poor sufferers blind my eyes."

Testimony of this kind has arrived continuously
in this country. It believed to be true, it naturally
creates a desire to alleviate such misery. If untrue,
the best means to disprove it would be the visit of a
third party, who accompanied by witnesses, would
report the real facts. This test Mr Seward declines.

Mr Seward would make it appear that the sum
obtained at the bazaar was mainly contributed by
those who had been engaged in trade with the
South. So far from this being the case, contributions
were received from all parts of the United King-
dom, from the Continent, Canada, even from the
Northern States. The movement originated with
and was all but entirely carried out by the Southern
ladies now in England. It cannot be supposed that
these ladies are engaged in foreign trade, or that out
of more tha❑ 10,000 persons who attended and con-
tributed to the result there could be any appreciable
proportion who had any concern in the trade of the
South.

I cannot pretend to understand what Mr Seward
means by the assertion that the war was promoted
by British subjects. If they or other foreigners
have protractei it, are nit these the Irishmen and
Germans who have been induced by Northern agents
to take part in it ? Is it not probable that without
eleir aid, so eagerly sought, the war would have
been over before this time ?

If either side has wandered from loyalty and
patriotism, is it not rather the North, whose
loyalty to its Constitution is now exchanged for
obedience to a despotic Government, and whose
patriotism is now exhibited in the destruction of
fellow-countrymen because they assert that right to
self-government which has ever been declared in.
herent in alt the people of America ?

To Mr Sewatd's epithets " unnatural and hope-
less," as applied to the action of the &nab, it might
be replied that when the people of the North were
rebels against those to whom they owed existence
there was realty something unnatural in the fact ;
and it might be added that, at the end of a similar
period, their prospects were hopeless indeed it con.
trasted with the pcsition of the Southern armies
this day. Mr Seward, however, appears still to
cling to the fallacy so often exploded already—that
the affair will be over in 90 days.
As to the attempt to represent the efforts of the
Southern ladies on behalf of their suffering brothers
as a grave insult to their own people, it cannot
be a proper employment of your columns to reply
to matters so unworthy. I have only further to
assure your readers that the refusal of the Federal
Government will not practically affect the distribu-
tion of the fund, for which, unhappily, we can find
but too many recipients.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
WHAUNCLIFFE.

" Wortiey-hall, Nov. 12.

. _
"Your Excellency.—A
,bazaAr has been held in
St. George's-hall, Liverpool, to provide a fund for
the relief of Southern prisoners of war. It has pro-
duced a clear film of about £17,000. In preference
to any attempt to reach the intended object by cir-
cuitous means, a committee of English gentlemen
has been formed to address you on the subject.

" As chairman of this Committee I venture to ask
your Excellency to rcquest the permission of your
Government that an accredited agent may be sent
out to visit the military prisons within the Northern
Stares, and minister to the comfort of those for
whom this fond is intended, under such supervision
as your Government may direct.
Permit me to state that no political end is
aimed at by this movement. It has received sup-
port from many who are opposed to the political
action of the South.

Nor is it intended to impute that the Confede-
rate prisoners are denied such attention as the ordi-
nary rules enjoin. Bat those rules are narrow and
stern. Winter is at hand, and the clothing which
may satisfy the rules of war will not protect the
natives of a warm climate from the severe cold of
the North.

Sir, the issue of this great content will not be de-
termined by individual suffering, be it greater or
te,s ; and you, whose family name is interwoven
with American history, cannot view with indiffe-
rence the suffering of American citizens, whatever
their state or their opinions.

On more than one occasion aid has been proffered
by the people of one country to special classes under
great bftivion in another. May it Lot be permitted
to us to follow these examples, especially when
those we desire to solace are beyond the reach of
,heir immediate kinsmet, ? I trust these precedents
Ind the voice of humaniry may plead with your
Excellency and induce you to prefer to the Govern-
ment of the United States the request I hate the
honour to submit.—l am, Sir, your most obedient
servant,
WHARN CUM.
The Hon. C. F. Adams.

Legation of the United States, Nov.. 18.
My Lord, —I have the honour to acknowledge the
reception of your letter of the 12th inst., asking me
to submit to the consideration of my Government a
request of certain English gentlemen, made through
your lordship, to send out an accredited agent to
visit the miiitary prisoners held by the United States,
and afford them such aid additionak to that extended
by the ordinary rules of war as may be provided by
the fund which has been raised here for the purpose.
I am very sure that it has never been the de-
sire of my Government to treat with unnecessary
or vindictive severity any of the misguided in-
dividuals, parties in this deplorable rebellion,
who have fallen into their hands in the regular
course of war. I should greatly rejoice were the
effects of your sympathy extended to the minister-
ing to the mental ailment not less than the bodily
sufferings of these unfortunate persons, thus con-
tributing to put an end to a struggle which other-
wise is too likely to be only procrastinated by your
I,ll)urs.

Be this as it may, I shall be happy to promote
any humane endeavours to alleviate the horrors of
this strife, and in that sense shall very cheerfully
comply pith your Lordship's desire, so far as to
transmit by the earliest opportunity to my Govern-
ment a copy of the application which has been ad-
dressed to me.

I big your Lordship to receive the assurance of
my distinguished consideration.

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Legation of the United States, London,
I)Lc. 20,

Aly Lord,—l have the honour to inform you that
I have submitted to the consideration of my Govern-
ment a copy of your Lordship's note to me of the
13:h November, and of my reply of the 18th of that
month, and I have now to apprise ye.:u of the con-
elusion whieh has been reached,

I am instructed to say that permission . for an
agent of the committee described by your Lordship
to visit the insurgents detained in the military pri-
sons of the United States, and to distribute among
them £17,000 of British gold, cannot be granted.
I am sorry to be further constrained to signify to
your Lordship that with this note my correspon-
dence on this subject must be brought to a close.
I have the honour to be, my lord, your Lordship's
most obedient servant,
CHARLES FUANCIS ADAMS.

TA fh.